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Feel like I'm gaining and not losing weight


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I am on day 16 of my first Whole 30.  I've tried to follow the recommended program very carefully but instead of feeling less bloated or like I'm losing weight, I feel the opposite.  I should preface this by saying I used to eat a pretty healthy diet and I do exercise (cardio or Pilates) 5-6 days a week.  I started Whole 30 to help me be more intentional about snacking and the types of food that I eat, and to try to reduce my craving for sugar.  I feel like I'm eating much more than I used to for each meal and I don't feel that hungry between meals.  I do often need some type of snack in the afternoon but stick to Whole 30 compliant items.  I feel like I'm eating better meals than I used to, and fewer snacks, but I'm feeling heavier.  Is it possible that this is just something my body is going through to adjust?  Prior to do Whole 30, I ate very little red meat--I ate chicken and turkey, but also ate a lot of beans, lentils and other whole grains.  Again, it seemed like a healthy diet if I just snacked less--but the difference this time is that I don't feel the same need for snacks.  Typically I eat eggs and veggies for breakfast, a turkey/lettuce wrap for lunch (or something similar), veggies, and then some type of meat and veggie meal for dinner.  I use sweet potatoes and more of the carbs around dinner.  I love cauliflower but notice that makes me feel particularly bloated.  I've also been eating nuts and coconut chips as snacks and fear I'm eating more than I should. Any suggestions from this long post?  Is it possible that my body really isn't used to consuming the meat and fats that I'm now eating and just needs more time to adjust?  

 

Please advise.  I enjoy this way of eating but if I'm gaining weight, I don't want to stray to far from what was previously working to at least help me maintain my weight.

 

Thank you!

Jessica

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Cauliflower (and other cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli or kale) definitely makes some people feel bloated. I know for myself, I can have these vegetables some, but if I eat them every day for several days, or if I eat them raw, this feeling gets worse, so play with how often you're having them or how much of them you're having. There are plenty of other vegetables out there, try some other for a while.

Nuts also are pretty hard to digest and cause issues for many people, so you might try cutting them out for a while. If you do choose to have them, try to keep it to a small handful, occasionally.

Either of those two things could be affecting you, or it could be that you need a little more time -- you're just at the halfway point, and it might take you a little bit longer to adjust.

I would suggest keeping a food log and noting when you feel bloated and when you don't, so maybe you can narrow things down some more as far as what might be causing this.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Jessica,

I read your post and have had a similar experience. I'm wondering how things are turning out for you. I'm currently Day 26 and definitely feel like I've gained some weight. Like you, before starting W30 I ate less that what I'm eating now, but relatively healthy, albeit more processed, foods. I also exercise regularly. I didn't set out to lose weight on W30, but I certainly didn't want to gain weight. My main goal was to have more energy and improved athletic performance. As of day 26, I can't say my athletic performance is any better; I have yet to feel any Tiger Blood, but I do notice my energy levels are steadier throughout the day. I posted a comment on the forum on my Day 16, when I felt horribly bloated and had a headache, but I had zero responses to my post. 

How have the last couple of weeks been for you? Did you make any changes that had positive results? I hope to hear from you!

KM

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Hey @km12021112 - I'm sorry that no-pne saw your post or replied to it. Sometimes, if the forum is busy, some queries slip under the radar. The moderators are volunteer their time here and sometimes on the weekends especially we have other stuff going on.

Can you post what you have been eating/drinking over the past 3-4 days giving specifics on veg types, portion sizes as the protein relates to the palm of your hand, activity levels, pre/postWO snacks, sleep, stress, and any pre-existing medical conditions we might need to know about? That way we'll be better equipped to help you troubleshoot.

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Hi jmcbn, thank you for getting back to me!

I'm on day 26, so I'll start with day 23. Here goes...

DAY 23.

