Karin Cournoyer Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Help me! I am on day 19 and I am feeling really frustrated! My pants are getting tighter instead of looser. I feel like I am doing everything right, but I am wondering if I should switch over to the AIP? I would really hate to have to stop eating eggs b/c I have my own chickens and they are a very inexpensive source of protein. I've been spending a ton on groceries because I am eating more meat than I normally do and I still have three other people in my family to feed. I work full-time (9-10 hr. days), have two young kids, and attend grad school at night. I also work out 6 days/week (P90x, trx, spinning, yoga, running). I have not weighed myself, but I am certain that I am gaining weight. I do not necessarily think that I am gaining fat, but it feels more like inflammation maybe? Or just bloating? Do I just ride it out? Extend it beyond 30 days? I am suspecting a coconut allergy b/c my throat gets itchy after I eat coconut or manna/oil. So I will not be having coconut for the forseeable future. I do eat some nuts, but really no more than I was eating before, and I try to stick to macadamia nuts, cashews, and almonds as a last resort. I really don't know what else to do. Maybe I need more fat? I've been roasting veggies in coconut oil, and now in ghee, and eating meats that have plenty of fat, but I'm not really eating additional fats in my meals beyond that. I put olive oil and vinegar on salads when I have them. I try to have a little something to eat before I workout and then I have protein and sweet potato or butternut squash right afterwords. I have been drinkning a lot of water and still feel thirsty. I do have one to two cups of coffee in the morning, but I am drinking it black with cinnamon and/or cocoa powder. I'm sorry to be so long-winded, but I'm just trying to give a good background. I really could use all of the encouragement/advice I can get. Thank you! ETA: Sleep could be part of the issue as well. I am trying my best to get a solid 8 hours, but I have a four year old who has never slept through the night (besides a random night here or there) and I also get home late some nights and have to still wake up at 4:15 to get my workout in before my long day. I go to bed as early as possible the other nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted November 15, 2012 Moderators Share Posted November 15, 2012 So you work 9 to 10 hours per day, workout 6 days per week, attend grad school at night, and have a family? That's too much! Seriously, pushing yourself so hard means your hormones are almost certainly out of whack. Perfect food cannot make all you are doing go smoothly. Stress can make your body be conservative about burning energy. Here are a few thoughts. Cut your intense workouts to two days per week and allow yourself some gentle yoga another two days per week. Reduce your nut consumption. If you are eating the same amount of nuts as before your Whole30, but you are eating lots of meat and fat that you were not eating before, you may be eating more fat than you need. I never say you might be eating too much fat, but maybe you are. It sounds like you are right to avoid coconut products. You might want to try them again in the future, but switching to ghee sounds like a good idea for now. I don't know why you should try the AI protocol at this point. Unless you are having a reaction to eggs, I would keep eating them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Cournoyer Posted November 15, 2012 Author Share Posted November 15, 2012 I wish I could cut back on something other than exercise! I will try to cut down as much as possible and get some more sleep instead. I am also going to avoid nuts for the remainder of the Whole30. And I think you are right about the hormones being out of whack. I also ordered some digestive enzymes and probiotics because I definitely feel bloated and my stomach has been kind of grumbly. Thanks so much for the helpful response! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snicci Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 I am one of those people who feels like I need to workout almost every day also, but recently I have realized that the one thing that is more important than working out is SLEEP! It's just a little change of priorities and you might see major results! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocIKY Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 It's totally new to me.... but since starting whole30, if I don't get a good night's sleep (which happened a lot in the beginning) I didn't go to the gym. i wish I could double like everything Tom said about stress and hormone regulation! SO so so true! Also, are you staying hydrated? You really can't over do the water. If any of what you are experiencing is bloating or inflammation water will go a long way towards flushing all that out! Drink, drink, drink more water!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Cournoyer Posted November 15, 2012 Author Share Posted November 15, 2012 Thank you, everyone. I too am kind of an obsessive exerciser. I just worry that if I cut down too much I'll lose my steam and quit altogether. Working out once per day for 6 days/week is actually cutting back for me! I just ran a marathon at the end of September, and I actually feel like I'm already cutting back. I will, at least for the remainder of the Whole30, try to cut back even more. Love the idea of skipping the gym if I don't get a full night of sleep. I really wish my daughter would sleep through the night and/or not wake up at 3:30 a.m. for the day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Stop. Working. Out. Get. More. Sleep. Give. Yourself. ABreak. (okay, I know that was technically four words, but I'm trying to keep a pattern here ). Seriously, everything that Tom said. In my opinion, you're dancing dangerously close to burnout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Cournoyer Posted November 15, 2012 Author Share Posted November 15, 2012 Thank you, Robin. So you think I should not work out at all? For how long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flynn Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 You are working out 6 days a week and eating a lot of nutrient dense food to build the muscle you are working. Building a muscle makes it bigger so it seems kind of obvious your pants would get tight on top of all the other reasons everyone mentioned. I agree with everyone else, slow down and relax a bit and let your body have some recovery time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 Maybe not completely, but I would follow Tom's advice of twice a week and a real focus on relaxation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Cournoyer Posted November 16, 2012 Author Share Posted November 16, 2012 Thanks, Robin. I took today off from working out and attempted to get some extra rest last night. Unfortunately, my daughter was up for two hours in the middle of the night. There isn't much I can do about that, which is really starting to wear on me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Strathdee Posted November 16, 2012 Share Posted November 16, 2012 I hear you on that front! My nearly 5 year old is starting to sleep through, but my 3 year old is still up 3-4 times a night. You just have to do what you can with what you have (and drink more coffee ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kcournoyer21 Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 So I cut out the nuts, took an extra rest day, got 8 hours of sleep last night and today I feel puffier than ever. Could it be Smartwater? I know it has "electrolytes" added. Should I stop drinking it? I've been drinking about 3 liters of water per day...I'm just so frustrated and starting to think that if I'm going to feel bloated and puffy and awful, I might as well be enjoying Starbucks lattes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kcournoyer21 Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Just to add, I am now on day 21. