ashtynb89 Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 So I'm about to give this Whole30 my first go, I'm pretty excited about it. I've done something similar in the past and really enjoyed how I felt afterwards, hoever it wasn't as strict. I only cut out MOST dairy and grains. My trainer told me about Whole30 after I had been complaining of feeling like I was in a rut and needed to switch things up. I bought the book and I'm only a few chapters in but I'm totally sold. I've not only been in a rut, but have felt unhappy towards my body, my relationship wiht food has been poor and overall I have had an unhealthy mindset. I feel like this will help me psycologically and I'm really excited for that. Here is my concern though, being as I was in a rut I got a bit ambitious and signed up for 2 half marathons (1 trail) and a Spartan Super, all within weeks of each other starting at the end of May. I'm a very athletic person, avid weight lifter, occassional runner, I've done many races in the past, including a Spartan Beast last year. So none of this is new to me. That being said, I'm worried about how the Whole30 eating regiman will affect my training. Next week, the 24th, is my start date for Whole30. Next weekend, the 28th begins my running schedule. The Monday after that begins my weight training 3x a week, sprints & hills 1x a week, Saturdays long runs. I need to make sure I'm fueling my body accordingly. I just want to ensure I have energy during these 30 days, and I would like to continue as close to paleo as possible. But I think after this I will incorporate my whey protein shakes and quest bars again, thats what I usually use to fuel pre and post workout. So what are your guys suggestions? Any other super active people out there who have trained heavily during this process before? What are your meals like pre and post workout? Help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted March 17, 2015 Moderators Share Posted March 17, 2015 Most people run a lot slower for the first two weeks they are doing a Whole30 no matter what. And some stay slower for the whole 30 days. What is happening is your body is learning to burn fat as fuel instead of carbs and the transition takes time. I had no problems in the weight room at any point during my Whole30, but as soon as I headed out for a run I felt like I had weights on my ankles. You have to decide if you willing to suffer a performance hit by training/running while you are developing your fat-burner skills. After you adapt, you should be able to run as easily as before and are likely to have better endurance. See the meal template for size and timing recommendations: http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf An ideal pre-workout meal is one or two boiled eggs. A classic post-workout meal is baked chicken breast and baked sweet potato. I often eat a can of tuna as my post-workout meal because I keep tuna in my pantry all the time. Browse busy topics in the Whole30 for Athletes section and you will find lots of recommendations and discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evaq Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 You have to decide if you willing to suffer a performance hit by training/running while you are developing your fat-burner skills. After you adapt, you should be able to run as easily as before and are likely to have better endurance. This is the key take away. Undertaking a whole 30 is a shock to the system - a wonderful transformative one, but a shock nonetheless. What you're doing is putting your body through two new simultaneous stresses (aggressive training and a rigid elimination diet). It's a lot of adaptation to ask of your body in a short amount of time. That said, of course I think you can fuel/eat/train while doing a whole 30. But I also think that because of your athletic history and body awareness, it's going to come as a mental (and physical) shock to you when you go one way and your body goes another. So be patient with yourself during your training. You: Okay, body, time to do some hill work. 4 repeats. Recovery on the way down. Go! Your body: Ok. Sigh. You: Why aren't you hoofing??? Your body: I'm going through my own issues here! I can't move these lead bars you call legs. You: Ugh. Also, as Tom suggested, browse + google the forums, there's a lot of questions and troubleshooting already posted there. You didn't mention what your current diet is - are you paleo? Have you cut out all dairy, grains, sugar, processed food? If so, then perhaps the transition will be relatively mild. Best of luck with your training and races! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtynb89 Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 Thank you so much for both of your suggestions and advice. Evaq: I'm probably 80% clean, limited dairy and grains. Usually the weekends is where the 20% unclean comes in with a "cheat" meal or treat of some sorts. My only dairy I really get is occasional greek yogurt, little sprinkle of cheese here and there, and sour cream. I do drink whey protein pre and post work out with either unsweetened almond or cashew milk (are those allowed??), and eat quest bars as a snack during the day. Grains are usually on the weekends with homemade whole grain pancakes or cinnamon rolls, a sandwich thin, or wheat tortilla wrap. I rarely get sugar (except as of late girl scout cookies have been a struggle, so much so I made my husband hide them. ) And NO processed foods. Ever. So I'd say I'm really healthy, I'm just terrified of not having