  • M1 at 7:30a (also a pre-workout meal): about 3/4 cup cauliflower rice and 2 eggs cooked with about 2 tsp clarified butter (none left in the pan, all in the eggs), about 1/4 c avocado, coffee with coconut milk.  (Oh, and 1/4 c avocado amounts to about 1/2 medium avocado. The avocados around here come in so many different sizes, that "1/2 avocado" is not at all consistent. Plus, I couldn't figure out how to store the avocado without it turning brown. So I measure out 1/4 cup mashed avocado, and the rest I mash real good into a small plastic storage container, level off the top, then top it off with a layer of water. Avocado stays bright green and delicious for as long as 24 hours, maybe longer but haven't waited that long before eating it). 
  • crossfit at 9:00, then post-wo meal: about fist-sized amount of mashed sweet potatoes and 2 hard-boiled egg whites. 
  • Had a crio bru at  12:00, made with arroy-d coconut milk
  • M2 at 1:00:  Chicken salad, about 1 1/4 shredded carrot with 1-2 tsp vinaigrette, 1/4 C avocado.  (I make the chicken salad like this: about 22 oz chicken when raw, then cooked and shredded; about 1/3 C pecan pieces; 1 apple diced; roughly 3/4 C mayo, eyeballed, not measured; salt/pepper. Then divide up into 4 servings, so each serving is about 5.5 oz chicken and maybe 2-3 T mayo. The protein portion is a good 2 palms-worth, maybe slightly more). I have this meal at M2 every day. It keeps me full for hours, rarely have a snack before M3.
  • M3 7:30: about 1 1/2 palm-size of sirloin beef, about 1 fist-size of potatoes sauteed with olive oil and clarified butter, about 1/3 plate of broccoli and maybe 3 thumbs of mayo.

Felt bloated today. I'm pretty sure the crio bru, while delicious, doesn't agree with my tummy. That was the last time I had it. 

DAY 24.

  • M1 7:15:  about 3/4 cup cauliflower rice and 2 eggs cooked with about 2 tsp clarified butter (none left in the pan, all in the eggs), about 1/4 c avocado, coffee with coconut milk. 
  • M2 1:00: Chicken salad as above, about 1 1/4 shredded carrot with 1-2 tsp vinaigrette, 1/4 C avocado.
  • M3 7:30: 1 1/2 palm-size of sirloin beef, 2 tsp compliant chimichurri sauce, sauteed potatoes with cooking fat, broccoli and mayo. 

DAY 25.

  • M1 7:15 ( also pre-workout meal): serving of egg casserole (made with 12 eggs and 2 adell's chicken sausages, and a good 6 servings of veggies, including cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli; baked and divided into 6 servings). served with a little less than 1/4 c avocado. coffee with coconut milk. 
  • crossfit 9:30. post-wo mashed sweet potatoes and 2 egg whites
  • M2 1:15: Chicken salad as above, tomato with 2 tsp vinaigrette,  a little less than 1/4 C avocado
  • M3 7:30: about 4 ounces of http://meljoulwan.com/2009/06/09/the-best-chicken-you-will-ever-eat-ever/ , which is about 1+palm size, a 1/2 plate of roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash, about 2 thumbs mayo, and a hard-boiled egg. (the chicken is brined, so very salty; I thought the salt was causing bloating, so I've been eating a smaller amount and supplementing protein with an egg). 

DAY 26 (today)

  • M1 at 7:00: serving of a different egg casserole (made with 12 eggs and 2 adell's chicken sausages, and this time with a bunch of asparagus, 2/3 bag of cauliflower rice, about 1.5 cups broccoli; baked and divided into 7 servings). Served with a 1/4 cup mixture of avocado and mayo (experimenting with decreasing fodmaps, including avocado). coffee with coconut milk.  (Of note, I divided this casserole into 7 servings because of the apparent weight gain; I feel less stuffed after eating this amount, but it doesn't keep me full long enough)
  • M2 1:00: Chicken salad as above, tomato with 2 tsp vinaigrette, about 1/6 C avocado and 5 olives (again, an effort to decrease fodmap). 

Other items you asked about:

I drink about 1.75-2 liters daily. I think it's less than recommended by W30, but I do make clear urine frequently throughout the day, so I don't believe my body requires more than that.  I've never had a problem with sleep, get about 8-9.5 hours nightly, wake up feeling refreshed (actually, wake up feeling better than pre-W30). No significant pre-existing medical conditions. Yes, I've been having some stress. My condo has some water damage from recent storms, and I've been living in an extended stay hotel for the last week, but I'd been worrying a bit about the situation for a couple of weeks before that. The hotel has a stove, so I've been able to do some cooking, and I also have a fair amount of proteins in the freezer, so no problem staying 100% compliant (oh, and I went to my place to roast the veggies yesterday, so I do have access to an oven, although inconvenient). Otherwise, I have very little stress. 

In summary, I'm struggling with two problems, bloating and apparent weight gain. Since starting W30, I've tried to make a concerted effort not to skimp on fat so that I don't get hungry between meals, become fat-adapted, and to be sure I make it through my workouts. But when I started to feel like I was gaining weight, I tried decreasing meal sizes or fat content here and there, but then the meal doesn't sustain me long enough.   I haven't been able to find the balance between staying satiated and not gaining weight. Also, bloating goes up and down, which is different than the weight gain I've noticed. I recognize that most of my favorite veggies are fodmaps (and cocoa is a fodmap, explaining why the crio bru is noticeably toxic to my system), so I'm slowing starting to decrease their quantity. Unfortunately, most of the veggies on the "safe" lists I don't like, but I'll try to cut back on the "avoid" foods until I feel better from a bloating perspective.

