Help! Meal plan advice

[Terry B]

Hi (help), I’ve been doing the Whole30 since February and have been feeling fatigued and heavy with low mood. I also haven’t started reintroduction yet due to not feeling great, however I do want to start this as soon as possible. My current weight is 45kg and I am underweight in my body mass index. And my main intention for doing the Whole30 was to reduce acne/work out which foods were causing breakouts. Below is my current daily meal plan, which I’ve been eating every day for the last few weeks. My skin generally has improved but I feel fatigued (as described above) and the skin on my forehead and around my eyes has become drier. Please could someone help with advice where I might be going wrong? Thanks very much.

 

Breakfast:

- Spinach 80g

- Raspberries 40g

- Macadamia nuts 30g

- Cauliflower 80g

- Carrots 40g

- Sweet potato 53g

- Peas 33g

- Cod/salmon 33g

- Extra virgin olive oil 45ml

- Himalayan salt 2g

- Water 621ml

 

Mid morning:

- Water 621ml with Himalayan salt 2g

 

Lunch:

- Avocado 1/2

- Lettuce 80g

- Cucumber 80g

- Green beans 80g

- Carrots 40g

- Sweet potato 53g

- Peas 33g

- Cod/salmon 33g

- Extra virgin olive oil 45ml

- Himalayan salt 2g

- Water 621ml

 

Dinner:

- Kale 80g

- Olives 60g

- Carrots 40g

- Sweet potato 53g

- Peas 33g

- Cod/salmon 33g

- Extra virgin olive oil 45ml

- Himalayan salt 2g

- Water 621ml

[SugarcubeOD]

Sorry you're not feeling well.  It's hard to tell from how you've listed out your food - how do your meals stack up to the meal template (linked in my signature below). Are you eating a 1-2 palm sized portions of protein, filling your plate with vegetables and adding plated fat (looks like you have olives but how many is 60g?).

Second, we don't encourage weighing out your food like this - we want you to be a bit more intuitive with your eating, which is why the meal template is so good. Fill up your plate with real food and then eat it. 

What I suspect is that you're vastly undereating. A serving of salmon is around 3-4 oz - that's 85-115g approximately. You're eating approximately 1 oz... 

[Terry B]

Hi SugarcubeOD, thanks so much for your comment, I really appreciate it.

I agree I’m probably not eating enough protein, so I will make that change asap. With that in mind, I increased my protein in my last meal, and also included an extra open handful of strawberries and have since been feeling very heavy (I worry maybe from consuming too many carbs?).

Sorry for the confusion, I have been following the Whole30 meal plan and have now converted back my portions below. A note: I include 3 fist size portions of starchy vegetables (including carrots, although I’m not sure if these are a starchy veg or not?) spread throughout my meals each day.

Again I’d really appreciate it if you have any tips. Thank you.

 

Breakfast:

 

Protein:

- Cod/salmon (just under 1 palmful)

 

Fruit:

- Raspberries (1 open cupped handful)

 

Vegetables:

- Spinach (1 fist size)

- Cauliflower (1 open cupped handful)

- Carrots (1/3 fist size)

- Sweet potato (1/3 fist size)

- Peas (1/3 fist size)

 

Fat:

- Macadamia nuts (1 open cupped handful)

- Extra virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons)

 

Drinks and spices:

- Himalayan salt (0.07oz)

- Water (21oz)

 

Mid morning:

 

- Water (21oz) with Himalayan salt (0.07oz)

 

Lunch:

 

Protein:

- Cod/salmon (just under 1 palmful)

 

Vegetables:

- Lettuce (1 fist size)

- Cucumber (1 open cupped handful)

- Green beans (1 open cupped handful)

- Carrots (1/3 fist)

- Sweet potato (1/3 fist)

- Peas (1/3 fist)

 

Fat:

- Avocado (half)

- Extra virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons)

 

Drinks and spices:

- Himalayan salt (0.07oz)

- Water (21oz)

 

Dinner:

 

Protein:

- Cod/salmon (just under 1 palmful)

 

Vegetables:

- Kale (1 fist)

- Carrots (1/3 fist)

- Sweet potato (1/3 fist)

- Peas (1/3 fist)

 

Fat:

- Olives (1 open cupped handful)

- Extra virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons)

 

Drinks and spices:

- Himalayan salt (0.07oz)

- Water (21oz)

On 7/4/2022 at 4:40 PM, SugarcubeOD said:

Sorry you're not feeling well.  It's hard to tell from how you've listed out your food - how do your meals stack up to the meal template (linked in my signature below). Are you eating a 1-2 palm sized portions of protein, filling your plate with vegetables and adding plated fat (looks like you have olives but how many is 60g?).

Second, we don't encourage weighing out your food like this - we want you to be a bit more intuitive with your eating, which is why the meal template is so good. Fill up your plate with real food and then eat it. 

What I suspect is that you're vastly undereating. A serving of salmon is around 3-4 oz - that's 85-115g approximately. You're eating approximately 1 oz... 

 

[SugarcubeOD]

You could try reducing the amount of starchy carbs and increasing your amount of non starchy veg... lettuce, kale, cucumber and spinach are all mostly water and chew down to nothing so try adding more substantial non starchy veg - colored peppers, brussels sprouts, broccoli, summer squash, radish, tomato etc... (peas are not considered a starchy veg).

Are you counting calories?

 

From my review, it looks like you're undereating by about half of what you should be eating.

[Terry B]

On 7/7/2022 at 5:38 PM, SugarcubeOD said:

You could try reducing the amount of starchy carbs and increasing your amount of non starchy veg... lettuce, kale, cucumber and spinach are all mostly water and chew down to nothing so try adding more substantial non starchy veg - colored peppers, brussels sprouts, broccoli, summer squash, radish, tomato etc... (peas are not considered a starchy veg).

Are you counting calories?

 

From my review, it looks like you're undereating by about half of what you should be eating.

Sorry for the delay. I was waiting on a blood test.

Thank you for your advice. I’ve since been eating more substantial non-starchy vegetables. Regarding calories, my diet above was approximately 2077 calories (with 1107 calories from extra virgin olive oil).

My blood test was all normal (thyroid, electrolytes, etc.), however I have low blood pressure and low blood sugar. So I’m thinking I still need to increase my carbohydrates?