Tigers2013 Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 I'm sad to admit it.... but I weighed myself this morning and now understand why they say not to. A little back story... I'm 5'4", 25 years old, and have been carrying around about 30 extra lbs for the past two years or so. In college I fluctuated from between 120-125 lbs and looked and felt great. When I graduated, I took a job that required traveling and living in hotels about 11 months out of the year. This meant eating fast food, going to restaurants every night, and drinking at the hotel bar more often than not... as expected I put on 25lbs fast. Despite the weight gain I never felt bad. This all changed about 3 months ago. After every meal, regardless of what I ate, it felt like a balloon inflated in my stomach and feeling uncomfortable was an understatement. This also usually coincided with having to run to the bathroom within minutes of eating... gross, I know, but I want to put it all out there. I could never pin point why this was happening as my meals usuaally contained everything... dairy, grains, sugar, beans, and wine (basically every night). I decided something needed to change and fast because I was feeling miserable. Fast forward to my first week on whole30 and I feel AMAZING. No uncomfortable pressure in my stomach after meals, normal bathroom visits, etc. It's only day 7 but I am a believer. Ok, now back to this morning. My sister who lives states away is also doing whole30 and mentioned she weighed herself, even though she knows not to, and had lost 5 lbs! We're different in that she has a huge sweet tooth but she doesn't drink wine like I do and she works out so I figured we were kind of on the same playing field. So I decided to weigh myself this morning and had lost LESS THAN ONE POUND. I was embarassed and am now convinced I'm overeating. I mean my diet has done a complete 180... and nothing on the scale to show for it?? I know this is exactly why they say to focus on small victories like the way I'm feeling, which I'm still amazed at, but I couldn't help but get a bit upset. I'll admit I'm using EVOO to cook with still (versus coconut oil or ghee) and I rarely measure the amount I'm using to coat veg or the pan. I do also have a love for almond butter with apples which after I finish this jar I'm not replacing... but is there more I should be doing? I try not to snack and I eat 3 meals a day generally. Any advice out there?? Even if I don't get any feedback it feels really good to put all of that down in writing. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruddock Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Review the meal template to make sure you are following it, don't worry about the healthy fats you are using they will keep you full longer and keep you from snacking, cut out/down on fruits & nuts and DON'T WEIGH YOURSELF. Everything will right itself by the end of the 30 days, concentrate on your NSV's, your are on a journey of one, don't compare yourself to others, your doing great so hang in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slc_melissa Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 3 hours ago, Tigers2013 said: It's only day 7 It's 30 days. It's only day 7. I know you know, but it's not a weight loss diet. Do not try to restrict your fat in an attempt to lose weight. Hormones must stabilize. It's incredibly hard to overeat on this plan, if anything people tend to eat too little. I doubt EVOO vs. ghee vs. coconut oil would make a large difference. Can you post a few days of meals/amounts/activity/water consumption/sleep? Also weight = weight. You can change your body composition by losing fat and gaining muscle and not lose any "weight". Weight can fluctuate by pounds every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted January 9, 2017 Administrators Share Posted January 9, 2017 Please know that just because your body hasn't chosen to release unwanted weight doesn't mean things aren't happening. Healthy weight loss only happens with the cooperation of our hormones. Balancing hormones takes time and healing internal damage takes time. If you were going palooza every meal for a long duration of time, it's possible that your hormones are still adjusting to meal timing and composition and that your body is prioritizing internal healing. Please stay off the scale. It tells you nothing. Focus on how wonderful you feel, how your stomach isn't bothersome anymore, how you are eating nutrient dense foods and how you are, eventually, going to figure out what was causing you so much distress. Stay off the scale. Please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aprilb Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 I don't want this to sound snarky at all because I can understand fully why seeing less-than-hoped-for progress is disappointing to you ... I'm glad you realize that this was not a good decision right now. Your body is doing a complete reset. It will take time to adjust to this new way of life. You will get there! Stay the course and you are going to be happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slc_melissa Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Also - my personal experience from last