Anyway, lots of info. Thank you for taking the time to sort through all of this. I appreciate your help. 

KM

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16 minutes ago, km12021112 said:

Hi jmcbn, thank you for getting back to me!

I'm on day 26, so I'll start with day 23. Here goes...

DAY 23.

  • M1 at 7:30a (also a pre-workout meal): about 3/4 cup cauliflower rice and 2 eggs cooked with about 2 tsp clarified butter (none left in the pan, all in the eggs), about 1/4 c avocado, coffee with coconut milk.  (Oh, and 1/4 c avocado amounts to about 1/2 medium avocado. The avocados around here come in so many different sizes, that "1/2 avocado" is not at all consistent. Plus, I couldn't figure out how to store the avocado without it turning brown. So I measure out 1/4 cup mashed avocado, and the rest I mash real good into a small plastic storage container, level off the top, then top it off with a layer of water. Avocado stays bright green and delicious for as long as 24 hours, maybe longer but haven't waited that long before eating it). 
  • crossfit at 9:00, then post-wo meal: about fist-sized amount of mashed sweet potatoes and 2 hard-boiled egg whites. 
  • Had a crio bru at  12:00, made with arroy-d coconut milk
  • M2 at 1:00:  Chicken salad, about 1 1/4 shredded carrot with 1-2 tsp vinaigrette, 1/4 C avocado.  (I make the chicken salad like this: about 22 oz chicken when raw, then cooked and shredded; about 1/3 C pecan pieces; 1 apple diced; roughly 3/4 C mayo, eyeballed, not measured; salt/pepper. Then divide up into 4 servings, so each serving is about 5.5 oz chicken and maybe 2-3 T mayo. The protein portion is a good 2 palms-worth, maybe slightly more). I have this meal at M2 every day. It keeps me full for hours, rarely have a snack before M3.
  • M3 7:30: about 1 1/2 palm-size of sirloin beef, about 1 fist-size of potatoes sauteed with olive oil and clarified butter, about 1/3 plate of broccoli and maybe 3 thumbs of mayo.

Felt bloated today. I'm pretty sure the crio bru, while delicious, doesn't agree with my tummy. That was the last time I had it. 

DAY 24.

  • M1 7:15:  about 3/4 cup cauliflower rice and 2 eggs cooked with about 2 tsp clarified butter (none left in the pan, all in the eggs), about 1/4 c avocado, coffee with coconut milk. 
  • M2 1:00: Chicken salad as above, about 1 1/4 shredded carrot with 1-2 tsp vinaigrette, 1/4 C avocado.
  • M3 7:30: 1 1/2 palm-size of sirloin beef, 2 tsp compliant chimichurri sauce, sauteed potatoes with cooking fat, broccoli and mayo. 

DAY 25.

  • M1 7:15 ( also pre-workout meal): serving of egg casserole (made with 12 eggs and 2 adell's chicken sausages, and a good 6 servings of veggies, including cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli; baked and divided into 6 servings). served with a little less than 1/4 c avocado. coffee with coconut milk. 
  • crossfit 9:30. post-wo mashed sweet potatoes and 2 egg whites
  • M2 1:15: Chicken salad as above, tomato with 2 tsp vinaigrette,  a little less than 1/4 C avocado
  • M3 7:30: about 4 ounces of http://meljoulwan.com/2009/06/09/the-best-chicken-you-will-ever-eat-ever/ , which is about 1+palm size, a 1/2 plate of roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash, about 2 thumbs mayo, and a hard-boiled egg. (the chicken is brined, so very salty; I thought the salt was causing bloating, so I've been eating a smaller amount and supplementing protein with an egg). 

DAY 26 (today)

  • M1 at 7:00: serving of a different egg casserole (made with 12 eggs and 2 adell's chicken sausages, and this time with a bunch of asparagus, 2/3 bag of cauliflower rice, about 1.5 cups broccoli; baked and divided into 7 servings). Served with a 1/4 cup mixture of avocado and mayo (experimenting with decreasing fodmaps, including avocado). coffee with coconut milk.  (Of note, I divided this casserole into 7 servings because of the apparent weight gain; I feel less stuffed after eating this amount, but it doesn't keep me full long enough)
  • M2 1:00: Chicken salad as above, tomato with 2 tsp vinaigrette, about 1/6 C avocado and 5 olives (again, an effort to decrease fodmap). 

