Too much fat leading to weigh gain?

[margaretlogan7]

Is it possible to gain weight on the Whole30 from eating too much fat? I am not afraid of fat, however I feel as though I am eating WAYY more than the template portions advise. For each dish I am cooking with oil, adding oil as dressings, adding avocado, and adding nuts (yes multiple sources for one dish). And then on top of that I am hungry between meals, causing snacking of some more fats and protein. I had a very unhealthy restrictive relationship to food prior to this Whole30 and so I am trying to form a better relationship with my body and nutritious foods. That being said however I am worried that my increased appetite and lack of food restriction, along with my large caloric intake of fats, are going to make me gain weight. Is this possible? How can I best avoid this? Thanks for any feedback! 

[SugarcubeOD]

Hi Margaret!

 

Did you want to post some of your meals and snacks INCLUDING portion sizes and we can have a look and see if you're on track or not.  Sometimes it is just a matter of not being used to eating fat and thinking you're eating too much when really you're right on track...

[margaretlogan7]

Yes that would be great! Here are my meals/snacks that I have eaten so far today:

 

Woke up at 10 exhausted

 

11:00 Breakfast: 4 eggs, sautéed zucchini, half an avocado, 1 chicken sausage, salsa

I felt full after I ate it, was a little overwhelmed mentally at the amount of high caloric foods in that breakfast BUT then I was hungry again at 12:30!

 

12:30 Snack: 1/4 c sunflower seeds in the shell...I was trying to put off lunch a little longer 

 

1:00 Lunch: clementine, 3 c kale, 1 tbsp olive oil + vinegar, 1/2 serving of Chicken and Avocado Salad with Cilantro - 1/4 avocado, 1/2 c shredded chicken, 1/4 onion, 1/2 tbsp mayo (homemade), and cilantro (portions in 1/2 serving)  

I think I was convinced since I had just eat, I wouldn't be that hungry....

 

3:00 ...Snack or Second Lunch? 1 head of romaine, 1 tbsp olive oil + vinegar, 1 portion (closed handful) of raw cashews, 1 serving of Chicken and Avocado Salad with Cilantro (1/2 avocado, 1 c shredded chicken, 1/2 onion, 1 tbsp mayo) 

HUNGRY again??!!? Or is it exhaustion. I'm not sure and at this point I'm tired of eating. Maybe it is that I didn't eat enough protein at lunch considering a 1/2 serving is just 1/2 c of chicken.I I'm so tired that I just want to nap...unfortunately I have some studying to do. 

 

Now it is 6 and I am hungry again. All I have been doing all day is sitting in my bed studying so I don't understand why I am eating SO MUCH. (also craving a chocolate chip cookie right now, but I refuse to give in!) 

 

Thank you for the help!!

[SugarcubeOD]

Have you seen the meal template? It's linked in my signature below.  Every meal asks for 1-3 cups of veggies (zuke being a pretty watery veg you'd want to amp that up quite a bit), 1-2 of your own palms of protein (width x thickness x length) and 1/2 cup of chicken is no where near that....  and then the added fat.

 

Your protein at breakfast looks good altho I do wonder why you're getting up at 10am?  Eating within an hour of waking is essential, which I see you did but not sure about that 11am breakfast timing... 

 

If you need to snack, you want to eat protein and fat and ideally veggies, not nuts, seeds or fruit on their own... 

You're definitely not eating enough altho your fats do seem to be on point.

 

How about this for tomorrow:

 

M1 - 4 eggs, 2cups of roasted broccoli, 1 cup of zuke, whole avocado and a chicken sausage with salsa

M2 - Large chicken breast, 3 cups of wilted kale with 1/2 an avocado and a mayo based salad dressing (ditch the fruit... if you're hungry enough to eat fruit at this point, eat more veggies)

M3 - 1 1/2 porkchops  with olives and sundried tomato putenesca (check labels) with roasted Butternut squash, steamed spinach.

 

Your meals need to be well rounded.. you can see that for M1 and 2 I suggest almost the same thing you ate, but in greater portions... 

 

 

To specifically answer your question about fat, you are not eating too much... I'd suggest you're eating juuuuust enough if not needing more.

[margaretlogan7]

Thank you! I have seen the meal template and thought that I was following up, but clearly not! I will try to follow it more when I am building my meals. I just don't know if my stomach can hold all that food haha! I felt very stuffed after my dinner tonight. But after reading your post, I am relieved that my fat intake is fine. I will work on increasing protein and veggies. 

 

As for the late wake-up, that is abnormal for me. I was just a tired college student needing her rest and a morning to sleep in. 

[praxisproject]

For me personally, I find my appetite can be higher when I'm tired, as I wear out more of my resources and they need replenishing.

 

You may find a magnesium supplement helpful for good quality and refreshing sleep.