hungry and weak, very weak

[razoo]

I don't know, but I feel as I am just not getting enough. 

I follow the meal guide - http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf

the fats for me are mostly either raw almonds or cashews, about a quarter cup, or a whole avocado - sometimes only a half, but mostly a whole avo. 

the protein is often fish or chicken - I often have more than just one palm size - that just isn't enough

and veggies, mostly raw. 

I also have fruit between meals, especially when I need something to tide me over till meal time. 

 

I run 5 miles every other day, and while it is hard and I have to focus to keep going, I usually have the energy to complete.

 

I am doing Whole30 for the first time, and was doing fine until now. 

I went through the headaches and fatigue early on. 

Then the Tiger Blood hit and the runs were even better. I woke feeling in top form, buzzing and ready to go. 

 

Day 10 I started feeling hungry and weak, thought maybe I wasn't eating enough. 

Now on day 11 I woke up weak and hungry.  I felt really very weak as though my blood sugar had crashed. 

So , on waking, I ate four bananas and a peach in the hopes of getting my energy up before heading out for a run. 

I waited a while for it to digest and till I started feeling a little better. 

When I hit the track, my legs just didn't have any push in them. I only did 1.5 miles and then just couldn't do anymore. 

 

What should I do about this?

I really can't continue with Whole30 anymore if I am weak like this. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ShannonM816]

Hi, Razoo. I'm sorry you're not feeling well.

 

It sounds like you are not eating enough.

 

The first thing I'd do is start adding in some cooked vegetables. There's nothing particularly wrong with raw ones, but often the cooked ones seem to keep people full longer -- possibly because you tend to be able to eat more of them. And don't forget to include some starchy vegetables, at least one fist-sized serving each day, and to be honest, the way you're feeling right now, I'd start with two or three servings a day, and work on cutting back later if you feel you need to. I say this because they tend to be more calorie- and nutrient-dense, so right now, they may help you feel better quickly.

 

It's fine that you're eating more than one palm-sized serving of protein. If you are willing to eat red meat, you might try having some (if you're not, that's fine, I'm not asking you to do something you have any objection to, but again, red meat can be more filling because it tends to have more fat, and right now, that might be a good thing for you, if you're okay with that).

 

Instead of fruit between meals, go ahead and have some combination of protein, fat, and vegetables, or at least pick two of those (protein and fat, like a hard boiled egg or two, or fat and vegetables, like carrots and mayo or guacamole, or protein and vegetables, like leftovers from a previous meal). It's going to be more filling and less likely to mess with your blood sugar like fruit on its own can.

[GFChris]

In addition to Shannon's feedback, which is spot on, 

 

What day of the Whole30 are you on? It can take people 2-3 weeks of Whole30 eating to become fully fat-adapted.
 

Make sure you're also consuming enough water: at least 1/2 an ounce of water per pound of body weight, daily.

 

ETA: I just saw you're on day 11. Instead of having fruit pre run, follow the Whole30 pre workout recommendations of protein and fat instead. 

[razoo]

thanks for this feedback - I will be changing my daily diet just as you recommend. Thanks.

[torunlong]

I am going to add my similar dilemma.  I am on Day 3.  I am feeling better overall but very tired and my running is strained.  A double whammy in that I am returning from injury (so not in my peak shape) and I am starting this program.  

 

As I type this i am very hungry.  I feel like I've eaten a lot today:

 

Breakfast: half fritatta pie (the recipe in the book) +banana

Run 5.75 miles

Banana +hydrate

Lunch: 1 serving of the chicken hash dish (in book), 1/4 frittata pie (in book), apple slices.

2 hours after lunch (and I was stuffed!) I am really hungry.  I am drinking a lot too.

 

Trying to stick to 3 meals (+ PWO) but I feel like I need to eat.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

[Munkers]

I am going to add my similar dilemma.  I am on Day 3.  I am feeling better overall but very tired and my running is strained.  A double whammy in that I am returning from injury (so not in my peak shape) and I am starting this program.  

 

As I type this i am very hungry.  I feel like I've eaten a lot today:

 

Breakfast: half fritatta pie (the recipe in the book) +banana

Run 5.75 miles

Banana +hydrate

Lunch: 1 serving of the chicken hash dish (in book), 1/4 frittata pie (in book), apple slices.