Other items you asked about:

I drink about 1.75-2 liters daily. I think it's less than recommended by W30, but I do make clear urine frequently throughout the day, so I don't believe my body requires more than that.  I've never had a problem with sleep, get about 8-9.5 hours nightly, wake up feeling refreshed (actually, wake up feeling better than pre-W30). No significant pre-existing medical conditions. Yes, I've been having some stress. My condo has some water damage from recent storms, and I've been living in an extended stay hotel for the last week, but I'd been worrying a bit about the situation for a couple of weeks before that. The hotel has a stove, so I've been able to do some cooking, and I also have a fair amount of proteins in the freezer, so no problem staying 100% compliant (oh, and I went to my place to roast the veggies yesterday, so I do have access to an oven, although inconvenient). Otherwise, I have very little stress. 

In summary, I'm struggling with two problems, bloating and apparent weight gain. Since starting W30, I've tried to make a concerted effort not to skimp on fat so that I don't get hungry between meals, become fat-adapted, and to be sure I make it through my workouts. But when I started to feel like I was gaining weight, I tried decreasing meal sizes or fat content here and there, but then the meal doesn't sustain me long enough.   I haven't been able to find the balance between staying satiated and not gaining weight. Also, bloating goes up and down, which is different than the weight gain I've noticed. I recognize that most of my favorite veggies are fodmaps (and cocoa is a fodmap, explaining why the crio bru is noticeably toxic to my system), so I'm slowing starting to decrease their quantity. Unfortunately, most of the veggies on the "safe" lists I don't like, but I'll try to cut back on the "avoid" foods until I feel better from a bloating perspective.

Anyway, lots of info. Thank you for taking the time to sort through all of this. I appreciate your help. 

KM

I don't know anything about weight gain during whole30.  But avocado will usually keep better if you keep the seed in it :)

And way to go on your w30!!! I'm just on day 9, but going strong!

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Hey @km12021112 - just a quick reply to say I've had a quick look at your log and have some ideas as to what might be causing the bloat/weight gain, but am in a mad rush out the door as I have an audit at work this morning so will have to reply later - just didn't want you to think you were being over looked again.....!!

I'll be back.................................................................

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Ok, so yes. FODMAPs would appear to be an issue, and unfortunately cutting down on them isn't going to be enough right now. If you want your gut to heal you'll have to cut them out, then try reintroducing them one at a time to see what & how much you can tolerate as tolerance levels vary from one person to the next.

Have you seen >this traffic light list of foods to avoid/moderate/eat<? It's much more helpful than the Whole30 low FODMAP shopping list, and may help you identify which group you tolerate less.

Many of the foods you're eating fall into a number of problematic groups - high FODMAPs, high sulphur & cruciferous veg - so I'd look specifically at excluding those if you're not willing to go low FODMAP - so cauliflower, cabbage, kale, broccoli, onions, sprouts for starters; but note that sweet potatoes, avocado & coconut milk can be very problematic too.

Let us know how you get on.... :)

 

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Hi jmcbn,

Thank you so much for your quick response! I'm very saddened about the fodmap issue, especially since it's now day 27. I'll make efforts to cut down my fodmaps to zero over the next few days (have some food already prepared that I'd like to use up) and go well past 30 days, but I feel like I'm starting over from day 1. This is quite a blow to my morale. Not only will I  practically be starting over, but now my reintroductions will have to include various fodmap foods in addition to the sugar, dairy, grains and alcohol! I'm thankful that I don't have a major event coming up or a family that is anxiously waiting for the 30 days to end. I've genuinely been enjoying eating so many veggies (NSV), but the "safe" fodmap list isn't nearly as appealing to my tastebuds, which is why I haven't wanted to go no-fodmap on my own. But I guess I have no choice (going back to my comfortable pre-W30 processed "health" food and dairy diet sounds appalling, guess that's another NSV!). 

Could you please comment on the weight gain issue? How is that related to fodmaps? Looking at my meals, do they look to be the right size? I'm 5'2", and 116# on Day 0. Do you think that if I eliminate fodmaps alone, my weight will normalize? I'm still inclined to decrease fat portions a little, but again worry about not staying full long enough. 

Thank you again for your insights. I really appreciate you taking the time!

KM

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10 minutes ago, km12021112 said:

Could you please comment on the weight gain issue? How is that related to fodmaps? Looking at my meals, do they look to be the right size? I'm 5'2", and 116# on Day 0. Do you think that if I eliminate fodmaps alone, my weight will normalize? I'm still inclined to decrease fat portions a little, but again worry about not staying full long enough. 

