Medication and Whole30

[Coopergirl]

I am on Day 25 and am not really feeling any different than I did before I started (bummer). One of my friends who did W30 suggested that it might possibly have to do with the fact that I take two medications (Ambien, 6.25 mg a night) and Escitalopram (generic for Lexapro, 10mg every other day). I have taken both for many years. 

First, I completely understand that most on here are not doctors and I would never stop taking meds without talking to my own doctor. I get it. But I just thought I would post to see if anyone else had any info on how meds like these might interfere with success on W30...???

[SugarcubeOD]

Everyone responds to medications differently but I"m on double the dose of one of yours and it has never affected my W30's.  

It may be your meal composition that is not quite right, perhaps you came from a reasonably healthy place before, you have additional stress in your life, you're not sleeping etc... 

If you want to give us more information, such as meal specifics (portion sizes related to the template, specific veggies, protein and fats, meal timing, water consumption) and anything else you feel may be impactful and we can take a look and see if there are tweaks to be made.

[Coopergirl]

I think as I am reading through some other things on the forums, I am seeing some mistakes I made. For example, I have been eating that breakfast pumpkin custard almost every day (I hate eggs so needed something else) but now I am reading tons of posts on how this is not a good W30 meal. I also think I have been heavy handed on the fats when cooking (oils and ghee) and not loading enough veggies. Here is a sample from past few days:

 

Breakfast - pumpkin custard

Lunch: Sweet potato, compliant chicken sausage (olive oil)

Snacks - cashews, half Lara bar

Dinner: chicken w/curry sauce cooked in olive oil (recipe from book), white potato, broccoli

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Breakfast - pumpkin custard

Lunch: salad greens, avocado, thai squash soup (all compliant ingredients)

Snacks: apple with almond butter, cashews

Dinner - chicken w/curry sauce cooked in olive oil, white potato (tried to make cauliflower rice w/onions, but it did not turn out good and was pretty unappetizing so I made due without a third component)

=========================================================

Breakfast - pumpkin custard

Lunch: 

Snack: 2 pineapple wedges, cashews

Dinner: pork carnitas, white potatoe, kale

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Breakfast - pumpkin custard

Lunch: spaghetti squash tossed in the pesto sauce (recipe form book), sundried tomatoes and shrimp

Dinner: pork carnitas, white potato

Snacks: Lara bar, compliant jerky piece, cashews

 

I don't think the 'template' really sunk in when I read the book in preparation. I just tried to eat only plan-approved foods but did not really consider balancing the components. I also see now that I am probably eating too many cashews 

 

[SugarcubeOD]

Yes, you've basically said what I'm going to say already.

You have almost no veggies, you're way heavy on nuts and likely low on fats/protein.

Take a look at the template and really make strides to match your meals to it.  The pumpkin custard definitely should go... it's starch/sugar heavy, not in the spirit of Whole30 and not close at all to a template meal.

You don't need to eat eggs for breakfast ever... anything you eat for any other meal can be eaten in the morning. 

Salad greens when they are your choice for veggies needs to be a bucketload because once chewed down, they're insubstantial.  Try adding some cooked or heartier veg to that salad.

If you are hungry between meals, which no doubt you are because they are pretty light, you should definitely eat but fruit/nuts/larabar/jerky are not the way to go... you're better off eating proper protein and fat and ideally veggies just in a smaller 'mini meal' portion.

Work to get your meals matching the template and getting you 4-5 hours between and I think you'll see drastic improvements.

[Coopergirl]

Thanks so much, Sugarcube. Wish I had figured this out 3 weeks ago

I am a pretty picky eater and also don't really like to cook (I know, I can hear the complain-y, excuse-y way I sound). But it's true. I struggle with finding things that are truly on-plan that I like and am going to actually enjoy (vegetables being my biggest hurdle).  Guess I just focused too much on what NOT to eat (with the least possible cooking effort) and not enough on balancing what I was going to consume. 

Anyway, a bit deflating considering it has been a hard 3 weeks....but I suppose it is what is it and I thank you for the 'tough love'.

[ShannonM816]

Often, people have bad memories of vegetables because they've been served some that have been steamed or boiled until they're soggy, plus the focus on low fat meant no sauces to help. Most vegetables are much tastier if they're roasted. Preheat your oven to 425, toss vegetables in a good sized amount of oil, add salt, pepper, and whatever other seasonings you like -- my go to is onion powder and garlic powder, sometimes with some chili powder, or something like rosemary and thyme. Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet, cook about 25-30 minutes, stirring/flipping once partway through.  This works for any vegetables, but is especially great for broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and any root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, or rutabaga.