2 hours after lunch (and I was stuffed!) I am really hungry.  I am drinking a lot too.

 

Trying to stick to 3 meals (+ PWO) but I feel like I need to eat.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

 

Experiment with adding more fat to your meals and see how that impacts your satiety. I would also up the vegetables with your breakfast. It seems like fruit might be pushing the veggies off your plate.

 

If you're eating lots of vegetables and plenty of fat and protein (1-2 palms worth) and find that you're still coming up ravenous after a few hours, then sit down and have another meal. If you can't have a full meal, then try to choose at least two of the template categories to make a snack. Examples: Protein+fat (chicken and avocado, eggs and mayo), veggie+fat (celery plus nut butter), or protein+veggies (tuna and bell pepper). You really need to hit at least two of the categories in order for your snack to have any real staying power.

 

It's not unusual for people just starting out on Whole30 to have a reflexive up-tick in their hunger. Some people find themselves eating four or five full template meals per day. Since you're also recovering from an injury, that's going to increase your nutrition needs. Make sure that you don't neglect your post-workout meal which should include protein and a starch immediately after you finish working out.

[torunlong]

Thanks. I'm trying to include fruit at each meal. Will see if I can get more veggies. I was staying away from nut butter - don't recall that in the book but I may have missed it. Thanks again.

[ShannonM816]

Thanks. I'm trying to include fruit at each meal. Will see if I can get more veggies. I was staying away from nut butter - don't recall that in the book but I may have missed it. Thanks again.

 

Fruit is completely optional, you never have to eat it. You can, if you enjoy it, but you're better off focusing on getting in plenty of vegetables, with fruit as just an occasional accent. The meal template recommends limiting fruit to two servings a day, although it's understandable that in the summer, when things are in season, you may eat a little more.

 

You also don't have to have nut butter, that was just one example of the kind of snack you could have, where the nut butter would be a fat source. You can absolutely have other fat sources instead, like avocado, olives, coconut flakes, mayo, or other sauces. Some people prefer not to keep nuts and nut butters around all the time as they find they can be food without brakes -- something that it's very easy to overeat.

[SugarcubeOD]

May I ask why you're trying to include fruit in every meal?  Vegetables really are nutritionally superior to fruit and if you're finding it hard to consume enough volume in a sitting to satiate yourself, switch out the fruit for veg.

[jmcbn]

I am going to add my similar dilemma.  I am on Day 3.  I am feeling better overall but very tired and my running is strained.  A double whammy in that I am returning from injury (so not in my peak shape) and I am starting this program.  

 

As I type this i am very hungry.  I feel like I've eaten a lot today:

 

Breakfast: half fritatta pie (the recipe in the book) +banana

Run 5.75 miles

Banana +hydrate

Lunch: 1 serving of the chicken hash dish (in book), 1/4 frittata pie (in book), apple slices.

2 hours after lunch (and I was stuffed!) I am really hungry.  I am drinking a lot too.

 

Trying to stick to 3 meals (+ PWO) but I feel like I need to eat.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

Just in addition to what the others have said, you should be aiming for protein & starchy carb postWO. By eating fruit you are replacing liver glycogen when you want to be replacing muscle glyocgen (with the starchy carbs). In your case in particular where you are returning from injury you'll want to be feeding your muscles protein so they can build and repair.

A small amount of fat preWO might also help with your energy levels, and stop that hunger.

[ultrarunnergirl]

Torunlong,

It is completely normal and expected to have low energy through the first 7 - 10 days. Your postWO should not be fruit as it replenishes liver glycogen and you want to replace muscle glycogen. It should be lean protein and a bit of starchy veggies.

[Dutchie]

I know sweet potatos are a big thing in the paleo scene,but regular potatos are fine too. You could make your own fries with coconut oil or a potato salad. I for myself seem to notice that some potato (usually in the form of cold left-over fries) a couple of times not only increases my strength but also my endurance&stamina.

They're a nigthshade and I generally avoid nigthshades,but some potato/fries seems to be the least harmfull....maybe bc most of the solanine is in the peel.

[torunlong]

May I ask why you're trying to include fruit in every meal? Vegetables really are nutritionally superior to fruit and if you're finding it hard to consume enough volume in a sitting to satiate yourself, switch out the fruit for veg.

