Whole30 diet -thoughts?
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You have provided more information, that makes thing more interesting. So I want to add: Decide why you would want to try it and whether you think this method will be effective, and how you will know that it worked, and what it was that worked. Are your ailments actual, or just hypes? I see a lot of "bloating" and "inflammation" these days - are these real medical conditions, but not treatable by your doctor? An improvement of your diet will make you feel better, but there is no proof that any particular diet is the best; the best diet for you is one that gives you what you need nutritionally, and one you can adhere to because you like to eat that way.
The practical aspects of following the Whole 30 diet are tough, but you could stay away from eating with family and friends for 30 days; it is possible to do if it will help for anything. But the not-so-well hidden threat that you have to start again if you slip up, makes me think this is just another sham. A good diet and a healthy eating style allows for occasional indulgences.
Cravings can be terrible. Find out if when your cravings increase or decrease; when you restrict, or when you eat too much of the things you get cravings for? If they get worse when you restrict, chances are Whole 30 won't help you with them. A balanced and varied diet that provides all essential nutrients, that you find tasty and practical, and good eating habits, including some less nutritious treats if that works best for you, is most likely your best defense against annoying cravings. This has been my experience, at least.0 -
kommodevaran wrote: »You have provided more information, that makes thing more interesting. So I want to add: Decide why you would want to try it and whether you think this method will be effective, and how you will know that it worked, and what it was that worked. Are your ailments actual, or just hypes? I see a lot of "bloating" and "inflammation" these days - are these real medical conditions, but not treatable by your doctor? An improvement of your diet will make you feel better, but there is no proof that any particular diet is the best; the best diet for you is one that gives you what you need nutritionally, and one you can adhere to because you like to eat that way.
The practical aspects of following the Whole 30 diet are tough, but you could stay away from eating with family and friends for 30 days; it is possible to do if it will help for anything. But the not-so-well hidden threat that you have to start again if you slip up, makes me think this is just another sham. A good diet and a healthy eating style allows for occasional indulgences.
Cravings can be terrible. Find out if when your cravings increase or decrease; when you restrict, or when you eat too much of the things you get cravings for? If they get worse when you restrict, chances are Whole 30 won't help you with them. A balanced and varied diet that provides all essential nutrients, that you find tasty and practical, and good eating habits, including some less nutritious treats if that works best for you, is most likely your best defense against annoying cravings. This has been my experience, at least.
Thanks for your response. My ailments are "actual" ailments. My bloating is caused by specific foods but also because I have some "female" issues. My autoimmune disorders include alopecia, lymph node issues, and raynauds, though those are usually not caused by any diet or deficiency. It's just my body reacting against itself. I have severe anxiety and depression that admittedly gets a little better when I eat more "healthy" foods and less breads and sugars. And my asthma is just that, not likely to be cured with food but I guess you never know. I am not sure what exactly is up with my stomach. Sometimes it hurts after food and sometimes not. But it's terrible pain that has had me curled up on the floor in the past. Doctors wanted to do further testing but I have yet to do that. I am always tired too. I need to get an updated blood test because my last one was years ago. And I know I should see a doctor about my stomach again. That might reveal something. But it might not. I eat good healthy foods most of the time. The worst thing is when I slip and have a piece of chocolate or white bread. I rarely drink alcohol.
With regard to cravings, they do in a way get worse when I restrict. But the longer I hold off the easier it is to manage. With sugar, if I have a little bit, it is likely to lead to a binge. So moderation isn't really even an option.
My purpose for doing the whole30 would be to see how my body reacts when I only give it "basic" foods. If I feel better or if I feel the same. If I can truly "cure" myself of my sugar addiction. Obviously I would not adhere to ALL of the whole30 rules for the rest of my life. Only the 30 days. Then I would slowly introduce something like oatmeal or legumes and see how my body reacts.
Unfortunately I am easily persuaded to do the latest fad. Although I have gotten a lot better about it. I have friends selling Plexus and sometimes I think about it, even though deep down I know the benefits are exaggerated and no product can replace a good diet. Same with "healthy chocolate"/xocai. But I don't know, this kinda seems like it makes sense. Then again, most things do when you back it with a splash of science and testimonials.