enough to sustain my training. Your description of me and my body sounds like it is going to be VERY accurate. I've been talking to a co-worker who has done this before and telling her how scared I am of not having enough to eat but she's reassuring me. Sounds like I will just really have to be on top of meal planning & prep. This will be beginning stages of training, so no longer than maybe 4 mile runs in this Whole30 process, so I should be okay. I'm just a hungry girl, who gets easily HANGRY if I don't have enough food...I don't want to be intolerable to my husband...haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evaq Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Ashtyn I wish you the best of luck! You sound like you've got some fierce mojo and some fun times ahead of you. I hope I didn't come across as a Debbie Downer. It was honestly more of what my response would be - and exactly the kind of conversations I have with my body when I work out. I think it's great that you're doing strength work *as well as* running. You'll have to cut back or compromise at some point (no chasing PRs etc), but having strong legs/core/full range movement was exactly what prevented me from getting injured during my running season. There is so much to be gained from undertaking a whole 30. My earlier post was meant more as a word of wee caution because we sound a bit similar in terms of body awareness and athleticism (I lift, run, climb). Though maybe I'm a bit older (early 40s)? I felt healthy and pretty attuned to my body going into whole 30. I knew exactly how it felt when it was go-time...but none of my sensors were working or tuned in during whole 30. It felt like my body was so busy flushing/coping/dealing with adaptation, I couldn't read it properly. At least not the way I was accustomed to. So from a training perspective, it was weird. And eating for optimum fuel/performance was another trial and error issue (for me). Keep us posted about how your training goes! ps. I've also known fierce hangry spells but never had a single one on whole 30. It was amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtynb89 Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 Oh you didn't at all! you sounded very realistic, because I can totally see myself having that internal conversation. It made me laugh. There will definitaly be no PR's in the beginning, I realize I'm going to have to just listen to my body and try not to get discouraged. I'm hoping my body will be mostly used to this process. I've been googling recipes and making myself a "meal ideas" cheat sheet for pre/post workouts, breakfast, and lunches. I think my problem area is going to make sure I get enough veggies and don't fill my plate with mostly protein and potatoes! I've been MOSTLY off grains for about 2 weeks now, with the exception of my weekend "splurges", sugar isn't issue. I'm just really going to miss my protein shakes and bars. But the more I google & write, the more comfortable I am getting. So I guess time will tell! Your lack of hangry spells during your experience is comforting, hopefully that means I won't go Hulkette on my hubby than! A person he knows alllll too well. Do you still eat mostly paleo since your whole 30 experience? How do you feel and eat now based on your usual training/sports endeavors? I will keep you posted for sure. I'm probably going to be seeking comfort on these boards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evaq Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I *just* finished my whole 30 about 10 glorious days ago and I'm currently in my re-intro phase. I'm trying my best *not* to eat like a drunken toddler and have some semblance of order to my phasing in/testing of eliminated foods. It's slow going because I've had some mixed results (ie. dairy) and I want to be sure that if I let something back "in", it's genuinely good for me. I honestly don't want to lose the feeling of how good my body felt while on my whole 30. Sure there were some fatigue symptoms in the early stages but overall, my body was *so* happy. So right now, I'm still about 80-90% whole 30 compliant...with some limited testing. Workout wise, my legs are just starting to feel normal when I run. So it's been pretty close to 5 weeks for running to even feel manageable. My legs just felt heavy. Not fatigued or stiff. Just. Really. Heavy. So I had a lot of tough runs during my whole 30. It really tested my mental commitment. As for strength stuff, I had to learn the hard way that I wasn't eating (pre or post) enough to feel solid. So while I managed to still do my resistance training and not have to cut back on any loads, I just never felt "strong". Looking back, as well as moving forward, I'm still learning about what my body needs pre/post workout for fuel. During my whole 30, I tried to skip a pre workout meal and use M1 as my post workout meal as well as M1. So essentially I'd be "fasting" for 14-15 hours > wake > go to gym + work out > go home + eat. It made for a lot of tough mornings. And then some days I'd do an evening workout. I dunno why I didn't think of tweaking it earlier. Maybe because I'm a type-A jughead who thought that forcing my body to burn fat vs glycogen in a fasting state would get me better gains/adaptations. Yeah, that may have been the guiding principle but it didn't translate so well in the real world. So, even though I've completed my whole 30, I feel like I'm still barely above the ground floor in terms of learning or understanding what my body needs. But it's a really good ground