L1000p Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I am on day 7 of whole 30 and have really struggled since day 5 with light headedness, foggy-ness and hard to focus, some dizziness and fatigue. The first five days I don't believe I ate enough food and still exercised as normal (nearly fainted on day 5 after a hard workout) so day 6 and day 7 I was very conscious about eating MUCH more. I also started adding salt to foods on day 6 because I read on another forum that it could help the fog. I'm adding in more fats too and made sure to buy fattier meats to have this week (ground beef, steak) instead of chicken breast like last week. I'm also eating 2-3 fruits a day. I still do not see improvements and am VERY concerned. Trying to live a normal life while feeling like I'm going to faint is extremely alarming. I have been on my period this past week so I'm wondering if I'm iron deficient (my iron level usually comes back as normal but on the lower end). I have always been a very healthy eater and been very active (with the exception of bingeing over the holidays right before starting whole 30). However, I always started my morning with oatmeal or wheat cereal. I believe that has higher iron contents than the eggs, turkey bacon and potato I have for breakfast now. I'm thinking of seeing a doctor to test my iron and blood sugar because I can't continue like this. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas as to what may be going on? How else can I add iron into my diet? Should I take iron supplements or a women's multivitamin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 If you're eating red meat and leafy greens, chances are you're getting plenty of iron. My hunch is you're not eating enough. Can you post the past 2-3 days' worth of your food log, including meals and pre/post workout fuel, rough portion sizes, water consumption, nightly sleep and exercise routine? That info will help folks here to give you specific feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1000p Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 Thanks Chris! Since nearly fainting on Day 5 I've been paranoid about leaving the house without snacks in case my blood sugar drops so these days include more snacking. Here is my most recent food log, day 6 and 7: Meal 1: 2 eggs + 3 tablespoons egg whites and a hashed baby potato. Handful of Berries and grapes. Black tea with apple cider vinegar and cinnamon. Meal 2: Salmon, kale and potato. Almond butter plus half an apple Snack: larabar while out running errands (no workout today but did lots of walking while doing errands) Meal 3 Brussel sprout Salad with chicken and salmon, plus sunflower seeds, 1.5 baby potatoes. Lara bar and banana. Meal 4 pistachios and roasted almonds Lots of water all day.... Sleeping 8 hours. Day 7: Meal 1: Two eggs +3 tablespoons egg whites with added salt plus half of a baby potato, with half of the "wholy guacamole" on top. Handful of blueberries. black tea with splash of apple cider vinegar and cinnamon. Snack: Lara bar and banana (was feeling faint sitting in church and had to leave early) Meal 2: mashed potatoes (2 baby potatoes) with added salt, 2 pieces of chicken sausage, zucchini and kale cooked in coconut oil, grapes. (Spent 4 hours in the kitchen around dinner time prepping whole 30 meals so kind of ate dinner in two parts): Meal 3: half Apple plus almond butter, mashed potatoes with 2 pieces turkey bacon Meal 4: half a NY strip steak (4 ounces) with spinach and butternut squash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 [Moving to Troubleshooting section.] Ok, first off, allow me to share the recommended meal template. For best results, design all meals to follow this template. Secondly, drop the Lara Bars. Third, eat more. When eggs are your protein, the serving size is the number of whole eggs you can hold in one hand. For most folks, that's at least 3 eggs.Don't let fruit push veggies off your plate. At your main meals, have 1-3 cups of veggies.Don't use fruit as a snack. Keep it to 1-2 servings of fruit daily, where a serving is a whole piece of fruit the size of your fist, and only have fruit with or immediately after your main meals.If you are genuinely hungry between meals (litmus test: you could eat something bland like steamed fish and broccoli), the recommendation is to have a mini meal of protein, veg and fat. Nuts are a fat source on a Whole30. What does "lots of water" mean? Aim for 1/2 an ounce of water per pound of your current body weight, daily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1000p Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 Thank you! I went to bed last night with a headache and woke up with one this morning too. I will try to implement some of those changes this week. If nothing changes in a couple days I may go to the doctor because I can't continue to live my life in a fog. I'm starting a new job next week and can't afford to not be on top of my game! Is it okay to take a multivitamin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Is it okay to take a multivitamin? As long as it doesn't contain any off plan ingredients. Give the suggestions above a fair shot: that will help in increasing your vitamins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted January 19, 2015 Administrators Share Posted January 19, 2015 Thank you! I went to bed last night with a headache and woke up with one this morning too. I will try to implement some of those changes this week. If nothing changes in a couple days I may go to the doctor because I can't continue to live my life in a fog. I'm starting a new job next week and can't