Good job! Listen to your body and experiment. If you are doing hard core workouts that make you hurt... might you have gained some muscle while doing the Whole 30?

No need to wait.... since you already have experience with the lifestyle. I do find it interesting that some people need a specific day to start... almost like there will be a "stop" day too. This lifestyle needs to be a permanent commitment (not meaning that you won't ever enjoy a non Paleo food from time to time of course). You will probably find Paleo a bit more effective than Primal, depending on your tolerance of dairy and the quality of the dairy you choose. However, I think Mark Sisson is more holistic in his approach which is AWESOME.

I found W30 to be a fail for me, a bit too much all or nothing. My first one was great but since my second one (both were well over 30 days) I have difficulty eating healthy to my goal of 95%. I end up at 75% maybe and that doesn't work for me. I find a long term consistent approach a bit better, which was giving me success before my last W30. I've struggled much this year but have NOT gained much fat back fortunately compared to if I went back to eating the way I was pre-Paleo. Thanks to a majority of healthy food in my diet to offset my frequent derailments.

One more word of advice: change the self talk. I acknowledge that I've had struggles this year but I don't feel like a failure and I don't allow any thoughts like "I feel like the marshmallow man". I know you are joking and referring to inflammation but it's still negative self talk and it's not healthy/helpful.

Do nightshades affect your joints? I did have to eliminate them for a short time, and now just be cautious, to finally eliminate joint pain. I can squat for the first time in my life repeatedly and all after the age of 40. if you are over-doing it with exercise it would be good to tone it down though.

The main thing that keeps me on track through thick and thin, the only rule I never break: "never cheat with wheat". (Even though I don't see food as cheating, I still like that mantra.)

If you have any kind of joint pain after you get back on track you should try eliminating nightshades for a month. You don't know if they bother you if you don't completely eliminate them. Many people think sore joints is normal, a sign of aging and it's wrong. I had a "disease" in the cartilage of my knees ALL of my life, I could never squat, I had many times as a kid that I couldn't even walk up some stairs. Potatoes were what's for dinner every single night too. After going Paleo I had much improvement but still had sore knees. I quit nightshades (which meant only tomatoes, peppers etc since I was already avoiding potatoes) by accident and suddenly I realized one day that I had no knee pain. Good thing I was tracking because I could see that the only thing that I had done is had no tomatoes and peppers. I eat them now, but not every day, and limited.

All the meat I buy comes from a supplier in Alberta Canada. Noting is sugared and the animals are all grass fed/free ranged. If you live in a more populated area you should be able to find farmers and meat suppliers that will have healthier options. Don't expect to get healthy food in the supermarket.

You can easily make your own jerky and sausage (with or without casings). Remember, store bought food is still processed food and one can't totally trust the ingredient list. If you, or a local makes it you can have more control.

I think with that many calories and as active as you are 20 grams of carbs is too little and so is that protein! I'm a big keto fan but right now I'm around 20-30 grams of total carbs and I eat under 2000 usually. I think in your case, I'd aim for 50 at least, keeping an eye on the sugar mostly. You do not want to skimp on the veggies just to be so low on carbs. I like to get at least 100 grams of protein and I'm not all that active. (I'll be more active now as during winter I have to stop driving my ATV and must walk/run for my transportation. lol)

I don't buy commercial condiments anymore (some ok exceptions exist like Franks hot sauce). I used to have to have ranch on everything, or ceasar. I can make my own but they often go to waste because now I just prefer oil and something acidic. I love: avocado, macadamia, olive oil and red wine, balsamic, lemon juice, lime juice. Whatever combo that moves me that day. If you don't like balsamic give red wine vinegar a try, just a little. Try herb seasonings sprinkled on too. I have a Bragg's one with kelp that's great on salads.

Have you tried baconnaise? Same idea as mayo but made with bacon grease (or even uncured pork grease is delicious). Gets firm in the fridge but is the BOMB. Free ranged pig fat ideally of course.

Whole Foods in your area if you have one but usually many health food stores will have Bacon without added sugar. If you live near a large enough city it should be fairly easy if not find a butcher

That's an excellent macro breakdown! Maybe a tad more protein. I like to get 100 grams daily (on average) and I'm not all that active. If I were more active, even more. Your carbs are TERRIFIC and especially BEAUTIFUL on the sugar. I don't even track sodium and I eat lots and lots of sea salt because my body needs it. Salt is only an issue when it's from processed foods.

Yeah, 20 grams of carbs is pretty low. I go there when I need to slay the sugar demon but as long as I avoid fruit, veggies (except for high starch ones) are unlimited.

You would have to be very high in protein, and low on the other macros, day after day after day to have a problem with too much protein. You would also feel crappy too. Usually we can eat as much protein as the appetite dictates. It wouldn't be unusual for fat and protein grams to be about the same but remember that fat is still the bigger ratio of the calories (9 calories in fat, 4 in protein an carbs). I'm from the "more fat, the better" camp but at least 50% is a bare minimum though I do best at 65% plus.

For me, I have to be concerned only about carbs, especially sugar. Other than that, I can eat fat and protein in whatever amounts my body needs.

If your fat and protein grams are close to equal you are still getting a higher % of your calories from fat and that is a good thing.

vhuber wrote: »

By MFP my day ended with 1869 calories consumed, 88 grams of Protein, 57 grams of Carbs, 138 grams of Fat, 775 grams of Sodium and 14 grams of Sugar.

I do not think I would make it on 20 grams of carbs like that Keto site said!

In the Primal Blueprint, Mark Sisson says that 50-100 carbs is the sweet spot for weight loss. The Keto sites all recommend getting down to around 20 grams. I set my MFP goals to be around 10-15% carbs which is around 68 grams for me.