floor - a foundation that I'm building my learning on. ps. In regards to your first post, you asked about almond and cashew milk. They're both allowed but only if they have a compliant and squeaky clean ingredient list. No added sugars, carageenan, emulsifiers, soy etc. So pretty much all of the brands found at stores are a no-go. You'd have to make your own. pps. The elimination of workout shakes and bars is going to be tough! Just know that going in and give yourself a high five for staying strong. Plan and prep a post workout snack in its place. Don't be like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted March 17, 2015 Moderators Share Posted March 17, 2015 I do drink whey protein pre and post work out with either unsweetened almond or cashew milk (are those allowed??) Almond milk and cashew milk that does not include any off-plan ingredients like sugar or carrageenan are okay during a Whole30. They are a weak choice and you should avoid them post-workout because the fat will slow digestion of any protein you eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evaq Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 No matter how healthy/clean you are prior to whole 30, it's still a little eye-opening how much stuff you have to eliminate (or add) to eat whole 30. The required audit of every ingredient label forces us to recognize all the healthy halo products we consume vs genuinely healthy stuff. Whole 30 = 30 days of whole foods. Again, it's not meant as a personal criticism - just an acknowledgement that even conventionally healthy habits/solutions (like post-workout shakes, energy bars as a regular snack etc.) are off-limits on whole 30. Instead, for 30 days you nourish and fuel yourself with just whole foods, preferably in a trinity of protein, veg + fat. And at the end of 30 days you reap unicorns and high fives, but also, you've spent an entire month never taking a short cut with your body and your health. And you'll feel the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtynb89 Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 Evaq, you are quickly becoming my go to lady on this process...be prepared to get messages from me! You seem to live a similar lifestyle as me and I will definitely need your feed back when I'm struggling. I'm nervous and excited to try to live on just "real food" for 30 days. I can see if really helping my relationship with food and mentality. But I can also see why I don't think I can sustain my current lifestyle if I did this permanently as I want "gainz" and need my supplements to accomplish SOME goals I have. But I do feel this is step 1: clean up and clean out the body. Post holiday food, treats, candies, and girl scout cookies are NOT helping me with the goals I have ahead of me. Step 2: See how I feel post whole30, re-evaluate what I THINK I need vs. what I REALLY need. And go from there. I really appreciate BOTH of your guys feedback and guidance as I soon take this plunge. As for the almond or cashew milk, based on the meals I'm planning for myself I can see that I don't really need it anywhere, especially since I wont be having my whey protein shakes. But I'm sure hard boiled eggs and cashews will suffice. Again, I appreciate your help and you will PROBABLY be hearing from me. Feel free to share any of your favorite go to foods and meals with me! I'm going shopping this weekend to prepare for my 30! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beets Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Your best bet is to make sure you're eating enough food and following the template. If you're eating template meals (and following serving size recommendations) you won't need protein shakes or any of that. There are many people who follow this way of eating and who also expend a lot of energy. There is no reason to be hungry! It takes a little bit of time to adjust to three meals a day (and you may have to readjust and keep fooling with portions as you change your exercise) but if you do find yourself hungry eat another template meal versus snacking on nuts or even eggs by themselves--that's really the key to success. Print a copy of the template on your fridge and follow it. A lot of people find that nuts lead to bloating and less than ideal results. They are great in an emergency but not as a main source of energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ultrarunnergirl Posted March 19, 2015 Moderators Share Posted March 19, 2015 Evaq has been chiming in with lots of good advice. I have written many posts about fueling Whole30, see the link below in my signature if you'd like to read them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmplaza Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I run halfs and i was worried about changing. But I did as the program stated and I didn't need the protein drinks after, or my remedies for leg cramps during. no electrolyte drinks. And I finished. Baby food baby!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtynb89 Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 Thanks for all the advice! Today is my first official day of Whole30, prior to my AM workout I had 2 hard boiled eggs and a handful of hazelnuts. I'm not sure if it's because I had a particularly intense workout today, or because I had actual food vs. my usual whey protein & almond milk. But towards the end of my workout I was getting nauseated, which rarely happens to me! After I finished I had to lay on the ground and do deep breathing so I didn't spew everywhere. But I didn't notice dragging or anything of that sort. We'll see how it goes, it IS just day 1 after all! I got home and had my PWO meal right away, a chicken apple sausage, scrambled eggs and veggies. It was delicious! I'm about to have my "breakfast" here shortly too. And great idea with the baby food! As my runs get longer I will have to remember that. What are your favorites cmplaza?