afford to not be on top of my game! Is it okay to take a multivitamin? Headaches are also a sign of overall not eating enough. The suggestions Chris made are absolutely perfect. As someone who chronically suffered with low iron in years gone by, I will say that my symptoms of that deficiency crept in slowly and eventually made me feel like I was wading through cement in a wickedly low mood. The symptom of near fainting combined with your recent headache would lead me to believe you have a food quantity deficiency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1000p Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thanks so much for your feedback! I really tried to increase my food intake today. I'm not used to eating this much especially at one sitting. I've always had several small meals a day so this is taking some getting used to. I am still going to bed tonight with a headache. I'm not sure how much more I can eat! Here's my day today (day 8) Meal 1: Slice of Sweet potato crust keish with turkey bacon, kale and mushrooms, a Clementine, Side of broccoli, Handful of almonds with light sea salt, Black coffee 24 ounces of water (one water bottle) 1.5 hours later and feeling VERY hungry!! 2 hours later Meal 2: eggplant casserole with ground beef, butternut squash, potato, spinach and onions. Apple with almond butter. side of cauliflower. 24 oz water bottle (drank another 24 oz water bottle, Feeling foggy, had to take a break from computer work) Pre workout snack: hard boiled egg and handful of almonds. Drank 24 ounces of water. 5pm: 40 minute yoga/pilates video Post WO Snack: cup of roasted slices of sweet potatoe, potatoes, butternut squash meal 3: 4 ounce steak, kale, cauliflower (photo). Broccoli, 3 ounces of chicken, mashed potatoes. Drank 24 ounces of water Drank 24 ounces of water 60 minutes later, headaches start so eat a cup of grapes and continuous water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I have two suggestions that might help. First - Try spacing your water in between meals instead of with meals. I've found that when I drink water with my meals I do not digest them properly and often feel hungrier faster. There is some science out there on the interwebs to back me up. Try avoiding water from 30 minutes before your meal until 30 minutes after your meal and see if that helps at all. Second - Try cutting out almonds for a while. They are not the best fat choice because they are high in omega 6 and can cause gut disruption. Is there another fat you would be willing to try instead? Hang in there and keep eating when you are hungry - a mini meal. It is fine to eat more than 3 times a day while you adjust if that is what you need. Just make sure you are actually hungry and not eating for habit and that every time you eat it is according to the template. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1000p Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 That's great feedback, thank you! I can certainly switch the almonds to another type of nut for on the go snacks. Maybe cashews? I'll also add in more avocado. I'll try to space the water as well. I ended up going to the doctor this morning. Given my history she is pretty sure I am hypoglycemic since I am still feeling foggy/dizzy/cloudy and disoriented after 9 days of whole30. I still woke up with a headache this morning and have one now (after lunch). I'm eating the same thing as yesterday listed above (day 8). Do you have any suggestions or recommendations for hypoglycemic candidates? I am thinking of modifying whole 30 (I know, I'm sorry!) to maybe adding oatmeal in the morning and keeping the rest of the day the same. I know that's not the plan at all but I can't continue to live this way, especially starting a new job next week! In positive news my skin is less red, less inflamed, and clearing up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ultrarunnergirl Posted January 20, 2015 Moderators Share Posted January 20, 2015 Sorry you are feeling this way. Whole30 eating should fix any hypoglycemia issues, if that's truly what is happening with you. Physibeth, LadyShanny and GFChris have given you solid suggestions. How big was your slice of quiche? A serving of eggs is the number you can hold in your hand (3 or 4 for most people). I don't know how many eggs your slice of quiche contained but I'm guessing maybe 2. Even with the turkey bacon that's still not a lot of protein for someone feeling hungry and shaky. Go big! And I didn't see any fat at Meal 3 - hopefully you added ghee or coconut oil to your mashed potatoes. I see you had some butternut squash, good choice. Increasing the amount starchy veggies you are eating might help too. Oatmeal won't give you a darn thing you can't get from protein and high-carb veggies. It's basically nutritionally void except for a small amount of iron (that's why they fortify it). It is also extremely likely to have been cross-contaminated with gluten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted January 20, 2015 Administrators Share Posted January 20, 2015 I am thinking of modifying whole 30 (I know, I'm sorry!) to maybe adding oatmeal in the morning and keeping the rest of the day the same. If you are wanting to add the oatmeal because you feel you need carbs in the morning to help you feel better (totally plausible), why don't you try eating an entire sweet potato or a big helping of roasted butternut squash? Same thing but not inflammatory or a gut irritant. Won't mess with your gut flora or your b'room habits. Foggy/dizzy/cloudy and disoriented are all high signs of not eating enough food. Of course anything you do is your