I just want to feel better (and maybe (ok definitely) lose ten pounds along the way).0 -
Kimbot, that's the same reason why I'm on Whole 30. My autoimmune issues are stacking up. I have to say this - the bloating has gone WAY down. I am SO happy. I thought I just had to live with the belly bloat for the rest of my life. I will tell you this, there will be some rough days. Even flu-like symptoms as your body gets used to not having all that food you're used to. But stick with it, it does get better.
I'm on day 11 and I'm starting to feel perkier!0 -
I've read the Whole 30 books and followed the eating plan. I think that it's one of those last-ditch things that you try when you feel crappy most of the time but conventional medicine either can't find something that's causing it or can't adequately treat whatever it is. But I also think it can be really valuable for those people. I don't know enough to feel confident on whether the science is sound or not, but it's undeniable that some people FEEL infinitely better with certain dietary changes, and my personal opinion on stuff like this is that if it works it doesn't matter WHY it works, just that it helps. You know? It's not going to help everyone with every ailment. It may be that some people are just way more sensitive to certain dietary things. It's not for everyone. But for the people it DOES help, it can turn their quality of life around 180 degrees.
I highly recommend actually reading the books if you haven't. They lay out a very detailed plan for re-introducing foods into your diet. The whole purpose of Whole 30 is to eliminate everything that might be bothering your body, and then re-introduce different foods in a way that you know what you can include in your diet on an on-going basis without ill effects, and what foods you react poorly to and you should avoid - or at least you can make informed decisions on whether or not it's ok to eat that food at a particular time. Maybe it's a dish you only get at a certain holiday, so it's worth some serious gas to eat your grandma's spanakopita once a year, but it's not worth it to just grab a slice of pizza with friends on a random Friday. Or maybe you know that a single cookie won't bother you, but a huge plate of pancakes is going to set you up for 3 days of joint pain. Or maybe you've reintroduced legumes and wheat with no problem, so you can keep eating those all the time, but dairy and corn make you feel like a mess so you avoid those. You're not supposed to follow Whole 30 for the rest of your life. You're supposed to eat Whole 30-ish for the rest of your life, armed with enough information to know how certain foods work in your body and make informed decisions on how to eat in a balanced way that best fits your health and your lifestyle.
Or, maybe you go through the reintroduction plan and nothing bothers you at all. Maybe you're just not one of the people who is helped by dietary restrictions. That stinks, but what will you have lost by trying? A month of foods you love. It's up to you to decide if that's worth it or not - for some people, it absolutely isn't, and that's ok.
Best of luck to you!0 -
JillStepanik wrote: »I personally think it is nuts. To be that restrictive is pretty much setting yourself up for failure. Think about when your friends or parents ask you go to our to dinner- you wouldn't be able to because of the crazy rules to follow!
Although some concepts are things to keep in mind (knocking out some processed foods and sugary treats), it isn't a lifestyle I would ever recommend to my patients or follow myself.
You're right about eating out. Eating out a restaurant would be hard, although I believe they offer some kind of guidelines for ordering. Still, you couldn't just order anything off the menu, as-is.
I don't think it's intended to be a "lifestyle." Following those rules for LIFE would be very hard. Are you a doctor? It's very interesting to see the perspective of someone IN the medical field. Thanks for your response.
I am amazingly still considering this.
I'm actually Registered Dietitian with a master's in nutrition
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I tried this - it was prompted by my daughter - we did it together and as challenging as it was i;d do it again.0
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JillStepanik wrote: »JillStepanik wrote: »I personally think it is nuts. To be that restrictive is pretty much setting yourself up for failure. Think about when your friends or parents ask you go to our to dinner- you wouldn't be able to because of the crazy rules to follow!
Although some concepts are things to keep in mind (knocking out some processed foods and sugary treats), it isn't a lifestyle I would ever recommend to my patients or follow myself.
You're right about eating out. Eating out a restaurant would be hard, although I believe they offer some kind of guidelines for ordering. Still, you couldn't just order anything off the menu, as-is.
