Could someone please take a look at what I ate today and critique? TIA

[Blissg]

I am on day 4 and it has been good so far, but, ever the worrier, I am afraid I messed something up. Could anyone take a look at what I ate and tell me what changes I should make? The menu planning is easy. Breaking the late night snacking habit, not so much. 

 

Breakfast: Coffee with coconut milk, boiled egg, spoonful of almond butter. Was pre-spin class so I didn't want to load up.

 

PWO Snack: Paleo Kit

 

Lunch: leftover spaghetti squash casserole made with onions, squash, homemade tomato sauce, and compliant pork sausage.

 

Snack: cucumbers with lime and salt, leftover pulled pork from last night

 

Dinner: Korean sweet potato and beef chili, cilantro, green onion, avocado and roasted brussels sprouts.

 

Snack: will prob have monkey salad.

 

Am I eating too much? I want to lose weight while I am doing this. What should I cut and/or add?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Tom Denham]

You are not eating enough! And you should change some things that you are eating.

 

You had a good pre-workout snack. 

 

Your post-workout snack was not good. Post workout you need lean protein and no fat. I am not certain what you mean by Paleo Kit, but I am assuming beef jerky and some nuts. The jerky is okay, but nuts are nothing you should eat after a workout. Also, we want you to eat real food. Chicken breast is an ideal food after a workout. I eat tuna packed in water for the convenience. 

 

You had no breakfast. By skipping breakfast and making do with pre- and post-workout food, you missed an entire meal and failed to nourish your body fully. When you workout, you need extra food. If you do not eat enough, it slows your metabolism and makes weight/fat loss slower, not faster. 

 

No wonder you are wanting to snack. You needed more food. Cucumber and pulled pork is a great snack because you are getting veggies, protein, and maybe some fat. Monkey salad is a terrible thing to eat during a Whole30. It is a paleo dessert and should be avoided. It is technically compliant, but is far from ideal food.

 

You do not describe the portion sizes you ate at lunch and dinner. Review the meal planning template to make sure you are eating enough. Do not eat less than the minimum.

 

http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

[Blissg]

So, eat a bigger breakfast and lose the monkey salad? I ate the suggested portion sizes of food. And, yes, the paleo kit has nuts a dried fruit too. Why is the monkey salad a bad thing to eat? Also, is this type of snacking I am doing bad? Is it ok if they are mini meals? I assume my desire for those will change once my body adapts?

[GFChris]

Monkey salad is typically fruits and fat (nuts and seeds are fat sources on a Whole30), which is why Tom described it as a dessert. For best results, when you're hungry between meals (litmus test: you could eat something bland like steamed fish and broccoli), have a mini-meal consisting of protein, veg and fat. Fruit is recommended only as part of your main meals, not as part of a snack.

[Blissg]

Ok. Thanks for all the help! 

[ultrarunnergirl]

Snacking is one of the best ways to avoid losing weight. If you've read It Starts With Food, the science behind this is explained quite well in the chapter on hormones. I didn't plan or expect to lose anything on my first Whole30, but I tried to stick very faithfully to the 3 meals (plus pre and or post workout meals) and did end up losing several pounds.

 

Of course, weight loss is not the point of a Whole30. You're going to get so much further with everything you learn about yourself and your habits, instead of a one-time, short-lived fix of a few pounds lost.

 

Keep the faith and happy, nutritious, delicious eating!