Day 22 still weak.

[alvastarr]

I don't know what to do. I have to see a doctor today for a different reason, so I might ask him, but it's crazy that I eat breakfast and feel so weak within the hour that I'm tired just raising my arms to do my hair. 

My friends are all telling me, "you need carbs!" 

But I feel like I *do* eat carbs. What do they want me to do, have a slice of bread!? That sounds nuts to me now. 

Today's breakfast is attached. 

[Jihanna]

So, that looks like one egg and maybe a quarter of a sweet potato... which means it's entirely possible that you're not eating anywhere near enough food, and that would definitely lead to weakness. (I do see the celery and ?almond butter? also, but am focusing on the protein and carbs.)  Nutrition is cumulative, so if this is how your breakfasts look every day, then it's no wonder that your body is feeling the effects day after day (even if you up your intake starting now, it would take several days for the body to really "catch up" in terms of feeling well-fueled).

When egg is the only protein, a serving is however many you can hold in your hand. I've got small hands (my 14yo's hands are bigger than mine are, quite literally), but even I can hold 3 eggs in one hand without it being a problem.

Many of us come into Whole30 with preconceived notions of how much we should be eating, how little needs to be on our plates for it to be a healthy serving and/or allow us to lose weight, etc. This is harmful in so many ways, I think, because it prevents us from feeling like we can fully embrace the spirit of the program.

My suggestion would be to make yourself a big 3-egg frittata tomorrow (with potato or sweet potato, onion, spinach, whatever you want to toss in there because so many things work well) and eat until you feel full. Don't stuff yourself, don't feel like you have to eat the whole thing if you just aren't hungry enough, but make it available and tell yourself that it's honestly okay to eat that much if you're hungry enough to do it (I tell you truthfully, I can definitely down a 3-egg frittata for breakfast, all by my lonesome; I have to use 5-6 eggs if I plan to share with someone). Whatever is left over, save it in case you get hungry before lunchtime.

Also, if you're drinking coffee in the mornings, make sure you don't drink it until after you've eaten your entire breakfast. Coffee is a known appetite-suppressant, so drinking it before or alongside breakfast can prevent you from feeling hungry enough to eat a bigger breakfast. Again, I realize that eating more might seem counter-intuitive, but sometimes that's exactly what's needed.

[alvastarr]

That was two eggs in the picture, but I take your point. I will add an extra egg in the morning and see how that does. 

Doctor today suggested adding fruit to meals and eating that first so I'll do that as well. 

[kirbz]

My initial reaction to this post and your other post about Day 15 was that you aren't eating very much at all. Of course it's hard to tell from the internet and without know your personal context, but your meals seem small. Are you have 1-2 palms of protein, 1-2 servings of fat, and a 1-3 cups of vegetables with every meal?

It may feel like a lot, but it might be worth trying to eat at the upper end of the meal template for a while to see how that makes you feel. And definitely don't fear those starchy vegetables! Though I've heard the moderators recommend that you have one first-sized serving a day and eat it in the evening to avoid the sleepiness that can come with eating starchy vegetables. So maybe that could help too? Of course, if you're active, you may want more...

I hope this helps and I hope your exhaustion improves!