Not sure if anyone has an answer, which is ok

[fundiculous]

I started this journey as a bulimic, marking Day 1 as my recovery as well. I am planning on doing Whole 45/60, as it seemed like I was on about a 2 week lag on sypmtoms, as well as totally being sporadic with some. I realize that my body is not only going through what everyone else is, but is repairing itself, dealing with metabolism issues in an extreme form, as well as a billion other things. However, this has been an incredible journey for me in terms of feeling both mentally and physically. That being said, I feel like I have hit a wall the last few days and don't know if I'm just in a recovery lull, or what. Again, I realize you guys might not have an answer for me, but just maybe you do.

 

For a few days I've felt more lethargic. Sleepy even, which was one thing I immediately felt great about on Whole30, was no crash. My workouts (mild) have been more of a struggle. I am mostly sedentary (I work on a computer and try to move as much as possible, but it's a lot of miserable sitting)I I have struggled with insomnia my whole life, averaging 4-5 hours a night. (since I was like 6) This has never really affected me and aside from my carb crashes in the late afternoon for the last 3 months pre Whole 30, i always had good energy. Lately it feels like my sleep is very fitful. I haven't yet gotten any good sleep on Whole 30, even with meditation, making my to do list for the next day (so I don't think about it all night as I lay in bed) etc, etc. I think I am sleeping worse on Whole 30 than before.

 

I'm on day 29. I'm 31 years old.. yes..31, or am i 32...hmm nope 31. I am a slight/semi athletic build and about 5'10. I have no idea what I weigh, but I have always been light (even pre-bulimia) I would say I maybe clock in at 135ish Ok. Here is my meal plan, from the last two days but this changes since I like diversity and am decent in the kitchen with creativity and work from home...so I have time, but it's about the same format for each meal.

 

Breakfast: 7:30-9:00 am ish

                 1 cup coffee- black

                 Blueberry Tortilla (stupid easy paleo) using 3 eggs cooked in ghee

                 Leftover Asparagus maybe 2 cupsish (asparagus, orange and lemon zest, a strip of bacon, garlic, leeks)

                 1 tangerine

                 half a bottle of GT Kombucha

 

Tea (usually green)

Water 1-bottle maybe 2

 

Lunch: 12-1 ish

             1 small sweet potato with 1 tbs coconut butter

             2 cups green salad with 3 TBS balsamic vinaigrette dressing (1 hardboiled egg, 2 tbs blueberries, 2 tbs red onion, )

             1 smoked tuna fillet (palm sized)

              Remaining1/2 bottle of kombucha

             1 bottle water

 

1 bottle water

1 oz shot of gutshot (raw sauerkraut juice)

Jogged for 25 minutes (walk 10)

 

Dinner: Oven roasted coconut shrimp (6 jumbo shrimp, coconut flakes, almonds flour)

             2-3 TBS dipping sauce (fresh orange juice, mango, pineapple, and coconut cream, buffalo sauce, red pepper flakes)

             2 leftover paleo meatcakes (both about the size of an egg

             2 cups steamed broccoli with 1 TBS of seasoned ghee

             1 bottle water

             1 Passionfruit LaCroix

 

1 bedtime tea

 

 

Breakfast: Smoked Pulled Pork Hash (1 small sweet potato, 1/2 small onion, 3/4 cup pulled pork, 2 eggs, 1 TBS ghee)

                 1 cup coffee

                 1/4 raw sauerkraut

                 3/4 cup Leftover veggie stirfry (yellow squash, sprouts, zucchini, carrots, cauli, broc, garlic, onion, kale, bok choy)

 

2 bottles of water

1/2 kombucha

               

Lunch: 1 large Thai Pork Chop (palm and a half) grilled

            1.5 cups thai curry cauli mash (spices, coconut cream, coconut milk, fish sauce, coconut aminos)

            1 cup cooked spicy greens (1/2 piece bacon, baby kale, red pepper, garlic, onion)

             1 small Harmless Harvest Coconut water

 

1 Bottle water

1/2 kombucha

 

Dinner: Cracklin Chicken 1- large thigh (Nom Nom)

             1 cup Balsamic Roasted Carrots

             3 cups leafy greens salad (HB egg, 1 TBS bacon bits, 3 TBS ginger carrot dressing, 1 small tomato, 1 tbs sliced almonds, 2 tbs dried tart cherries, )

             1/2 small banana

              ! bottle water

 

Bedtime tea

 

 

Alright, fire away. Anything you got. It might pass, since I might just be going through some of the normal symptoms every else deals with earlier on, but because my body was working to function in general again, perhaps it's just delays in those symptoms.

 

AND since it is important, no issues with Bulimia since day one...so that's not the problem (like lacking electrolytes, etc)

[Doge1117]

I definitely don't have an answer other than the wild guess that your body was damaged in ways you didn't realize (which I DO NOT say to judge--I say out of empathy) and that, when in doubt, you should rest more. Maybe mods will say eat more; I'm not a good judge of that.  I do think you are amazing for what you are overcoming.

[jmcbn]

Hi fundilicious - welcome to the forum & congratulations on reaching day 29 of your recovery. That's an achievement you should be really proud of, that AND 29 days of Whole30.