I think if you eliminate the FODMAPs and allow the bloating to settle you won't feel like you've gained weight. Your meals look pretty good to me - if anything I'd suggest dropping the starchy veg postWO and sticking to just the lean protein as you're getting adequate starches in your other meals to replace muscle glyocgen. And if you cut back on coconut milk that will be a slight decrease in fat too so no need to cut any from your actual meals.

In terms of FODMAPs and how you'll cope there are a number of work arounds - you can use garlic infused oil, use the green stems from spring onions, & use parsnips in place of sweet potato for instance... and it's not forever. I ate low FODMAP for a HUGE amount of time and did extensive testing over the course of a number of months and then last October took the plunge and started adding in a lot more high FODMAP foods than I had been with great success. The break allowed my gut to fully heal, I started brewing/drinking my own kombucha for the probiotics, and when I started eating FODMAPs regularly again I just made sure to make a wider variety of meals in smaller portions in my weekend food prep so I that wouldn't be going over my own tolerance threshold by eating the same three meals over and over gain....

It takes some time & some getting used to, but it's worth it.

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Just want to post an update.

Yesterday was Day 31, and I did end up losing almost 2 pounds and lost 1 inch off my waist since Day 1. Admittedly, that was quite an unexpected (but welcome) change, given how much I struggled between days 16 and 27.  On around day 27, I started to decrease my fat intake, and made a concerted effort to wean off the FODMAPs)

Today is Whole 30 day 32, and Day 3 of 100% no FODMAPs, and I feel like a different person! Today is the first day since starting Whole 30 that I feel what must be Tiger Blood!! I truly had boundless energy today and could hardly sit still! I woke up a full 30 minutes before my alarm feeling refreshed, and I am finally feeling slimmer and stronger than pre-W30! Can't believe it took this long, but so happy I finally got to experience what the hype is all about! I'm going to stick with Whole 30 for another week, then start some reintroductions. 

In retrospect, I'm pretty sure some FODMAP foods have been bothering me my whole life. Some examples...  I love the taste of Thai food but rarely want to eat it because I know it'll make me feel bad -- maybe the coconut milk? I've never liked foods with too much garlic or onions; I always thought it was the taste, but I'll bet my body was also subtly telling me to stay away. I often have delicious restaurant-style brussel sprouts when I go out to eat, then I often feel full and bloated the next day -- always chalked it up to just eating more when I dine out, but maybe the fodmaps were playing a role too!

This has all been very enlightening, which of course is the point of the Whole 30! I now have a renewed excitement for the program! Thank you for your help jmcbn!

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14 hours ago, km12021112 said:

Just want to post an update.

Yesterday was Day 31, and I did end up losing almost 2 pounds and lost 1 inch off my waist since Day 1. Admittedly, that was quite an unexpected (but welcome) change, given how much I struggled between days 16 and 27.  On around day 27, I started to decrease my fat intake, and made a concerted effort to wean off the FODMAPs)

Today is Whole 30 day 32, and Day 3 of 100% no FODMAPs, and I feel like a different person! Today is the first day since starting Whole 30 that I feel what must be Tiger Blood!! I truly had boundless energy today and could hardly sit still! I woke up a full 30 minutes before my alarm feeling refreshed, and I am finally feeling slimmer and stronger than pre-W30! Can't believe it took this long, but so happy I finally got to experience what the hype is all about! I'm going to stick with Whole 30 for another week, then start some reintroductions. 

In retrospect, I'm pretty sure some FODMAP foods have been bothering me my whole life. Some examples...  I love the taste of Thai food but rarely want to eat it because I know it'll make me feel bad -- maybe the coconut milk? I've never liked foods with too much garlic or onions; I always thought it was the taste, but I'll bet my body was also subtly telling me to stay away. I often have delicious restaurant-style brussel sprouts when I go out to eat, then I often feel full and bloated the next day -- always chalked it up to just eating more when I dine out, but maybe the fodmaps were playing a role too!

This has all been very enlightening, which of course is the point of the Whole 30! I now have a renewed excitement for the program! Thank you for your help jmcbn!

THANK YOU for posting this update. I have completed 5 additional whole30s since my first 3 years ago and eat pretty much w30 in my food freedom. Lately I have been feeling blah, even while doing a 100% w30 compliant mini-reset of 7 days - I do this every so often. Usually that is enough to get back to tiger blood and great sleep but it hasn't been working the same lately. I've suspected that I have an intolerance to FODMAPs, but they're some of my favorite staples so I have been reluctant to cut them out.

After hearing how much better you are feeling, I am inspired to try it out for myself and see if that really is the trouble I have been having lately. So glad to hear you're feeling better!!

