Day 10 - Questions

[kania0512]

Hi,

 

I started Whole30 on February 1 and have been 100% strict. I was just looking through the Whole30 timeline in the link below and was wondering if this only applies to people who were not on a Paleo diet before.

http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/

 

I am asking because I have been on Paleo sine 2003 and was fairly low carb - around 50 grams a day. Last year I ran extremely deficient in magnesium but didn't realize it. I just suddenly had horrible pain in my back, fatigue, and excessive hunger in general, but my need for carbohydrates went up. So I started eating higher carb veggies, had fruit more often, had honey in my morning coffee, and drank coconut water. I was also on a high dose of hydrocortisone for adrenal fatigue which caused a lot of muscle loss.

 

Things improved and by December I was back to moderate carb intake 50 to 100 grams. Throughout January I cut out honey completley and the occasional stevia. February first I quit chewing gum with Xylitol and like I said, I have been strict.

 

Today my pants actually feel tighter. I did gain some weight over the holidays, but it seems I am gaining not losing. Is this normal?

 

A few more things, because of fatigue (weak adrenals) and other health issues I was unable to work out last year. In January I started doing daily squats starting with 10 a day and working my way up to 35  a day - I know, not much but I was pretty fatigued. I now do squats three days a week and I am starting to go for walks again. I also do knee push ups 3 to 5 days a week. Not sure if I am actually building a little muscle in my legs from those few squats and my thighs are actually growing. Mostly my jeans are tight in the butt/hip/thigh area. I am not overweight, but would love to get rid of that layer of fat.

 

My cortisol levels were all a bit low on a recent saliva test but two weeks ago I started taking an adoptogen to support my adrenals. My sex hormones were checked and they actually look pretty good (I do supplement with progesterone and testosterone).

 

Anyway, I have not intention of quitting (I like NOT being a slave to Spry gum), but was wondering if the same timeline above applies to someone who was already on Paleo and fairly strict.

 

Thank you for any input, especially if it's encouraging. LOL

[Carlaccini]

I would definitely say what you are experiencing is normal.

 

Even more experienced whole 9ers (meaning those who stay pretty close to the whole 30 template most of the time with occasional forays into the wild ) will experience most of the symptoms that are on the timeline.

 

So relax and know that this is all part of the process.  Don't overthink it too much.

[kania0512]

Thank you. The truth is that I have battled anorexia and bulimia for a large part of my life. I stopped the starvation/binge/purge cycle a long time ago, but the body image issues are still there. I am so tired of them. I know I am not overweight and just want to let go of these lies I have been believing pretty much all my life.