Frustrated at Day 16

[Slimwishes]

Hello,

I'm on Day 16 of my first whole 30 and don't see any evidence of weight loss or body fat loss. I haven't weighed myself, as the program requires us not to, but my clothes fit just as tightly as they did before I started 16 days ago. It makes me wonder if all of this work and discipline is going to have any pay off in terms of my weight and size. I know that's not the only reason to undertake such a healthy eating program, But it's one of my main goals. Before this program, I Ate fairly healthfully, tracking my intake and calories each day. So, the transition to the more healthy eating style wasn't difficult. I work out intensely four times a week at Orange theory fitness (Calorie burn between 500 and 600 cal each workout with intensive cardio, and strength training included) and walk for exercise on days I don't attend OTF. I am feeling good energy, sleeping well, so that's all good. Just frustrated that it doesn't seem like my size is changing at all.

Yesterday's meals included the following, and are pretty typical for each day I've been on the program:

Breakfast, sweet potato/Apple hash, topped with Whole30 compliant chopped bacon bits, One Patty of homemade pork sausage, and one half avocado.

Lunch, 3/4 cup of whole 30 compliant canned chicken, one half apple, One half avocado.

Dinner One fillet of halibut, with citrus glaze, recipe from the whole 30 cookbook. Asparagus with ghee.

Today so far, is typical for a day when I do the OTF work out, which occurs at 9:30 AM.

Pre-workout (8:30 AM), smoothie made with one cup coconut milk, One scoop egg white protein powder, and 1 tablespoon almond butter.

Post workout ( 11 AM) four pieces of epic uncured bacon pork and sea salt bites (ingredients uncured pork bacon, water, sea salt, vinegar, celery powder), couple handfuls of kale chips.

Lunch, three quarters cup canned chicken, One half apple, one half avocado.

For dinner tonight, we're planning to have curry coconut chicken from the whole 30 cookbook and cauliflower rice (Which isn't really rice at all, but is cauliflower, carrots, and onions) from that same cookbook.

Does anyone have any advice for me in terms of modifying my intake or any other advice you may have? Thanks for any help you can provide.

[SugarcubeOD]

Hi Slimwishes;

 

This is probably not the answer you want to hear but you are not eating enough.

The meal template (linked below) asks for 1-2 palms of protein, 1-3 cups of vegetables (1 being minimum, 3 being optimal) and a 1-2 portions of fat as linked.

 

The problem when you don't eat enough or restrict your intake is that your body holds on to every last molecule in preparation for famine.  When you eat in proper portions on an ongoing basis, your body gets the message that it's a time of feast (instead of famine) and it relaxes... it drops weight that it doesn't need to hold on to for that time of famine. 

 

Your lunches have no vegetables, your breakfast is missing entirely today and your dinner doesn't have nearly enough vegetables unless you ate an entire grocery store bunch of asparagus.

 

Altho not a rule, it is a strong recommendation from the program that to maximize your results, you do not drink your food.  That means no smoothies.  For pre work out, try a hard boiled egg or some chicken and a handful of olives. 

 

Try fashioning your meals to match the template.  That's where the magic is.  And please remember that it's a 30 day program, not 16.  Once you start eating to template including eating all three meals AND pre and post workout where necessary, you may consider extending your Whole30 so you get a full 30 days of template eating and you should feel the magic!

[Tom Denham]

Lots of people think they will "improve" the Whole30 by eating small amounts to provoke faster weight loss. Such a strategy backfires. The way the Whole30 provokes weight loss is by convincing your hormones to work with you to burn fat instead of fighting against fat loss. This requires eating generously. When you do not eat nearly enough as you have been doing, your hormones don't join the battle and you don't lose weight. 

[Slimwishes]

Thank you for taking the time to respond and explain what I'm doing wrong, Tom and Sugarcube. I always feel full after each meal so I assumed I was eating enough. I'll ramp up the veggies and work on including breakfast on my am workout days.

Thanks again!

[SugarcubeOD]

Thank you for taking the time to respond and explain what I'm doing wrong, Tom and Sugarcube. I always feel full after each meal so I assumed I was eating enough. I'll ramp up the veggies and work on including breakfast on my am workout days.

Thanks again!

If you feel full after such small meals, it's likely your hormones are off... the recommendation there would be to make the template meal, eat evenly from all the food groups (protein, fat, veg) and then if you feel you can't eat anymore, wrap it up and take it with you and eat from it again as soon as you feel able.. (not as soon as you feel hungry... as soon as you feel that it won't cause a catastrophic reappearance).  3/4 of a cup of chicken, half an apple and a half avocado is not enough to keep a grown man or woman full and satiated for 4-5 hours, which is what you're aiming for.

Hormone balance is also very strongly linked to your waking/sleeping hours so eating within one hour of waking will really help get things evened out for you!

 

Let us know how you do with these changes and if you need any further guidance or coaching 

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Your pre- and post-workout options also are t aligned with the recommendations - optimal intake post workout is lean protein and optional starchy carb (think 1/2 chicken breast and some sweet potato): you seem to have a high fat post workout option (fine at meals but not the best choice post-workout). All ways to maximize your hormones and get those body changes you rafter. No sense putting some much effort in at OTF if you aren't making the best nutrition choices to support it!

Good luck!

Cheers,

-Lauren (GGG)