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Eating too much?


lcs75

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Good morning,

I am starting to feel better every day now, still with a few GI issues, but getting better. I am on day 10 (started 17 days ago, but had a slip).

I eat heaps and I have an appetite I lost when I was still in school, eating a dinner like meal for breakfast - this morning meatballs with capsicum, tomato, onion, potato and eggs. I have little to no cravings and get excited by good looking fresh food.

But I have not noticed any body composition changes yet. Is it possible that I eat too much? I know this is not about body changes and I notice that I feel better overall, but I don't really want to put weight on.

thanks :)

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On day 10, please don't worry about any of those body composition pressures.  Keep eating breakfast like a truck driver, I do.  What's happening internally is far more important than shrinking inches.  Remember that trading up for lean muscle mass is the Big Win.  If you start stressing about putting weight on, you'll cut your portions and over-restriction only puts you further in the hole.

 

A Whole 30 in the way it is designed is already "reasonable restriction".  The beauty of the program is that it doesn't lead to hunger which leads to cravings...which leads to going on a food bender.   Whole 30 means staying away from the Big Kahuna trigger foods but you don't want to reduce your amounts of compliant foods.   A Whole 30 days is a period of stability.

 

Over-restriction forces the body to deal with chronic hunger and over too long a period of time - that'll get you nowhere good.  You're doing great.   Stay the course and don't worry.

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if you're following the template and eating until satisfied without snacking between meals it is unlikely you're eating too much. You can always post a few days of meals for feedback. Try not to worry too much about body changes, especially this early on your w30. There's much more than just what you put on your plate involved with that.

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Hi Leila,

 

Remember that the Meal Template portions are a minimum. It's important to eat enough that you can make it 4-5 hours between meals without snacking. That gives your digestion system a much-needed break, and allows the hormone glycogen to kick in to use energy stored as fat.

 

The chapter on hormones in It Starts With Food explains this fully. It's a great read, fascinating and informative. I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy.

 

Finally, reframe your thinking a bit. Why refer to your conscious choice to eat an off-plan food a "slip"? Own that choice, and go forward.

 

You can do this!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Ics75

I just basically asked the same question as you in the Troubleshooting forum.

I would have loved to lose a few pounds during this whole 30 and especially not gain weight!

If I am converting fat to muscle and losing inches I guess I can accept the lack of weight loss on the scale. I'm on day 23 and my pants don't feel any different. I did manage to squeeze into a small size skinny jean the other day, but my regular pants are not loose by any means.

I have been a calorie counter and food weigher and measurer for a long time and I am still having a problem with the balance between eating enough at a meal to tie me over for 4-5 hours and over doing it on calories.

I am hoping I can learn to strike the right balance so that I can eat less calories than I am burning so I can lose some weight!! I am going on 50 and I think my ability to drop 5 pounds has come to an end!

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BJS - 

I would have loved to lose a few pounds during this whole 30 and especially not weight!
If I am converting fat to muscle and losing inches I guess I can accept the lack of weight loss on the scale.

 

Good plan.  Trading UP for lean muscle mass is greatly to be desired over and beyond restricting calories and losing weight.  After you familiarize yourself with the W30 meal template..please click on UltraRunnerGirl 's link at the bottom of her post - "The Meal Template" - are you following it for every meal?  It's key."   and on the top of the forum page "The Whole 30 Program"....

 

Trying to get skinny will keep you fat.    

 

Generally speaking, when an individual over the course of a lifetime gains and loses the same 2-5-10 lbs. over and over and over, they will acquire more belly fat than when they first began a lifetime of dieting.

 

When we lose weight with any rapid weight loss diet,  it's  lean muscle mass that we're losing.   We do not acquire lean muscle mass by over-restriction and dieting.  Do this every few weeks or months and the belly fat becomes more noticeable with every passing year.   It's counterintuitive to an individual's desire to stay thin.   

 

Trying to get skinny will keep you fat, and it shows up in the form of  belly fat.   This is caused by a lifetime of losing the same 10 lbs...over and over and over and over.   Ever time a person does this, that ball of wax is building up more fat on the belly walls.  

 

If an individual has expectations to rapidly drop 10 lbs while at an already healthy weight....to do this would require restricting foods and counting calories to about 800 aday.   This kind of starvation diet will give the rapid fire weight loss but as humans have proven over decades.....it's not sustainable and will probably find its' way back to the belly in a month or a few month's time.