I don't think it's intended to be a "lifestyle." Following those rules for LIFE would be very hard. Are you a doctor? It's very interesting to see the perspective of someone IN the medical field. Thanks for your response. I am amazingly still considering this.
I'm actually Registered Dietitian with a master's in nutrition
I would say you're pretty qualified then!0 -
Kimbot, that's the same reason why I'm on Whole 30. My autoimmune issues are stacking up. I have to say this - the bloating has gone WAY down. I am SO happy. I thought I just had to live with the belly bloat for the rest of my life. I will tell you this, there will be some rough days. Even flu-like symptoms as your body gets used to not having all that food you're used to. But stick with it, it does get better.
I'm on day 11 and I'm starting to feel perkier!
I appreciate your response! I'm glad it's working for you!!
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I've read the Whole 30 books and followed the eating plan. I think that it's one of those last-ditch things that you try when you feel crappy most of the time but conventional medicine either can't find something that's causing it or can't adequately treat whatever it is. But I also think it can be really valuable for those people. I don't know enough to feel confident on whether the science is sound or not, but it's undeniable that some people FEEL infinitely better with certain dietary changes, and my personal opinion on stuff like this is that if it works it doesn't matter WHY it works, just that it helps. You know? It's not going to help everyone with every ailment. It may be that some people are just way more sensitive to certain dietary things. It's not for everyone. But for the people it DOES help, it can turn their quality of life around 180 degrees.
I highly recommend actually reading the books if you haven't. They lay out a very detailed plan for re-introducing foods into your diet. The whole purpose of Whole 30 is to eliminate everything that might be bothering your body, and then re-introduce different foods in a way that you know what you can include in your diet on an on-going basis without ill effects, and what foods you react poorly to and you should avoid - or at least you can make informed decisions on whether or not it's ok to eat that food at a particular time. Maybe it's a dish you only get at a certain holiday, so it's worth some serious gas to eat your grandma's spanakopita once a year, but it's not worth it to just grab a slice of pizza with friends on a random Friday. Or maybe you know that a single cookie won't bother you, but a huge plate of pancakes is going to set you up for 3 days of joint pain. Or maybe you've reintroduced legumes and wheat with no problem, so you can keep eating those all the time, but dairy and corn make you feel like a mess so you avoid those. You're not supposed to follow Whole 30 for the rest of your life. You're supposed to eat Whole 30-ish for the rest of your life, armed with enough information to know how certain foods work in your body and make informed decisions on how to eat in a balanced way that best fits your health and your lifestyle.
Or, maybe you go through the reintroduction plan and nothing bothers you at all. Maybe you're just not one of the people who is helped by dietary restrictions. That stinks, but what will you have lost by trying? A month of foods you love. It's up to you to decide if that's worth it or not - for some people, it absolutely isn't, and that's ok.
Best of luck to you!
Thank you so much for such a thorough response. I appreciate it. It absolutely could not hurt to try the whole 30.
And now I want spanakopita.0 -
IMHO, ANY "plan" that restricts a certain food group or any food in general is a HORRIBLE idea. i am with others that say calories in vs calories out is the way to go. i will certainly eat less of the foods that cause me problems, but i can't live my life doing without any certain foods. it's a recipe for disaster.0
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why would you need a book to eat meat, fowl, fish, eggs, veggies and some fruit0
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IMHO, ANY "plan" that restricts a certain food group or any food in general is a HORRIBLE idea. i am with others that say calories in vs calories out is the way to go. i will certainly eat less of the foods that cause me problems, but i can't live my life doing without any certain foods. it's a recipe for disaster.
I agree. Every time I have tried a special/restrictive diet, I fail, eat everything I wasn't "allowed" to eat & gain weight. When I eat what I want in moderation (I do try to eat healthfully most of the time & don't eat a lot of processed foods) & track calories, it works & I don't feel deprived.