year. Did a whole30 in July, felt great, bunch of NSV, lost maybe a very little amount of weight. Kept eating fairly well but not strict Whole30. Suddenly in Sept with no specific changes made to diet or exercise, body comp started changing and lost more fat then. There are a lot of factors that go into how the body reacts, and you may be setting yourself up really well for future success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigers2013 Posted January 9, 2017 Author Share Posted January 9, 2017 Thank you everyone for your input!! I know I wasn't doing any good by stepping on the scale and I wish I hadn't, but the NSVs (a calm stomach) will overshadow the number on the scale any day. I'm also encouraged to hear that overeating isn't likely in my case. Sometimes I just need a little tough love Here is a quick rundown of an average day: Breakfast: 8 oz homemade beef bone broth, espresso, two over hard eggs and a few slices of avocado or breakfast casserole ( made with eggs, broccoli, onion, sweet potatoes, mushroom, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast) Lunch: tuna or chicken salad (made with homemade mayo, mustard, hard boiled egg, celery, pickles) with celery sticks and an apple with almond butter or dinner leftovers Dinner: roasted lemon chicken thighs, pan sautéed kale, roasted potatoes (pretty topical dinner make up of protein and 1-2 roasted/sautéed veggies) If I snack throughout the day it's usually a larabar or apple with almond butter. I drink water, LaCroix, and unsweet iced tea throughout the day and end the night with a cup of sleepy time camomile tea. I can't say enough how drastically different my diet is on whole30 compared to the last 2-3 years of my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruddock Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Actually, it looks like you are not eating enough. A moderator will be by to give you some helpful suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted January 9, 2017 Administrators Share Posted January 9, 2017 Honestly, you're probably under-eating. If you are needing to snack during the day it's a good sign that you aren't eating enough at meals (or that you have much longer than 4-5 hours between meals). If you do need to snack because your previous meal wasn't large enough or you have a long run between meals, go for a mini-meal of protein, fat and veggies. If you can't manage all three, go with protein and fat or protein and vegetables. Fruit and nuts and any combination of that is not doing you any favours at all. Make sure your protein servings are palm sized and at least 1-2. That's your palm, length, width and thickness. Veggies are meant to be 1-3 cups cooked (for salads and greens it would be a lot more considering how much they chew down). Then add a fat to every meal. Avocado, guacamole, ghee, homemade mayo, olives etc. If eggs are your only protein, the amount is as many as you can hold without dropping; start with 3-4. If Whole30 is a major departure from your previous eating, it may seem like you are eating a LOT because protein and fat can be very satiating. But still make sure that you are having template meals three times a day, 4-5 hours apart. And try to avoid snacking. Those three meals, the first of which is eaten within an hour of waking, are the key to balancing hormones which is one of the major keys to weight loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmk04747 Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 I'm on my first round of W30, day 14 and feel great so far. Reading all these threads, I'm thinking I have to tweak things a bit (reduce fruits and nuts, add more protein). My concern is that I am due for my annual physical next week, and will be weighed as part of the process. Much as I know that this isn't about weight loss, the number could mess with my head. I am already noticing some NSVs (looser pants, clearer skin, no gas, etc)... but still... Any words of support or guidance would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtFossil Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 34 minutes ago, nmk04747 said: I'm on my first round of W30, day 14 and feel great so far. Reading all these threads, I'm thinking I have to tweak things a bit (reduce fruits and nuts, add more protein). My concern is that I am due for my annual physical next week, and will be weighed as part of the process. Much as I know that this isn't about weight loss, the number could mess with my head. I am already noticing some NSVs (looser pants, clearer skin, no gas, etc)... but still... Any words of support or guidance would be appreciated. Simple: ask your health care provider not to tell you your weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perceivingperdita Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 I had to be weighed on day 10 (currently on day 21) at a doctors office. I went in to have staples removed from an injury two weeks prior. I am sure there are valid medical reasons they need to weigh you every time you enter a medical facility, but really? to have staples removed? I guess if there was an emergency reason to provide meds? It seems excessive. But I digress...I told the nurse that I could