Successes

[Tucker]

I have purchased the Whole30 Day by Day book.  I am on day 10 I am not feeling the same level of accomplishment as I did the first time a year ago.   This time is easier, I am more focused on the results of the foods I am eating rather than just being worried if foods are compliant or not and what to cook and so forth.  I really appreciate this book as it helps me to reflect each day and track my meals and the changes in how I am feeling.  However, I find myself not being able to move beyond "I ate three solid meals today that held me over until the next meal" in the daily section "What went well today?"  I am not feeling the energy or big impacts yet.  I am not sure what to even write. 

[ShannonM816]

It's your book, and you should be honest. If that's what went well for you, then write that. Getting three meals a day that are Whole30 compliant and hold you over until the next meal each time is really good. Some people definitely struggle with it.

Also remember that you could think about things like situations at work or with your family. Maybe you aren't as irritated at coworkers over little things, or maybe you got a picky eater in your family to try a food that they wouldn't normally, or maybe you took time to meditate or take a walk or get in a workout that you wouldn't normally have or that you didn't really feel like doing. You don't necessarily have to limit it to food, because the food part is just one aspect. I know for myself, when I have the food stuff down, other things in my life just seem to go better, so if you feel like that, list those things. Did you sleep better the night before, or feel like you were better able to pay attention at work? At some point here on the forum, someone posted that they hadn't realized how much difference Whole30 made to their mood until they realized they were sitting in traffic on their way home as usual, but they weren't angry at all the other drivers -- maybe something like that.

Think outside the box a little, but again, if the thing that stands out to you as going well that day is that you ate three meals that each held you over til the next meal, that is good enough and is something worth writing down and celebrating.

[KristenT]

Personally, I write down anything that went well that day. No cravings? Cool. My kids didn't throw a tantrum? Great. The book is for YOU. For YOU to write about anything that went well that day. Got off work early? That sounds good to me- write it down! Didn't have to explain what the whole30 is, someone just accepted it? Win. Didn't have to think about when your next meal was coming...write it down. 

The book is for you to track your progress and how you're doing mentally. The tiniest thing can be positive. Write. It. Down. 

[ShannonM816]

I feel like I also should've mentioned before, sometimes second (or third or fourth or whatever) Whole30s are just not as amazing as the first one was. That's not a bad thing, although it is sometimes harder to get excited about them. It just means that it's lost its shiny new feeling, and is a lot more routine. That may be part of what's going on here. You're not really feeling all that different, because you're starting out at a better place than you were the first time.

Here's an article about why subsequent Whole30s just aren't the same as the first one:  https://whole30.com/2015/02/second-whole30/

[Tucker]

Thank you both.  I appreciate the input.  Yes, the second is not the same magic as the first, but in some ways easier.  I have found foods I like, few cravings besides a glass of wine in the evening, and prep seems easier.  In addition to not seeing those stand-out victories, the other thing that is bothering me is the lack of weight loss.  I don't have much to lose, but I am not losing what I expected to.  I know this is not about the weight, but I do intent to lose 10 pounds or so, and if I don't while doing the Whole30 I am afraid I will have to "diet" AFTER the Whole30 then go back to eating Whole30ish and --- hope to keep the weight off?  THAT seems counterinteritive to the program.  

[ShannonM816]

1 hour ago, Tucker said:

 I know this is not about the weight, but I do intent to lose 10 pounds or so, and if I don't while doing the Whole30 I am afraid I will have to "diet" AFTER the Whole30 then go back to eating Whole30ish and --- hope to keep the weight off?  THAT seems counterinteritive to the program.  

Number one, you're not even halfway through this Whole30, it is way too early to know whether you will ultimately lose weight or not.

Number two, a healthy amount of weight to lose for sustainable weight loss is considered around 1-2 pounds per week. You may have lost more on your first Whole30, but big changes often result in more weight loss than normal. You've done this before, it's not new anymore, and you may not lose as much. You might want to rethink your timeline for losing those 10 pounds.

Finally, why not try something different than the typical diet? Do you believe that Whole30 is making you healthier? If you do, why not just keep eating close to Whole30 and getting healthier, focus on things like exercise, sleep, and stress -- which all also play a huge role in health and weight -- and let the weight loss happen as it happens? If you're getting healthier, your weight will adjust itself accordingly. People always assume that losing weight=getting healthier, and that can be true, but what we're asking you to do is look at it from the other direction. Focus on getting healthy. If you are healthy, your weight will adjust to a point that reflects your health. We can't guarantee that the number your body settles on will match the number you currently have in your mind as your ideal, but if you feel good, and you are active, and you can do all the things you want to do, why does an arbitrary number matter so much?