Having a hard time with this much animal protein

[ShannonM816]

On 10/20/2018 at 7:52 PM, SLRudd said:

I exercise and I struggle to eat enough calories so I’m not lightheaded (I’m not counting calories, but sometimes I think I should to make sure I’m not killing myself!)

We don't encourage you to track all your foods every day, but if you feel it would be helpful to plug in a day or two of meals and see what that looks like, that would be okay.

You do need protein. That could be eggs most of the time if that's easier, we've had vegetarians opt to do the whole 30 days using just eggs as their protein, though if you're willing to eat fish or other meat, that will give you more variety. 

That said, while you're working on the protein, be sure you're eating plenty of vegetables -- 2-3 cups at each meal, more if it's raw leafy greens. Don't be afraid to have starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, turnips, carrots, rutabagas, parsnips, plantains, or any winter squashes like butternut or acorn squash. Most people do well with one fist-sized serving of starchy vegetables each day, but people who are very active, who are prone to depression or anxiety, or who are pregnant, nursing, or in the week or so leading up to their periods often need more. 

Also be sure you're having enough fat -- pick one or two of the options on the meal template in addition to any oil you cook in.

Finally, be sure you're drinking plenty of water and salting your food. 

Even if you are doing everything exactly right, it's normal for workouts to suffer a bit the first week or two of whole30 if it's much of a change from how you ate before.