Should I start reintro if not feeling the Tiger blood?

[Mjbc]

Hello,

On day 26 here of my first whole30. Feeling ok, but not great, like I was hoping/expecting. I was really hoping to see an increase in energy levels and it just isn't happening. I can feel a difference in my mood - more stable, less ups and downs throughout the day. Clothes are fitting a bit better, but again, not as much as I had hoped. In addition, my digestion is worse in a lot of ways now than it was when I started. I do not have a gallbladder and have tried some supplements, but I am not seeing any improvement. I am feeling so discouraged! From what I have read, it seems one might say I need to plow through another 30 to get things straightened out, but man oh man, am I looking forward to having a piece of my son's birthday cake that I froze from day 14, (which also makes me think I did not rid myself of the sugar dragon) and quite honestly I do not have a lot of hope that another 30 days would even help as I can't seem to find any info on the supplements actually making my symptoms worse! And as a side note, could I even have the cake on day 31 as it certainly has both dairy and wheat?? Any thoughts?

[GFChris]

First off, not everyone experiences Tiger Blood during their Whole30. Sometimes it does take longer.  The stability of your moods is a good sign that it's going in the right direction.

I see from your other posts that you're also nursing.  I wonder if you're eating enough and/or getting enough carb-dense vegetables on a daily basis?

Can you post 2-3 days worth of a typical food log for you, including portion sizes, daily water consumption, nightly hours of sleep, and any exercise?  That will help us give you more specific feedback.

On reintroductions, yes, you want to keep dairy reintro separate from wheat reintro, because if you have a reaction, you won't know which is the culprit.
 

[Mjbc]

Ok, here are more specifics.

Thank you for seeing that I was nursing! I wasn't sure which forum was best for the post, so I am glad you caught that. So, yes, I am nursing. 15 mo old who is eating some food, but still nursing quite a bit, too. The baby is my 5th child, so that it in and of itself probably accounts for the overall lack of energy! Also, my husband is a fireman and gone for days at a time, so I am really beat by the end of the day, which to answer the sleep question is sometimes not until 12 or 1 am. I usually wake up at 7. Definitely not the optimal 8 or 9 hours. Sometimes I will fall asleep with the kids, so i will get maybe 9 or even 10 hours, but that happens sporadically and my toddler still nurses at night, so it is never completely through.

I have not been exercising at all. I was hoping that this would provide the boost in energy and desire, but no. Now I feel as if I may have enough energy, but I the cooking and prep of the food seems to take up all my time!! I have always made a lot of the food we consume, but this is at a different level, because I am making all the sauces, dressings, and sides. Sautéed veggies make more mess than steamed rice in a rice cooker. Truth. I digress.

Water consumption is not optimal either. I forget about it. I am probably having 40 -50 oz a day?? I drink coffee with coconut milk in the am. Also some water then. Some water throughout the day here and there. Usually a cup of tea or kombucha in the afternoon. Water with dinner. Another cup of tea usually in the evening.

Ok. Meals. I think I can remember...

Breakfast is easy, because I have had the same thing for the last month. Two fried eggs, sweet potato hash (lots - like the same size as my fried eggs), 1/2-1/4 of an avocado and a small portion of sausage. And coffee with about 2 TBSP of coconut milk and cinnamon. So yummy.

Lunch is either a mix of leftovers from dinner the night before. Today was half a chicken breast, one deviled egg (meaning 2 halves), a quarter of a yellow pepper, and leftover sauteed parsnips and carrots (a large handful). Also had a few orange slices and a small palm size of blueberries. Yesterday was two applegate hotdogs, half of a yellow pepper, ketchup, mustard, and probably two handfuls of kale chips.

Dinner tonight was 2 salmon cakes, sauteed zucchini, onions, and tomatoes, and half of an apple with some sunbutter. Yesterday dinner was grilled chicken breast, sauteed parsnips and carrots ( half a plate full- they were soo good!) and half an avocado. Yesterday i was up late and got hungry so i had a handful of blueberries with some macadamia nuts. Also, Dinner time became crazy because i had to get medicine for my daughter before the store closed so i had a snack at 4 of a slice of chicken, some turnips and parsnips, and some olives.

Digestion seems to have improved today. Looking at the my food just now, I notice that i didn't have any cauliflower, which was there a lot in one form or another rice, or a mash, a lot lately as it is a staple of the paleo diet. I made the shepards pie and it was amazing, so i quickly made the mash again as a side to the cinnamon stew. And of course, i eat the leftovers the next day. In between those days, I roasted broccoli and ate that several days in a row. Maybe they were causing issues? Would the carb dense veggies help in the digestion?

I understand that not everyone experiences the tiger blood in the same way. My husband is doing this with me and I think part of my frustration is in my comparison to him. I know, comparison is useless in that sense and even harmful, but it is so hard when they are right there! He felt the tiger blood 3 days in, seriously. And he is a fireman, so he will get 5 hours of sleep and still be like, "this whole30 is great, I feel so motivated." It is great for him and he has been so encouraging to me, because I keep hoping to get there, but also a little discouraging on day 29 when I want my tiger blood!

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond and help. This forum has been really integral to my completion!!

[GFChris]

 yes, I am nursing. 15 mo old who is eating some food, but still nursing quite a bit, too. The baby is my 5th child, so that it in and of itself probably accounts for the overall lack of energy! Also, my husband is a fireman and gone for days at a time, so I am really beat by the end of the day, which to answer the sleep question is sometimes not until 12 or 1 am. I usually wake up at 7. Definitely not the optimal 8 or 9 hours. 

^^ These two aspects are likely a major aspect why you're not feeling Tiger Blood yet.  Also, try not to put so much emphasis on getting there, or how/when/if it shows up for you.  It manifests differently for everyone.  Here is an article  with more info.

Definitely get more water in. You want to aim for 1/2 an ounce of water per pound of body weight, daily.

We generally recommend nursing women eat 4 meals a day.  You somewhat did that on one day you listed, so you may need to keep that pattern up. 

 

(And yes, avoid comparing yourself to your husband or anyone else on a Whole30. Completely different context: he's not nursing or taking care of 5 kids while he's at work. )

Side note: confirm your ketchup, mustard, sausage and sunbutter are compliant. 

[ThyPeace]

I am no expert, but.  Mjbc, you said, "I have not been exercising at all."  You have five kids including a toddler.  You are ACTIVE even if you're not exercising.  Because there is no way that you can't be active with that many kids.  Just carrying all their laundry around and picking up toys is more active than most people are.

 

If you get out with the kids to a playground three times a week, then you are ACTIVE.

 

If you walk around the house and pick up toys, then you are ACTIVE.

 

Just picking your toddler up multiple times a day is keeping you stronger than you might think.  Trust me on this -- my youngest is 12 and when I had to carry around a baby for a couple of hours, I noticed it!

 

So assume you are getting enough exercise for now and don't beat yourself up about it.  Instead, focus on taking care of yourself.  If you want, go for a nice easy bike ride when your DH is home to take care of the kids for a while.  Not for the sake of the exercise, but for the sake of the fun.

 

ThyPeace, really likes activity that's fun. It's much easier to sustain than exercise.

 

p.s.  Buy some frozen veggies.  Try frozen spinach in your eggs, for example.  Use frozen cauliflower )and broth and butter and leek to make soup).  Microwave a pile of frozen green beans to have with dinner.  DH and I have been doing this for some meals, and it helps with the endless chopping we were doing.  And interestingly, frozen kale and frozen spinach, when added to soups and stews, are just about the same as fresh.  Can't say as I really like frozen carrots, though.