I'm no expert in ED, nor am I medically trained, but I think it's safe to say your body is currently healing in all kinds of ways, and on so many levels so be kind to yourself. If your body is telling you to rest, then rest - you have the advantage here that you work from home and have a little more flexibility than most.

Since many of the people who come here with any kind of medical issues tend to take longer to see results I'm pretty sure the same will apply for you - your body will prioritise healing above all else, and then it will slowly begin to learn to trust that you are going to nourish it daily.

Are you keeping a log/diary of anything other than food? From what I understand the key to recovery is in identifying triggers & creating new responses - a diary will really help here as triggers can be so subtle... 

I hate to nit pick under the circumstances, but is the blueberry tortilla thing just eggs? Because any kind of a wrap would be off limits even if made with compliant ingredients - other than that I'd say your meals look pretty good.

Are you taking any kind of supplements for your sleep? Natural Calm is the popular one around these parts,or just plain old magnesium citrate depending on where you are in the world. Also eating any starchy veg at meal three seems to help a lot of folk sleep better - this might be worth a try. And obviously practicing good sleep hygiene will help - no screen time an hour before bed, bedroom cooler than other rooms in the house, dim the lights in the evening, spend 15mins outdoors upon wakening each day - or 15mins outdoors at the same time each day at least - eating breakfast withn an hour of wakening..... all will help regulate your hormones and in turn help improve sleep.

I hope this is of some help.

[Xandra]

I want to start by congratulating you on how much progress you've made. Do you know how great you are? Your body doesn't speak, so I'm telling you now, you are fantastic for doing all of this.

I was never bulimic, but we each have our personal issues with food or we wouldn't be doing a reset plan like this. I started on Jan 2 and rolled through 30 days, and I'm "free" now, if you can call it that, but I've been eating W30 most of the time. For me, some of the reset has continued, because to truly break these habits and heal takes a lot longer than 30 days.

Off and on, I get some symptoms that remind me of a detox. I expect this will settle out in the next year or so. Nothing severe.

You are on a great track and I hope you keep running with this and see even more benefits in the coming months.

[fundiculous]

I definitely don't have an answer other than the wild guess that your body was damaged in ways you didn't realize (which I DO NOT say to judge--I say out of empathy) and that, when in doubt, you should rest more. Maybe mods will say eat more; I'm not a good judge of that.  I do think you are amazing for what you are overcoming.

Thanks. And no I take no offense nor did I feel like you came across that way.

[fundiculous]

Are you keeping a log/diary of anything other than food? From what I understand the key to recovery is in identifying triggers & creating new responses - a diary will really help here as triggers can be so subtle... 

I hate to nit pick under the circumstances, but is the blueberry tortilla thing just eggs? Because any kind of a wrap would be off limits even if made with compliant ingredients - other than that I'd say your meals look pretty good.

Are you taking any kind of supplements for your sleep? Natural Calm is the popular one around these parts,or just plain old magnesium citrate depending on where you are in the world. Also eating any starchy veg at meal three seems to help a lot of folk sleep better - this might be worth a try. And obviously practicing good sleep hygiene will help - no screen time an hour before bed, bedroom cooler than other rooms in the house, dim the lights in the evening, spend 15mins outdoors upon wakening each day - or 15mins outdoors at the same time each day at least - eating breakfast withn an hour of wakening..... all will help regulate your hormones and in turn help improve sleep.

I hope this is of some help.

To answer your questions, I am not really keeping a log of anything. The only reason food was so if I have bad days or awesome days I can check out there. I actually meal plan for a week at a time and stick to it fairly precisely because I have a small fridge and live in the middle of no where. Shockingly Whole 30 has been incredible for the journey. I haven't had one thought about going back. Not an urge, trigger, or anything. I think just mentally allowing myself to eat right and healthy and with fats and more than birdfood actually is very liberating.

 

As to the tortilla, no, nitpick away for sure! I don't expect special whole 30 privilege because I'm recovering! LOL. But no it is eggs with cinnamon, coconut aminos, pepper and a pinch of salt. Then you add blueberries and let it cook until you flip and done. Not sure why she calls it a tortilla. but in case anyone wanted to look up the recipe I stuck with her given name. I would call it a blueberry flat omelet.

 

I don't take anything for sleep, other than my bedtime tea. I should probably try. I have never had success in the past because it seems like when I take supplements for them, or worse -meds- I am wholly dysfunctional the next day. Like a hangover... BUT I am super willing to try your suggestions. I try the basics, but will admit I'm guilty of screen time. I kinda work too much and it seems like there are never enough hours in the day, but I guess if there is a time to go big or go home it's going to be part two of the whole 30+. Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions!

[ladyshanny]

I hate to nit pick under the circumstances, but is the blueberry tortilla thing just eggs? Because any kind of a wrap would be off limits even if made with compliant ingredients - other than that I'd say your meals look pretty good.

 

This is the Stupid Easy Paleo one - totally compliant, it's basically an omelette.