not look at my weight and to please not tell me. I stood on the scale backwards and she did not tell what it said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmk04747 Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Thank you... very helpful and doable suggestions, which I will incorporate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julzology Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 I was rolling thoughts about my weight in my head the other day and I realized that I can remember approximately what I weighed each decade of my life (I'm 56). I also realized that when the number wasn't what I wanted or expected I wore it like a scarlet letter that only I could see. Like the number was pinned on me as a source of personal shame. One of my goals here is to stop doing that. Stop equating my self worth with the number. When I look at the scale and have lost 2 pounds, I am not instantly a better, kinder, more compassionate human being any more than I am less of those things if I gained 2 lbs. And if my number is higher or lower than your number that doesn't make you any better or worse than me, just different. Two different people with different bodies. These are my lessons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadowLily Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Our weight is only one data point. For the things that really matter in our life, there is no competition. Weight loss challenges and competitions are for the birds. Funny, but our family members really like to compare weights and diets, losses and gains. Siblings and relatives like to secretly compete. Bravo for not letting the scale drive you into a mindwarp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandiW Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 So I made the same mistake on day 15. I had dropped a belt notch and got really curious. I'm not going to say what I weighed or weighed before, but it's not important and it's not WHY I decided to do W30, though I was certainly excited about the prospect of losing weight. I learned the hard way WHY we shouldn't weigh ourselves. It's not because we might not be happy with the results - it's because it made me totally obsessed with my weight. It made me scared to gain the weight back. It made me stop thinking about following the meal plan and start planning how to lose MORE weight. I'm day 21 now, and though i've gotten back to my original focus, the idea that i might have maxed my weight loss at day 15 and i'll have gained weight back since then and BLAHBLAHBLAHWEIGHTBLAHBLAHSCALEBLAHBLAH is driving me insane. Don't make this mistake. Don't waste time and energy getting wrapped up in the scale. weigh yourself at the end, you'll probably have lost some weight. but you won't spend 30 days or 15 days or 10 days obsessing with every meal and every pair of pants you put on about what's happened since you last weighed yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allisonbrooks Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 Did you take before or progress photos? I've done many w30's and sometimes my weight doesn't budge, but the difference in my before and after photos is crazy. The scale is stupid, and literally has no place in a home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobMango Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 On 1/22/2017 at 10:14 AM, RandiW said: ...It made me scared to gain the weight back. It made me stop thinking about following the meal plan and start planning how to lose MORE weight. ... I am on Day 29 and have to admit to some of the same feelings, even though I haven't stepped on a scale since Day 0. My scale is still stashed in the back of the cabinet, but I can't help but feel like I'm not making progress this past week, even without input from the scale and despite being able to tell by my reflection and the fit of my clothes that I am. Crazy how much that number sits in your brain. I have considered not even weighing myself on Day 31, but I'm thinking my curiosity will get the better of me, plus the folks in the betting pool will demand to know. Moving forward I will probably only weigh once every 2 weeks, just to keep an eye on it. The plan is to eat mostly W30 compliant from here on out, no plans to reintroduce the sugar or glutens. Alcohol will be on limited occasions and only limited dairy (some milk and cheese occasionally). I'll continue to make my own dressing and mayo so I expect to see continued progress over the next 6-9 months until I reach a healthy size (note I didn't say weight!) Before I started I was thinking of weighing myself every day, but not looking at the number and having my wife record it for me so that I could see how it went at the end. I think it would be interesting to see the actual daily fluctuation without having the number in my head during. But then I decided that the pressure of getting weighed every day would have an influence even if I didn't know so opted not to do it. I may do it in a future W30, but of course the impact will not be the same as this first one since my diet won't change all that much, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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