What a Balanced Whole30 looks like?

[kdubs1987]

For me, a huge reason why I started the Whole30 is to lose weight and manage my long-term health. I am 27 and when I was 19 I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - an autoimmune disease which affects insulin and hormone levels).

One of the major symptoms for me has been weight gain....from the time I was young no matter how active I was or how much I watched what I ate, I could never seem to lose weight (instead I steadily gained weight until on started treatment). To say this is frustrating is a huge understatement!

 

I started the Whole30 program and immediately lost about 7lbs!  I know the Whole30 program frowns upon counting calories (which I am totally on board with) however, I want to make sure that I am properly balancing the macronutrients of my diet in accordance with the program. Many of these calorie counter apps track this information, which I find helpful in training myself to make right decisions about the foods I choose (i.e. regardless of the total calories consumed, perhaps I am consuming too much protein and not enough fat (or vice versa)  in my diet and I need to adjust my choices to stay on track? Maybe I should put down the steak and pick up an avocado). 

 

What is the proper ratio of macronutrients I should be consuming to continue to sustain weight loss and manage healthy levels both during my Whole30 program and long-term? 

 

 

[ladyshanny]

 

What is the proper ratio of macronutrients I should be consuming to continue to sustain weight loss and manage healthy levels both during my Whole30 program and long-term? 

The only guidelines that the Whole30 gives are in the meal template linked below.  There is no counting, tracking, coordinating or combining of macros.  Eat the food you need to feel your best.  Some days (ie the days leading up to a menstrual period for instance) you may eat more starchy veggies.  Two weeks later your body may need extra fat for a couple days.  If you work out or are under stress, your body may want extra protein or even just extra food in general.

 

Don't let apps and ratios and macros get in the way of listening to your body.  Eat food.  In proportions that make sense for your context.  And remember that before smart phones and the internet and "tracking apps", people just ate food. Your grandmother and her mother didn't count macros, they just ate real food.  Start there.

[kirkor]

The Whole30 meal template and recommendations *are* balanced: that's why they're recommended. 

[Seafarer]

Don't do it. Just eat the template. It's already balanced properly.

 

Just for information purposes, because I know app-addicted people are seldom able to really let go of that "marvellous" app....   prior to doing W30 I used a tracker. I ate recommended healthy meals. Keeping within the recommended calorie & macro nutrient ratios, I could never manage to get 100% of the recommended nutrients without supplements. AFTER I finished my Whole30 (notice I said AFTER!), just for giggles, I decided to eat according to template for 3 days & run it through the tracker. Not only were my calorie/macro ratios well within target, I also hit the 100% marker on every single nutrient every single day.

 

Your app is like your scale. Both need to go. You have enough to learn & keep track of. Eat the template. Include a variety of foods. You'll be fine. 100% fine.

[thegoldengrahamgirl]

Wow, Seafarer, that's amazing! My fat intake is definitely really high, but seems to agree with me so I refuse to measure or track it.

Cheers!

-Lauren (GGG)