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Hi racheleats, I'm so glad my post has inspired you! Yeah, I didn't want to believe that I was so sensitive to FODMAPs because most of my favorite vegetables are on that list! I didn't see how I would be able to eat enough veggies or enjoy them, but it's been working out fine. And feeling better definitely is worth the sacrifice. I'm hoping, like jmcbn, that I can add back some of my favorites eventually, albeit smaller quantities and spread out. 

I hope you're able to regain your tiger blood soon, whether it's by eliminating the FODMAPs or with something else. Keep me posted!

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  • 1 year later...

I've been lost/frustrated looking at so many posts/blogs on this over the last week.  I am starting my 4th week of Whole30, continue to feel bloated and like I'm gaining weight - all while eating less, and thinking I was following the right program.  I have been doing this program with my husband.  He has continued to feel tired during the day, so I had thought we weren't getting enough of the right calories.  He's been noticing pants are getting looser (he does not need to lose weight!), while I continue to feel bloated and heavier.

I have had so many of the same issues as cited by km12021112, so I'm finally feeling like there is hope and a clear direction for me to pursue.

I, too, favor the high FODMAP foods, so this will be an adjustment for me. 

Thank you for your posts!

 

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I'm adding my thanks as well for this thread. I'm on Day 42 and appreciating my NSVs (no joint pain, disappearing seasonal allergies, consistent energy and mood, improving sleep duration and quality). I lost about 5 pounds by Day 31, but my goal is another 12. I've felt stalled since Day 31 and the scale confirmed it today. I've been aware of FODMAPS and restrict many of them, but I see now that my Whole 30 treats (a BIG NSV will be to stop thinking of food in terms of treats!) of nuts, avocado, guacamole and sweet potatoes could be an issue. Now planning to moderate/minimize them. Whole 30 is definitely a process, but it is working really well for me. Good luck to all.

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  • 4 weeks later...

THIS may be my last post...Day 29, of the w30 and i couldn't be more disappointed. I stuck to this 100%. The first 4 days were horrific as expected by everything i read and I got the book too! I started this because I wanted a change and saw my co workers bodies transform before my eyes and that was it for me! However, after that initial week of feeling awful ...the second week i got used to it...by the third I was feeling bloated and heavy. I re adjusted my portions looked at FODMAPS did everything I could possibly and still i gained...at this point here i am i clearly have gained weight, i can see it and feel it in my jeans in all my clothes actually, whats worse is I keep getting up really early now, it's like my body wont sleep past 5 am...I feel defeated...beyond defeated...depressed. I know its not about weight, but it doesnt seem this worked anywhere...i dont feel tiger blood I feel heavy...

A couple of things, first off I was just eating fish, not a lot of at maybe 1/4 avocado a day and veggies lots of em before i started...and just a juice and apple in the morning thats it...now i eat...typical day

B-2 EGGS (3 MADE ME FEEL AWFUL SOME MUSHROOMS BUTTERNUT SQUASH 2 cups coffee with nutpods creamer

SNACK APPLE 1TEASPOON CASHEW BUTTER cup green tea with nutpods creamer

LUNCH-HALF CAN TUNA--AVOCADO SALAD-AVOCADO MAYO-RAW SALAD WITH CHOPPED VEGGIES

DINNER-TURKEY BURGER SAUTEED ZUCCHINI SMALL SWEET POTATO WITH GHEE BUTTER 

 

This has been pretty consistent love to hear your thoughts

 

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3 hours ago, MichellePollino said:

THIS may be my last post...Day 29, of the w30 and i couldn't be more disappointed. I stuck to this 100%. The first 4 days were horrific as expected by everything i read and I got the book too! I started this because I wanted a change and saw my co workers bodies transform before my eyes and that was it for me! However, after that initial week of feeling awful ...the second week i got used to it...by the third I was feeling bloated and heavy. I re adjusted my portions looked at FODMAPS did everything I could possibly and still i gained...at this point here i am i clearly have gained weight, i can see it and feel it in my jeans in all my clothes actually, whats worse is I keep getting up really early now, it's like my body wont sleep past 5 am...I feel defeated...beyond defeated...depressed. I know its not about weight, but it doesnt seem this worked anywhere...i dont feel tiger blood I feel heavy...

