Day 5, Help!

[Jenn B]

Just looking for encouragement!

I am mid way through day 5, and I am hungry, even though I just had a decent "meal 2". I usually work out 6-7 days a week, but have skipped most days this week, and will force myself to go to a spin class tonite. Without my bmi scale, I am waiting for results as I cannot track them! In lieue of experiencing obvious results, I am keeping detailed notes on what I am experiencing each day (from my digestive functions to that hour before I go to bed). I have had my food dreams, gone through headaches (only on day 1), feeling not inclined to work out, but now, I am missing (believe it or not) my chewing gum!! I have sworn it off.

I work as a ski instructor on weekends, and this will be my first weekend on Whole30. I am sure I will do fine, I have packed my meals for years to avoid paying for the junk they have available in the cafeteria. My concern, right now, I could just eat. I am not hungry. It is the craving, I have not had that craving sensation up to this point!

[CaseyD]

Do you get the daily emails? I know you're already in it, so signing up now might be a hassle, I don't know.

Anyway, something that helps me through the cravings is thinking about the mechanics behind it a little. My brain is trying to talk me into things because it is basically throwing a temper tantrum. For me, it wants sugar and it wants it now. I have a toddler, and when she throws a fit the best thing to do is to just ignore it. It may get more intense at first, but it goes away faster the better I ignore it. The same is true with the cravings. The better I attempt to ignore it (not even giving it fruit), the more intense it gets at first, but the faster it goes away. It may take a few days, but it does go away and when it does, that's a truly empowering, amazing feeling! It's a feeling you earned by sticking with the program through the hard parts.

But, if you do need to eat, make sure you eat some protein and fats before fruit during the cravings. It really does help the feeling go away sooner. Hang in there! You're already on day 5!!

[Tom Denham]

My answer to most craving questions is to eat bigger meals with substantial portions of protein, fat, and veggies. Our diet culture makes it hard for most of us to appreciate how much food we should be eating at meals and we eat too little. Then we snack because we are genuinely hungry. My goal at meals is to finish so full that I don't think about food for another 4 or 5 hours.

Note: I wrote this earlier today in response to another person's concerns, but really, my answer to most craving questions is...

[Jenn B]

Thanks for the tip with eating bigger meals. Before read this, I realized on my own I needed to do that. I used to lift weights and had to eat much more when I was in muscle building phase. I have had to stop with weights because of injuries and am hoping this diet will help with inflammation issues. I now realize, after much reading and rereading of the book and online that I should probably just cut out nuts. I used to eat almonds 2-3x per day, now I have cut out almonds and switched to cashews and macademia nuts, and only eat them 2x a day. Do you suggest a good easy snack? I eat 3 meals a day and one snack, but my days start very early, and I must snack at least once! Yesterday I was ski instructing with little children (physically taxing) for 6 hours. I threw 2 hard boiled eggs into my pocket and had that as a snack. But nuts and fruit are easier and tastier.

[Jenn B]

Casey D,

Thanks for your support! I did subscribe so now I am getting the daily emails. I have come to look forward to them! I use perusing the internet and writing as a distraction!

I used to live on Starbucks Lattes, and chewing gum as my pacifier. Since removing dairy, I am having black coffee. I have sworn off gum because of the chemicals. Burying my head in reading the forum and online shopping is seeming to work.

Where are you at in the Whole30. First tme? What day? Toddlers are hard! I have 2 elementary age kids, single parenting.

Thanks again. Will try the protein/fat snack instead of the nuts and berries I have been doing 1x per day.

[CaseyD]

I admire you for single parenting. That's hard work!

I really love the daily emails so I hope you find them as great as I did.

I did a Whole 50 last year and did I think 27 days in January, but fell off the wagon at the end of the month. My daughter and I spent almost the entire month of January sick and I think it just destroyed my mindset on doing this after a while. I keep trying to get back on track but I have a serious thing with sugar going on. This last week I've been doing better, taking my own advice, but today my husband took me to sushi for an early Valentine's day, so I had rice. Not very encouraging, I know!

I really want to go for a full 100 days, I just need to get my head back in the game and stop sliding over here.