NikayaSmith Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 I know this question will highly upset some people but I don’t know what else to do except ask. I need to know what is the best way to not do the perfect whole30. I’ve been on since February 5th. Every problem I’ve encountered has lead to more foods being cut out. Stomach issues - cut cauliflower. Headaches - cut nightshades. I’ve done it. I’ve not had a drop of sugar, no dairy, or a single grain of any kind in nearly two months. What has happened is that I am down to so few foods I’m cobstantly hungry. I have my eggs for breakfast. Lunch and dinner are the same every day because I’ve only found two recipes that I can cook that are in compliance. The hunger pains at night are enough to bring me to tears because it’s so many hours without food. My question is this. Would it be worse to eat more than three meals a day - a big no no on whole 30 or would it be worse to add a food that is on the no list? I am willing to accept after all this time that I cannot do the perfect whole 30. THE PROBLEM IS ME; NOT the program. But I really believe if I just mess up one little thing (either add more food or add one bad food) it’s still better than not doing any whole30. I would not add sugar or dairy. I would most likely find some kind of grain with little to no nutritional value and add about 1/4 - 1/2 a serving to one meal a day. OR I would add a fourth meal at night just to combat hunger. Which of these would be the least bad option? Yes, I know this is not what I’m supposed to do. I’m truly just trying to make the best decision. Thanks so much for any suggestions. It is really appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ShannonM816 Posted March 28, 2018 Moderators Share Posted March 28, 2018 If you've been on since February 5, it may be time to start some reintroductions and see how you feel as you add other foods back in. Whole30 was never meant to be WholeForever. I'll link some articles so you can read up on reintroductions and life after Whole30. The main difference is going to be, all the extra things you've cut out, you can do reintroductions of those things if you want to, just applying the same idea of reintroductions of the non-Whole30 foods -- have it 2-3 times in one day, see how you feel. Go back to Whole30 eating for at least two days between. Then move on to the next food you're reintroducing. https://whole30.com/step-two-finished/ https://whole30.com/2014/09/dear-melissa-slow-reintroduction-roll/ https://whole30.com/step-four-finished/ https://whole30.com/2016/09/what-is-food-freedom/ https://whole30.com/2014/05/dear-melissa-eat-part-1/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikayaSmith Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 I don’t see any reason to stop doing whole 30 since I’ve not been successful yet. I just need to know which is worse. Or which is better. Does that make sense? I’d rather not add in any of the bad foods but got told quite sternly in the beginning that eating more than three meals a day was a huge no no. Unless I misunderstood. Which is totally possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted March 28, 2018 Moderators Share Posted March 28, 2018 35 minutes ago, NikayaSmith said: I don’t see any reason to stop doing whole 30 since I’ve not been successful yet. I just need to know which is worse. Or which is better. Does that make sense? I’d rather not add in any of the bad foods but got told quite sternly in the beginning that eating more than three meals a day was a huge no no. Unless I misunderstood. Which is totally possible. I was involved in all the conversations that were had with you in the beginning and no one suggested quite sternly not to eat more than three meals a day - our recommendation is ALWAYS to eat between meals if you're hungry but to make that a protein and a fat and then to use the information and increase your meals subsequent in order to make it 4-5 hours between meals. If you have more than 4-5 hours between meals it is also ALWAYS our recommendation to eat - again, protein and fat ideally. Unfortunately we cannot make this call for you. If you feel that it is in your best interest nutrition wise to eat something off plan, then that's what you should do. You would not be on Whole30 anymore which is why Shannon's suggestion of doing reintroductions is important so you can see how these foods affect you. We can't tell you what's 'less bad' to add back in - it depends on how you personally respond to the foods you're considering adding back. I also don't understand what 'I've not been successful yet' means. If you didn't eat any of the off plan items for 30 or more days, then you successfully did a Whole30. If you're eating barely anything during the day and so hungry that you want to cry, then this program is clearly not working for you if you've taken all the suggestions, help and feedback we've given. That's not a reflection on you as a person, just the fact of the matter that for some people in some context, this isn't the best program at the time for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slc_melissa Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 one of the major points of the whole30 is to figure out what types of foods work for you personally. The reintroduction are the only way to do that reckoning. What were your goals with the program if not that? (How are you defining success or lack thereof?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikayaSmith Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 The person who introduced me to whole 30 and gave me my very first list of foods not to eat is the person who told me it was an unbreakable rule to only eat three meals a day just like all the other rules were unbreakable. I had no idea you were supposed to eat every 4-5 hours because that is at least four meals a day and five for most adults depending on how many hours they sleep. I never ever saw that anywhere. I will absolutely not be going off plan and adding foods if I can eat a fourth meal. Now that I know that is an option, which I thought was what I said, that is what I will be doing. I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. I was not asking what food I should add back in. I knew if i was going to it would be 1/4 to 1/2 a serving of low nutrient grain one meal a day. I was just trying to decide which would be the better foul. Now that I know that I was supposed to be eating four or more meals a day I consider myself back on day one as of today. Hopefully, 3rd time is a charm and this time I will do a real whole30. April 26th falls just after my birthday and that would be a good present to me!! Thanks you everyone for the advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slc_melissa Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 I think you should ignore everything that person told you and do your own research. Pretty much anything you could ever want to know is available on this website and forum. Like under https://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/ and https://whole30.com/pdf-downloads/ and so on. I personally usually eat Meal 1 around 8 in the morning, Meal 2 around 12-1 in the afternoon, a pre-workout and post-workout when needed, Meal 3 somewhere in the 6-8 pm range. Although I might be awake at 10 pm, I'm not going to eat another meal then. Sleep is really important. If you're eating 5 meals 5 hours apart in a day, that means you're only sleeping at max 4 hours (or, I guess waking up to eat) .....that will mess with your hormones, ability to mentally function, and quality of life.....prioritize sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwolford Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 You were successful because you completed 30 days! Please start reintroducing foods, a long period of elimination and restriction makes W30 go from fun to painful. Give yourself a break! Eat more meals and add more foods. And if you're gunna add grains, do the highly nutritional ones, not the low nutritional. Be easy with yourself and stop the W30 ASAP! Time to reintroduce your foods- also, I am never adding sugar or dairy again too, but you better believe I am going back to my oats, beans, etc when I'm done! Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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