 

What's showing up on the outside is only half of the story.   What's hanging on the inside walls of the belly is another ballgame or ball of wax.   If any individual wants to STOP and get off this lifetime gerbil wheel of gaining and losing nightmare - they have to stop dieting.

 

It's the only way of giving an individual's body a snowball's chance of actually getting there and staying there.  

 

A Whole 30 is contrary to extreme dieting or over-restriction.  It may take longer than 30 days for the mind to wrap itself around common sense body expectations.

 

At the end of 30 days, there may even be assumptions that an individual can return to the old familiar unwhole foods/patterns and have different results;  that somehow, the metabolism has changed and thrill eating now comes with a  free ride.   Not so.

 

A Whole 30 does not make an individual "more sensitive" to carbs as some have suggested - or that Whole 30 causes rebound weight gain.   That's bologna.   The individual coming from and returning to their lifetime of constant losing/gaining has created an atmosphere of  belly fat composition that has set them up for the belly to immediately latch onto calories the way it always did in times of thrill eating.    The belly has its own agenda.   Mess with it over and over and it's going to rebel and show you who's boss.   The belly will fight back with more inches  showing on the outside and attached to inside belly walls  than when you first began.

 

The sooner an individual can STOP the counterintuitive cycles of over-restricting and dieting, the sooner the body can heal.    It's so important to break this cycle.    It's called a Food Reset but the Mind Reset is the key and ticket that will take you way into a future of weight stability...like waaaay.

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Hi Ics75

I just basically asked the same question as you in the Troubleshooting forum.

I would have loved to lose a few pounds during this whole 30 and especially not weight!

If I am converting fat to muscle and losing inches I guess I can accept the lack of weight loss on the scale. I'm on day 23 and my pants don't feel any different. I did manage to squeeze into a small size skinny jean the other day, but my regular pants are not loose by any means.

I have been a calorie counter and food weigher and measurer for a long time and I am still having a problem with the balance between eating enough at a meal to tie me over for 4-5 hours and over doing it on calories.

I am hoping I can learn to strike the right balance so that I can eat less calories than I am burning so I can lose some weight!! I am going on 50 and I think my ability to drop 5 pounds has come to an end!

It sounds like you are restricting your intake. You are probably eating too little. If you restrict your intake your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism slows and you won't lose weight.

I eat a huge amount of food. I burn very few calories as I rarely move faster than toddler pace. I've never counted but I'd be pretty sure my input exceeds my output. But my metabolism whips along and I'm 5ft 2 and about 100lbs. I actually get a bit light on strict w30. This isn't a w30 source but explains this clearly. http://drhyman.com/blog/2015/02/19/overeating-doesnt-make-fat-2/#lightbox/0/

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It sounds like you are restricting your intake. You are probably eating too little. If you restrict your intake your body goes into starvation mode, your metabolism slows and you won't lose weight.

I eat a huge amount of food. I burn very few calories as I rarely move faster than toddler pace. I've never counted but I'd be pretty sure my input exceeds my output. But my metabolism whips along and I'm 5ft 2 and about 100lbs. I actually get a bit light on strict w30. This isn't a w30 source but explains this clearly. http://drhyman.com/blog/2015/02/19/overeating-doesnt-make-fat-2/#lightbox/0/

I am not in starvatuon mode as I am very rarely even hungry since I started Whole 30. I feel like I eat more than I need to to sustain me. I do not like to feel "full" after eating but I definitely eat enough!
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Hello :)

 

I just read the whole threat again, as I am gaining inches and I am worried about putting the weight on I lost a couple of years ago. But I know you are right and I should focus on recovering my healthy relationship with food in my head and in my body. Nevertheless I will give you a sample day to be sure that I am doing this ok. I did consider entering my food in a calorie counter to see how I was doing, but surely that is the wrong direction.

 

I eat 3 meals a day now and try to have brekkie within the first hour of waking (I wake between 5am and 7am) - and I am actually hungry now. When I run I  have a little pre-run snack, I sometimes have a post-run snack (1/2 banana), normally I have my breakfast instead.

