Whole 30 questions / support

mallygirl420
mallygirl420 Posts: 66 Member
edited November 13 in Food and Nutrition
Hi. I'm on day 2 of Whole 30 for my first time. Technically I should start over because I had gummy vitamins this morning and blew it. I have so many questions:

I know they say not to count calories - but if you've done it before, did you? I'm going over on my count.

Did you watch macros at all? I feel like I'm consuming so much fat!

What was a secret to your success or if there's anything I should know about the diet - what would you tell me?!

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    So I've never done Whole 30, but I figured I'd get your thread rolling. If your goal is to lose weight, you should count calories. The theory behind losing weight without counting on diets like this is that by eating whole foods you will naturally eat less. But there are plenty of people who got overweight eating whole foods. So why not cover your options and keep track of how much you are eating? It can't hurt, right?

    How much fat are you eating?

    I could never be successful on a diet that restrictive, so I can't give you any help there. I lost my weight eating pretty much everything LOL. Best of luck, but if you find you can't stick to it, please don't give up! You can lose weight eating anything :drinker:
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I would never do a diet that I had to start over if I made a mistake. I would never do a diet - period.
  • Will_Run_for_Food
    Will_Run_for_Food Posts: 561 Member
    I'm on day 25 and while I feel better in general I don't think I have lost weight. I didn't count calories and made sure I ate until I was satisfied. I would definitely do this again but I think next time I will keep a closer eye on calories. As for macros, you will definitely notice an increase in fat/protein and decrease in carbs. They say not to worry about it, but if you're concerned, you can balance things out with the right foods.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited December 2016
    OP, what are your goals with this? If weight loss is one of them, then yes you still need to track calorie intake and eat at the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals.
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
    Your best bet is to check in at the official forum: http://forum.whole30.com/

    Are you following the recommended meal template? Definitely don't calorie count or sweat the fat --- Whole30 is as much about psychological healing as it is about physiological, and much of that comes from doing the program as written. http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/

    @kommodevaran Whole30 isn't a diet, it's a short-term focus on eating a specific way in order to support a long-term healthy relationship with food.
  • rocknrobin65
    rocknrobin65 Posts: 28 Member
    I did whole30 for 42 days. I followed it to the letter. I did not weigh myself during, and did not count calories. I lost ten pounds in 6 weeks and felt better than I had in years. I followed a modified whole30 (paleo) for three more months, and kept the weight off. During an injury, I ended up going back to some unhealthy eating habits, so I gained some back. My advice is to follow it strictly for thirty days. Technically it's not a weight loss plan, but a way to determine if you have food sensitivities. Weight loss without counting calories is just an added benefit.
  • mallygirl420
    mallygirl420 Posts: 66 Member
    Thanks guys - this all helps. My goals are twofold : 1) find out what is triggering my asthma and 2) to feel more energized and shed some weight
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
    I will have to check this out as it sounds really interesting. i have never heard of it:)
    rocknrobin65 wrote: »
    I did whole30 for 42 days. I followed it to the letter. I did not weigh myself during, and did not count calories. I lost ten pounds in 6 weeks and felt better than I had in years. I followed a modified whole30 (paleo) for three more months, and kept the weight off. During an injury, I ended up going back to some unhealthy eating habits, so I gained some back. My advice is to follow it strictly for thirty days. Technically it's not a weight loss plan, but a way to determine if you have food sensitivities. Weight loss without counting calories is just an added benefit.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    mallygirl420 wrote: »
    Thanks guys - this all helps. My goals are twofold : 1) find out what is triggering my asthma and 2) to feel more energized and shed some weight
    Defining your goals is a great start.
    Are you seeing a professional for your asthma?

    To lose weight, all you need to do, is to eat less than you burn. You don't have to do anything else to lose weight, but you have to do this, and do is consistently, and for a long time.

    Losing some weight if you are overweight, will most likely in itself make you more energetic.

    Eating well will also make you feel more energized. There is no perfect diet, all you need is to eat well, and there are so many ways to eat well, in fact there are so many that we can't list them all, and this is why so many get confused. All you need to eat healthy, is to get in all the nutrition you need, and at the same time, not eat too much of anything, and nothing that you are allergic to. The easiest way to achieve this, is to have a varied and balanced diet based around fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and starchy vegetables, nuts and seeds, eggs and dairy, meat and fish, fat and oils. Cook/prepare as much of it as you can. Make and eat food you like. You can eat anything you like, you can make simple or elaborate dishes; you can have any treats you want, just make them fit into your diet/calorie budget.

    Then the last pieces: Get enough sleep, exercise, reduce stress. Getting enough sleep will most likely make you more inclined to get moving, exercise will make you sleep better, exercise will make you crave healthier food, healthier food will make you want to move, not worrying so much about diet and health will help you reduce stress. Let all the good things work together, for you. Living a healthier life shouldn't be a constant struggle.
  • mallygirl420
    mallygirl420 Posts: 66 Member
    Thanks. Been in a healthy eating and fitness lifestyle for about five years and already understand these basics you've spelled out. Lost more than 50 lbs after college and have maintained for more than five years. Plus, I'm an athlete, so I have to know these basics to play well.

    My weight loss is less on the scale and more in muscle gains anyway. But thanks for your pontification - I'm sure it helped someone else on this thread.

    It's more so the people who've been doing Whole 30 I'm hoping to hear people's experience with. If they counted or not and what their results were.

    On breathing: I was born with asthma and of course have seen professionals. Through diet and exercise throughout my almost 30 years I have decreased its effects significantly and no longer need to take steroids and rarely need an inhaler. Some mornings after we go out to dinner, my lungs give me a little trouble and that's the whole point of Whole 30 - I want to figure out what causes it. Mostly out of curiosity, nothing life or death.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    mallygirl420 wrote: »
    My weight loss is less on the scale and more in muscle gains anyway. But thanks for your pontification - I'm sure it helped someone else on this thread.

    Can you clarify this point? Are you currently trying to lose weight and gain muscle?
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. It doesn't matter what you eat!
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited December 2016
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. It doesn't matter what you eat!

    We're not sure OP is in an active weight loss phase, it kind of sounds like she's not because she's trying to do muscle gains, which you can't really do while in a calorie deficit? We're hoping she can clarify though :)
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. It doesn't matter what you eat!

    We're not sure OP is in an active weight loss phase, it kind of sounds like she's not because she's trying to do muscle gains, which you can't really do while in a calorie deficit? We're hoping she can clarify though :)

    She made another thread where she said she was I believe.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    If you want to lose weight then you need a calorie deficit. It doesn't matter what you eat!

    We're not sure OP is in an active weight loss phase, it kind of sounds like she's not because she's trying to do muscle gains, which you can't really do while in a calorie deficit? We're hoping she can clarify though :)

    She made another thread where she said she was I believe.

    Ah, missed that!
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