Day 5 of Reintroduction: Weight Gain & Frustration

[mazzystarslight]

Hey, I posted to the "Troubleshooting" on my Day 28 and found it helpful... thought I'd take my chances here too. So I decided on the "fast track" reintro, which mine maps out to 15 days. I'm on day 5 and reintroduced alcohol day 1 and legumes yesterday. For alcohol, I had two strawberry margaritas and asked the bartender for little to no added sugar, and he was even afraid it was too tart... it was great and hit me hard, although my boyfriend probably drank about half. The next day, I was 5 pounds over my Day 31. I amounted it to bloating and vowed to basically never drink again.

Yesterday I followed the book to a T: peanut butter with apples in the morning, miso soup & soy sauce on sashimi for lunch, and some black beans for dinner. I also made a chocolate mouse with some leftover coconut cream I probably shouldn't have, got "sugar free" vanilla in my unsweetened almond milk cappuccino, and an avocado salad with sesame dressing I'm not sure was compliant either.... during the first 30 days I was way stricter, but reintroduction has increased my appetite and now I feel awful. I'm craving a croissant really badly this morning and am frustrated this will never end and I can never sustain my weight loss.

I lost 22 lbs in 30 days (probably undereating) and ended up 8 lbs away from my goal weight, it was the lowest I've weighed in years. Now I'm 5-6 pounds up day 5 and closer to what I've weighed before on this other afwful diet I tried when I lost 40+ pounds. I know I should put the scale away and it said I might feel bad on the fast track reintroducing all these foods so quickly but for me it's the weight and frustration of not being able to eat what I want, enjoy what I eat, and sustain the weight I want. I should also probably add I have diagnosed mental health conditions I decided not to take meds for when my weight loss journey began in 2018 (I gained 50+ lbs very quickly on meds), which adds another element I don't have much control of.

[amybankler]

Please note I am not a medical expert, but I would recommend that you speak with a licensed physician about your metal health and medication. 

On another note, try to focus on how you feel and not just what the number of the scale tells you. I know it's hard (I'm a scale-follower myself) but I've noticed that even though my scale number isn't always what I want it to be, when I'm honest with myself, I look and feel so much better after Whole 30 than ever before. 

I would suggest reading/listening to Melissa's book; Food Freedom. I think one of the most important/hardest parts of Whole 30 is to get yourself away from the diet mentality. For me in the past it's always been about "am I being good (restraining myself) or being bad (not restraining myself), but having lifelong food freedom is about eating what you want when it's worth it and passing when it's not. It's a hard lesson to learn after a lifetime of diet mentality, but honestly it is incredibly freeing and it makes you feel like you're not deprived and always in control. 

I hope this helps, hang in there and book a doctor appointment!

[Maria45]

Hi Mazzystarslight.

I understand the situation with mental illness, the associated medicines, and the weight gain.  I have the same problems.  However, I just want to say this:  Please, please, please see a doctor if you are feeling the mental illness creeping back into your life.  You cannot sacrifice your mental health for your physical health.  I know that you can have both!  That's why I'm doing this program.  I do want to lose weight due to the anti-depressants, BUT I'm not willing to go off medicines that I need for my mental health.  

I hope that you stay well physically and mentally.

Maria