 

Pre-run snack: 2 veggie-meat balls

6am-8am brekkie: 1 tsp coconut oil, handful of meat, 2 eggs, 2 slices sweet potato, onion, carrot, mushroom, tomato and 1/2 avocado

12pm lunch: Osso Bucco with mashed potato, cabbage, bacon and gravy (juice incl. fat of Osso Bucco blended with the veg the Osso Bucco cooked in), 1-2 pieces of fruit with 1 tbsp of nut butter

7-8pm dinner: "Moussaka" inspired: 1tsp coconut oil with mince meat, eggplant, carrot, onion, tomato and bone broth (incl. fat), layered in a oven dish with roasted eggplant, potato slices and coconut cream. 1-2 pieces of Fruit.

 

How does that sound?

Is the fat intake adequate? I have stopped taking the fat of things, as my protein sources are either home grown (lamb and egg) or from our local farmer, so my bone broth, gravy etc are potent fat sources. I keep whatever fat is left in the pan and use it in my meals as well. I have to admit, fat is yummy :)

Do I eat too many carbs? I do run 5x a week, but not long hard sessions, as I still recover from an injury.

Do I eat enough veggies?

Do I eat too much fruit?

 

I have cut the nut intake down, if I do go hungry between meals or have a meal later than expected I might have a tbsp of nut butter to keep me going.

 

Have a great Easter!!!

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Pre WO you should be eating protein and fat, and post WO protein & carbs, but fruit is not the recommended choice.... most people opt for chicken & sweet potato.

Also, I'd say your fruit intake is on the high side if you're eating 1-2 portions twice a day. Lose the fruit & up the size of the meal if you're not satiated by it. THis also applies to the nut butter - if you're feeling the need to snack on nut butter, step away from the jar, and again add more at meal times.

Other than that I'd say keep going - sometimes these things just take time as your body adjusts to the new....

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What I can see is everything is on the lean side.  There's too little of proteins, vegetables and good dietary fats overall.   "Houston", when we measure out 2 slices of sweet potato...my radar is on high alert for tracking macros, micros, and calories.  I see about 1000 calories or less here aday.   

 

This would help someone lose 60 lbs in 6 months at the rate of 10 or more per month.  In order to accomplish that feat, the Whole 30 has to be reduced by half or more.  The amounts are too low on all of the good things - proteins, vegetables and fats and relying on fruits to fill you up.  Individuals can complete a Whole 30 like this, it's technically compliant.  Generally speaking, these amounts would shed weight at the rate of 10 or more per month.  That's also the rate of those who've had a gastric bypass.  They measure their food amounts out in medicine cups and lose a steady 10-15 per month and 100-150 per year.

 

But as I have witnessed, restricting foods this low usually results in a food explosion after a Whole 30, then a restart to counteract the body trying to compensate for this much restriction.   If you'll fill a plate with the proper amounts, this won't happen to you on Day 31.   You'll roll right onto healthyland without a hitch...and without any rebound weight gain.  You'll maintain all of your hard work.

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I'm sorry for hijacking this thread and if it's not okay I will start one of my own, but I just joined this forum to ask about overeating because I'm worried I might be doing just that.

 

First off, I'm a 24 year old female at a "healthy" weight, but I am the first to admit that I would like to lose a couple of pounds. I have a really hard time only eating three times a day since this means going about 6-7 hours without food (breakfast at 6:30 am, lunch at 12:30 pm and lunch at 7:30-8 pm in order to not be hungry when I go to sleep), and it feels almost impossible. Some days I manage, most days I don't. And I do eat a lot, I've really taken this whole "eat more if you're not satiated, add more protein and/or fat" ordeal to heart, but I feel like if I eat any more I'm actually going to gain weight.

 

My breakfast usually consists of about 3-4 meatballs, 1-2 eggs, fried or boiled, and some mayo. Lunch can be a plateful of veggies, 5-7 oz of chicken/meat/fish and sometimes some mayo (~2 tbsp). Dinner is usually similar to lunch. I've also added a fruit, usually an apple or an orange, to both lunch and dinner but I'm trying to cut down the amount of fruits now. This does not keep me full for long enough, I feel like I would need to eat close to double the amount of protein to be satisfied for more than 3-4 hours, which means I usually sneak in an egg or two meatballs (I make a shitload to stack in the freezer) once or twice a day too.

 

I'm not sure if what I'm experiencing is actually hunger or some sort of cravings, because eating in general makes me feel very happy and I feel great "indulging" in three hard boiled eggs even if I'm already full. I don't know if this stems from my past with periods of calorie restriction where any kind of excess eating felt like I was treating myself.

