Day 23. Very Frustrated

[Jillspin]

I was excited to start the whole 30 jan 1. Reading about all the benefits gave me hope that I too would experience something positive. I have been whole 30 compliant for 23 days. It takes a lot of time and effort at the store reading labels and in the kitchen prepping meals. I am a type one diabetic 23 years and have had Crohn's disease for 9 years. Except for some stabilization of my blood sugar as most of my meals have negligible carbs and I am taking significantly less insulin, I felt horrible before and still feel horrible. I am starting to feel that this will turn out to be a big waste of my time and effort. I will do the reintroduction as per the book but am not sure I will notice anything as there has been absolutely no improvement in how I feel. I have previously tried gluten free for a year and dairy free about 8 months of the same year. That dietary change also made no difference in how I felt. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[kirbz]

I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing such frustration! In order to best help you figure out what might be going on, it will help for you to list out what you've been eating. Perhaps give us a rundown of a few days worth of meals, including portion sizes. Hopefully we can help you so  you can have a great experience! 

[Jillspin]

Breakfast every day is 2 scrambled eggs with peppers and onions fried in coconut oil and black coffee. Some days also 1/2 grapefruit. Lunch is grilled chicken 3oz from dinner leftovers, carrot and celery sticks, hard boiled egg and apple. Dinner. 5 oz chicken breast, broccoli,  3/4 cup mashed potatoes with coconut milk and clarified butter. If I need a snack, a few nuts about 15 total; almonds and cashews. If my sugar is low I will have 5 grapes. This is my typical day.  I may substitute roasted butternut squash for the potatoes or a baked potato with clarified butter. I also have salad every dinner meal with whole30 homemade ranch dressing. Lettuce Tomato, carrots and peppers.

[kirbz]

I'm sure others will weigh in as well but my first reaction is that you aren't eating very much, particularly for breakfast. Do you feel full for 4-5 hours after you eat? The fact that you have a habit for snacks suggests that perhaps not? 

When eggs are your sole source of protein, you should eat as many as you can hold in one hand, which is usually 3-4 for most people. You also don't have any fat and pretty minimal vegetables for your breakfast. Could you perhaps add a soup (a nice creamy soup such as this one is a very palatable way for me to eat vegetables in the morning: http://meljoulwan.com/2012/10/24/golden-cauliflower-soup/) and another egg to your breakfast? And perhaps some bacon or avocado as fat? 

Your lunch also looks a bit light (unless you're eating cups of carrot and celery sticks) and doesn't seem to have any fat. 

Are you working out? If you have high intensity and/or long workouts, you may also need additional mini meals to replace what you're losing during exercise. 

In addition, when you need to snack, it's best to have a mini meal or a combination of protein and fat rather than something like nuts. Think of it like a very small meal rather than a snack. 

I hope this helps! I know a lot of people come to Whole30 terrified of fats. But it really is so, so important for the energy and so many of the other benefits! 

 

[Jillspin]

Thanks for the input. I occasionally add avocado to my chicken at lunch for chicken salad on lettuce. I was exercising, walking 2 miles on the treadmill between 3 and 3.5 mph about 3 days a week for the first two weeks then ended up with gout in my right ankle and could not walk without pain. I have used the treadmill 4-6 times per week over the last 1 1/2 years. I will try the suggestions and hope for the best. Thank you.

[KarenandMike]

Hi Jill:

I am a newbie to Whole30 but wanted to encourage you to keep going!  Hold a firm positive mental picture of yourself succeeding - and do not permit this to fade - no matter what fear or worry creeps into your mind based upon the past.  Keep seeking those positives you are finding - like stabilized blood sugar - that is AWESOME!  My fasting blood sugar has reduced well too! 

I have my own health challenges that I walked into Whole30 with and have done 2 other simliar resets.  I noted that I don't lose weight and see rewards as quickly as others.  It takes me a few extra weeks to reap the rewards.  This may be the same for you.  I am planning to continue this a little more before I re-enter foods - we could do this together! 

I am sorry you are still feeling horrible - my husband and I are still somewhat fatigued on day 14 - but are minds are clearer - we're ecstatic for this wonderful positive!   The timetables are general trends that they provide so people have a sense of what happens what you make these improvements to your diet.  Not everyone will experience these things the same.  

I know it feels like a lot of work but YOU ARE WORTH a lot of work to be healthier.  Eating processed quick foods may be easy but living with an unhealthy body is NOT easy at all.  So we dice and chop and make all our meals - and we minimize our eating out - we are in this for the long haul, the long term gains.  You are doing the right thing and you have been committed to doing what you could for a while now.  

I really want to ENCOURAGE you to hold on.  Our bodies do not change overnight - give it some EXTRA time and I promise I will be here to blog it out with you.  As my husband and I talk this through - we realize that there are some very serious decisions to be made about what if much at all we put back into our diet.......truth be told!  Why would I add a muffin or cookie.....that truly only takes away health.....it adds nothing in health to us.  

Hugs and I am excited that you are heading into a compliant whole30 this week!  You go girl!!

Karen

 

[Jillspin]

Thanks for the reply and encouragement.

[Jillspin]

I finished whole30 round one plus the reintroduction. I am so disappointed by all the effort I put in and it did nothing to indicate any sensitivities to anything I reintroduced.  My conclusion is, it does not work for everyone. I was so excited for the hope and possibilities of the "life changing results" so many talk about. It was a big let down for me. I would never consider doing a round 2 as the only difference I saw was a stabilization of blood sugar. This is because most of the food is low carb and so I was taking in less carbs. The stabilization of blood sugar did not change how I felt at all. 

[2GreyCats]

Low carb?? No, that’s not the concept.  Whole30 is definitely *not* a low carb regimen, not with all the potatoes, carrot, sweet potatoes and fruit in the meal plans. 

In fact, one of the moderators says she has two potatoes a day on Whole30. This blows my mind, but she says she feels better with that.  

[latergator]

@Jillspin - Did your gout symptoms ever resolve?  If so, how long did it take?  I'm on Day 8 of my first Whole 30, and my boyfriend started experiencing gout symptoms on Day 3.  By Day 7, he couldn't walk.  He's a nurse so "wait and see" is not a viable option for us right now.  He's going to eat whatever his heart wants for breakfast, lunch, and snacks, but join me with Whole 30 dinners.  Internet research has been less than helpful with mostly anecdotal advice.