doing it wrong

[samantha_k]

Hi,

 

I really need some help. I’m on day 15 and I feel like I have been doing this all wrong. For the 1^st week I was having an apple in the evening (I’m a big night time eater, not really a sweet person to begin with) but I saw that you are not supposed to so I stopped and have managed not to eat anything after dinner. For a couple days I had a cup of orange juice a day (no added sugar) until I found out you can’t drink your fruit and I stopped immediately. Lastly I made homemade lara “balls” and had them for breakfast (2 small ones) for the last 2 days. I now read you should avoid these at all costs so I will.

 

I haven’t technically eaten anything I that isn’t whole30 approved but I feel like I’m doing it all wrong and I have already failed. It’s frustrating to think I have dedicated myself for the last 2 weeks making sure to follow these rules only to discover it may have been a waste (although I am sleeping so much better, I use to wake up 3am every night and now I don't). I’m proud that I have avoided eating obvious non-compliant foods in social settings and stopped late night snacking but I feel like I have sabotaged myself and the Whole30 will not work now. I’m feeling very defeated and my anxiety is high which scares me because I don’t want to just give up and fall back to bad habits.

 

My other issue is I’m not a big veggies person. Peppers, onions, lettuce, cucumber, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, potatoes (sweet and white), cherry tomatoes and sometimes mushrooms are the only veggies I like that are Whole30. Trust me I have tried to like others but I just don’t. I also don’t eat the majority of these on their own without some kind of condiment (except for right now). I like meat but hate fish! Again I have tried to like it especially tuna but no go. I like avocados but cannot eat it on its own.

 

My breakfast was pumpkin custrard: pumpkin, coconut milk, banana, almond meal and eggs.

 

Lunch: homemade soup or compliant meatballs

 

Dinner: usually a piece of protein (steak, chicken, pork chops from a local butcher) and either butternut squash, spaghetti squash or potatoes cooked with avocado or olive oil. 

 

I work out at lunch HIIT for 25 mins and take the dogs for a walk at night and sometimes a bow flex workout. I don’t feel like I’m working out enough for a post workout meal but I do plan to up my exercise.

 

Have I been “faking” whole30 this whole time? I feel so defeated.

 

[ShannonM816]

You have not been faking your Whole30. You haven't failed, you haven't done anything that requires a restart. There are Whole30 rules, and then there are the recommendations for getting the most out of your Whole30. Here's an article that explains the difference.

 

The recommendations get pushed really hard here on the forum, but it's not in an effort to make people feel bad about what they've done or make them feel like they've failed -- it's because those recommendations really do make a difference. If you're going to do this for 30 days, you might as well get the most out of it that you can, right?

 

I do think there's a real possibility you're not eating enough, although it's hard to tell based on your meals listed since you don't really list portion sizes. Are you staying satisfied for 4-5 hours between meals? Is your energy level okay? If either of those is no, definitely try to eat more.

 

The pumpkin custard thing is really awfully sweet to be having first thing in the morning -- having something sweet after fasting overnight can cause spikes in blood sugar. It also may not be enough protein, depending on how many eggs are in it. When eggs are your only protein source, have as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand, which is probably 3-4.

 

For lunch, add some vegetables. And some fat. You could have a salad stuffed with all those vegetables you listed above, with some mayo or mayo based salad dressing, and maybe some chunks of avocado.

 

You probably ought to do a post-workout of a little bit of lean protein and a little bit of starchy vegetable within 30 minutes of your HIIT workout. Doesn't have to be a lot, just a few bites of each.

 

For not liking vegetables -- have you tried different vegetables prepared in different ways? Most veggies are so much better roasted than steamed -- it totally changes the texture and the flavor, bringing out the sweetness in root vegetables, and making the taste of things like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts much milder.

[Carlaccini]

No you haven't been faking it as you have seen results.  Better uninterrupted sleep is a great result!  The whole 30 IS a learning experience and we do expect that.  However how you have been eating may or may not hinder your results.

 

For instance your breakfast speaks to me as a breakfast disguising itself as a dessert or trying to fit something "sweet" in first thing in the morning - despite your not really a "sweets" type of person.  I would recommend staying away from it the next following days.  Make an omelet, make a sausage and egg scramble along with some peppers, eggs, mushrooms and spinach (I promise once spinach is wilted - it doesn't carry a very strong taste.)  If you are looking for breakfast ideas without eggs - just google - whole 30 breakfasts without eggs - and you should see results come up.

 

You also sound like you are eating to little - Your lunch says compliant meatballs or soup? I have no idea if your soup contains veggies, protein, fat or what - and to eat just meatballs without ANY veg?  Even if you feel you like limited amount of veg - eat what veg you can - with every meal - 1 - 3 cups of it.

[samantha_k]

Reading these replies gave me relief and brought me to tears (obviously too stressed lol).

 

I haven’t felt hungry and my energy levels have been better than they have been in years but I agree my choices although compliant are off. 

 

For breakfast and will do a frittata instead. My soup does have veggies and chicken in it but I’m thinking I will switch to a salad with veggies and protein, I just need to find a salad dressing I can make that is whole30 approved.

 

I’ve tried cauliflower rice and while I was able to eat it, I didn’t really enjoy it and I feel like I should enjoy whatever I eat. I will try roasting more veggies in hopes that I can find more varieties to eat. back to pintrest I go!

 

I will added a small POW meal.

 

I can’t thank you both enough for replying. I have a very supportive husband but sometimes I think he hates seeing me upset so he says whatever he needs to so I feel better. Although I love him for it I needed an unbiased opinion and some experienced help. 

 

I'm just happy I haven't failed but instead just need some tweaking and I'm more than happy to do so if its going to help in the long run! 

 

Thanks again!

[GFChris]

 I just need to find a salad dressing I can make that is whole30 approved.

 

This has been discussed a lot previously in the forum. Here is a representative thread. 

Easiest way to search the forum is from Google. Type Whole30 followed by whatever you're looking for, and you'll get links to past discussion threads.

[SpunkyBug]

While you will find lots of good stuff on Pinterest, you will also find a lot of SWYPO recipes (Google Whole30 and SWYPO if you're not familiar with the concept).

 

One of the best places to search for recipes is on the Well Fed site: 

 

http://meljoulwan.com/

 

And also Tom Denham's site:

 

http://www.wholelifeeating.com/

 

Nom Nom Paleo is great, too, but I find her site harder to browse for recipes:

 

http://nomnompaleo.com/

 

Here are a few more good recipe sites (just be on the lookout for SWYPO-type treats):

 

http://paleomg.com/

 

http://stupideasypaleo.com/

[ultrarunnergirl]

Hang in there! You are staying strong. We've all made mistakes with the same kinds of things you have, and just like you are doing, made changes to improve. You're doing great!

 

As your palate changes, you'll probably like more and more types of veggies. I swear on my grandmother's grave, get some raw broccoli, break it into little florets, toss with melted ghee or coconut oil or olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread on a big cookie sheer. Roast at 400 until the edges of the florets get brown. You WILL NOT be sorry!

[Mistyfire]

I think W30 is a journey and it's much more complicated than pass/fail or right/wrong. I just finished my second W30 and I found I did it a bit differently than the first because of the things I learned along the way. I know this is hard, but look how you're moving ahead. You're doing great! And it was smart of you to post here to get some support. Stay strong!