Yes, I need to ask about weight

[jknolmed21]

I finished the Whole30 and lost 3 pounds. I am overweight, so this is hard for me to understand. I do have health issues (dysautonomia, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, and in remission from lyme, I also have some estrogen dominance issues, but just a bit), but I still didn't expect such a small loss. My mom did it with me and lost the exact same amount, but she had milk and honey in her coffee, and had wine at the end too (so she was half doing it with me). I do not understand how this is even possible! 

 

I am very uncomfortable in my skin and need the weight to get off somehow, and now I feel like I need to do something more, like the HCG diet or something. I had an eating disorder (with restricting and binging and purging for about 7 years, and then overeating for about 5 maybe) and I feel like restricting is the only way to do it. Though I know that people say that weight comes back on fast. But I just don't know what to do anymore.

 

Can you look at my log? People were saying I wasn't eating enough. I guess I felt like I did the best I could. But also I didn't feel like eating not enough would completely ruin all possible weight loss. I don't know. Can someone help give me suggestions? I don't know if I can even eat more than I tried to... Especially if I want to lose weight. http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/29987-whole30-journey/ 

 

 

[ladyshanny]

Hi again! I saw your log but it hasn't been updated since I suggested that you add more whole foods and less epic bars/bacon pieces/larabars. What sort of changes did you make or was the days in your log representative of the entire 30 days?

I know that you want weight loss but what you have to understand is that, ESPECIALLY with underlying conditions as complex and serious as the ones you have, the body has to feel balanced and safe to drop weight. The only way that happens is that you eat consistently and in a proper volume that your hormones are able to settle and balance and your body starts to trust that there is no famine and that bioavailable nutrients from whole foods are inbound on a regular schedule.

The HCG diet is, honestly, a terrible idea. In my opinion it is completely unacceptable to inject a pregnancy hormone into a person who is not pregnant and then also make them exist on 500 calories per day. It's absurd and it preys on people who are desperate to try and conform to the media protrayal of what is the ideal human figure. Its not something that you can do forever and when you start eating actual food again, what do you think is going to happen? It's a terrible and disrespectful way to beat the only body you have into submission.

You say you don't think you could make yourself eat more; I'm curious to know if you gave bars, bacon bites and the like a pass and tried to focus on eating whole foods. Protein, veggies and a good fat at every meal. The sugars and composition of some of the processed foods that are technically compliant are such that they will mess with your appetite, hormones and blood sugars.

Your body lost 3 pounds. That is nothing to sneeze at, especially given your rocky start and your underlying conditions. I would really encourage you, going forward, to put dieting out of your head and focus on nourishing your body. Work with yourself instead of against yourself. Love yourself with vegetables and good proteins and good fats, give yourself everything you didn't get when you were in binge/purge/restriction cycles. Stability, trust, balance and love.

[MeadowLily]

HCG is a complete farce.   I am familiar with an entire office of women who spent their hard earned dollars on this diet.   It's the 500 calories aday of starvation mode that allows someone to drop it like it's hot.  When the diet is over, the rebound is so fast and furious it will make your head spin. The rebound does not come back as lean muscle mass, it all comes roaring back on in the form of unhealthy fat.

 

The real mystery is that men sign up for this program.  Why in the world would you give a man the pregnancy hormone to lose weight.  People will take anything and do anything for a quick fix.   It robs them of their cash and spirit.

 

If you were eating bars, lara or any other kind....those will not give you the stellar results you were hoping for.  The Whole 30 is not a weight loss program or a branded diet.  If you follow all of the rules and recommendations of   "No Snacking" and completely ditch all of the bars, dried fruits and handfuls of nuts...this protocol works.

 

It's going to take time but gooooing ooooo sooooo slooooow is the only way you want to go.   How many go back to their branded diet only to find themselves rebounding  with every single pound.