A couple of things, first off I was just eating fish, not a lot of at maybe 1/4 avocado a day and veggies lots of em before i started...and just a juice and apple in the morning thats it...now i eat...typical day

B-2 EGGS (3 MADE ME FEEL AWFUL SOME MUSHROOMS BUTTERNUT SQUASH 2 cups coffee with nutpods creamer

SNACK APPLE 1TEASPOON CASHEW BUTTER cup green tea with nutpods creamer

LUNCH-HALF CAN TUNA--AVOCADO SALAD-AVOCADO MAYO-RAW SALAD WITH CHOPPED VEGGIES

DINNER-TURKEY BURGER SAUTEED ZUCCHINI SMALL SWEET POTATO WITH GHEE BUTTER 

 

This has been pretty consistent love to hear your thoughts

 

Michelle, I hope you'll hear from a moderator or an advanced member, but I'd like to offer some encouragement from a newbie. I can relate to your frustration and discouragement because I felt it also around Day 30. On the other hand, I also felt that I was just starting to get the hang of MY Whole30 by the end, so I hung in for another 15 days at full compliance and am still fully compliant on most days at something north of Day 60. My average weight loss over that period is about half a pound a week. Nothing dramatic, but I've reached a point where I can trust that it will continue at that rate. I'm weighing myself every 10 days or so, a big change from when it was daily.

I'm not an expert or even an advanced member, but here are a few comments on your daily menu. My go-to breakfast is also 2 eggs. I eat mine over a heap of sauteed spinach. I find that when I add about half a sausage patty (I use the recipe that's paired with sweet potato mash in the Pork section of the cookbook), a quarter of a baked potato plus ghee, and maybe some roasted or sauteed butternut squash I'm more satisfied (sometimes kind of stuffed) and I can more easily go 4 or 5 hours until lunch.

I've read enough troubleshooting posts to know that the problem with your snack is that it doesn't include any protein. :) Maybe add a sausage patty or the other half of your tuna can, or maybe add the apple, cashew butter and a bit of sausage to your breakfast and skip the snack. I've learned from personal experience that snacks (mine are usually in the afternoon if I need one) are useless without the protein. For some reason I was resistant to that reality for a really long time. Maybe you are too.

My impression of your lunch is that it's not nearly big enough. Eat the whole can! Or add a hard-boiled egg. I like the recipe for no-fuss salmon cakes; one or two of those make a really satisfying protein dish. I make the batch of 8 and reheat them in a microwave as needed. I would also add half a baked potato, white or sweet, to the meal. I discovered that potatoes are really my friends after being very wary of them initially. They're very satisfying, and the ghee ensures you're getting enough fat.

Dinner sounds good to me. Maybe add another half turkey burger or another veggie if it doesn't feel satisfying.

Ever since Weight Watchers about 30 years ago I've been religious about 64 oz of water a day. 

At some point when I was feeling very down about Whole30 I read a post in which the writer remarked something to the effect that the more she ate, the more weight she lost. I was very bitter about that at the time, sure that it didn't apply to me, but it stayed in my head and I've come to think it's true. As I've added more foods and sometimes larger portions I feel more satisfied after my meals, I have more energy, and I obsess less about weight loss.

You don't say how many total hours of sleep you're getting. If it's sufficient, I guess you could go to bed later if you want to wake up later. For me, sleep has been the last frontier of the program. I've had various forms of insomnia for close to 20 years. Only around Day 60 did my sleep start to normalize. For a while it was worse on Whole30 than before I started the program. Now it's better. I still wake up during the night but usually am able to fall back to sleep quickly.

I hope some of this is helpful to you. I spent lots of time trolling around the Troubleshooting section when I was feeling confused and discouraged. I picked up some good tips and sometimes I felt better just knowing that others were struggling too. Oh, and I also recently bought myself a copy of It Starts with Food. I find it helps my motivation to read about what I'm doing and remind myself of why. I do think Whole30 is the best program out there, and I hope you find a way to make it work for you.

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First off @Ellenelle THANK YOU for taking the time to answer  so thoughtfully I really appreciate it! This has been so helpful to me and to know someone else had the same difficulties is also really helpful, I did what you suggested yesterday and i was really full after lunch all the way to dinner! Altho I am so used to the 6 meal a day metabolism theory...it kinds scares me doing this this way...but I'm willing to try and change because i am so tired of this yo yo life iof dieting ive been on. I too troll these boards the entire time as I ran into these difficult walls, and just couldn't find the right answers.

I also had an egg as my snack yesterday, I am trying to stay on the plan for the next 30 days with just adding my weekend glasses of wine, but keeping my 3 meals protein and fat heavy and making sure i have protein as my snack, I am adding an apple in the am, and a green juice, because I went ot a nutritionist last year and was doing that before I started this and it gave me lots of energy and my skin looked lovely as a result!

