Need support- weight related

[MommyProf]

Hi All. I'm on Day 19 and doing well by many measures. Cravings gone, eating three solid meals, not hungry in between meals, snacks only when scheduling delays meal time.  The Whole 30 wasn't a huge shift for me since I've been grain free and different versions of Paleo for several years, but things had been creeping back into my diet (wine and dairy mostly but then also some sugar) and then came the cravings and binges with them. The problem is that I have to lose weight and definitely am not now. If anything, I've gained since I started this though I have not been on the scale. I appreciate all the NSVs and am grateful for them, but I am also uncomfortable and find my clothes getting tighter not looser. This is getting me down.

I'm probably not going to stop at 30 days since I need more time, but I would love some tips from people who struggle with their weight on how to fine tune my Whole30 so that I can shed some of my extra weight. All of my meals follow the template in terms of ingredients (lots of veggies, servings of protein and fat)) but I have a feeling that I need to be more tuned in to quantity. Has anyone else struggled with this? Maybe I just need to study the template again for the examples of serving sizes? I haven't wanted to focus too much on serving size b/c I wanted just to focus on eating well and eliminating cravings and binges etc.., but I'd like to get to the next level now. I've struggled with my weight for  my whole life and I want to do this right but I also need to lose some weight. Would love some tips/advice etc. TIA!

[SugarcubeOD]

Almost all the time when people come here with these concerns, they list their food and we find out that they're not actually eating enough... which sounds counterintuitive but if you don't eat enough your body assumes 'famine' and stores everything you put in it... 

Why don't you list two or three days of what you've been eating including portion sizes, meal timing and water intake and we can see if there are things we can help you tweak.

I am concerned that the way you're framing 'the next level' because it sounds a little bit like you might think about hacking the whole30 to be technically compliant but reducing your meal sizes a la calorie counting... I hope this is not true...

[MommyProf]

SugarcubeOD.. Very insightful answer and you are right to be concerned about my formulation and that it sounds like I'm heading back into diet and calorie counting mentality. Good point!  I'll have to think about that some more. I really think, though, that I am eating enough..I've read lots of posts where I see that people aren't (handful of spinach and some tuna for lunch etc.)... and don't think I fall into that category. I'm eating 3 really solid meals a day... I'll keep a record for the next few days and repost... Grateful for your input!

Today's food: (times between meals not typical)

breakfast at 9: 3 poached eggs, 3 strips of bacon, steamed broccoli and carrots, grape tomatoes

snack at 12 (crazy day at work, no break until 3): handful of almonds and an apple

lunch at 3: pot roast (generous amount), roasted turnips, steamed broccoli, handful of olives

dinner at 8: curried chicken breasts cooked in coconut milk, roasted turnips, cauliflower rice

Yesterday:

breakfast: can't remember specifics... but it was some combination of left over fish and veggies...

lunch: chicken (dark and white, good amount), homemade tomato sauce, cauliflower rice, olives

dinner: big salad bowl filled with kale, steamed shrimp, carrot, almonds, currants, dressed in olive oil and vinegar

handful of berries

 

[evaq]

@MommyProf Given that your eating was close to whole 30 before you started, it doesn't surprise me that you're seeing modest results. The people that tend to see more dramatic results usually eat a vastly different diet than whole 30. Is it possible that your body is happy with your current weight? I know you still want to lose weight but maybe what you want is different than your body's set point?