 

http://stupideasypaleo.com/2013/06/20/sweet-and-savory-blueberry-tortilla/

[fundiculous]

I want to start by congratulating you on how much progress you've made. Do you know how great you are? Your body doesn't speak, so I'm telling you now, you are fantastic for doing all of this.

I was never bulimic, but we each have our personal issues with food or we wouldn't be doing a reset plan like this. I started on Jan 2 and rolled through 30 days, and I'm "free" now, if you can call it that, but I've been eating W30 most of the time. For me, some of the reset has continued, because to truly break these habits and heal takes a lot longer than 30 days.

Off and on, I get some symptoms that remind me of a detox. I expect this will settle out in the next year or so. Nothing severe.

You are on a great track and I hope you keep running with this and see even more benefits in the coming months.

 

Thank you for your words! I am loving whole 30 for sure and wish I would have found it forever ago! I'm glad to hear you have intermittent symptoms....well, let me rephrase that, I'm not glad to hear you have intermittent symptoms, just glad to hear it might just be that body comeback thing, which I have a feeling is the biggest part. I do think whole 30 has been a vast improvement for recovery than the plans dieticians give. I think my body actually is recovering faster than the first time I attempted recovery. It is much happier, plus I am able to avoid my sitting on the computer boredom binging. LOVE THAT.

[fundiculous]

This is the Stupid Easy Paleo one - totally compliant, it's basically an omelette.

 

http://stupideasypaleo.com/2013/06/20/sweet-and-savory-blueberry-tortilla/

 

it is kiiiiiiiinda delicious though Thanks for posting!

[Xandra]

So that omelette (tortilla? Really?) looks completely delicious. I may be trying this in a 12-inch skillet to feed 5 of us!

[fundiculous]

So that omelette (tortilla? Really?) looks completely delicious. I may be trying this in a 12-inch skillet to feed 5 of us!

It totally changed my life. MAJOR LOVE....

[ShannonM816]

Just to throw this out there, because this has come up before: tortilla in this case is the Spanish version of an omelette, also called tortilla espanola (sorry, not sure how to get a tilde over the n), and is not at all related to the flour or corn tortillas many of us in the US are familiar with as part of Mexican food. So, hey, you're eating exotic international cuisine, not just a plain old American omelette!

[Saree_maree]

Just want to say you're not alone, I've had anorexia and bulimia for more than half my life (and I'm a little older than you). I too use Whole30 as a recovery tool, and I think it works wonders, but also that it's not enough by itself. I know for me, I need more help than just a set of dietary guidelines. You don't mention it in your post, but I hope you have or are seeking support, both personal and professional, as you work on recovery.

[madrikh]

fundiculous

You are doing amazing things!! I do not suffer with ED but have struggled with Body Dismorphic Disorder for most of my 50 years. So I get it, in a way. I'm sorry for what you have suffered. I know it's hellish to have such a disorder. 

 

One part I want to weigh in on is sleep: it may not seem to be effecting you now, but it will have a cumulative effect. Insomnia has been an issue for me for a long time and I have learned to pull out all the stops and do whatever it takes to sleep. Definitely try the Natural Calm first. Since you're in the US, you can order Vitacost's knock-off of Natural Calm for about half the price. Check to make sure the flavored magnesium doesn't have stevia...I don't think it does but I only have unflavored on hand at the moment. Gaia Herbs has several herbal supplements for sleep, you can check those out on Vitacost as well. I like using a Passive Progressive Muscle Relaxation recording at bedtime. There are free ones out there. Fewer carbs for Meal 1 and more carbs for Meal 3 is supposed to help with hormone balance ( I first read about this in The Adrenal Reset Diet by Alan Christianson). Try to get up and go to sleep around the same time each day. And dim the lights after dinner.

I certainly don't have all the answers; I know that sleep does not seem to come easy for me, and I have a son who struggles with it too. Most of all I want to encourage you to do what it takes to get more sleep. You body deserves it!!

[praxisproject]

First off, go you!  big achievement, take some time this week to reflect on your awesomeness, progress and change in mindset.

 

I'm not from an ED background but I have many of the same health issues as I have many deficiency and absorption problems.

 

If you haven't had any blood work done, I would highly recommend it and get the kind which gives you the actual numbers (this can depend on the testing facility - some only provide a vague word blurb like "in range" which can actually hide deficiencies). Lack of sleep can reduce your DHEA levels, which would be visible in blood work.

 

Some foods that have been very helpful to me: chicken liver (beef liver is good too if you can get it, here I can only buy 5 kilos at a time lol), bone broth, gelatin, magnesium, avocado & banana & plantains (potassium and other stuff), iron rich foods (I don't absorb the supplement kind very well), green veggies (lots), orange veggies like sweet potato & carrots.

 

If you're doing any workouts, you may want to ease off for a few days, just have some rest & relaxation. If your body is busy fixing something, workouts can be a stressor. If you think this might be the case, try some fun time instead of workouts, play with an animal, do something unproductive just for fun, it can provide similar endorphins but without any physical stress 

 

Some people find a bigger carb load in the last meal before bed is also essential for a good night's sleep.

 

Magnesium may really help you with sleep and muscle recovery & rebuild. These three things can make you feel really different.