So I will see what happens in the next couple of weeks, and go from there, thanks again for taking the time to help!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Michelle, I'm sorry to be so slow getting back to you, but I really appreciate your taking time to update me. I'm glad that my suggestions were helpful. Just like you I've learned that it's very difficult to change established patterns around food and eating, because for so long I've been convinced that they were working or at least correct. But I've had improvements every time I've trusted the Whole 30 suggestions. It's almost 90 days since I started my Whole 30, so I was fully compliant for 45 and not fully compliant for the second 45. What I've found is that on most days I choose to stay in full compliance. It's easiest when I'm in full control of my meal planning and preparation. On days when I'm not I allow myself to eat non-compliant foods, and to enjoy them, but my body's negative responses to them (disturbed sleep and digestion, usually, plus the immediate return of seasonal allergy symptoms) serve to send me back to compliance. My body just feels so much better when I'm compliant. That gives me hope that over time Whole 30 will just become a way a life. It's gradual, but I feel that it's happening. Best wishes to you as you go forward!

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Michelle, I am no expert either and I am on day 17 of my first W30.  I do feel better in many ways, such as the "gassy bloated" feeling I always seemed to have is gone, but I certainly don't feel like I have lost weight, I feel like I may have gained a little, but I am trying to stay positive.  I do struggle with "eating more" and losing weight.  Good luck and keep at it!

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  • 1 month later...

Hi everyone, hopefully this feed is still alive. I came across this forum because I am struggling with some of the same things mentioned here. I am 12 days in and feeling heavier and more bloated than ever before  (jeans and dresses are not fitting). I've read through all the replies in attempt to trouble shoot my problem.

Side bar: I posted on another forum recently, I was concerned about my low mood, energy levels and bloating/feeling so large, I provided what I'd eaten every day up until that point (day 8) with rough estimations of portions. (I can really only guess how much mayo is two thumbs, i honestly dont know what a cup of veggies looks like, i try to fill half the plate and attempt to keep my protein to palms although on some meals it has been more than that) and a suggestion was to add more carbs, add more food. Without going into detail of my diet again here, I can say I have been 100% whole 30 compliant and am not eating very many fodmaps and when I do they are in small portions and not frequent. I have increased my some of my overall meal portions but the symptoms are still the same. I am only eyeballing my portions but am doing my best to follow the recommendations. How specific do i need to be about fat per meal? If for e.g, the cauliflower rice calls for ghee and coconut milk, and my chicken  requires coconut oil and my vinaigrette has oil and I put all these things together in one meal, how could I not be taking in more fat than I need? I am feeling at a loss, and really looking for some guidance.

I am FEELING better and have more energy but It is devastating to not fit into your clothes and to feel like you're bigger than when you began.

thanks in advance for the replies. 

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Hi Atta89,

I've appreciated not having to be obsessive with weights and measures on Whole30, but I hear what you're saying about the palms and thumbs. I've obsessed a bit about them also. Still do, occasionally. I've also focused more on my fat intake than I needed to. One thing I've learned about the program at about 120 days in (fully compliant for the first 45, mostly compliant for the remainder and counting) is that my body needed more time to adjust to it than I anticipated. The amounts I'm eating haven't changed a lot over four months, but now on most days I feel as though I'm eating a bit less and getting a lot of mileage from it. Maybe my metabolism has adjusted, or maybe my brain just knows now that what I'm giving my body is sufficient and there's no need to obsess about it. Whatever the reason, I would still recommend as I did to Michelle that you worry less about amounts if your meals are compliant and within the guidelines: protein, veggie, fat with each meal and snack. I too tried to do the computations about the amounts of fat in the various components of my meal. My advice now is to relax and enjoy the food. It sounds as though you're making delicious meals. Also remember that your body does not store fat as fat; it stores excess sugar and carbs as fat, and you are not eating those things right now. Apart from nuts and Larabars, there's not much on Whole30 that really can make you fat. Watch your consumption of those high-density foods and you should be fine.

As I've said in previous posts, my weight loss has not been spectacular, but it continues to be slow and steady. I've learned I can count on it. The only challenging part of Whole30 Food Freedom for me is to keep my Sugar Dragon dozing. I've learned that it sleeps with one eye open and will pounce with cravings every time I feed it even after all this time. One thing that has helped me over rough patches is to read or reread the Whole30 books, especially It Starts with Food, which reminds me why I DON'T want to eat the foods that aren't included in the program. And keep focusing on the NSVs. They really do matter, and it's liberating to have better energy, more even moods, better skin, no aches and pains, etc.

It sounds as though you're doing really well, actually. Just know that it's a process and the first 30 days are the hardest. There are ups and downs, but I hope you decide to hang in. You are doing so much better than you think you are!

Best wishes,

Ellen

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