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Day 9 -- might give up.


Elechdub

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I'm on day 9 of my first Whole30 and I'm dying. Or at least it feels that way.

I've been bloated since I started but today, my jeans aren't even fitting. I have the worst stomach ache -- stabby needles in my guts. And the most horrendous gas. Ugh. I was waking up at 5:30am before I started and now I can barely drag myself out of bed at 6:45am. I have no energy to work out. I have headaches on and off throughout the day. I'm cranky and I lose it at my husband for the stupidest things. I feel depressed -- i never normally feel depressed. I couldn't stand it anymore and got on the scale today and I'm UP 3 pounds from when I started. To top it off, my period is due any day now and everything feels so much worse today.

I have hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's but no symptoms for years. My goal for this 30 day experiment was to feel and look better and to develop a better relationship with food.

I've been eating totally on plan. Tons of veggies, ranging from raw leafy greens to steamed or roasted mixes. Mostly chicken, turkey and eggs as my protein. Avocados and coconut oil as my fats. I added in coconut milk because i was worried about not getting enough fat (yes, the stuff in the can, not the stuff in the carton). I cut out the nuts and fruit few days ago and things got exponentially worse. I'm not sneaking in any sugars or wheat or weird crap -- I read all labels and have been a total control freak for the past 9 days. I cooked all of my own stuff for thanksgiving and didn't eat a single thing off plan.

I'm so close to giving up. I had such high hopes of feeling so much better and maybe even finally losing those last stubborn 10 lbs. Instead I look like a beached whale and I think I may be screwing up my thyroid. I'm terrified that I'm going to gain weight. I'm terrified that I'm going to fart at work. Or throw up. Or snap at my new boss.

Please tell me it gets better. And, for heavens sake, is this normal??

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Hey!

What I understand is that you feel exhausted, bloated and you've gained 3 pounds since the start of your W30, 9 days ago? And your period is also due anytime now. Do you think that, maybe, the reasons you're frustrated with W30 are mainly PMS? Being tired, bloated, and a small weight gain screams PMS to me! I believe your cycle has a huge huge impact on your W30, especially if you're PMS'ing during your first week. That week is the toughest, and PMS are definitely no help!

There's also the "carb-flu": when you feel sick, no energy, sometimes maybe a bit dizzy because your body is not happy that you've stopped giving it sugar. Your body and brain love sugar because it's quick and easy to burn (and then store). When you stop feeding mostly on sugar, your body kind of freaks out. It doesn't remember how to use stored fat as energy (because running on dietary sugar is just much easier!) Does it mean that your body cannot run on fat? Absolutely not! But it needs time to adapt. And during that time, it will still scream for sugar.

Keep in mind the plan is 30 days. It's not just a random number Melissa and Dallas picked out. It's the minimum days most people need to feel improvement in their body.

Don't quit now. The first week (even first two weeks for some people) is NOT easy. But why quit now, suffer all the stress and decide not to wait around to reap the benefits of your hard work? Whole30 is not always an easy ride, but you don't know exactly what results you'll have if you don't stick with it.

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Well, it may not work for you, maybe this plan isn't for you, and that's fine.

If you can stick it out for at least 2 or 3 weeks, you may see some improvement, especially once your period passes. That can really send your hormones into a tizzy and cause all sorts of symptoms on top of the changes you are making with your diet. Some people really do have a hard time the first two weeks.

You don't have to cut out fruit entirely. I have an apple and/or a banana every day. I also try to regularly eat sweet potatoes. Maybe that will help? Especially with your period happening. I've had a harder time with PMS on Whole 30 and I'm eating more carbs now to balance that out.

If you can see your doctor, you may want to ask their advice to make sure you don't screw up your thyroid.

Also, not stepping on the scale is important at this point because it can send you into a spin, especially at the point where things might be really in flux and your body is going through a transition.

You may also want to try scaling back and easing into this, depending on what your diet has been like before this. Ease out one food group at a time, and then when you feel comfortable, start another Whole 30.