 

Listen to the Mods.  They'll help you get there in the best possible way.  The best possible way is to eat 3 normal meals like normal people do in a grand way.   Most of us can remember when we were kids that our mothers took really good care of us.  The troubles began when we left her safe harbor and starting doing our own cooking or eating dorm food.

 

We adopted some strange habits that might take a lifetime to unlearn.   There are some who never go sideways but for others....the Whole 30 was created.  It is a Food Reset but the Head Reset that comes with it is so valuable.   It can reset all of those years when our train was off the rails.   

 

When we engage our heads and really think things through, each and every day what we want from our life - we realize that only whole foods can repair our bodies and minds.

[MTNan]

I see the weight loss as being a frustration for you. Did you have any non-scale victories?

[jknolmed21]

I see the weight loss as being a frustration for you. Did you have any non-scale victories?

I did. My fatigue got better I believe, which I do like. I want to try to up my physical activity, I just have to go super slow.

[MeadowLily]

One more item about HCG.  It's unregulated for the most part.  No one has any idea where it's coming from. Most probably comes from women in a 3rd world nation. Someone has to be pregnant to make HCG possible, unless it is synthetic and that's worthless, too.  Individuals have no assurance of what's in those shots or drops....  It's a total crap-shoot and scary.

 

Anyone out there know of anyone who offered up theirs for HCG shots?  Nope.  Me neither.

 

Individuals I know, took the shots.  Yes, they did lean out and some took on the tenor of pale, white and pasty.  Ghostly creatures passing one another in the hall.  When they came down off of the shots, the weight flew right back on.  They wish they had every last dollar back and their hair that fell out by the handfuls.

[jknolmed21]

Hi again! I saw your log but it hasn't been updated since I suggested that you add more whole foods and less epic bars/bacon pieces/larabars. What sort of changes did you make or was the days in your log representative of the entire 30 days?

I know that you want weight loss but what you have to understand is that, ESPECIALLY with underlying conditions as complex and serious as the ones you have, the body has to feel balanced and safe to drop weight. The only way that happens is that you eat consistently and in a proper volume that your hormones are able to settle and balance and your body starts to trust that there is no famine and that bioavailable nutrients from whole foods are inbound on a regular schedule.

The HCG diet is, honestly, a terrible idea. In my opinion it is completely unacceptable to inject a pregnancy hormone into a person who is not pregnant and then also make them exist on 500 calories per day. It's absurd and it preys on people who are desperate to try and conform to the media protrayal of what is the ideal human figure. Its not something that you can do forever and when you start eating actual food again, what do you think is going to happen? It's a terrible and disrespectful way to beat the only body you have into submission.

You say you don't think you could make yourself eat more; I'm curious to know if you gave bars, bacon bites and the like a pass and tried to focus on eating whole foods. Protein, veggies and a good fat at every meal. The sugars and composition of some of the processed foods that are technically compliant are such that they will mess with your appetite, hormones and blood sugars.

Your body lost 3 pounds. That is nothing to sneeze at, especially given your rocky start and your underlying conditions. I would really encourage you, going forward, to put dieting out of your head and focus on nourishing your body. Work with yourself instead of against yourself. Love yourself with vegetables and good proteins and good fats, give yourself everything you didn't get when you were in binge/purge/restriction cycles. Stability, trust, balance and love.

 

Thank you for replying, I really appreciate your input. I did end up stopping the log just because it made me anxious to see "all the food" i was eating, even though it wasn't actually enough. I didn't have any more lara bars, and I was able to get more veggies in, though not in huge volumes. I ate quite a few burgers that had a lot of fats in them with salad. Also had more eggs (3 at a time usually), with salsa and/or veggies, organ meats (my mom and I both like chicken livers, so that was fun), and frozen vegetables really help for me. I did still have the bacon pieces, but as fats, not protein, though usually I stick to raw almonds because I like those a lot (for fat) I think it's just so tough because I have very few clothes that fit me, and I was hoping I could fit into a few more by the end.

