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2nd whole30-so disappointed


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Good morning!

Today is Day 31 of my second round of my whole 30. I am seriously bummed with the results and I was hoping for some advice on how to proceed. 

I'm 5'9. My fighting weight is generally around 135 lbs. In August I noticed I had crept up to 143. I did a round of whole30, easily came back down to 135 and stayed there until it started creeping up again around the holidays. I started this whole30 on April 11 at 143, followed it to the letter, and weighed in at 141.5 this morning. Let me say, super snappishly, I KNOW IT ISN'T ABOUT THE SCALE. I realize that I am no where near overweight, but I'm in the spot of having to accept this new weight and get rid of a bunch of clothes or fight on. All of that said, I haven't had any change in measurements, decrease in bloat, increase in energy, or any of the positives of my first whole30. 

I am trying to decide it I should extend to a 45? A 60? Or just start the reintroduction and hope for the best? I've exercised about 3-4 times a week. I wish it was more, but I work full time and am a mom, so time is limited. Should I be making the push to get up super early to exercise every day? 

I appreciate any advice. I am so frustrated! :wacko:

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Hi there;

I'm so sorry you're disappointed... it's clear that you know it's not about the scale, but that's always in there somewhere isn't it :)

Given that you've said that your measurements, bloat, energy and other nsv's haven't improved, my guess without knowing anything else is that you're not eating enough or you're under a lot of stress and your body is not willing to let go of weight at this time.

If you like, post a few days of what you've been eating including portion sizes related to the template, specific veggies, protein and fats, meal timing, water intake, sleep, existing medical conditions etc... we can see how we can tweak so that if you extend, you can make the most out of the time.

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Thank you for the reply! Here are a few days from my log:

Meal 1 - Sweet potatoes shredded, 2 poached eggs, 1/2 an avocado

Meal 2 - "Mexican Soup" a cluster of grapes, kombucha

Meal 3 - 2 chicken sausages on a bed of sauerkraut

Snack - larabar

Exercise - 1 hour of yoga

 

Meal 1 - Mixed veggies, 2 scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, salsa

Meal 2 - Chicken Lime Soup with 1/2 an avocado, kombucha

Meal 3 - Turkey burger in lettuce wrap, corn on the cob, sweet potatoes

Exercise - 30 min yoga

 

Meal 1 - Rx bar, banana, coffee

Meal 2 - Ground beef and cauliflower rice, green salad with vinegar

Meal 3 - Steak and 1/2 sweet potato

Exercise - None

 

Meal 1 - mixed veggies, 2 eggs, bacon, grapes

Meal 2 - sausage with sauerkraut, grapes

Meal 3 - ground turkey with cabbage, monkey salad

Exercise - None

 

Meal 1- eggs and chicken sausage, melon

Meal 2 - mixed salad with shredded chicken, kombucha

Meal 3 - beef stew, melon

Snack - larabar, cashews

Exercise - Body Pump class - 60 minutes

 

What do you think? I really appreciate your help! I typically sleep between 6 1/2 to 8 hours a night. I am drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day, typically more. 

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Corn is not allowed on Whole30, it's considered a grain.

 

Larabars and RXBars are really for emergencies only, they're as close as you can get to a candy bar while on Whole30. Plus, I'm not sure about RXBars, but Larabars have a lot of nuts, which can cause digestive issues such as bloating for many people.

 

You want your meals to meet the meal template, linked in my signature below if you want a nice printable version to hang on the fridge, but basically what it says is:

  • 1-2 palm-sized portions of protein (length, width, and depth of your palm). Eggs, if they're your only protein, have as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand.
  • 1-2 thumb-sized portions of fat (in addition to cooking fat), or have a heaping handful of olives or coconut flakes, or a half to a whole avocado, or occasionally a small handful of nuts
  • Fill your plate with vegetables. Like, a 10-inch dinner plate, where maybe 1/4 to 1/3 is taken up by protein, fill the rest with vegetables. 1-3 cups, minimum.
  • No more than 1-2 fist-sized portions of fruit per day, always with a meal, not on its own, and you never have to have fruit if you don't want it.

Additionally, have pre- and post-workout snacks. Pre is most important if you're working out first thing in the morning or several hours after a meal, so you don't have to work out on a completely empty stomach -- have a little fat and protein, like a hardboiled egg and some mayo. Post-workout is the really important one, have it within about half an hour of working out, and have lean protein and a little starchy vegetable, just a few bites of each -- chicken breast or tuna and some sweet potato, for instance. Both pre- and post-workout are in addition to your other meals.

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Okay, thank you!

As I suspected, you're not eating enough.... take another look at the meal template... it wants 1-3 cups of veggies at every meal and some you have none... also, when eggs are your only protein at a meal, its as many as you can hold in one hand without dropping... I know you can hold more than two...

Protein is asked for as 1-2 palms (your own palm's length x width x thickness). I doubt very much the Mexican soup has 1-3 cups of veggies and 1-2 palms of protein and I see no fat at all.

No fat in your 3rd meal of the first day and the fact that you're snacking (lara bars are for emergencies only) tells me you're not eating enough.

Corn on the cob is a grain... not allowed....

RX bar and a banana fit no where in the template as a meal. Bars are for emergency (stuck on the tarmac for 6 hours) use only and not as food for a meal... again, this does not fit the template and is not enough food. Your meal 3 from that same day has no non starchy veg... starchy veg are great and should be included as you see fit as one serving (fist sized) per meal at as many meals as you need... often we suggest people start with one a day but if you're more active, a woman nearing/on her period, prone to depression/blues, then more is better. Sedentary, overweight people should limit the starches.

Monkey salad is not recommended... it's fruit/nut heavy and is not a part of a template meal.

I'm not going to go through the rest, but you get the idea...

I would say extend for another 30 days... ditch the fruit heavy monkey salad, ditch the bars and make your meals match the template. Fruit is fine 1-2 servings a day eaten with a meal if one feels they want fruit but should not be eaten on it's own as a 'snack' and should not ever push veggies off your plate.

Does that help?

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That does help. Looks like I'm starting over :(

 

Here's to another 30.....

 

Thank you!

Turn that frown upside down! You're not starting over, you're starting a new and improved true W30 with great feedback that will more than likely improve your experience!

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If it helps AT ALL, I thank you for posting about your struggle.  I'm in the last few days of preparation before my first Whole30, so I have no advice to give - but I've done countless diet and lifestyle changing processes similar to this one - and I know just enough to be very sure that there will be challenges ahead.  Hopefully lots of rewards as well.  But it's hugely helpful to remind myself that there may be days (weeks, months?) when I don't feel like I'm making any progress at all.  Your example - reminding me to reach out, ask for help, be willing to accept the advice and commit to the adjustments, and NOT to quit - is an inspiration.

 

Even if that was what this last month was all about for you and nothing else (which I suspect is not really the case), then I consider myself the grateful recipient of your experience and wisdom.

 

THANK YOU.  Carry on!  ;) 

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