Benefits of a Whole30 for someone with healthy habits already/questions about satiety?

[shaina]

I already eat a "clean" diet -- no grains, alcohol, added sugar, etc. Basically, the only thing I include in my diet that isn't whole30 approved are legumes. But, I'm interested in the program because I feel like I have not been eating optimally. I think I fill up too much on fruits and vegetables and don't eat enough protein and fat, so I think emphasizing healthy fats and upping my protein intake, while actually reducing my fruit/vegetable intake a little bit.

 

Now, I know what you're thinking. REDUCE your fruit/veggie intake? Sounds crazy. Most people don't get enough! But I definitely do. In fact, I have been leaving most meals feeling overstuffed, and my digestive tract I don't think has taken kindly to the volume of roughage I've been eating.

 

I struggle with how much I should be eating because I am a runner, but also a very small female, so I know that, while I still need to fuel myself, I'm not sure exactly where the balance is. I also think I have messed up my satiety/fullness signals by eating too much volume in vegetables.

 

So, I have a few questions.

 

1. What does "full" feel like to you? It isn't uncomfortable, right?

 

2. If you are still hungry after finishing whatever you have served yourself, what do you go back for? Protein or vegetables?

 

3. If you already had a healthy diet, then how has doing the Whole30 program helped you?

 

I think I might need to retrain my body into what is normal to feel after a meal. I'm just looking for some personal anecdotes from people that may have similar concerns to mine.

[Tom Denham]

It is a good idea as you begin a Whole30 to follow the meal planning template strictly: http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf Then assume that a basic template meal is the minimum you should eat - a palm-size portion of protein, at least one serving of fat, and really filling the rest of the plate with cooked veggies. If you are not eating that much at each meal, work on it. You really need that much food three times per day. If you want more at a meal, it is okay to approach doubling the meal. I frequently eat a double template meal once or twice per day.

 

The reason I advise following the template is that going by feelings can be misleading when you are new to this. Some people feel uncomfortably full on a lot less food than they need. Some eat way too much without feeling uncomfortable. 

 

Fruit is optional during a Whole30. Every good thing that comes from fruit is more abundant in veggies. You might want to eliminate fruit from your menu and stay with veggies exclusively. When I was new to the Whole30, I thought the Hartwigs were weird in the way they minimized fruit consumption, but now that I have been doing it for 5 years, I rarely eat fruit. 

 

I thought I had a healthy diet before trying the Whole30. Most people would have agreed that I was eating healthy. I typically ate veggie plates in restaurants and was not a big fast food guy. I ate a lot of salmon and veggies from the frozen food section of the grocery store. However, I started losing 2 pounds per month and kept losing for 15 months when I went Whole30. And I proceeded to get a lot stronger in the gym. I had plateaued with weights, but started lifting much heavier loads for the next several years. The big change for me was that I started sleeping better and that makes everything better. 

[hurdnat27]

I know I may be a bit late in responding but I've gone through very similar things! I play soccer and I'm pretty lean as well, but I also eat a lot of food and struggle with how many fruits and vegetables to add to my plate. I've never been able to get to that "uncomfortably full" feeling on a Whole 30, but I think that's a good thing. I have gotten to the point that if I eat enough protein and fat at each meal, I can make it 4-5 hours before I need to eat the next one. If I am ever still hungry after eating a meal I always go for healthy fat (usually olives) because I know they help with the satiety hormones, but maybe that's just me! And I also considered myself to have a very healthy diet pre-Whole 30, but since I've jumped back on the program (I'm on day 22 of my second round), I have significantly more energy, it's a lot easier for me to fall asleep and wake up quickly, and I'm seeing a reduction in what I like to call my stomach "squishy". Hope you find success with the program!