Jump to content

It's starting to wear on me.


Recommended Posts

So, I'm on day 16 (day 9, if we count the restart) and I am starting to get really bogged down by all of this. I'm waiting for my Tiger Blood and other amazing results, and they're just not showing up.

I mean, there are small improvements: I can go without snacking now (sometimes it's a miss in the evenings, but for the most part I'm good) which is pretty big since I used to eat every 3 hours or so. My energy levels are fairly balanced, but not off the charts high. I've got enough energy to *mostly* get through the day without the afternoon slump, so I think this means I've switched to burning fat for fuel, which is also good. I'm not bloated anymore, which is fantastic. Weight loss remains to be seen, and even though I know it's not the goal, I will be upset if I don't lose anything.

I know I'm impatient, only being two weeks into this, but I'm not enjoying it anymore. I love going to the Farmer's market and knowing that we're buying responsibly and eating completely whole foods that are natural, but DAMN I miss sugar and carbs (grains). I'm not kidding, they are ALL I want lately. I know my period is due to start any day now (TMI, sorry), so maybe that has something to do with it, but...I just feel like this is a slog and I am working so hard to "just get through it", which is not what I wanted out of this!

I'm kind of disappointed, because I believe in eating this way SO MUCH, but I do not enjoy it. I am forcing vegetables down my throat, and crying when thinking of how to get fats into my meals without just downing an avocado. Maybe I'm in a rut, but...ugh. Just ugh.

I think the hardest part is that my husband feels the same way, but I'm trying to keep a happy face and talk about how great this is because I'm the one that convinced him to do this, and I don't want him to go completely off the rails when we're done and just decide that eating this way is too expensive for the lack of results that we're seeing. I really thought this was going to help us in so many ways--my digestive issues, his skin issues, energy, sleep, etc and I'm just not seeing it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry to hear you are struggling. Since technically you are on day 9 you haven't let your body reap all the benefits of making these BIG changes. I was at day 15 or 16 and about to enter into that time of the month as well and I felt the same way. I wanted sugar and choclolate badly. As soon as that time passed (much less severe symptoms than in the past 6 or so years) the cravings went away as well!

Just try to focus on all those great things you have already experienced and realize that it can take 30 or MORE days to fully reap the benefits. I finished my 30 days on October 30th and I haven't gone back. Not any formal reintroductions. Why? Because around day 30 was when all the fabulous things started coming together!!! Now when I look at my former favorite foods: chocolate, baked goods, ice cream, cheese, cinnamon rolls, etc I don't even want them. I keep saying "I'm going to have a cinnamon roll today!" and then deciding it just isn't worth feeling like crap and putting junk into my happy healthy body.

Just keep pushing through! And try making your veggies in different ways! Try roasting, grilling, sauteeing, etc. Roasted carrot fries and roasted cabbage are some of my new faves that I never would have made pre-Whole30. Go buy more seasoning, herbs, spices and mix it up!

You can DO this, I promise it will pay off!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry you're struggling, too. I think what you are experiencing is quite normal, though, especially considering it's your TOM. There is a reason the protocol is 30 days. Give yourself a chance to get over this hump. Finish the program and then decide.

If you have a minute, look up some recipes--have you got It Starts with Food? The "chili" in th back under ground beef is one of my all time favourite quick meals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Camille -

I'll just echo what the other ladies have said - you can take great comfort in knowing that you're completely on track. You're only 9 days in. Hormones at this phase of your cycle, combined with the changing hormones from the shift in your diet are giving you a double whopper. Just be patient, eat some more starchy carbs (sweet taters, yucca, pumpkin, etc), and be patient with each other. This too will pass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple super easy ways to get fats in that I enjoy are a handful of black olives on the side, or a few cashews or macadamia nuts, or a spoonful of coconut butter (if you warm it, it's all soft and gooey, yum). This of course is if the fat isn't already part of the meal (omelet cooked in coconut oil, salad dressed with olive oil dressing, chicken cooked in coconut milk). The struggle you are dealing with will get better, really it will.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Others may disagree with me, but I am a firm believer that if you have to force yourself to eat something, or eating something makes you cry, then you don't need it at that time. Eat what you want within the guidelines and enjoy your food, there are probably plenty of things that you like to eat, and it's ok to eat the same thing every day. And like Robin said, eat more starchy vegetables because they will help to stabilize your mood and give you energy during your cycle. I can eat 3 or 4 a day during mine...the farmer's market now has orange, yellow and purple ones that are awesome! Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Time of the month is really hard for me too. I ditto getting through it with sweet potatoes, and I love mashed roasted butternut squash with A LOT of ghee and raisins and cinnamon and a tad of cumin, curry, coconut milk. It's sweet, desserty, delicious, and compliant. AND very filling.