 

I'm sorry, this was really long and a lot of rambling, but does anyone have a clue on whether I actually am eating too much and should try to cut it down, or if I should just eat until I feel satiated? I should probably add that I do pretty intense exercise about 3-4 times a week and I do eat more on those days. But looking at the template, I eat a lot more than they suggest and that doesn't feel good :/

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You may think you are eating a lot, but your meals are not really structured according to the template. Your meal 1 for instance has no veggies (My typical breakfast for instance would have maybe three cups of spinach/kale, 6-8 large mushrooms, and some tomato/onion along with 3 eggs & meat), and your meal 2 doesn't have any real fat - and it's the fat that will keep you satiated and stave off the cravings, or that 'indulging' feeling you mention. If you can eat an apple or an orange after each meal then you could easily have eaten more veg...

Dehydration can also be mis-read for hunger so I'd wonder if maybe you're thirsty rather than hungry?

I eat my meal 1 around 6:30/7, meal 2 @ 1:30/2, and meal 3 some time after 6:30 - if I'm feeling hungry in between (which is rare) I drink water & that seems to do the trick. Just a thought.

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Thanks for your reply! I could probably eat more veggies at breakfast, and I will try to do that. I don't feel like veggies keep me full for very long but it can't hurt to add some. My lunch and dinner do have fat though, if I don't add mayo it's because I'm having either salmon, which contains a lot of fat, or something like a coconut milk stir fry, and the coconut milk should count as fat, right? The main reason I'm having a fruit after these meals is that I always crave something sweet when I've had a savory meal so I eat a fruit to avoid those cravings. But any suggestions are much appreciated because I feel like I will not get the results I want if I continue this. I will however say that I'm feeling much better on the inside, and that alone is motivation for me to continue, but I really wish I would lose some weight since I have a hard time doing this with my ginormous appetite :(

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@MeadowLily,

 

Sorry but I need to clarify, was your reply meant for me? I don't think I eat 1000kcal a day - when I was losing weight and measuring everything, I ate about 1800-2200kcal depending on my exercise levels, and I eat more now. I never had fat back then. And I do not want to lose weight with Whole 30, I just don't want to put any on. Do you really think I am not eating enough? Should I actually measure it for a couple of days and see if I am under eating?

 

I definitely will look at the fruit intake. I like fruit and I enjoy it after my meals, but I have been thinking about the "dessert-routine" I am practicing - and I never had fruit after dinner before, only at breakfast and lunch.

 

You are very right that I have not yet made the change in my head, thinking about how much food etc. I am sure that will take the longest for me, but I am working on it. I tried to look more at the food template and eat accordingly, as I thought I was eating way too much protein at the start 2-3 palm full.

 

Thanks for your help!

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 The main reason I'm having a fruit after these meals is that I always crave something sweet when I've had a savory meal so I eat a fruit to avoid those cravings.

 

And that's precisely why you should stop. All you're doing is feeding the craving.

And even with mayo the fat content in salmon is not nearly enough. Eat more fat, and that sweet, succulent, juicy, oh so delicious fruit will stop calling you.... 

Finally, if you add some starchy veg (think parsnips, sweet potato etc - try roasting them in ghee & coconut oil & top with a fried egg... :wub:
 ) you'll be surprised how much more it will fill you.

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 The main reason I'm having a fruit after these meals is that I always crave something sweet when I've had a savory meal so I eat a fruit to avoid those cravings.

 

And that's precisely why you should stop. All you're doing is feeding the craving.

And even with mayo the fat content in salmon is not nearly enough. Eat more fat, and that sweet, succulent, juicy, oh so delicious fruit will stop calling you.... 

Finally, if you add some starchy veg (think parsnips, sweet potato etc - try roasting them in ghee & coconut oil & top with a fried egg... :wub: ) you'll be surprised how much more it will fill you.

I always figured my body craves something sweet to balance the flavors out and that fruit is a healthy alternative to regular dessert. I'm on day 12 and so far I've only felt like eating something sweet twice, once when I passed the candy in the grocery store when I was starving and once when I entered that same store and they were just taking out the freshly baked cinnamon rolls from the oven because oh dear god that smell. But other than that, I don't crave sweet things, and I thought maybe that was because I was eating those fruits. But do you think I should skip them either way? Also, I have such a hard time adding even more fat to the salmon when I know how many calories it contains. And I know I shouldn't be thinking about that but I can't help but think I will 100% eat more than I burn if I add even more fat :( Ugh this is killing me, but I am so very thankful for your replies, any help and suggestions on what I could do differently are very appreciated :)

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Yep.