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Cournoyer Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 Just realized when I posted from my phone it was under a different username, oops! On my computer, it logs me in with FB. Sorry about that. Please see my earlier comments. Any advice is appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 So I cut out the nuts, took an extra rest day, got 8 hours of sleep last night and today I feel puffier than ever. Could it be Smartwater? I know it has "electrolytes" added. Should I stop drinking it? I've been drinking about 3 liters of water per day...I'm just so frustrated and starting to think that if I'm going to feel bloated and puffy and awful, I might as well be enjoying Starbucks lattes. I could be wrong, but I think electrolytes are mostly sodium. Good job getting rid of nuts. Is your entire 3 liters of water a day in Smartwater? I actually didn't even know Smartwater contained electrolytes. I thought that I had noticed a slightly salty taste, but thought I was just imagining it. It never occurred to me to read the label. I drink them maybe once a month in the summer when I'm at Trader Joes and thirsty. I suggest you lay off the Smartwater (regular filtered water is awesome or you could Google Sassy Water cuz it's even more awesome) and give things a little time. Don't give up yet and continue to stay away from the scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Cournoyer Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 Thank you! Being realistic with the holidays coming, I am going to extend the Whole30 to a Whole35, but not beyond that. I have a friend who wants to do one in January, so maybe I'll do one again with her then. And yes, sadly the 3 liters is all smartwater for the most part. I just like it and the big bottles are more convenient when I'm on the go. I will continue to stay away from the scale. Off to the Googles to find out about sassywater... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Thank you! Being realistic with the holidays coming, I am going to extend the Whole30 to a Whole35, but not beyond that. I have a friend who wants to do one in January, so maybe I'll do one again with her then. And yes, sadly the 3 liters is all smartwater for the most part. I just like it and the big bottles are more convenient when I'm on the go. I will continue to stay away from the scale. Off to the Googles to find out about sassywater... Hopefully a Moderator will chime in and either convince you to stop the SmartWater or tell me to shut up because they are fine. Sassy water is so cool. Good luck with everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Cournoyer Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 I'm convinced! The more I think about it, every time I drink SmartWater (I seem to go through periods where I drink it and then for whatever reason, I stop for a while), I've ended up puffy. There has to be a connection. Either way, it won't hurt anything to stay away from it. Thank you! And as soon as I can get my hands on some mint leaves, I will be trying the Sassy Water! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 I found out about the whole9 site from sock-doc.com it has heaps of info about overtraining and adrenal fatigue... I was a classic case. I also had the always drinking but always thirsty problem and many other signs. I still train every day but following what I learnt from his site.... Major major improvements.. Using whole9 to get the right balance into my paleo eating, currently on day10 of whole30 and soooo happy how everything is going health AND exercise wise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Cournoyer Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 Okay, according to Google, SmartWater just has magnesium, potassium, and calcium, but not any sodium. Maybe I'm drinking too much of it and throwing off my electrolyte balance? No? I'm going to stop drinking it for now either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karin Cournoyer Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 Thanks, Juzbo, I will check that site out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 I'm convinced! The more I think about it, every time I drink SmartWater (I seem to go through periods where I drink it and then for whatever reason, I stop for a while), I've ended up puffy. There has to be a connection. Either way, it won't hurt anything to stay away from it. Thank you! And as soon as I can get my hands on some mint leaves, I will be trying the Sassy Water! Dump it for at leat 30 days. Can't wait to hear how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirl Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Thanks, Juzbo, I will check that site out! Great! Like whole30, you have to be brave to make some changes, but the results are worth it. Let me know if you have any questions... Via my log whole30 mellbourne style Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heatherdarbs Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 So I cut out the nuts, took an extra rest day, got 8 hours of sleep last night and today I feel puffier than ever. Could it be Smartwater? I know it has "electrolytes" added. Should I stop drinking it? I've been drinking about 3 liters of water per day...I'm just so frustrated and starting to think that if I'm going to feel bloated and puffy and awful, I might as well be enjoying Starbucks lattes. This used to happen to me when I was overtraining. The only way I'd get rid of the "puff" was when I'd run for miles and sweat out the water retention. The problem is, if you continue to pound your body into the ground, it will continue to react that way (among other things). No one can know for certain what exactly is going on, but I would suggest taking at least a few days to a week off to let your body try to balance; it needs times to repair - let it repair - the tight pants are most likely a direct result of this. Do you have any edema? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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