10 days Post Whole 30: Don't Feel that much Different

[katerpa]

I am 10 days post whole 30. I didn't have amazing results, but I also didn't have any autoimmune symptoms or a lot of weight to lose to start with. My BMI is 19 to start with, I lost 3 pounds on whole 30. I loved the steady energy throughout the day and the change in my emotional relationship with food. But besides that didn't feel much different and definitely missed my occasional sweets, cheese and wine. 

I reintroduced most foods, except soy and none of them have given me any symptoms.

Last night was our late Valentines date (pushed it back so I could reintroduce properly) and I ate pasta, cheese, dessert and wine. It was awesome. I feel great today. 

 

Not to be a downer, but do some people just not "need" the whole 30?

 

Not that I am going to eat what I did last night often, I am excited to keep many principles of the program going.

But did I do something wrong? 

 

[careergirlwhole30]

I have had a similar reintroduction experience--I didn't have any negative symptoms when I added back in grains, dairy, legumes, soy, etc. I also didn't have a ton of weight to lose, but I did lose about 6 lbs, and now I'm about at the lowest that I would feel comfortable maintaining.

 

I definitely think that the whole30 is more life changing for some than for others-and it depends on what your goals are, where you start, etc. For me, I did it because I wanted to challenge myself, my relationship with food, and try something new. I learned so much, it helped me create healthier habits, and I want to keep up with a lot of what I learned from whole30 because I just feel better. For now, even though I didn't have any issues with reintroduction, I'm still trying to practice moderation with most things. We are eating legumes without restrictions, but keeping the rest of our meals mostly whole30 (so chili for lunch with beans, an apple, and an orange). Keeping this 80/20 lifestyle for the past week and a half (still a fresh whole30 alumnus) has allowed me to still keep the results of whole30 (clearer skin, steady energy, good sleep, and keep the weight off), but I don't feel nearly as restricted as I did before.

 

My advice would be to write down the positives from your whole30, and decide how you need to eat in order to maintain those in your life. For me, its an 80/20 lifestyle with the occasional splurge on a dinner out--for you it might be different

[Tom Denham]

Some people do not suffer from obvious food sensitives, so can eat pretty much anything comfortably. However, that is quite different from saying that legumes, grains, sugar, alcohol, dairy, etc. don't matter to some people. They do. The question is being comfortable versus achieving optimal levels of health. 

 

Some people go too far trying to achieve optimal levels of health. Some people think I do. I don't think the point of life is to follow strict protocols of optimal health at all times. The point of life is not to be healthy. The point of being healthy is to enjoy life fully and for as long as possible. It is important to keep it in that order. 

 

Reading It Starts With Food to understand how different food groups function in all human bodies really is worth the time. But there are occasions when eating pasta is absolutely worth it... at least for me who suffers few sensitivities.