I love fruit. I've always eaten it. I've always steared clear of starchy foods. Interesting that a few of you recommend starches .

Would you do this at meals too? Or only PWO?

Thanks

[SugarcubeOD]

Starchy carbs are not to be feared. They provide valuable nutrients that are not available in other vegetables. The recommendation is a fist sized serving at least once a day, depending on your context... more if you're a high functioning athlete, less if you're sedentary or with a lot of excess weight to lose. Some people find better results depending on what meal they eat their starchy carb at... morning gives some people trouble with cravings later in the day and M3 helps some people sleep... so experiment a little.

As far as the post work out, it's really only one or two bites of protein and carb so a bite or two each of chicken and sweet potato would be sufficient.

Fruit is great, however it should not push vegetables off your plate. You're aiming for 1-3 cups of vegetables per meal and then additionally fruit if you still want it (or as a condiment in salad or some curry dishes etc..). Fruit is recommended at 1-2 fist sized servings a day... more in the summer months if you choose as it is seasonally available and then usually less in the winter months when it's not regionally and seasonally available.

[torunlong]

I'm exhausted today. Day 4 without diet soda, soy milk, caffeine, sugar. Increased veggies now. Mentally beat. Hope this gets better

[LucieB]

It gets better.  

 

I eat 2-4 serves of fruit a day, it's terribly un-satiating for me so I don't know why I do it other than it makes me happy because they taste good. But I also eat LOTS of veggies. The glucose in fruits will replenish muscle glycogen, but the fructose doesn't, making starches the more ideal option for that purpose. But if you're like me and like fruit--then eat fruit. In moderation! 

I'm not in a Whole30 right now, but I follow the guidelines outside of training. I recently had to change to a no-starch diet and it was a b!tch to keep running but I was able to do it. Took a few weeks to adapt! 

[akwritermama]

I am NOT an athlete, but my husband is a pretty serious triathlete and I am in charge of cooking for him.  I've always been in charge of getting the right combo of good carbs, lean protein and veggies into his diet all day long, and so when I started Whole30 I thought it would be a breeze because I already cook this way.  I've had to work on taking out the sauces I used to rely on, but otherwise we're doing ok.  One thing I notice in a lot of these posts/replies seems to be a lack of sweet potatoes.  Sweet potatoes have been key to keeping my husband fueled forever.  You can get sick of them, but there are about a million ways to make them and I include them in almost every meal.  That said, he felt a little tired after my day 7 and asked for more carbs.  So I threw white potatoes at him.  SHOCK!  White potatoes (gold, baked, whatever) have been banned in my house for ages, but they're Whole30 compliant and I argued that he was running, biking and swimming enough every day to burn off whatever carbs they had.  I was right.  I fixed sauteed gold potatoes with onions, topped with a mix of olives, tomatoes and parsley for breakfast, alongside two fried/poached eggs, and a bowl of fruit.  He had a great ride after that.  When you're working out, you really need to get in enough food to power you through (both the dinner the night before and the breakfast before your workout).  So please don't worry about being skinny right now, and pack your meals with plenty of healthy veggies that provide the good carb kick you need to keep going.  The pounds will be run off later, I assure you.  Fuel, fuel, fuel... you need it, you rock stars!!!

[SparkInfused]

I would have to agree about being sure to add sweet or potatoes or regular potatoes. I don't know what I would do without them. I run about 40 miles per week on average and more when training for an event. I start every morning that I workout with eggs and some form of potato or yuca. With the mileage I put in, I eat a lot of everything: fruit,veggies, protein and fats. I found I that if I am hungry I just need to eat. With eating so clean I haven't had to worry about gaining any weight.

 

I find I am struggling with the longer runs, though. Yesterday I did a 3.5 hour trail run on a trail that I train on often, and I just didn't have the energy I normally have when not on the whole30. But I guess this is just a 30 day detox and so the problem is only temporary. I made sure not to have a race while on the whole30.

[jmcbn]

I would have to agree about being sure to add sweet or potatoes or regular potatoes. I don't know what I would do without them. I run about 40 miles per week on average and more when training for an event. I start every morning that I workout with eggs and some form of potato or yuca. With the mileage I put in, I eat a lot of everything: fruit,veggies, protein and fats. I found I that if I am hungry I just need to eat. With eating so clean I haven't had to worry about gaining any weight.