I'm on my second of 2 back to back Whole30s, and I definitely have times when it really wears on me. Either the cooking or I just get tired of my choices. I've addressed it by having some really really easy meals - I got compliant turkey salami at Whole Foods that I can eat for a really fast and nicely salty protein, and I have a banana and almond butter or shredded carrots with oil and vinegar. And then I try a couple of new things in a row - celeriac, bison meat, a new kind of fish, roasted cabbage (never did that before, yum!). The combo of easy and new jolts me out of the slump pretty well. Then I remind myself that that bored/tired of everything slump would get me when I was eating non whole30 too, and I would go to a couple of new restaurants and spend a lot of money and eat food that was terrible for me and feel like crap and grow out of my fat clothes. Which is better? LOL!

Keep with it! It's not worth it to bail now!

Laura

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys. I'm sticking it out, and reminding myself that even if I don't feel better, I have the knowledge that what I'm eating is the BEST food for my body and I can't ask for much more than that.

I think part of my struggle is the mental stuff and my perfectionist side coming out, as well as all the ridiculous emotional ties I'm finding that I have with food. I feel like I'll never get this sugar dragon off my back, and the thought of it taking years and years makes me want to curl up in a corner with some cookies and cry. Plus, I want to beat all the twisted psychology I have going on, so I find myself psycho-analyzing everything I eat (even though it's all compliant) because I want to make the BEST choices, not just a good one, if that makes sense. I worry about whether or not I'm actually hungry or if I'm just feeding a habit, whether or not I'm eating too late, am I eating enough, am I eating too little, do I have enough fat/protein/veg, etc? I know all of this is stuff I need to work through and I'm sure it's residual from the emotional issues I already have with food, but it's getting exhausting and making all of this so much harder than it needs to be. I think I've got this subconscious feeling that since I'm not seeing the physical results I expected, I must not be following the program the best way possible.

Plus, my husband is on day 20 and he's not really feeling the magic either (and is being pretty vocal about it) so that's kind of getting me down, because I feel like I'm the one that started us on this and convinced him to try it (and really, REALLY thought it would be the answer to his awful skin problems) and now he's talking about how he just has to "get through" 10 more days and then he's free to eat what he likes. He's stressing about the financial cost of all of this, and I feel the constant need to defend the choice to eat this way, even though I don't actually have any evidence about the words that I'm saying.

Still no period. I wish it would just SHOW UP so that I could be over these hormones! I also wondered about what breastfeeding does and if it might make me hungrier than usual? My son is 16-months old, and eats a good amount of solid food, but also nurses at least 3-4 times a day. I think I've had it in my head that as he got older, I'd be producing less breastmilk and would be feeling the effects less, but I'm wondering if my hormones and stuff are still affected as much as when he was younger?

Sorry for the whiney rant...I guess I just expected a lot of different things from this, and I have no one else to complain to that will understand!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You sound like you are really hard on yourself--Hang in there and be gentle with yourself (that doesn't mean cookies).

Keep in mind that stressing about all of this can really effect your hormones too (I know, I just gave you something else to stress about. Can you just relax and eat for the next twenty days, eat compliant foods but otherwise not worry about it? There's a lot of tolerance in what is "perfect" here... I really don't think you have to worry about eating too late or early or amounts or those kind of things. Can you just eat real food and enjoy it?

I apologize because I know that is going to sound obnoxious. But what comes through to me in your post is a high, high level of stress about you, food, your husband, your period.

Enjoy the awesome food and know that the other stuff will be there if you still want it 20 days from now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just wanted to check back in and say thanks to everyone for the encouragement.

It's still hard, but I feel like the struggle is lessening a bit. I'm trying to do what Emily said and just let it go...focus on eating good food and stop worrying about how much, when, etc. There's still a niggling anxiety in the back of my head this this will backfire, but at least it's helping for now.

I was getting nervous about Thanksgiving, but it turns out that I'll be working that day and it's just going to be me and my husband and our 16-month old, so I can keep everything whole30 compliant and not worry about pleasing other people. I'm going to make a pumpkin pie with a bit of honey in there, but I'm okay with this "cheat" I guess (especially since I've already added time on). I'm semi-planning another whole30 in January, since my birthday and Christmas are in December and I want to be able to enjoy myself without constantly thinking about food. Although, who knows what will happen when the time comes and I'm confronted with old foods...I can slowly feel myself losing the addiction to the cheap sugar since my first reaction now is "Oh man, that stuff tastes like plastic and is loaded with chemicals". I'm still craving the homemade good stuff, but those are things that I'm okay with treating myself to once in awhile.

Still working on the veg issues...I need to just suck it up and eat more. Sweet potatoes are my saving grace. I can comfortably say that I could eat them at every meal and be happy. I love them so much. Also coconut butter, warmed on a spoon. I just found that stuff and WOW. I have been missing out... :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...