choice but I would rather see you eat 3 or 4 full template meals a day for a week before starting to add back anything else. And by template I mean the high end. TWO palms of protein or one palm and a couple eggs. 3-4 cups of veggies including one starchy at every meal. 2 thumbs of fat or more at every meal. One final thing, your note about finding another nut for snacking "on the go" is another sign that you are not eating enough during your meals because you already know you're going to need a snack. Fill your plate and eat. Support your body and its function. Support the change you're trying to make. Nourish yourself. Throw out any idea that food = virtue and just eat until you are full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1000p Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 I want to thank you all again for your advice and suggestions. I took your advice and up'd my food intake at meals. Sweet potato for breakfast was just what I needed. Day 9 and 10 my headaches were the worst they've ever been, but day 11 and on I was headache free. I'm on day 24 and have been feeling much better. The only issue now is...I feel like I'm gaining weight!!! My clothes are fitting tighter and I feel heavier (not bloated, just heavier, like in the ways my skin touches with other parts of my body that didn't use to touch!) It is completely devastating. I know it's not about losing weight but I didn't expect to feel heavier! And no I am not supposed to be this weight. I gained 7-8 pounds over the holidays and am not supposed to be this size. I haven't weighed myself in a while (except at the doctors about half way through whole 30 and I was at the same weight I started). I'm sure it was because I was eating more to stop the headaches and fogginess, and working out less because I was feeling so terribly and was scared of another low blood sugar incident. This week I started tracking my calories in My Fitness pal and am increasing my workouts with each day. I've always been very active and worked out 5-6 days a week so maybe not having worked out but 3-4 times a week at low intensity (i.e. 30 mins of yoga) really affected me. I'm hoping by the time I'm finished whole 30 in one week I am at least back to where I started. Any other tips and advice? So frustrating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlaccini Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Stop. Don't track calories. Trust the process. At some point we all feel heavier during the process that we call the whole 30. I know the timeline says around days 10 - 14 but you could be possibly be behind. I know I was 10 days behind the timeline when I did my first. I tacked on 15 days on the end just to compensate and yes feel the "magic" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 What Carlaccini said. Eat to satiety, not calories. How's your current level of stress? Where are you at in your monthly cycle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1000p Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 I am starting my cycle next week. This is usually the week I PMS the most. On the contrary my clothes have been tight since I started the Whole 30 and are even more tight now. I just went through a job change and strongly dislike my new job, so I think I may be subconsciously very stressed/unhappy. I am sleeping decently well for the most part, usually once or twice a week I'll wake up a few times in the middle of the night worrying about something, but it's not every night. I am not eating fat/carbs late night or anything either! Thanks for the support. It is really mentally challenging knowing that I am eating clean but feeling unhappy with how I look and how my clothes fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KismetKat11 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I'm on day 9 and realize that my headaches and fuzziness may be related caffeine withdrawals. Is that possible? My daily routine involved having a cup of coffee in the morning (just one), diet soda at lunch and sugar free iced tea with dinner. I've been drinking more water and herbal teas. Just curious if others have found this to be true, and how long it takes to "withdraw" from caffeine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted February 12, 2015 Administrators Share Posted February 12, 2015 Caffeine withdrawal could definitely be contributing to your symptoms! The withdrawal that you'd be having from sugar and sweeteners could also be contributing as well as if you had a very high carbohydrate diet before and have since switched to Whole30 and not kept your starchy veggies at the forefront. Here's an article that has some good info on caffeine withdrawal: http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/03/25/caffeine-withdrawal-symptoms-how-long-do-they-last-average-timeline-varies/ Also, here is the Whole9 Coffee Manifesto which doesn't really speak to the withdrawals in the article but some of the comments are really good: http://whole9life.com/2011/01/the-coffee-manifesto/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KismetKat11 Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Thanks! I think it was a bit caffeine, but I also re-read the "do's" and realized I hadn't been eating any starchy vegetables. I don't like sweet vegetables very much, but found that having 1/2 of a sweet potato in the morning with ghee and perhaps a salad with beets really made a difference. Once I incorporated them, I didn't have any more issues with the fogginess, yay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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