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Thanks for the replies everyone. I think I just needed to vent and put it out there so I didn't feel crazy. This morning I woke up before the alarm clock went off and I instantly knew I felt better. I weighed myself (yeah, I know I shouldn't but I'm so paranoid from years of dieting that I'm terrified about gaining fat on this new eating plan). I'm down 1.6 lbs from yesterday. I don't feel as sausagey. I'm still holding on to some water weight but I'm thinking drinking a lot of water today will help.

Here's what I did:

- I started using superenzymes. I had two pills before dinner and two after dinner to get things started.

- I drank a bottle of kombucha (no sugar)

- I thought I might be dehydrated and coconut water has always helped with that in the past. So I drank half a bottle with dinner.

- I ate more fat than usual. Half a can of coconut milk and half an avocado for dinner.

- I haven't been eating fruit because it's a trigger food for me, but I realized removing them might have made me go too low carb. I treated myself to a box of date rolls covered in coconut. I dont looooove dates so they're not much of a trigger for me. (ETA I didn't eat the whole box of date rolls. I had 2 and put the rest on the highest shelf in the house ;) )

- I set my alarm for later so I could get over 8 hours of sleep. I tossed and turned a lot but I woke up naturally this morning before my alarm clock went off.

I have been avoiding most goitrogen foods but there are many that I'm not even really aware of. I've been eating a ton of broccoli for instance and read this morning that its a goitrogen. Didn't know about sweet potatoes either but I haven't had any in a long time. Guess I have even more reading to do.

I WILL be sticking it out for the rest of the 30 days. I feel like I've suffered too much and come too far to quit 1/3 of the way through.

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Stop weighing your self.... Your not supposed to on W30 and trust me ...it makes a big difference, the stress that comes from the daily weigh ins is enough to stress you into all sorts of bad situations. You will do all sorts of UNHEALTHY things hopeing the scale moves down....

For me, the key to this lifestyle is in the absolute knowing that everything I put in my body is healthy and I'm relaxed and stress free as far as food/scale is concerned.... Just the letting go of these "stressors" Has left me so free that I believe my body,hormones,have straitened out and the bodyfat melted off... There is no magic pill that will correct stress related hormone imbalance, only relaxation....

BTW. I had the worst bloating/ indegestion/ gas/ tiredness for the first two weeks and then I straitened out.... Give your body time to adjust and relax and know you are doing the " healthy thing"

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I think you are doing a fantastic job. Do you realize how much willpower you have to remain compliant over the thanksgiving holiday and also despite how lousy you have been feeling. Quite amazing, girlfriend! Stick it out now-- you are over the hump. Cut out the broccoli, cabbage and use cruciferous veggies lightly-- they do create gas in some people. I can't wait to hear about your results. I'm rooting for you.

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Wait.... You're supposed to avoid sweet potatoes if you have a thyroid problem?!?!

I have to jump in here on this one: yes, goitrogens can be an issue for people with thyroid problems, but you need a large quantity before most people have any issues, and cooking them eliminates or nearly eliminates any impact. Lets not get crazy people! Eat a wide variety of plant foods, cook your cruciferous veggies, but I wouldn't eliminate all goitrogens unless you've already done a "normal" W30.
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Thanks everyone! Here's how messed up my hormones were: I read all the posts about sticking it out and I cried. I CRIED. in the bathroom at work, just a few tears while biting on my knuckles....and then I realized it's all prt of the process and I have to carry on.

I'm proud to say that I've done two more days of Whole30, and the worst might be behind me. I woke up this morning with a flatter stomach and a better attitude. I weighed myself to see if I'm back to my starting weight and I'm half a pound UNDER. So I took the scale and hid it from myself. No more weigh-ins now that I saw a move in the right direction.

Missmary, I do cook most of the goitrogens I eat so maybe it's not such a big deal. The funny thing is that all of the veggies I loooove? Yeah. Goitrogens :)

Thanks Robin -- I'm usually scared of starchy carbs because they set off cravings for more and more but I think I've got a good enough handle on my hunger / endless snacking issues to add them in. I'll give sweet potatoes a shot for breakfast.

And again, thanks for letting me rant and rave. I feel like that day was me hitting the wall and I'm glad I chose to climb it. Facing your demons suuuuucks...but it's so worth it after the fact.

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