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No longer enjoy food - especially veggies :(


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My husband and I are on day 8 of our Whole 30 challenge. We both actually feel terrible (aren't sleeping well, feel weak, etc.) and the thought of eating any more vegetables is making us both fill ill :( We have been using the ISWF recipes as well as some recipes off of Well Fed but nothing tastes good? We are desperate to continue doing this, but it's so hard when we no longer enjoy food. Eating is a chore and I actually dread meal time when I see it's approaching the time to eat.

Is this normal? Will it get better? I keep reading that everyone feels better and it gets easier at this point in the challenge, but wow - are we struggling!

Any suggestions? Pointers? Encouragement? We really believe in the benefits of this lifestyle, but right now, it feels like a miserable way to live :(

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Kill all the things? Sounds like you might be there. My husband and I arrived a little late - day 11-ish. We were so tired and especially tired of cleaning the kitchen.

Your question makes me wonder about you and veggies. Have you always felt this way about them? How many types of veggies have you had and how many ways of preparing them have you been using? We challenged ourselves to using as many veggies as we could off of the shopping list. We did really well. Some were steamed, some pan roasted, some baked, some raw. We were amazed with all of the flavors and textures. We slipped a little last week as far as variety, but the fun is back into our kitchen. I am at lunch now and have had at least 7 kinds of veggies already! Anyway, if you have been having the same ones, prepared the same way, maybe your enthusiasm will grow if you add some variety.

Finally, sleep is huge at the beginning. It just goes wrong for so many of us. Magnesium could be lacking in the foods we are eating, especially compared to a diet with grains, so many of us take Natural Calm. I didn't feel it the first night, but I do now. I especially rely on it if I haven't had many green, leafy veggies. Oh, and my husband couldn't stay awake more than an hour the first night he tried it. It really might help you two.

As far as where you are compared to others, you are an experiment of one (two). I felt pretty good mentally for the first few days, but my stomach struggled. Things sort of evened out around day 12. Then, I think I had a last battle with my dragons in the last few days. I think I forgot to eat enough. I was hungry and craving, which I hadn't done at the beginning. Today, day 22, all is well. We all came from different dietary backgrounds with different needs. I hope you ride it out to see where you end up on the other side! Keep an eye on your motivation for trying and on your goals. You won't know if it is worth it for you if you don't follow through.

I think I read that this is a good day to have a sweet potato. I hope it helps.

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Mmmm sweet potato... ;)

Nico's right, variety! Variety! Variety! Here's a few of my favorite veggie links:

http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/11/13/tuesday-10-dress-up-broccoli/

http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/10/29/brains-cauliflower-brains/

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/15661311142/brussels-sprouts-chips Brussels sprout chips...seriously awesome!

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/3195098303/asian-cauliflower-fried-rice haven't tried this one yet, waiting on compliant bacon, but I did make my first batch of cauli rice last night, it was a hit. Blitzed the raw cauliflower, heated up coconut oil, added cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and then tossed in the "rice", mixed and sauted for a few until warm. I don't know why I waited so long to make it!

I think it's really easy to start to feel overwhelmed at this point by the sheer quantity of vegetables we should be eating, but for years have neglected to do so. I tell people that I eat more vegetables now than I did when I was a vegetarian. This morning I made egg/sausage muffin bakes. Lined the pan with spinach, added steamed and chopped broccoli, topped with sliced cherry tomato. Normally I make a scramble that includes kale, mushrooms and sweet potato with eggs and precooked ground meat. Salads are also a great way to get more veggies in, I made one recently that was sliced cucumber and blueberries tossed with vinegar and oil. I even ate salad with my breakfast over the weekend.

My personal key to remaining sane? Preperation day. One day a weekend I do a lot of prep work. I steam saute greens. I cut hearty veggies that can stand being precut. I steam broccoli and carrots. I roast a few meats. On weeks that I don't do this I am easily overwhelmed and irritable. I am the sole chef for a family of 4, some days it's a total pain, but most days I love feeding them so the extra work is worth it.

Keep it up, Blondie! You and your husband will be healthier and happier on the other side! By the way, totally awesome your husband is doing the W30 with you, mine has zero interest in giving up his grains, dairy and sugar. He's certainly enjoying my W30 cooking but can't fathom a life without corn, beans and beer.