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I have a friend who just finished it. Usually I would say it's unnecessay hardship... but after talking to her it was interesting to see that she said it was easier than she thought - because it gave her a firm reason to stay away from foods that would typically derail her. So honestly, I'm becoming more of a whatever works for you type person, as long as you don't starve yourself. The diet would help to build good habits such as COOKING and saying no to things you don't want in your diet. Which can really be good habits. No, you may not eat that way forever, but it's not like it teaches you nothing either.0
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took a quick glance at the "approved" food list. aside from being restrictive, the foods they call for "organic and gain fed" beef IS WAY TOO EXPENSIVE for long term. no thanks. sticking with calories in vs calories out. it's called mindful eating.0
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I have a friend who just finished it. Usually I would say it's unnecessay hardship... but after talking to her it was interesting to see that she said it was easier than she thought - because it gave her a firm reason to stay away from foods that would typically derail her. So honestly, I'm becoming more of a whatever works for you type person, as long as you don't starve yourself. The diet would help to build good habits such as COOKING and saying no to things you don't want in your diet. Which can really be good habits. No, you may not eat that way forever, but it's not like it teaches you nothing either.
This is why it works for some, I think, and I'm not knee jerk opposed to it either.
I just think people make the mistake of equating it with healthy eating when it cuts out foods that tend to contribute to healthier eating for many (like dairy and legumes and whole grains), and that one can simply do the same thing without the largely problematic Whole30 rationales for banning stuff like legumes.
When I decided to lose weight I went back to a focus on eating a super healthy diet and cooking everything myself for a while (and I cut out added sugar for a bit), and I tend to prefer something like that to the idea that there's something magical about the Whole30 restrictions or that legumes are responsible for our desire to overeat or some such -- or even the idea that we are fat because of inflammation because we are all (unbeknownst to us) actually suffering from food allergies. I suspect that many people want to believe that it's something like the latter, so the need to exercise discipline will go away if they just do Whole30 for a month.
But yeah, it doesn't hurt to try it if someone wants, although it's no failure not to do it or to decide in the middle it's not for you. I suspect having a challenge is motivational for some people, even if I personally think the specifics of the challenge are kind of odd. (And yes, I do think the challenge for most is stuff like cooking or not eating potato chips or sweets and they don't think about the legumes issue and maybe don't eat many whole grains anyway.)0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »I have a friend who just finished it. Usually I would say it's unnecessay hardship... but after talking to her it was interesting to see that she said it was easier than she thought - because it gave her a firm reason to stay away from foods that would typically derail her. So honestly, I'm becoming more of a whatever works for you type person, as long as you don't starve yourself. The diet would help to build good habits such as COOKING and saying no to things you don't want in your diet. Which can really be good habits. No, you may not eat that way forever, but it's not like it teaches you nothing either.
This is why it works for some, I think, and I'm not knee jerk opposed to it either.
I just think people make the mistake of equating it with healthy eating when it cuts out foods that tend to contribute to healthier eating for many (like dairy and legumes and whole grains), and that one can simply do the same thing without the largely problematic Whole30 rationales for banning stuff like legumes.
When I decided to lose weight I went back to a focus on eating a super healthy diet and cooking everything myself for a while (and I cut out added sugar for a bit), and I tend to prefer something like that to the idea that there's something magical about the Whole30 restrictions or that legumes are responsible for our desire to overeat or some such -- or even the idea that we are fat because of inflammation because we are all (unbeknownst to us) actually suffering from food allergies. I suspect that many people want to believe that it's something like the latter, so the need to exercise discipline will go away if they just do Whole30 for a month.
But yeah, it doesn't hurt to try it if someone wants, although it's no failure not to do it or to decide in the middle it's not for you. I suspect having a challenge is motivational for some people, even if I personally think the specifics of the challenge are kind of odd. (And yes, I do think the challenge for most is stuff like cooking or not eating potato chips or sweets and they don't think about the legumes issue and maybe don't eat many whole grains anyway.)
I agree with a lot of this. People want an answer, even if it doesn't ENTIRELY make sense.
I find it hard to believe that legumes are responsible for any of my problems. I have absolutely no difficulty in believing that refined sugar and SOME grains may be to blame. But cutting out thinks like corn, whole grains, and legumes is difficult for me to grasp and to execute. I cook everything so that is not an issue. I can see how it would be very challenging for someone who doesn't cook, eats a lot of processed foods, sugar, dairy, etc. to follow this plan. For me the hardest thing would be the legumes. And apparently I am supposed to buy organic beef, which I didn't know. From a cost standpoint that doesn't really fit for me.
