Hi from a first-timer - Day 8 - missing my whole grains!

[SherriC]

Hi! I'm on Day 8 of my first whole 30. I'm doing this because it's a program my spouse and I can share. Especially because I am working on reducing sugar cravings. I have PCOS and ADD, but I also have been having elevated cholesterol* and blood pressure recently. So I am concerned about all of this meat I've been eating, in place of whole grains and beans. Fruit and vegg - I love. No problem. But while I thought I'd be craving junk food - brownies, ice cream, chocolate, mocha lattes - what I am actually finding myself craving is a salad with corn and black beans. And a bowl of oatmeal and fruit - maybe with a bit of meat or egg protein on the side. I'm not having any problem at all with missing dairy - I've never been able to tolerate straight-up milk, although I love cheese & ice cream. But I don't miss cheese very much. In fact, the only way I eat it regularly is on salads, and I find olives to be a fine replacement for savory taste.

 

I am following the Whole 30 timeline, and I realize that these next few days may be tough. But I wonder whether some people just aren't made to consume so much protein from meat. It just feels like it's sitting in my stomach! Suggestions?

 

 

(If this is in the wrong forum section - apologies!)

 

 

*I have read some cholesterol threads in this forum. It's increases in my LDL and triglicerides that are concerning. My HDL is awesome and has kept my ratio excellent for many years, but my ratio isn't as good as it used to be so I really have to watch it.

[Tom Denham]

You have been brainwashed to believe meat and eggs are bad for you and whole grains are good. Seriously. Read deeply on the Whole30 blog or read It Starts With Food to understand how each food group really effects your body and health and to understand why a Whole30-compliant approach to eating is the healthiest choice you can make.

[SherriC]

No really. I'm going by how my body feels now. What about replacing meat/eggs at one meal with almond butter on celery and other veggies? It's more of a fat than protein - but I feel like my body needs a rest from meat and eggs. I'm not eating more than a "palm sized" serving. My body is having difficulty adjusting to the large increase in meat. I'm not trolling here, I'm asking for advice about if this feeling of being too full from meat is the expectation for day 8.

 

The Whole 30 timeline says "However, these adjustments can be a bit… uncomfortable. Bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or all three may appear as your gut starts to heal, rebalance, and process this new food effectively." So I am hanging in there. But I feel like at each meal, I am having to force myself to eat the meat/eggs portion. How much is too much, and is it okay to skip the meat/eggs portion of the meal sometimes in favor of almond butter & veggies?

 

I will say that I do find a pat, "You have been brainwashed," to be condescending, especially coming from a moderator.

[jmcbn]

Hey Sherri

I believe Tom was responding in relation to this comment of yours:

... but I also have been having elevated cholesterol* and blood pressure recently. So I am concerned about all of this meat I've been eating, in place of whole grains and beans....

Can you give us a run down of what you have eaten over the past few days giving specifics about portion sizes, veg types, water intake etc - perhaps there is something that you are eating that is causing the discomfort other than the protein, or perhaps your body is just adjusting to the new food regime.

It may be that you would benefit from a digestive enzyme if you are eating considerably more meat than normal, or from adding in some fermented foods such as sauerkraut or kombucha - but until we see what you've been eating we wouldn't be in a position to say.

[SherriC]

Yesterday's breakfast: 

Decaf coffee with small swig of canned coconut milk.

Moderate sized serving of fritatta with spinach, onions, and prosciutto.
Cantaloupe and strawberries (probably less than 1 c.) 

 

Yesterday's lunch:

Paleo-friendly salad at restaurant for colleague's retirement: Simple green salad with sliced kumquat and dried fig, olive oil and vinegar dressing, and the optional (pretty large serving of) grilled chicken.

 

Yesterday's dinner:

Whole-30 compliant hamburger on lettuce "bun" with tomato and avacado slices.

 

Constant stream of water and/or herbal tea during the day.

 

Today: 
 

Breakfast:
Decaf coffee with small swig of canned coconut milk.

Moderate sized serving of fritatta with spinach, onions, and prosciutto.
Cantaloupe and strawberries (probably less than 1 c.) 