 

When I went off the program (after the 30 days), I tried milk and my body was not a fan, so I'm back to almond milk in my coffee with cinamon, which I actually really like now. I also tried some milk chocolate just to see what I thought of it, and honestly it was really gross. Also tried a latte with a pump of pumpkin and that was not so good either. So I'm kind of back to Whole30 style (as best I can) because I don't like that stuff. After a few days I might try legumes, and at some point maybe non-gluten grains, but I don't feel like I miss gluten really. We'll see what happens, but I feel like my body/brain wants sugars barely at all, and I don't crave them. It's weird, I feel like having the "freedom" to reintroduce things, I actually don't want them. Now it feels like a choice more instead of a rule, and I am choosing not to eat that stuff, which is pretty cool actually.

[MeadowLily]

I have an idea.  Don't log your food at all.   You don't even need a food log unless you're unsure of the portions for proteins, fats and vege.  With a complete understanding what the template looks like with compliant foods...a food log is not required.  

 

For someone who is worried about weight gain...don't bother with a log. It shuts down those old habits of branded dieting and stills that inner critic.  "You're eating too much, you're eating too much."  Bologna.

 

Without the items we've mentioned,  bars, nuts, dried fruits...you don't have to worry about a single thing. I've been at this for awhile now.   I know when I'm in the template pocket.  If you'll do the work without attachment to the outcome,   jk,  you'll no longer find yourself conflicted with all of your past experiences.

 

Lay those down at the Whole 30 door.   Take a leap of faith and walk on through.  All of the science has been done for you.   Seriously,  it's working for me in the best possible way.  The half has not been told.  

 

I haven't stuck the landing like the pros here. Without their knowledge,   I would still be stuck in branded diet thinking.   Diet is a four letter word.  Don't go back there.   Trust yourself and learn to listen yourself.  You are the most authoritative resource you'll ever have.   

[MeadowLily]

Lastly, I would like to say that my husband tells everyone...."Oooo,  she's Whole 30, now".  I swell up with pride and so does he.   It's taken me a long time to get here and longer than 30 days.   A Whole 30 is only 30 days.  I've taken everything I've needed from my Whole 30  and made it my permanent positive food management plan.

 

The number one reason any particular diet fails is that it's implemented so brutally strict right out of the gate. Every part of a person's being rebels fairly quickly.  It is the Shock and Awe approach.  It is brutal for binge and thrill eaters and sets up vicious cycles.  

 

Edge your way down slowly with the template.  You'll have a better shot at getting there and staying there for the rest of your life without the pain of withdrawal.   If at the end of  6 months you were eating healthy whole foods and have virtually stopped all thrill eating - would you consider it a successful strategy?

[Shawie]

The idea of keeping a food log sounded so tedious to me. I've tried in th past to keep up with my food intake via traditional pen and notepad, food apps, etc it ALWAYS ended up feeling like work. When I started the whole30 program I decided to just take pictures of my food which I felt was 100x easier.

Everyone is different so don't feel discouraged if you're not getting the same results. I think it's great that you are cautious about foods that are not compliant now and you are choosing to opt out on them after you realize you're not that crazy about it.

[GFChris]

I'd encourage you to use fats other than nuts. Nuts are to be limited on a Whole30, and can cause bloat for some. Rotate in olives, avocado, coconut, ghee, etc.

[SugarcubeOD]

I would personally encourage you to use the steam you've generated which is making your previously desirable foods not so desirable and keep going.  You have what seems to be a more difficult hill to climb than the norm and 30 days isn't going to fix everything. You're learning things about your body and how to make good choices.  PLUS, you report that your fatigue seems to be better...as someone who has dealt with fatigue for various reasons in the most recent past, THAT is a huge victory! Feeling like you're too tired to breathe sucks!

 

Keep going. This is a lifestyle.  A way of being and existing in the world that is not over after 30 days.