In short I'd say limit fruit as much as possible, avoid nuts, stick to the templates, and embrace the fat.

You have to change your mindset from the whole calorie control thing - that is NOT what this is about.

Trust the process.

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I agree with whataboutit - i also eat the fruit because I like something sweet after my meals - is that the wrong approach to beat the sugar dragon?

 

Yep, it's absolutely the wrong approach.

Would you give a screaming toddler amidst a tantrum exactly what they want? Or just ignore them & let it pass?

This is no different. You're in charge, not the dragon. Put your foot down & show him who's boss.

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http://whole9life.com/2010/05/sugar-tantrums/

 

 

Dallas @ Whole9 says

 

August 11, 2010 at 6:25 pm

 

Good question on the sweet potato… We’re not coming from the “strict Paleo” perspective that derives its recommendations from what our prehistoric ancestors my (or may not!) have eaten. We believe that food should make you healthier, and sweet potatoes and yams, by virtue of their micronutrient density (particularly their carotenoid content), make you healthier. Use them carefully (they’re perfect as a post-workout carb source) since they are a dense source of carbohydrate, which does not, by definition, make them evil. It just means… proceed with caution. On your Whole30 anxiety: stay connected with the big (and growing!) community of support over at our Whole30 v2.0 post. Many others who have anxiety around food have succeeded with the Whole30. You can do it!

  1. Melissa @ Whole9 says

     

    August 19, 2010 at 5:34 pm

     You don’t have to throw out all the sweet or savory stuff, but I do think you’re smart to realize you’re giving into the sugar demons with your sunflower seeds and raisins. If you’re craving sugar, don’t give your body sugar! Eat a high fat snack instead, with a little bit of protein, and tough it out. Break those cravings once and for all and you can go back to enjoying the occasional dried fruit and nut snack without worrying that it’s going to send you running for the nearest Krispy Kreme.

    Best,

    Melissa

 

  1. Melissa @ Whole9 says

     

    April 6, 2011 at 2:09 pm

     

    It may take a week or two… it may take a month or two. Depends on how bad your sugar demons are, and how you treat them during your Whole30. Dallas likes to say you can’t kill the sugar dragon with willpower, you have to STARVE it. So don’t give in to those cravings during your Whole30 by using fruit as a crutch… stick it out and it will get better.

    Best of luck to you!

    Melissa

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Alright I will cut down on the fruits. I just bought three oranges and three apples today that I will eat before they turn bad because I don't want to throw away food, but I will not buy much more fruit after that. I will also add more fat and hopefully stay full for longer. Thank you so much for your help!!

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"From a science-y perspective, a bowl full of frozen bananas every day, while a better food choice, is just as counteractive to restoring insulin sensitivity and breaking those sugar connections as any other form of sugar out there.   In fact, while we’ll never tell you bananas are “bad”, they are one of the least desirable fruits from our perspective – a ton of starch (sugars), and little nutrition compared to, say, richly colored cherries or berries.  When including fruit in your Whole30 plan, we’d want you to maximize nutrient density, and choose fruits that allow you to have more of them in a single serving!  You can have an entire cup of blueberries for the same sugar content as a small banana.  And that cup of blueberries goes a long way towards both giving you lots of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, and making you feel satisfied with the amount of food on your plate."

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"We want you to break that connection once and for all.  We want you to learn that you don’t need sugar as a pick-me-up, an emotional comfort, a reward for good behavior.  And to learn that, you need to break that pattern of crave sugar, get sugar.  So, Susan, while your frozen banana treats are Whole30 ingredient approved, the dessert itself is OUT.  Skip the Paleo sweet substitutes and focus on breaking that connection your brain has to sugar.  Craving sweets?  Eat a small amount of fat instead.  Fat is satiating – it tells your brain that it’s full and happy.  A few almonds or a quarter of an avocado goes a long way in satisfying hunger cravings without giving your brain the sugar it’s telling you it needs.  Tough it out, because changing this pattern and breaking this pattern will prove to be one of the healthiest, most rewarding, most freeing experience of your life."

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