On day 24, and I think I've been doing this all wrong.

[Jfordillo]

For the passed couple of days, my head has been pounding, I have been having heartburn, the other night I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, and my seasonal allergies are kicking in.

I have been eating all compliant food, but after reading some posts on the forum, I have come to realize that I have been eating too much fruit and starchy potato every morning, and not drinking enough water.

I have two jobs. I wake up around 5am everyday, and don't get home until 7pm every night. I usually get 6 hours of sleep, or try too. I'm also a very light sleeper and my boyfriend, who is heavy-footed, comes home around 2am most nights and wakes me up. This usually leaves me irritated and tired the following morning, so I'll drink cold, unsweetened green iced tea for it's caffeine. I feel that because I'm so far into my whole 30, and more than likely, doing it incorrectly, I should start over.

I am feeling a bit discouraged and defeated. I feel that I've been doing my whole30 wrong because I don't feel as though I've lost any weight, my allergies are still hanging out, and my heartburn and stomach pains have come back. The only positive I've noticed is that my minor eczema has gone down.

I work for a catering company, so my lunch/dinners normally come from their menu.

Meal 1: two compliant bacon wrapped egg muffins and about 1/2 cup hash browns (initially pan-fried) then baked in an oven. (Catering hash browns, so their oily)

Meal 2: protein with sautéed veggies or pineapple

Meal 3: Braised chicken, in what I'm hoping is compliant sauce, with 2 cups sautéed veggies and 1/2 cup pineapple.

Like I said, my lunch and dinner are normally from work, so the veggies are pretty oily. Have I wasted the 24 days?

[GFChris]

First off, Breathe. 

 

Meal 3: Braised chicken, in what I'm hoping is compliant sauce, with 2 cups sautéed veggies and 1/2 cup pineapple.

 

^^ This could be a potential problem.  Everything else looks to be within the rules.  

 

If someone else is doing the cooking for you, the reality is, you can't just hope it contains compliant ingredients. You need to ask.  Can you check the ingredients of the sauce (and also the cooking fat for the hash browns and sauteed veggies)?  

 

What type of sauteed veggies have you been eating? Cruciferous veggies can cause digestive distress for some.

 

It's hard to tell portion sizes from what you listed: if you're not eating enough, along with not drinking enough water, that can cause headaches.  For best results, aim for 1-2 palms of protein, 1-3 cups of veggies and a compliant fat in every meal. Not getting 8 hours of sleep nightly is not helping either.

[Jfordillo]

Thank you, Chris, for responding so quickly. I normally ask my chef if they added any sugar into the sauce, and he usually tells he "doesn't think so." We normally label the items that have soy or dairy in them, so I'll stay away from those. I know they use Canola oil for the vegetables, and I have been eating sautéed broccoli and cauliflower with capers. I know raw broccoli used to cause me major bloat and stomach pains, but cooked broccoli was fine. Should I lay off of the broccoli for now? Also how do I remedy my heartburn, allergies, and headache when they come to kick me in the face? Haha.

[GFChris]

Yeah, I'd back off the broccoli and see if that gives you any relief.  

Again, the first thing I'd suggest on your headaches is getting more sleep and making sure you're eating enough.   

Beyond that, it's ok to take meds for heartburn, allergies and headaches. 

[jmcbn]

For the heartburn you might try a spoonful of Apple Cider Vinegar followed by a glass of water after each meal. More often than not heartburn is caused by a lack of acid, rather than too much, meaning the stomach has to work harder to the acid available which can cause a black flow.