Lackluster results on fifth Whole 30

[NancyF]

Hi, and thanks in advance for the communal wisdom...I am on day 29 of my fifth Whole 30 and just not finding the results I've become used to in past rounds.  I'm struggling to get good sleep, my energy is not up to par, and my recovery from workouts is pretty...meh.  I haven't been weighing myself, but my clothes don't feel any looser than before I started and my muffin top is just as prominent as ever.  Also, I can just FEEL that sugar dragon waiting to rear its ugly head again on day 31.  None of this is typical of my past results on the Whole 30.  I'm used to feeling pretty much invincible at this point in the game!

Trying to pinpoint what's different this time.  I haven't been eating significantly differently, my exercise load is similar, I've been better about following a good pre-workout and post-workout snack routine.  I have been under a lot more stress in the last few months (which is actually what triggered me to re-start a Whole 30 in the first place) and my schedule has me getting up earlier in the a.m.  I've relied more heavily on coffee than is probably healthy, but in the past, by the third week of Whole 30, I could barely tolerate caffeine at all.  I had so much natural energy that I would get too jittery if I had more than 1 cup.  Now, I'm drinking 3 cups a day and still feeling kinda drained by the end of the day.

Sample menu:

breakfast--hash of misc. veggies (incl. sweet potato for a little extra carb), sometimes with some meat, always with egg (1 or 2), avocado, small mixed fruit cup w/toasted coconut, OR sweet potato toast with avocado, dressed greens, and egg (1 or 2), OR frittata muffins with sausage, spinach and tomatoes, shredded potatoes

lunch--tuna protein salad on greens with beets and pecans, OR spaghetti squash with chicken and pesto, OR sausage, kale and potato soup

dinner--broccoli, beef and mushroom lettuce cups from Nom Nom Paleo, OR poached salmon w/coconut creamed kale, OR roasted green beans topped with tomato sauce and Italian sausage

Pre-workout--hard boiled egg OR sausage with slices of avocado OR spread with mayo

Post-workout--apple slices with deli ham OR banana with nuts or nut butter (I could use some suggestions for better choices here, come to think of it.)

I'm a confessed snacker... have not been able to fully kick that habit on ANY of my Whole 30s... but I try to keep it mindful and reasonable.  A hard-boiled egg, an Epic bar, some nuts.

I'm planning on going past the 30 day mark, thinking that maybe I just need more time to work out the kinks.  So if I can identify any stumbling blocks now, that would be great so I can give myself the best chance to turn this thing around in the next 2 weeks or so.

Thanks again for your suggestions and support!

 

[ShannonM816]

Honestly, the stress may be the biggest difference here -- sometimes food can't fix it. There are a few things you could try to tweak food-wise, though:

1) if eggs are your only protein, have as many whole eggs as you can hold in your hand -- for most people, this is 3-4, sometimes more. Two is almost never enough unless you have tiny, tiny hands.

2) be sure you're adding fat at each meal -- most of them list some, but a couple, like the broccoli, beef, mushroom lettuce cups don't mention any.

3) post-workout, have lean protein and starchy vegetable. Not fruit, and no fat. Grilled chicken or tuna canned in water with some sweet potato, for instance. Fruit will replenish liver glycogen instead of muscle glycogen, which is not what you want right after a workout, and fat will slow down the digestion, which could cause you to miss getting the post-WO nutrients in the optimal period of time after your workout. Here's an article with more on post-workout.

If you're needing to snack because you're hungry between meals, especially if you're not getting a full 4-5 hours between meals without a snack, your meals are too small and you should work on eating more then so you don't need the snacks. If you have to go more than 4-5 hours between meals because of your work schedule, that's different, and then it's okay to have a mini-meal of protein, fat, and vegetables, or at least two of the three.

[NancyF]

Thanks Shannon. I can work on strategies to get the snacking under control, but that doesn't seem like it will have much impact on my primary problems with my results. The snacking is not something that's different from any of my other Whole 30s, but it can't hurt to tighten up on that.

Anyone else out there experience dramatically different results on one Whole 30 than on others? We're you able to turn things around and get that Tiger Blood? I'd love to hear from you!

[SugarcubeOD]

Aside from what Shannon said about food (and I too think your meals are probably on the small side), results can vary depending on where you are in your cycle when you start, the stress in your life, your age (if your first one was a couple years ago etc..).

The way to get the best out of the program, regardless of how anyone else does it is to follow the recommendations along with the rules... this means eating the template to get 4-5 hours between meals, no snacking which will in fact improve your results. It also means things like eating breakfast within an hour of waking, drinking the recommended 1/2oz of water per pound of body weight daily, practicing good sleep hygiene etc...

 

[Crastney]

here's a few things I'd suggest:

hard boil several eggs - cool and peel, then half and scoop out the yolks.  boil some potatos.  eat the egg yolks before the work out, eat the whites and potatos straight after the workout, as soon as possible, before showering even! - can be prepared in andvance and kept in storage tub.

maybe try to cut out the coffee completely?

try to change some of the protein to oily fish, roughly 4 times a week.

continue on for a Whole60.

eat more per meal - add home made mayo, and a few olives, just to up the fat content (this can work well with almost any meal)

reduce the nut intake.

and finally - take a good look at what else is going on in your life that is making you stressed, as this might be affecting your sleep, so that you're not getting enough sleep, so even though you're eating well, you're still not getting the full bang for your buck.

[NancyF]

Thanks, SugarcubeOD and Crastney--I will take your suggestions to heart (tough as it may be to cut out coffee and nuts!)

[MeadowLily]

I eventually ditched my coffee addiction.  Best thing I ever did.  My stomach was burning every night and yet, I kept drinking it.  Medical pro told me it's not the caffeine but the actual coffee bean itself causing gut disruption/irritation/acid reflux/ulcers.

The day I quit coffee for good was the day insulin resistance turned around for me.  It was holding me back from making headway. Try it and test it.  Give it a good long while to see how you feel. My stomach stopped burning within a week.  

Without coffee, I don't need any creamers. I used to live for coffee and real cream. I'm in a much better place without all of them.

[NancyF]

Thanks, MeadowLily. I, too, know I would be better off without my daily cup/s old joe.  It's a crutch that I don't really need, but I haven't mustered the mental strength to fight my emotional craving for it. Maybe now is the time!

[MeadowLily]

Going Cold Turkey works. Funny thing, after years of drinking it,  I didn't get any withdrawal headaches and it's not bragging it it's true, I didn't feel extra fatigue either. Probably because I'd changed my way of eating and quitting coffee only complimented my progress.

There's imaginary coffee energy and the authentic kind your body creates.  It's good to feel the difference.