Anxiety Much?

[jlk1980]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm on Day 7 of my first Whole 30. I haven't had a "Kill All the Things" moment yet, but my anxiety has been through the roof the past couple of days. I have some Generalized Anxiety Disorder that's been managed without the aid of medication and I was hoping the Whole 30 would help keep it at bay since a lot of the no no foods exacerbate anxiety symptoms (sugar, alcohol, processed food). I did notice some caffeine sensitivity in the first couple of days and have cut my coffee intake back from 3 cups pre-w30 to 1 cup this morning. Could this just be a side effect of worrying about eating the wrong thing?

[ladyshanny]

Could be a side effect if you're really finding it mentally draining doing the Whole30.  More than likely it's a result of overall undereating and lack of carbohydrates.

 

Could you please list out what you've been eating these last few days? Include portions as they relate to the template (linked below), timing, fluids, sleep, exercise and stress?  We can take a look.

[jlk1980]

Thanks!

Breakfast is around 7:30. I have 3 egg "muffins" with chorizo, spinach, peppers, and onion and half an avocado on the side. This is the lowest amount of carbs I have during the day.

Lunch is at12:30 and I've been eating three pieces turkey meatloaf with spinach peppers and onions and I fill the rest of my container with whatever prepared veggies I have on hand and the other half of the avocado.

Dinner is at 6:30. Last night I had a steak and veggie stir fry with salsa verde and avocado. The two nights before that I had carnitas with sweet potato/ veggie hash. For these I follow the template.

For exercise I hike my dog for an hour twice a day. My job is also somewhat active and involves me lifting 100-300 lbs at times. I'm really trying not to prioritize exercise as I get overwhelmed trying to do all the things and that's when I usually give up.

Fluids I'm not too worried about. The last time actually tracked this, I was averaging 70-80 oz of water without really trying and, if that's changed, I'm drinking more now because July in Alabama is the worst. Aside from water, I have a cup of coffee in the morning and a can of seltzer with dinner.

I usually go to sleep at 10 and wake up at six. Yesterday I was particularly tired, so I went to bed at 9 and woke up at 5 on my own.

Work has been a little busier than normal, but nothing unmanageable. The only other actual stressors would be my ridiculously high power bill and my dog seems to show some signs of separation anxiety.

[ladyshanny]

So your meals sound pretty good!  I would say add some veggies to breakfast, we want you to fill you plate with the produce at every meal. The other suggestion I would have is to ensure you are having at least one fist sized serving of starchy veggie per day. Many people with depression or anxiety issues find that they do better with at least this amount. Some like more, some like less. You could certainly experiment.

 

The other thing I would suggest is that if you were used to dealing with uncomfortable feelings previous to Whole30 by emotional eating/munching or drinking alcohol/sugary beverages, you may not necessarily be having more anxiety, it's just more obvious to you because those coping mechanisms have been taken away. Not saying this IS you, just worth mentioning as it happens quite often. 

[jlk1980]

Thanks! I'm a hardcore emotional and stress eater. I can't believe I didn't think of that. Adding some white potatoes or something to my meals should be easy enough, too.