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I wouldn't mess with the recipes in the book. I tried one once and forced myself to eat it simply because food costs money and I cannot afford to throw any of it away. As I was force feeding, I was thinking to myself, "gee, this would be much better with chicken istead of beef, and maybe some bell peppers, and instead of made in a saute pan, I will try slow cooking it in the oven..." You catch my drift. I tweaked it and continue to tweak it my way, and it has become a staple meal for me that I cook up large batches and eat almost daily for lunch. ("Variety is the spice of life" has it's time) I realized in the beginning, I had to eat what I liked and not worry about variety. Some days it was just a plain baked piece of fish with garlic salt and pepper, and lemon squeezed on after, with well chopped veggies that I like and as a treat, bought the whole food brand fresh made gaucamole. For me, it is not about laboring over eating, but finding those special ways for me to make it tastier. I could go on about what I discovered I like, but it is about you capitalizing on what you like. My 2 cents, save the fancy recipes in the book for later.

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Thanks for your responses... We're really at a loss tonight & VERY discouraged. We made the shepherd's pie from Well Fed and although it received rav reviews, my husband and I did NOT enjoy it. "Real Food" seems to taste horrible???... we keep hoping we'll come across a staple meal that will work for us, but so far, it's just not happening.

Moluv - no digestive issues for either of us (although I am pregnant)... at first, I thought it was just my pregnancy, but now that my husband isn't enjoying the food either, I just don't know??? I hope this passes quickly as I am about ready to throw in the towel!

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Wow! How far along are you? And is this your first child? In my opinion, this is NOT the time to start a whole30 cleanse/recalibration. I delivered both of my children naturally and I am an advocate for eating naturally, but pregnancy is a time to savor and enjoy the experience, and if your body is craving a chocolate milkshake, allow yourself! I was so nausated my first trimester with my 2nd child I could only sip on pineapple juice- never had it before then, haven't had it since! Listen to your body. Save the whole30 for after you are done breastfeeding.

If you were eating "whole" before getting pregnant, I could understand. but to start while pregnant i dont think is fair to yourself, especially if it is the struggle it has been. i loved being pregnant, i was healthy by other means- swimming, walking, and eating mexican food. i delivered naturally with midwives, i breast fed.... but i love telling my children, "you know why you love chocolate milkshakes so much? because that is what i drank while you were in my belly". Really, I suggest you ENJOY this time. (Oh, and despite attachment parenting, delivery with midwives naturally, breastfeeding and eating well.. they are healthy and remember none of it. i still have the normal american child issues- occassional tantrums, dislike of school, learning disabilities, he said- she said in school... and you know what, i remember fondly the beauty of my pregnancy. Why torture yourself now, before the child even arrives. There are enough years of parenting that will follow. And if you breastfeed, you may not be able to consume the amounts of veggies they recommend- you never know how your child will react from the breastmilk. I think the whole 30-days has a time and place for everyone, and just consider, it may not be yours now.

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Jen, we appreciate your dissent here, but the OP is clearly on this forum because she wants to make a positive change to her food and nutrition while she's pregnant.

Whole30 protocols, which follow the 4 Good Food Principles, is the _ideal_. My mom ate whatever she wanted when she was pregnant, and I turned out fine, but it's still not the best.

Our members come here looking for support. Advising the OP to delay her Whole30 on a Whole30 forum isn't really supportive; it's a little disrespectful, both to her personal journey and to the board itself.

OP, Melissa's written a couple of blog posts about W30s with a bun in the oven. I'll update with links when I get to a computer for you. The short answer is, even if Whole30 is ideal, our bodies don't always agree. :)

Good luck!!

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Hey Blondie, I was having the same problem early in my Whole30 (day 18 now, woo!), and I realized I just needed to keep tweaking and figuring out what YOU like, not necessarily what's in recipe books. For example, a favorite of mine is spaghetti with meat sauce, so I just sliced up a bunch of zucchini and yellow squash, and threw it in a pan with a little avocado oil and water for 5 minutes, then improvised a sauce with ground beef and canned tomatoes/tomato paste and SPICES SPICES SPICES. Just keep tasting until it tastes right to YOU. I can't emphasize enough how much of a difference incorporating spices has been for me! Crushed red pepper, ginger, sesame oil, coconut aminos, and garlic powder have made a huge difference in my veggie eating habits. Also try experimenting with herbs like oregano or cilantro. Finally, make sure that the veggies you are eating are good quality and well-ripened. A fresh, organic carrot should taste sweet and crispy. Broccoli shouldn't be bitter if it's ripe! Home-made kale chips and or sautéed spinach can be a treat with the right seasonings.

Keep trying! You'll get it! Best of luck!

