Day 21 and no improvements, only worsening and stagnation

[iamelisabee]

Day 21 and still waiting for that so called "Tiger Blood." Or any kind of improvement, really.

 

I used to eat fairly healthily before starting Whole30 but I had hoped to make some headway with my anxiety, my energy levels, and my attempt at weight loss. Before the program, I have been getting up early 4-5 times a week to go for a moderate hike/walk for an hour to an hour and a half.

 

I've been really diligent with following the program but so far I haven't seen any changes/improvements. I have been exhausted and fuzzy headed and my clothes fit the same. I'm glad others have seen positive results but I'm getting really discouraged and am starting to think that this is just one more supposed lifestyle change that is just not going to work for me (I'm looking at you calorie counters, step counters, and old gym membership). Anybody have any advice?

 

Typical meals for the day include:

 

Breakfast: sweet potato and compliant bacon hash with an over easy egg.

Midmorning snack: an apple or maybe some banana and homemade cashew butter.

Lunch: pork stir-fry with lots of veg or homemade chicken and veg (including more sweet potato and kale) soup.

Afternoon snack: maybe some carrots or celery or some pistachios if I need something more.

Dinner: pork burger on lettuce bun with coconut amino "teriyaki" sauce and homemade ketchup and homemade mayo or roast chicken over mixed salad greens, sliced apples, homemade balsamic dressing.

Lots and lots of water throughout the day.

[ShannonM816]

I'm sorry you're not doing so well.

 

Based on what you've posted here, I'd recommend eating more. Bacon is really more fat than protein, so it looks like for breakfast, your only protein was one egg. A serving of eggs, when they're your only protein source, is as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand, which is usually three to four, and might be more. If you don't want that many eggs at once, you can combine a couple of eggs with some other meat.

 

When your meals are big enough, you should be getting 4-5 hours between meals easily, so increasing meal sizes may do away with the need for snacks, but while you're working on that, if you do need snacks, a better choice than just fruit and nuts/nut butters would be to have a mini meal with protein, fat, and vegetables.

 

When you have soup, sometimes it's hard to ensure you're really getting enough food, just because it can be hard to tell. You want to be sure you're getting a serving of protein at least the length, width, and height of the palm of your hand, and more than that is okay (the meal template says 1-2 such portions).

 

When you have salads, you probably should plan on supplementing the leafy green stuff with other vegetables, as leafy greens tend to break down to nothing and don't tend to keep you satisfied. I like roasted beets or sweet potatoes in salads, other options could be broccoli (raw or cooked), cucumber, tomatoes, snap or snow peas, jicama, carrots, radishes, bell peppers, onions, broccoli slaw or even something like sauerkraut.

 

With all your meals, be sure you include fats. Cooking fats count some, but often they are left behind in the pan and aren't consumed, so add some olives or avocado or coconut chips, or make up some mayo or other sauces and dressings.

 

For a few days, you may actually want to up your starchy vegetables, just to see if it will help you feel better. Most people feel best if they have at least one fist-sized serving of them a day, people who are active, who are prone to depression and anxiety, and women who are nursing, pregnant, or in the week leading up to their period often find they need more. As long as you're also eating other vegetables, don't worry about overeating them, at least for now -- they should help with your anxiety, your fatigue, and your fuzzy headedness. 

 

Also, when you do work out, you get bonus pre- and post-workout meals, in addition to your regular meals.

[JessRN]

I'm on day 24 and I'm having the same problem.  And I guarantee I'm eating enough fat and protein in every meal.  Feeling very discouraged and sad

[Tom Denham]

Like Shannon suggested, I don't think you are eating enough. Not eating enough has lots more consequences than just being hungry. Not eating enough makes you tired at the very least. Many people do not eat enough when they begin a Whole30 because they have been brainwashed by all the diet information they have heard for years that says you should be eating small amounts of food. In fact, many people assume they are properly following our meal planning template when in reality they are eating less than the plan advises. It is a learning curve.

 

If you are eating proper size meals, you will not need to snack because you will be well satisfied nearly 5 hours. If this is not true of you, you did not eat enough at your last meal. 

 

Broadly, I keep seeing people come to the Whole30 forum expecting to find that "this" approach to eating will not work for them just like many other programs have not worked. In polite company, we acknowledge that every person is unique and there is no such thing as one-size-fits all. Polite people might say to any particular person, "Maybe this is not YOUR approach. Nothing works for everybody. Good luck as you keep searching for your unique solution." Well I'm not polite. Such thinking is complete crap. The Whole30 offers a menu of 1000s of foods. Actually every form of meat, fish, poultry. All vegetables on the planet. All fruit. Nuts and seeds. If you don't thrive on the Whole30 menu, you are dying fast. The problem is thinking that you are eating appropriate amounts of protein, fat, and veggies at meals and throughout the day when you are not. Given your unique background, you may struggle to discover the right combination of foods and portion sizes that works for you, but the Whole30 program and the guidance of the meal planning template is appropriate for all human bodies. The solution to your health is here. Dig in and make it work!