Day 5 - Falling Apart

[cjyhc4]

Today is Day 5, and I'm absolutely falling apart. My emotions are in shambles, having multiple full-fledged meltdowns each day. If I was a child, I would call them tantrums. I've taken 2-3 hour naps nearly every afternoon so far. I'm shaking so bad that I'm dropping things and have struggled to chop my veggies. I'm so weak that I can't even work (not workout, I mean, do my job). I don't have enough energy left to go to the store, much less cook. Two days ago (Day 3), I had a couple mugs of English Breakfast tea, the caffeine mellowed me A LOT, and I was able to work the rest of the day. But, at the end of the day, I still didn't have the energy to do all the prep and cook. My roommate sees how much I'm struggling, and he's doing a good job of cooking the evening meals when I can't. I chose to do this, and it's eating at me that he's having to help this much. He didn't sign up for this; it was my decision.

A little back info.... I was diagnosed with RMSF back in early September. I went through two rounds of antibiotics (September and late December). I started drinking kombucha in early January, which helped, a little. Mostly, it allowed me to completely quit drinking soda. I have still been suffering from the "after" effects, which are nearly identical to chronic Lyme disease (joint inflammation, etc). I quit drinking nearly 3 weeks ago, and it made a slight difference, just not enough. I started researching anti-inflammatory diets and settled on Whole30, based on the experience of my dad's girlfriend. I spent a week planning and preparing, and nearly a full weekend prepping sauces, condiments, a week's worth of breakfast frittata, etc. 

Am I eating enough?

Breakfasts have been a 2 egg piece of frittata with salmon, onion, tomato and spinach, with 1/2 an avocado (some days), and either homemade pico or the roasted red pepper sauce.

Lunch has been a stuffed pepper, made with a mix of ground turkey and beef, kale, onion, butternut squash and cauliflower. Usually with a spoonful of the roasted red pepper sauce for extra flavor. On Days 3 and 4, I added leftover roasted veggies.

Snacks. I'll admit that I have been snacking some, a small handful (probably amounts to a tablespoon or so, at a time) of raisins now and then, a small handful of nuts (the deluxe mixed nuts without peanuts), and dried plantain slices with almond butter (only did this once). I do ask myself the question, "If I had a steak in front of me right now, would I eat it?", and if the answer is 'yes', I go ahead with the snack.

Dinner. A large serving of protein (did two tilapia fillets one night, a turkey leg another), a large serving of mixed green and yellow veggies, and a good side salad usually with 1/2 an avocado (even added a hard-boiled egg one night).

I haven't been feeling terribly hungry persay, but as soon as I get a plate of food in front of me, it's like I haven't eaten in a week. My mood then mellows a hair, and I'm ready for another nap.

I hope you all can assure me that this too shall pass, and if you have any inkling of how long, it would help. I broke a plate, and tried to quit my job this morning, just so I could go back to bed. Then I cried for nearly an hour straight. Fortunately, my roommate is also my boss, and he can see where it's coming from.

[ShannonM816]

Are you salting your food? Definitely be sure you do that, just salt enough that it tastes good to you. 

You need to make sure you add a serving or two of fat to each meal, in addition to the oil you cook in. So have half to a whole avocado with a meal. Have a big dollop of mayo to dip your vegetables in, or a couple of tablespoons of oil-based sauce, or a big handful of olives, or a third to a half a can of full-fat coconut milk. 

You might also want to have a fist-sized serving of a starchy vegetable each day, like sweet potato, potato, other root vegetables like beets, turnips, parsnips, or carrots, or winter squashes like butternut or acorn or kabocha squash, or some plantains.

If you're needing to snack pretty consistently, something about your meals is not quite right. I think consciously adding fat to each meal will help, and of course continue to have plenty of vegetables and a palm-sized portion or two of protein, or when eggs are your only protein, have as many whole eggs as you can hold in one hand, probably 3-4 at a minimum.

[cjyhc4]

48 minutes ago, ShannonM816 said:

Are you salting your food? Definitely be sure you do that, just salt enough that it tastes good to you. 

You need to make sure you add a serving or two of fat to each meal, in addition to the oil you cook in. So have half to a whole avocado with a meal. Have a big dollop of mayo to dip your vegetables in, or a couple of tablespoons of oil-based sauce, or a big handful of olives, or a third to a half a can of full-fat coconut milk. 

You might also want to have a fist-sized serving of a starchy vegetable each day, like sweet potato, potato, other root vegetables like beets, turnips, parsnips, or carrots, or winter squashes like butternut or acorn or kabocha squash, or some plantains.

If you're needing to snack pretty consistently, something about your meals is not quite right. I think consciously adding fat to each meal will help, and of course continue to have plenty of vegetables and a palm-sized portion or two of protein, or when eggs are your only protein, have as many whole eggs as you can hold in one hand, probably 3-4 at a minimum.

Yes, I'm salting my food. Prior to this week, I rarely used salt in my cooking. At first, it made me really thirsty, but has since tapered off.

I hadn't thought of the coconut milk as being a fat, and I love the idea of a big handful of olives

As a kid, my mom would always fix me a baked potato when I was having a bad day. It never really made sense, until now. I'd gotten out of the habit, but it is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. It's probably time to add a small baker to each day, and I'll look at some seasoned mayo options to add the fat, and keep it interesting. I've been making sure to include sweet potato or a winter squash each evening with dinner.

I agree that something is not quite right about my meals. Rather than cutting my frittata into 6 pieces this week. I'll cut it into 4 (closer to 3 eggs), and be sure to add 1/2 an avocado every morning.

Thank you!