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Blondie,

As one knocked-up woman to another, I feel your pain, sister. Even coming from Whole30-eating for the last few years, I found in my first trimester that my old stand-by go-tos just weren't cutting it for me any more - imagine my frustration and shock when my beloved eggs, avocado, and coconut milk were making me feel ill at just the thought!

Coming from a more traditional/standard diet to the Whole30 during your pregnancy would be even harder - but not impossible. And clearly you believe that this way of eating has benefits to you and your baby, which is why you're still here, asking for help and trying to stick with it.

GOOD FOR YOU.

First, understand that anyone coming to the Whole30 from a more standard diet (with more processed foods, sugary foods, fatty/salty/foods-with-no-brakes foods) is going to find Whole30 food bland, boring, and not that palatable in the beginning. Your taste buds have been blown out, sister - it's like spending years living on the Vegas strip, and suddenly being transplanted to Conway, NH. Now, Conway is a gorgeous town, but it ain't Vegas, and you're going to have a hard time appreciating the quiet, calm, peaceful, natural beauty. (This, by the way, exactly explains why your husband isn't super happy right now, either.)

Second, your pregnancy is probably smucking with your taste buds and appetite too - as I wrote about here: http://whole9life.com/2013/01/pregnancy-and-food-aversions/ The trouble is, you're not eating the foods you would normally eat right now, so you're not sure whether it's your pregnancy, your taste buds, or whether you're not really liking the foods you're choosing to eat.

So, here's what you do. Think back to the way you used to eat. Think about the foods you used to like, and then work from there to make those meals Whole30 complaint. Did you love chicken fajitas? Make those, then - just skip the fajita. (http://whole9life.com/2010/09/stm-chicken-fajitas/). Did you love meatloaf? Find a Whole30 recipe for meatloaf. Did you enjoy mashed potatoes? Throw a sweet potato in the oven with some clarified butter and cinnamon. You don't have to make fancypants recipes - just start off by using good ingredients, and build your meals like that.

Eight days is nowhere near long enough for most people to clean their taste buds out. You may find you need a little more butter, a little more spice, a little more salt than recipes call for to excite your palate right now. That's okay. We're not looking for The Perfect Whole30 - we just want to see you stay on track until the magic happens. However, given your pregnancy, there's a chance that things will continue to be rocky for the next 22 days - and there's little you can do about that. When your pregnant body says "no," it's really hard to override that.

So brainstorm how you can make the next few days feel more comfortable. Get some delicious food into you, even if it's just one meal a day, so you can say, "Yes, that was good, I'd eat that again." And be patient and do your best to stick it out, because at some point the magic with your taste buds WILL happen, and you'll grow to love the natural flavors found in fresh, unprocessed foods.

Hope that helps.

Melissa

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Wow Melissa - you rock :) Thanks for the encouragement and I will do just as you say!

No matter what - I am sticking this out because I know it's so much better for me, new baby, & the rest of my family. Some days are just so darn hard! But to be honest, a few days later, I'm doing better. Hopefully I will grow to crave veggies (I just can't believe it'll ever happen :P) but here's hoping!

Thanks again :)

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I hope you feel better soon...I love Melissa's post, you just need to find your thing and you'll be fine!

I used the KISS principle while pregnant...lots of salads, fruits and very little cooking. Raw carrots and persian cucumbers were saviors. Sliced up red and yellow peppers were amazing to me. My thing was anything cold, I even kept my avocado in the fridge and froze my bananas! Cooked vegetables with oil or grease or in some kind of weird "bake" or casserole made me want to hurl so I totally feel your pain and frustration. Try the cold thing, maybe it will work for you and if it doesn't, hey, at least you didn't waste any time cooking :)

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Blondie..... Congratulations !!!! You are on your way to having a healthier relationship with food.....

Yes it would be nice if everything we ate gave us the warm and fuzzies..... Be we have eons of ancestors who ate for fuel... No fuel you die, we ate anything that crossed our paths.

Only recently has food been a pacifier to quell calm and sedate us into carbo induced insulin and endorphine comas..... The neurotransmitters released by eating " comfort foods" are akin to a crack addiction and very hard to overcome..... Only eating clean prevails...

So when I get board of meals And I am truly a world class chef and can whip up anything, I'm actually happy because it is a reminder that food is really just fuel and I want premium in my body! A reminder of "was I just shoving that comforting food in my face because I'm stressed out ".

It will pass.... Some days I can eat plain kale and really taste it and its so good.... Sme days I eat a plain sweet potato and its better than anything else I ever tasted in my life!!!!!

Keep plan, You will see the world through whole new taste buds soon enough.....

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