Give up or go on?

[Miche13]

Ok so day 5 is coming to a close on my first whole 30 and I know that is mega early and I get that things are gonna be worse before they get better and I totally understand why and am willing to withstand that...IF they are going to get better.  

 

Day 1 and 2 I was super hangry and had a ton of cravings and realized I wasn't eating enough fats to keep me full between meals or enough starchy carbs for my metabolism/activity level. So I fixed that.  

 

Day's 3 and 4 I felt pretty good aside from some grumpy mood and emotional rollercoastering. 

 

Day 5 I was fine all day, just kind of tired, and then halfway through my dinner (boiled zucchini "noodles" with homemade tomato meat sauce and half an avocado) I had to rush to the bathroom with terrible diarrhea.  It hasn't gotten any better and is now accompanied by killer cramps that make me feel like I can't even stand up straight.  

 

There's also another problem--I now pee A LOT.  I used to pee once, maybe twice in a 9 hour shift at work and now I go at least 4 or 5 times at work alone and I have woken up in the middle of the night every night to go pee.  I don't know if this could just be part of the detox process or if it's a UTI or bladder infection that I need to get some antibiotics for.  I used to eat greek yogurt every morning as part of my breakfast and I'm afraid that cutting this out is causing all these not fun symptoms.  

 

I also recently got a new job and am studying for my MCAT/applying to medical school and I'm afraid that right now there might just be too many other stresses in my life for me to be able to change my eating habits so drastically as well and that all this stress is negating any good I'm doing.  I know that no one can make the decision to give up or go on but me but, I'm just hoping for a little guidance/support from those more experienced than me in this.

Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any and all help!

[Brewer5]

Something drew you to the Whole 30 in the first place, though.  What was it?  This is a life-changing 30 days -- it really is -- but you gotta put in the 30 days for that to happen.

 

You're right, only you can decide.  What's worse:  These things you are going through (which are all temporary, by the way) -- or all of the reasons that led you here?

[ShannonM816]

 

There's also another problem--I now pee A LOT.  I used to pee once, maybe twice in a 9 hour shift at work and now I go at least 4 or 5 times at work alone and I have woken up in the middle of the night every night to go pee.  I don't know if this could just be part of the detox process or if it's a UTI or bladder infection that I need to get some antibiotics for.  I used to eat greek yogurt every morning as part of my breakfast and I'm afraid that cutting this out is causing all these not fun symptoms.  

 

 

If the greek yogurt was making the difference, it's probably because of its probiotic content. You can take probiotic pills (read ingredients and make sure they're compliant), or you can add fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, or fermented pickles to your meals. Probably just a serving of one of them every day to start.

 

For sauerkraut, pickles and kimchi, check the refrigerated section of the store, and you may not find it at your normal grocery store, you may need to seek out something like Whole Foods, Sprouts, or a health food store. A couple of nationally available brands are Bubbies (sauerkraut and pickles) and WildBrine (sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, and fermented salsa), although there are others, and as always, read labels to make sure the ones you get are compliant, since I know some varieties of WildBrine's kimchi are not. For pickles in particular, the fermented ones will be refrigerated, but more importantly, they won't contain vinegar -- they'll have cucumber, salt, spices, and water.

[NadineW]

Hey Hang in there!   You deserve it!  Your body will thank you when you start seeing some of the upcoming benefits.  I'm on day 11, last week  I was super stressed because I have exams next week and school stuff was overwhelming.  I took my 10 year old daughter to the movies and got all tears when I was watching a preview for an upcoming movie called "Max."  I was like what is happening to me.  I'm not normally overly emotional.  The next day I started my period and was like what the heck,  I'm a wreck.  I felt like a sinking ship for two days and now I feel great.  This whole 30 way of eating is a big change for most of us.  Our bodies are going through a lot of stress and detox, without normal everyday stuff kicking us well we are down.  BUT  you can do it.  You just need to give it a couple more days to move through the detox.  Try a little lemon or lime in your water to switch it up.  I was having major diet soda withdrawal but that passed too.   I don't even miss sugar now.  YOU CAN DO THIS!

Stick with it

Nadine

[Karen]

Regarding frequent urination - it's common and it will pass. When you eat something your body doesn't like, it has to protect itself from it, so your body retains water in an effort to dilute it and minimize the impact on your body. Once you stop eating the offending food, your body can let go of that excess fluid, and that excess fluid has to come out somehow. That means you're on the righ track. It's letting go of its defenses.

Your body is going through some changes right now, and it's trying really hard to work how it's MEANT to work. 5 days is a drop in the bucket and you'll need some more time to help undo what you were doing before. But this will pass! If you're under a lot of stress right now, treating your body really well is one of the best things you can do, and you'll be surprised at how more clear your mind may be and how energetic you may be, which can only be a benefit under stress. I'm much more calm eating this way, too.

Regarding the diarrhea, post a few days of meals so people can help you trouble shoot. Sometimes raw veg, nuts, and other common irritants for some can stand out and be the magic trick to help you feel better.

[MeadowLily]

I also recently got a new job and am studying for my MCAT/applying to medical school and I'm afraid that right now there might just be too many other stresses in my life for me to be able to change my eating habits so drastically as well and that all this stress is negating any good I'm doing.

 

I think it's very possible that you have too much going on right now to add another stressor to your life. You can always come back when things settle down with your career search.   No need to break the bank.