Protein Powder/Reintroduction Dilemma

[Guest]

Hello everyone!

I know the whole protein powder topic has been discussed a lot, but I still have questions. Tomorrow is my last day of Whole30 and yes, I feel amazing and yes, my relation to food has changed, which I'm thrilled about, but I haven't seen as much of a change in my body I was hoping (which I know is not the purpose of Whole30). A couple years ago, I did a cleanse with a nutritionist that included Nutritional Frontiers Protein Powder and Lean Greens Powder (linked for reference). The cleanse included the same parameters of Whole30 minus this component. The layout of my day was the following:

• Morning: Protein/Greens with non-dairy milk (frozen berries optional)
• Mid-Morning: Snack (apple w/ almond butter, serving of fresh fruit/vegetables, avocado with salsa, organic deli meat, handful of nuts minus peanuts, RX or Larabar, hard boiled eggs)
• Lunch: Lean Protein with veggies
• Mid-Afternoon: Protein/Greens with non-dairy milk (frozen berries optional)
• Dinner: Lean Protein with veggies
• Snack (optional): see snacks above

I had better results weight-wise in the two weeks of this meal plan than I've had on the Whole30 and reaped all the benefits including beating my food addictions. I'm assuming the extra weight loss happened because the two protein shakes a day helped fill me up in fewer calories while still providing me with the proper nutrients (what my nutritionist coined as "supportive nutrients) needed and as far as I can tell, this is one of the healthiest/cleanest protein powders out there (I'd love to hear your opinions).

While I'm not crazy about the idea of reintroducing protein powder, I feel really stuck as to how to alter my current Whole30 meal plan or go forward from the Whole30 in a way that will be more beneficial to my weight loss. My next guess if I were to alter my Whole30 meal plan would be cutting out natural sugar altogether, which also doesn't sound like a balanced mindset. I have something on Sunday that I was hoping to shed a couple of pounds/get rid of some bloating before and wanted to implement something new to help me out, but if I introduce protein powder I feel like that'll throw my whole reintroduction phase off track.

Any tips would be very much appreciated!

[ladyshanny]

2 minutes ago, kellythomas710 said:

I feel really stuck as to how to alter my current Whole30 meal plan or go forward from the Whole30 in a way that will be more beneficial to my weight loss. 

Hi @kellythomas710 - this phrase really stuck out to me in light of the fact that you don't necessarily feel you want to introduce protein powder and that the Whole30 has allowed your relationship with food to change. We cannot and will never give weight loss hacks on Whole30. You are free to reintroduce as you like and modify your meal composition and timing as a self experiment and see what results from from a physical and overall standpoint. 

Your comment about the protein powder filling you up with less calories is a diet mindset and we really try to avoid that on Whole30. Afterwards you're free to do as you wish but much of the relationship with food resolution is because we don't worry about calories, we listen to our bodies to determine what we need and how much.

I'm sorry that you're struggling and I know my answer isn't what you likely want to hear but there is nothing we can really say that is going to do what you are after (shed a couple pounds by Sunday).