weight gain during whole30

[ShannonEFGS]

I started whole30 with many goals, one of which was to finally dig into these last 5lbs I want to lose to get back to previous weight.

 

In my third week, I started to feel clothes feeling looser, and could tell I had lost some weight by the way my legs crossed so easily.

 

However, as I got closer to day 30, I felt like my clothes weren't so loose anymore. By day 32, I worked up the nerve to step on the scale and I was down only 1.2 lbs. I figured it was maybe bloating or a fluke and weighed my self a few days later. I had gained .4 so now my total lost was only about .8 lbs. 

 

I am a rule follower and have really stuck to (and still stick to) this diet. I am proud of my nonscale victories - I don't crave junk food, I don't feel the need to snack, I can see the power that salty/sugary foods have on me. I would like to continue on the whole30 diet - or close to it - and am happy to do it longer if that will bring results.

 

Can anyone tell me why I might have started to gain weight that last week? I can tell just from my clothes that I am back to where I started - pants are even a bit tight. Here is a typical day for me:

 

meal 1: Frittata with spinach and beef, sweet potato, 1/2 avocado

meal 2: Protein salad with tuna or turkey; cashews and banana 

meal 3: hamburger over lettuce and tomato with mustard, 1/2 avocado, salad or roasted veggies

 

If I get hungry during the day, i try to reach for an apple or some salami or other meat or carrots. 

 

I do enjoy nuts and include them as a fat every day. Is that a problem? Should I eat less nuts? 

 

Would love some support/ideas. Also wondering if I should just stick it out and try this for longer.

[ShannonEFGS]

One more thing - I have Celiac and Hashimotos autoimmune conditions and didn't do the AIP this time. Not sure if that matters, am waiting for test results to see if my thyroid is doing better after this whole30. My energy is low, but otherwise feel fine.

[Sharon!]

Shannon - I'm in the same situation. I weighed myself on Day 32 and I've lost zero weight. I was doing AIP. I just started a thread as well. 

[jmcbn]

One more thing - I have Celiac and Hashimotos autoimmune conditions and didn't do the AIP this time. Not sure if that matters, am waiting for test results to see if my thyroid is doing better after this whole30. My energy is low, but otherwise feel fine.

It could be the AIP thing.... and the nuts could have contributed too (they're an inferior fat source and we'd recommend they are limited to a closed handful every other day max).... and it could be that your body is perfectly happy with those last 5lbs you want to lose, and your idea of how your body should look is different to how your body wants to look - either way weightloss is not the focus here, and believe me if you were looking upon this as a 30 day weight loss program it's unlikely you'd have maintained any loss - and the rebound weight gain tends to be a whole lot harder to shift. We can't expect to undo in 30 days the effect of how we've treated our bodies for many years.

Your meals don't look too bad, but if you've come into this with some pre-existing medical conditions it sometimes takes longer for the hormones to settle and for the magic to happen. Re the low energy I'd suggest holding back the sweet potato (or other starchy veg) until meal three to see if that helps matters.

What NSVs did you see? How is your sleep? How are your stress levels? Are you active?

 

[ShannonEFGS]

Thanks jmcbn - I have had the biggest nsv that I could have asked for which is that food cravings and psychological pulls are gone. I have struggled with emotional eating and binging in the past and those days are gone. I don't even eat salty nuts because they make me want to binge. My sleep is better but my energy levels aren't great. I used to go to the gym a few times a week and I haven't felt up to it. That may be my thyroid.

 

I think I may have overdone it on the nuts. Have been cutting back these last few days - and trying to have less fruit too. Also trying to reconcile my "ideal" weight with what my body has consistently weighed for the past 2 years - with calorie counting and Whole30. I am not stopping the diet for now, but am no longer counting days. For now, this is just how I eat. 

 

Shannon - I'm in the same situation. I weighed myself on Day 32 and I've lost zero weight. I was doing AIP. I just started a thread as well. 

Thanks Sharon - I haven't even begun to consider AIP as it seems too restrictive. But will talk to my GI doc this week.