Convince me to do whole30...or not

[redsquirrel]

I am seriously considering it.  I will be truthful, it's about losing some weight for me.  My digestion is fine, I don't have aches and pains, my skin is great. I already know I have a dairy sensitivity that can give me sinus grief but I stopped caring about that long ago, lol

 

I am not used to eating so much meat on a regular basis, that is going to be weird...and expensive.

 

I'm going to try to convince my dh to give it a shot with me. He's usually up for my hair brained schemes (helloooo homeschooling, lol) so I know he will at least pretend to do it with me.

 

But... man, oh man, it looks like a PITA. I've been looking at the guidelines and the forums on and off since February or so. I think I know what the more difficult parts will be...things like soy oil or sugar in things like salad dressing or almond butter etc. And cooking all that meat. And not eating the grilled cheese crusts that my son leaves behind (the best part!).

 

I found a 4 week meal plan of a 'simple whole 30'. I can have scrambled eggs every day for breakfast for a month with no problem. Heck, I can eat the same breakfast and maybe alternate through two or three lunches and dinners. I'm easy, lol.

 

So, for those of you who have done it... it is worth it if I am really after is just losing a few pounds? I know they are there because I can't say no to small bits of bread and sugar. Every day I say to myself that today is a new day and I can surely not nibble at the dried fruit in the cupboard or toss those leftovers. And every day I don't follow through.

 

So, is it worth giving whole 30 a shot? Or should I just meditate a bit more on self control?

[Laura Corin]

When I did original Atkins I did find the amount of meat physically disgusting. We ate a lot of fish, which was easier to take.

 

How about No S?

Edited April 22, 2016 by Laura Corin

[Wilma]

I think it's worth it. I've done it twice successfully and bailed after a few days once. My favorite bit (besides losing the few pounds) was knowing that I could! I felt so free about the food - just because I was in a room with a cookie didn't mean I had to eat it, kwim?

 

You do wind up cooking and preparing a lot. But it's so worth it.

 

Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk

[medawyn]

I'm planning on kicking off another Whole30 a few weeks after I have this baby. Usually I take a few months to care about shedding weight postpartum, but I'n in a wedding ~3 months out, and I know a Whole30 lets me drop weight without jeopardizing my milk supply. I, too, have no digestive or skin issues, but the Whole30 really helps me focus on eating better.

 

I honestly don't eat as much meat as they suggest. I focus on the vegetables and healthy fats. I'll have 1-3 eggs in a veggie filled breakfast hash most mornings, and then lunch and dinner might have a 3-5 oz meat protein, but not always. I usually snack on an apple or cut veggies with a nut butter.

 

You can google vegetarian Whole30. I don't go that route completely, but there are some good recipe suggestions.

 

One of my favorite meals is a baked sweet potato topped with shredded kale, cabbage, and carrots. I dress it in lemon juice and olive oil, and then toss in half an avocado and sesame or pumpkin seeds. I like the contrast of the hot sweet potato and the cold salad. And it's very filling.

[Slache]

It is absolutely a PITA, and it is absolutely worth it. You don't eat many calories, right? I would eat a plate of 3/4 veggies, 1/4 meat in your normal calorie amounts. I was sick the first two weeks of my Whole30 because I tried to eat so much. Don't do that.

 

Make your salad dressings etc. ahead.

Decide on a simple breakfast like scrambled eggs and grilled veggies.

Have salads with chicken (or whatever) for lunch.

Make sure you have snacks.

 

 

I lost 8 pounds and enjoyed many other benefits. Good luck!

Edited April 23, 2016 by Slache

[redsquirrel]

It is absolutely a PITA, and it is absolutely worth it. You don't eat many calories, right? I would eat a plate of 3/4 veggies, 1/4 meat in your normal calorie amounts. I was sick the first two weeks of my Whole30 because I tried to eat so much. Don't do that.

 

Make your salad dressings etc. ahead.

Decide on a simple breakfast like scrambled eggs and grilled veggies.

Have salads with chicken (or whatever) for lunch.

Make sure you have snacks.

 

 

I lost 8 pounds and enjoyed many other benefits. Good luck!

 

Yeah, it's going to be the salad dressings etc that are the pain.  I eat sort of like what you suggest already. Well, except for breakfast, lol.  That is usually a cup of coffee mixed with a scoop of whey protein. That's going to be difficult to give up. It's the perfect breakfast for a not a morning person. It's caffeine and sustenance in one warm vanilla cup. No think, just blend.

 

But I can find something else for a month. I usually eat steamed veg and some tuna or tofu for lunch. Dinner is usually an egg white omelette with vegetables or a handful of almonds, or a very small serving of pasta if I made that for the kids. Snacks are things like cheese sticks or a spoon of peanut butter or almond butter.  Or dried fruit.... or some fresh bread with butter...

 

See my problem here?