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted March 23, 2015 Administrators Share Posted March 23, 2015 Thanks for all the advice! Today is my first official day of Whole30, prior to my AM workout I had 2 hard boiled eggs and a handful of hazelnuts. I'm not sure if it's because I had a particularly intense workout today, or because I had actual food vs. my usual whey protein & almond milk. But towards the end of my workout I was getting nauseated, which rarely happens to me! After I finished I had to lay on the ground and do deep breathing so I didn't spew everywhere. But I didn't notice dragging or anything of that sort. We'll see how it goes, it IS just day 1 after all! I got home and had my PWO meal right away, a chicken apple sausage, scrambled eggs and veggies. It was delicious! I'm about to have my "breakfast" here shortly too. And great idea with the baby food! As my runs get longer I will have to remember that. What are your favorites cmplaza?? You might try avoiding nuts as a preworkout fat, they can be hard on digestion to begin with and then add vigorous activity and....well......blergh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashtynb89 Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 You might try avoiding nuts as a preworkout fat, they can be hard on digestion to begin with and then add vigorous activity and....well......blergh. Oh really? Hmm I guess I am having a hard time figuring out what is acceptable as a pre & post workout meals/snacks. My workouts are very vigorous with weightlifting, HIIT cardio and such, so I need fuel before. What are the best things to eat? I realize my eggs for PWO were actually not a good idea, luckily it's just day 1 so I can adjust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 I guess I am having a hard time figuring out what is acceptable as a pre & post workout meals/snacks. For PRE-workout, eggs are great. A small portion of meat works well too; either fatty meat, like leftover shortribs or pulled pork, or meat+fat, like chicken breast dipped in mayo or guacamole. POST-workout is when you want to avoid fat, so whole eggs aren't great. Instead go for egg whites or chicken breast or turkey or tuna, etc. + some starchy carb like sweet potato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmplaza Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 what i did, cause i had to travel my a race this weekend, is avocados. They are easy to digest and you find compliant guac, just read the labels. I also picked up hard boiled eggs, olives and veggies and i have a meal. Not the greatest but it worked. Now during..Happybaby worked great for me and it was clean. Easy to carry in my pants. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadowLily Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 For PRE-workout, eggs are great. A small portion of meat works well too; either fatty meat, like leftover shortribs or pulled pork, or meat+fat, like chicken breast dipped in mayo or guacamole. POST-workout is when you want to avoid fat, so whole eggs aren't great. Instead go for egg whites or chicken breast or turkey or tuna, etc. + some starchy carb like sweet potato. Miss Mary has given us some excellent ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regina Runs Far Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 You sound like me about 2 months ago when I decided suddenly to do the Whole 30 about 2 months before a 100 mile race. I decided there would be no perfect time because I always have a race, or trip, or party, or something...............so why not NOW. I agree with what Tom said about the choice of possibly not having your best runs every while your body adjusts. I had my fair share of bad workouts during my Whole 30, but I also had my share of great ones, and great nights of sleep, and days where I felt very happy, so my slow run was still blissful, and days where I loved my new foods I was trying. I added some foods back in about a month before my 100 miler, but I remained about 75% compliant, with the main things added back in were Larabars and other "race" foods used to fuel 2 a days and long workouts, and the other things added in were eating out and not picking apart the meal on the menu and eating things served at social events and parties. My 100 miler was great and now that it is over I am so happy I did the Whole 30 and I look forward to doing another one, but probably after my next really long race, which is at the end of May. For now I'm going to enjoy eating clean, but allow myself some cheats as I prepare for my 100k. Just stick with it, and allow your body to learn to burn fat! The thought of eating a big bowl of pasta the night before a race or a bagel the morning of honestly turns my stomach now and those were my staples! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirkor Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 My workouts are very vigorous with weightlifting, HIIT cardio and such, so I need fuel before. I train fasted; I think a big part of it is what your mind and body are accustomed to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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