The problem is that everyone has such differing views on what is "right" and it gets SO frustrating: meat is bad for you; meat is good for you; meat is good for you but only if it's organic and raised by virgin eskimos; carbs are good; all carbs are bad; oats are good; oats are bad; fruit is good; fruit is bad; too many bananas is bad; you don't need supplements; you DO need supplements and this is what you need...; sugar is bad; sugar is okay; dark chocolate is good; dark chocolate is actually not good; stay away from legumes; stay away from meat; stay away from corn; stay away from potatoes; no wait potatoes are okay; dairy is bad; no dairy is okay if it's from the same cow that was raised by virgin eskimos and also the cow has to be a virgin; a lot of carbs are the answer; a lot of protein is the answer; this magic pink drink is the answer; this magic elixer is the answer!
WHAT.
I am literally at the point where I'm just going to eat whatever the hell I want and what makes MY body feel right. I'm tired of everyone trying to sell me SOMETHING. It's so ridiculous.
With regard to the Whole30 I have yet to read those books so maybe I still will out of curiosity. But I'm seriously tired of everyone's gimmicks and stuff.0 -
The problem is that everyone has such differing views on what is "right" and it gets SO frustrating: meat is bad for you; meat is good for you; meat is good for you but only if it's organic and raised by virgin eskimos; carbs are good; all carbs are bad; oats are good; oats are bad; fruit is good; fruit is bad; too many bananas is bad; you don't need supplements; you DO need supplements and this is what you need...; sugar is bad; sugar is okay; dark chocolate is good; dark chocolate is actually not good; stay away from legumes; stay away from meat; stay away from corn; stay away from potatoes; no wait potatoes are okay; dairy is bad; no dairy is okay if it's from the same cow that was raised by virgin eskimos and also the cow has to be a virgin; a lot of carbs are the answer; a lot of protein is the answer; this magic pink drink is the answer; this magic elixer is the answer!
WHAT.
I am literally at the point where I'm just going to eat whatever the hell I want and what makes MY body feel right. I'm tired of everyone trying to sell me SOMETHING. It's so ridiculous.
Heh, I so know what you mean. It's like everyone is trying to make us second-guess ourselves.
I really enjoyed this article: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/science-compared-every-diet-and-the-winner-is-real-food/284595/
(See also http://bigthink.com/videos/david-katz-on-what-we-know-about-diet)
I also found it helpful to read about Blue Zones (areas where people live the longest), traditional diets across the world, and Matt Fitzgerald's Diet Cults.
My take-away from all of this is that the details we get hung up on or argue about don't matter that much. On the whole, get enough protein (more if it helps you stay full or you are losing weight, to retain muscle mass), ideally get some from fish and non animal sources like legumes, eat a good many vegetables and fruits, keep high cal, low nutrient stuff to a minimum. Maybe focus on getting some good sources of fat like nuts and avocados and fatty fish and olives or olive oil. The rest is personal preference and what makes YOU feel good and happy, and there's likely more of a benefit to not stressing about the details and making yourself neurotic vs. the precise benefit of one diet vs. another. Or so I tell myself. ;-)0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »My take-away from all of this is that the details we get hung up on or argue about don't matter that much. On the whole, get enough protein (more if it helps you stay full or you are losing weight, to retain muscle mass), ideally get some from fish and non animal sources like legumes, eat a good many vegetables and fruits, keep high cal, low nutrient stuff to a minimum. Maybe focus on getting some good sources of fat like nuts and avocados and fatty fish and olives or olive oil. The rest is personal preference and what makes YOU feel good and happy, and there's likely more of a benefit to not stressing about the details and making yourself neurotic vs. the precise benefit of one diet vs. another. Or so I tell myself. ;-)
Yes. Basically, yes. Why does it have to be so complicated?? And I did read those articles and completely agree with this Katz fellow. "There’s obviously a lot of money to be made from confusion." << Yes.0 -
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catscats222 wrote: »take a daily multi-vitamin since diets can often leave gaps in nutrition
I take so many vitamins because of medical issues its not even funny. But thank you
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