Day 16- Exhausted, hungry, no benefits yet

[Schmoo]

Ok, so I've passed the 2 week mark. Still waiting for ANY benefits from whole 30, and all I have is frequent hunger and always feel like I need a nap. I can't work out like I normally do, because I feel so weak and tired. I'm making efforts to get enough protein, even with my established pescatarian diet; LOTS of eggs and fish fillets. Today I broke down and weighed myself, because I just needed some sign that all this deprivation was doing some good. Haven't lost a single pound. 

What's going on? Am I doing something wrong??

[RandiW]

I'm betting you're not eating enough. I bet a mod will come along and help you out more specifically. But also, are you relying a lot on nuts/nut butters and/or fruit? Hang in there! Don't quit before the good stuff happens.

[Schmoo]

Thanks Randi!

I am snacking on a good bit of dried fruit and nuts in between meals. I know dried fruit is not ideal bc it's high in sugar, but I'm not gonna beat myself up for eating compliant trail mix to get myself to the next meal. I'm also frequently adding a couple tablespoons of almond butter into my breakfast. Still, hard to believe I'm sustaining my weight bc of a little almond butter, compared to everything I've cut out.

[RandiW]

Just now, Schmoo said:

Thanks Randi!

I am snacking on a good bit of dried fruit and nuts in between meals. I know dried fruit is not ideal bc it's high in sugar, but I'm not gonna beat myself up for eating compliant trail mix to get myself to the next meal. I'm also frequently adding a couple tablespoons of almond butter into my breakfast. Still, hard to believe I'm sustaining my weight bc of a little almond butter, compared to everything I've cut out.

I wasn't necessarily referring to weight loss versus not weight loss. Mostly thinking about the way you're feeling.  Definitely don't beat yourself up. Just thinking that if your meals were larger and included more fats that you might feel more full between meals and also ramp up your metabolism; eating too little can inhibit your metabolism. The reason I asked about the fruit is that (I think, anyway, from reading the book - someone please correct if I'm wrong) if we eat too much fruit our body is still prioritizing sugar over fat burning and it takes longer to get fat adapted, not to mention will make your blood sugar bounce around too much and make you feel more zapped of energy. Best of luck, and I'm sure a mod with more specific advice will turn up shortly. Hang in there!

[MeadowLily]

Did you know that getting on the scale literally scares the fat. Google Whole 30 and you'll find that answer. It's a real eye opener.  I know where it is but it will keep your hands busy while you're tooling along.

[ShannonM816]

@Schmoo are you making your meals meet the meal template? It's pretty common for people to not eat enough at meals, and the fact that you're needing something between meals is pretty good evidence you may not be. When your meals are big enough, it's actually easy to go 4-5 hours between meals without feeling hungry.

If you do need to eat between meals as you're figuring out how much to eat at meals, try to have a mini meal of protein, fat, and vegetables, or at least two of the three.

The thing about nuts and nut butters is that they cause digestive issues for lots of people. Part of your lack of weight loss may be related to that -- they may be causing bloating or constipation or other issues that are contributing to that.