Lunch:
Vegetable salad with sliced olives leftover grilled chicken.
Cantaloupe and strawberries (probably less than 1 c.)

 

(Come to think of it, I've not been as good about keeping hydrated today so I'll go fill my water glass now!) 

 

As I said before - this has kept me full (more than full). Also I've survived one work-related and one friend-related event where chocolate cake was served. So I've been through the gauntlet already and able to manage my cravings, which says a lot, for me. But I feel so full and uncomfortable. I've been watching my salt intake these last two days because days 5 and 6 I realized I had too much. Maybe that's till working its way out of my system?

 

Oh - I was offered a taste of kombucha at a farmer's market on Friday, but looked at the ingredients list and declined. This particular kombucha maker lists sugar as in ingredient in various "flavors." (Does it usually have flavors?) Never had it before. Maybe I'll look for a non-sugar source.

 

My typical diet is oatmeal with soy/coconut/almond milk & fruit, salad with meat or legume protein & fruit, and a more "typical" American dinner - maybe spaghetti with meat sauce, chili with beans. But lots and LOTS of snacking on chocolate in between meals. Moderate dairy in the form of cheese & ice cream.

 

Thanks for asking. -Sherri
 

[jmcbn]

Ok, your meals don't look too large to me, but you are eating some things that can cause bloating:

Raw veg, avocado, onion & figs can all be problematic - maybe switch it up a bit and eat more cooked veg than raw? You'll likely have to eat less cooked veg too as it tends to be more satiating than salad veg which you need to eat a TONNE of... Interestly some people find herbal teas problematic so if these are new you may want to cut back on them.

Lack of water can also be a problem so good job on filling up the glass.

Kombucha is compliant so long as there is no sugar added in the second ferment. If sugar has been added in the second ferment it tends to be obvious in the ingredients. It might say something like Organic Raw Kombucha (Organic Fair Trade Certified™ Tea, Organic Fair Trade Certified™ Evaporated Cane Juice, and Organic Kombucha Culture fermented in purified water), Natural Flavors, Organic Stevia Extract (Natural Sweetener) - where the stevia (rather than sugar) has been added in the second ferment making it off limits. Sugar is required during the first ferment in order for fermentation to start but the SCOBY feeds on it and by the time the Kombucha is bottled the sugar is pretty much gone.

If the animal protein is the issue rather than any of the other foods then the digestive enzyme might be something you want to take a look at - it will help break down the proteins faster and so aid digestion until such times as your gut starts producing enough enzymes on it's own.

Either way I'd strongly recommend against switching the protein in your meals for something like celery & nut butter. Yes, it's still going to be compliant, but for absolute optimal results youd do better to build each of your meals to match the recommended meal template - you want get the biggest bang for your bucks from these 30 days, right?

 

[Carlaccini]

And also one more thing to add on top jmcbn excellent recommendations above, is the reason why you could be craving corn, beans, and rice is because you are going fairly low on dense carbohydrates here.  I see a lot of lettuce and greens.  

 

I find when I go to low on carbohydrates I start craving things like french fries, and baked goods.  And I can pretty well convince myself, if I'm desperate enough, that I need these foods.

 

So maybe add a fist sized starchy vegetable to your next meal.  This can be any root type vegetable(carrots, parsnips, turnip, and yes potato), squash, or plantains.

 

Also are your frittata's containing at least 3 eggs or more?  When eggs are your sole protein (prosciutto is kind of condiment unless you are eating a whole package in one sitting) it should be the number of whole eggs you can hold in one hand.  For most women  that is 3 to 4.

[SherriC]

Thank you both for these very helpful comments! Cooking more vegetables and making sure I consume enough starchy vegetables are reasonable and easy fixes. I had roasted sweet potato "fries" and roasted cauliflower last night with a (Whole30 approved) hot dog and it felt pretty good. I had the leftover vegetables with a chicken apple sausage this morning and I am feeling much better today. Also being more mindful of hydration. And I will read up on and maybe try some kombucha!