Day seven and low blood sugar scare

[Thisblessedalys]

I have a six month old, and decided to start Whole 30 mainly because it is a diet that focuses on health rather than weight loss. Among my many non-scale goals is to increase my energy (I deal with a lot of fatigue), eliminate my cravings, find foods that make me less healthy, and create healthy eating habits.

That said, today, day 7, I woke up very hungry at 6 am, but I wanted to sleep in. When I did get up for breakfast, I felt the symptoms of low blood sugar. I tried to eat breakfast, but had such a queasy stomach, I couldn't eat more than a few bites. My symptoms got increasingly worse very fast. My mom was concerned and call some close friends for me. By the time they arrived, I had drank some orange juice and raised my blood sugar to 71. Still low but a lot better! They fed me (non whole30 foods) but I was in no mood to protest.

After reading forums in search of answers, I have come to the conclusion that I need to eat more! (kind of obvious, but I thought I was eating enough). I've learned my lesson, but my very kind, well-meaning friend was pretty adamant that I needed to eat more sugar.

After all that, I'm have a struggle with being confident in this program. I was having feeling great the last 2 days (kind of surprising, as I was expecting to feel worse before I felt better.) Then this came out of nowhere!

After reading the forums, I feel that the general advice for breastfeeding moms is to eat 4 large meals and 1-2 additional mini meals when needed. I already have decided that I will have a mini breakfast early every morning, even if I'm going back to sleep (those night-time feedings leave me tired and hungry by morning). I just need encouragement from people who don't believe more sugar is the answer.

[Thisblessedalys]

Well, I'm a little disappointed at how quiet these forums are, but at least I have supportive family. I talked to my sister yesterday, and finally decided to create a very detailed meal plan (revised after I know better how much to eat) and start again on Monday. Trying to jump back and start over immediately was stressing me out. So until then, I will continue to eat whole30-ish and look forward to my new start in a few days!

[Karen_Suep]

Hi! Sorry no one responded! For a breastfeeding mom, the recommendation is 4 template meals or 3 meals and 2 mini template meals.

My advice (as a breastfeeding mom) is to have a template breakfast ready for when you wake up. For me, that's prechopped veggies, some meat and a couple of eggs with guacamole for my fat. Sometimes I add coconut cream to my morning coffee (it's decaf) since I've been waking up around 6 or 6:30 with my baby and husband I eat no later than 7 or 7:15. Lunch for me often isn't until my toddler naps so I eat another mini meal (like a 1/4 lb hamburger patty, mayo and carrot sticks) around 10 or 11 when she's snacking. Then I have a pretty large lunch (two compliant sausages, sauteed veggies, and a giant glob of ghee) and then a mini meal a few hours later. And then dinner (which varies but is usually something hot and simple like oven fajitas). I'm usually done after dinner but sometimes I need another mini meal around 8 and I'm in bed by 10 or 11.

You don't need to eat sugar, but if you experience hypoglycemia often, you may want to incorporate more starchy veggies. The recommendation is to start with one fist sized portion of a starchy veggie (potatoes, plantains, root veggies, winter squash etc) a day and some need more. Some do better with less. And if you are in the midst of low blood sugar, have some fruit on hand and eat a handful (berries and citrus have a lower impact on bs so if you need a quick rise, choose something else like dates or bananas or grapes but be aware for some, these can wake/keep the sugar dragon alive and can be food without breaks.)

You can do this!

[Karen_Suep]

Also remember to have fat with every meal throughout the day!

[ladyshanny]

I have a six month old, and decided to start Whole 30 mainly because it is a diet that focuses on health rather than weight loss. Among my many non-scale goals is to increase my energy (I deal with a lot of fatigue), eliminate my cravings, find foods that make me less healthy, and create healthy eating habits.

That said, today, day 7, I woke up very hungry at 6 am, but I wanted to sleep in. When I did get up for breakfast, I felt the symptoms of low blood sugar. I tried to eat breakfast, but had such a queasy stomach, I couldn't eat more than a few bites. My symptoms got increasingly worse very fast. My mom was concerned and call some close friends for me. By the time they arrived, I had drank some orange juice and raised my blood sugar to 71. Still low but a lot better! They fed me (non whole30 foods) but I was in no mood to protest.

After reading forums in search of answers, I have come to the conclusion that I need to eat more! (kind of obvious, but I thought I was eating enough). I've learned my lesson, but my very kind, well-meaning friend was pretty adamant that I needed to eat more sugar.

After all that, I'm have a struggle with being confident in this program. I was having feeling great the last 2 days (kind of surprising, as I was expecting to feel worse before I felt better.) Then this came out of nowhere!

After reading the forums, I feel that the general advice for breastfeeding moms is to eat 4 large meals and 1-2 additional mini meals when needed. I already have decided that I will have a mini breakfast early every morning, even if I'm going back to sleep (those night-time feedings leave me tired and hungry by morning). I just need encouragement from people who don't believe more sugar is the answer.

So sorry that this got missed!  The moderators do try and get to all the posts but sometimes some fall through, sorry!

 

If you'd like, post a rundown of what you had been eating previous to your troubles (a couple days worth) including portions, types of veggies/fats etc.  Include your fluid intake, any exercise you're doing and how your sleep is.  We can take a look and help you tweak that meal plan going forward.

 

Again, sorry that a moderator didn't see this!

[Thisblessedalys]

Thanks! I really do want to finish a Whole30! It sounds like such a great program, and I have so many hopes for my post-whole30 self! I also love that I've already learned so much about how to better nourish myself, just from the first week! I'm sure I'll get a hang of it this time!

[Thisblessedalys]

Well, I don't remember very well what I ate, but I know that the day before my problems, I had not eaten enough because I was really busy with company and a birthday party. (I passed on the cake! lol)

But if you would, I would love some feed-back on the meal plans I'm working on for next week!

 

1. Almond milk, chia seeds, berries, boiled egg

2. 3 scrambled eggs, 1/2 bell pepper, tomato, olives

3. grilled chicken, lettuce, cucumber, olive oil/sesame seed dressing (homemade), 1/2 sweet potato, 1/2 banana

4. Salmon patties, homemade olive oil mayo, tomato, asparagus, lettuce, homemade dressing

5. ham, guacamole, 1/2 banana

 

1. boiled egg, mayo, baby carrots

2. sausage, sweet potato, fried egg, peach, pecans

3. lettuce, ham, boiled egg, cucumber, tomato, olive oil dressing

4. Whole30 chili, potato, clarified butter, sour kraut

5. tuna salad, mini sweet peppers

 

1. 2 fried eggs, tomato

2. breakfast soup (potato, carrots, tomato, spinach, sausage, broth), coconut milk

3. grilled chicken, mayo based sauce, zucchini in olive oil, baby carrots

4. 3 mini burgers, tomato, mayo, pickles, small salad

5. grilled chicken, nuts & raisins

[Thisblessedalys]

Oh, and I plan to do occasional moderate walking, and maybe 10 min of yoga in the evenings. would that require a pre- and post-workout meal? or just when I do a more intense exercise?