 

I find I am struggling with the longer runs, though. Yesterday I did a 3.5 hour trail run on a trail that I train on often, and I just didn't have the energy I normally have when not on the whole30. But I guess this is just a 30 day detox and so the problem is only temporary. I made sure not to have a race while on the whole30.

What day are you on, and what are you eating for pre/postWO? If you're relying on carbs pre-run as you would have done previously you will easily get burned out - you need to be teaching your body to burn fat...

[SparkInfused]

I'm on day 14. When I wasn't training hard, a simple hardboiled egg sustained me. When I threw in a longer workout, I would have 2, or do scrambled eggs. But I haven't had much success with that in the summer, when I am training hard. I feel sluggish without the potato in the morning. Post workout I often have tuna with avocado, almond butter and banana, carrot and sunflower butter, etc.

[GFChris]

Post workout I often have tuna with avocado, almond butter and banana, carrot and sunflower butter, etc.

Note that the Whole30 post workout recommendation is protein and optional carb, no fruit or fat. Nuts and seeds are fats on a Whole30. So drop the avocado, nut butter, banana, and sunflower butter from your post workout meal for better results. 

[SparkInfused]

Ok. I will eliminate those from my post workouts and see how my body feels. Thank you for your help.

[albertopeisach]

I have been on the Whole30 for 6 weeks, lost 15 lbs, need to loose another 15 lbs.  however i am very tiered at the end of the day. i do martial arts as a sport, this morning i could not train i was so DRAINED.  my meals consist of breakfast eggs, a protein and salad for lunch, protein and vegetables for dinner. a fruit in between meals.  cannot function like this,  do not want to start on carbs.  any ideas? recommendations?

thank you

ap

[torunlong]

 

 

I'm exhausted today. Day 4 without diet soda, soy milk, caffeine, sugar. Increased veggies now. Mentally beat. Hope this gets better

 

 

^^ I am not on Day 10 and feel much better.  No soda or sugar,  I've added fistsize potatoes in the morning with my eggs/veggies/fat.  I also eat a but more potato and fruit after the run.

 

I have been on the Whole30 for 6 weeks, lost 15 lbs, need to loose another 15 lbs.  however i am very tiered at the end of the day. i do martial arts as a sport, this morning i could not train i was so DRAINED.  my meals consist of breakfast eggs, a protein and salad for lunch, protein and vegetables for dinner. a fruit in between meals.  cannot function like this,  do not want to start on carbs.  any ideas? recommendations?

thank you

ap

 

I am adding in more carbs as I mention above.  I am not dropping weight as fast as you, however.  While I would like to lose about 5 pounds, I am trying to focus on the "feeling" part of this first.  So I eat big meals and add enough starches and fruit to make sure the workouts feel ok.  I don't think this is supposed to be a no carb diet.  Try adding more sweet potatoes/white potatoes at breakfast.  I also know (regardless of how it is metabolized) having a banana 20-30 minutes pre-run helps me a lot. 

[jmcbn]

I have been on the Whole30 for 6 weeks, lost 15 lbs, need to loose another 15 lbs.  however i am very tiered at the end of the day. i do martial arts as a sport, this morning i could not train i was so DRAINED.  my meals consist of breakfast eggs, a protein and salad for lunch, protein and vegetables for dinner. a fruit in between meals.  cannot function like this,  do not want to start on carbs.  any ideas? recommendations?

thank you

ap

It's hard to tell without seeing a proper food log although I'd guess that you're not eating enough.

How many eggs are you having for breakfast? Eggs, when they are your only source of protein should be the number of whole eggs you can hold in one hand - generally 3-4 for most people. Where are the veggies & additional fat? What is in your salad at lunch? Again, where is the fat for dinner? Are you including pre and/or postWO meals?

Fruit should not be eaten on its own as a snack as it will spike blood sugar & cause fatigue - just as you describe - and if you don't want to start adding carbs then I'd point out that fruit is more carb dense than many veg, you may fair better with a starchy veg in it's place.

Re-visit the meal template. Build all your meals to match it. - 1-2 palm sized pieces of protein, 1-3 cups of veg with 3 being optimum, & a thumb sized piece of fat (or dollop of mayo, handful of olives etc etc) Embrace the fat, ditch the fruit & your energy levels should improve.