Edited April 23, 2016 by redsquirrel

[Slache]

Yeah, it's going to be the salad dressings etc that are the pain. I eat sort of like what you suggest already. Well, except for breakfast, lol. That is usually a cup of coffee mixed with a scoop of whey protein. That's going to be difficult to give up. It's the perfect breakfast for a not a morning person. It's caffeine and sustenance in one warm vanilla cup. No think, just blend.

 

But I can find something else for a month. I usually eat steamed veg and some tuna or tofu for lunch. Dinner is usually an egg white omelette with vegetables or a handful of almonds of almonds, or a very small serving of pasta if I made that for the kids. Snacks are things like cheese sticks or a spoon of peanut butter or almond butter. Or dried fruit.... or some fresh bread with butter...

 

See my problem here?

You can still snack and eat little amounts. They tell you not to but I ate the right things and I would have given up if I had to keep eating such big meals.

 

You could look into slow cooker overnight breakfast casseroles. No think, just eat. ;)

[redsquirrel]

Ok, well, thank you all for the insight.  I am leaning to yes.  I'm glad I don't have to eat all that meat.  Jeepers, they really eat a lot of it. That's just not sustainable for me, and I thought the whole point of it was to make sustainable changes. 

 

DH has next week off, so I will try to talk him into it. He's suddenly found his middle aged metabolism catching up with him this winter. He's always been a 'eat all you like, put on a couple pounds, but then go running a few times and it all goes away plus a little more' type of guy. Well, that isn't working so well these days and it is starting to creep up on him. I have to find a polite way to tell him that he either has to lose a couple pounds or, as the person in charge of buying his clothes, I'm going to have to go up to a 34 waist. He's had a 33 waist since high college, so he's not going to like to hear that. But that's the truth. Maybe I'll just tell him that we are going to take and record our health measurements... because... reasons.

[Pink and Green Mom]

Yeah, it's going to be the salad dressings etc that are the pain.  I eat sort of like what you suggest already. Well, except for breakfast, lol.  That is usually a cup of coffee mixed with a scoop of whey protein. That's going to be difficult to give up. It's the perfect breakfast for a not a morning person. It's caffeine and sustenance in one warm vanilla cup. No think, just blend.

 

But I can find something else for a month. I usually eat steamed veg and some tuna or tofu for lunch. Dinner is usually an egg white omelette with vegetables or a handful of almonds, or a very small serving of pasta if I made that for the kids. Snacks are things like cheese sticks or a spoon of peanut butter or almond butter.  Or dried fruit.... or some fresh bread with butter...

 

See my problem here?

 

There is a company called Tessemae that makes Whole30 compliant dressings and condiments.  The buffalo sauce is amazing.  My Whole Foods carries a lot of their products or you can order directly from their website.  Those sauces/condiments along with coconut aminos (in place of soy sauce, available at Whole Foods) can make all the difference between bland and good.

[redsquirrel]

There is a company called Tessemae that makes Whole30 compliant dressings and condiments.  The buffalo sauce is amazing.  My Whole Foods carries a lot of their products or you can order directly from their website.  Those sauces/condiments along with coconut aminos (in place of soy sauce, available at Whole Foods) can make all the difference between bland and good.

 

No whole foods anywhere around these parts. As far as I can tell, the local Wegmans doesn't carry it yet. I have the wegmans app for shopping, and the brand show up, but says 'not in stock'. So, I think we don't have it locally, which is weird b/c our Wegmans usually has everything , lol.  They even carry these special juice cleanses that you used to only be able to get in NYC (blueprint?)...with NYC prices.  I assume it's for the rich college students.

 

I can prob get coconut aminos locally though. 

 

But thank you for the tip.  We might go out of town next week and now I will think to check out the local stores for whole30 complient stuff I might not be able to get in town.

[JumpyTheFrog]

You can do it! I started January 1 (although I never gave up peas because my protein shake uses peas and stevia) and have only added back occasionally having black beans, peanuts, or a tsp of sugar in my tea.

 

I haven't lost any weight, although other symptoms have improved. I knew from previous attempts at paleo that my sinuses would clear up and my I'd feel less bloated. What I didn't expect was my symptoms of low estrogen to start disappearing and my libido (gone for 10 years) to start coming back.

[bethben]

i was thinking about starting this because my two youngest have gut issues that is showing up in different ways.  I would like to go on it based on gut issues I have had.  So, as long as half are on it, why not the whole family?  The problem is trying to fill up growing children.  I have two teen boys and 1 pre-teen who if anything like his 15 year old brother is going to be hitting a growth spurt soon.  The carbs like bread and pasta have saved our grocery bill.

[JumpyTheFrog]

i was thinking about starting this because my two youngest have gut issues that is showing up in different ways.  I would like to go on it based on gut issues I have had.  So, as long as half are on it, why not the whole family?  The problem is trying to fill up growing children.  I have two teen boys and 1 pre-teen who if anything like his 15 year old brother is going to be hitting a growth spurt soon.  The carbs like bread and pasta have saved our grocery bill.

 

Potatoes and sweet potatoes are cheap and Whole 30 compliant.