Whole 30

On day 21. It's not really as restrictive as I thought, given that added sugar is really the only thing that I have to watch for outside my typical diet.

JaxxieKat wrote: »

I read that and was like, "so, what can I eat?" And I'm saying that as a vegan.

Whole30 is specifically not recommended for vegans. There are some modifications for vegetarians, but it just makes a difficult program even more restrictive.

I'm having a lot of stomach & small intestine issues. So I did the Whole 30 low FODMAP and have found several foods that I Can't eat. It is an easy plan to stick with especially if you're able & willing to make your own meals and not depending on pre-made & boxed foods. I did one protein at a time and quickly realized I can't do any beef/cow foods.

Hmm. I learned a lot from trying it, but my best guess is it did a whack job on me and my hormones. I'm a menopausal woman and had not had any hot flashes for over a year before I tried whole30. I had maybe one or two pimples a year. About a week or ten days into whole30 the hot flashes came back with vengeance and shifted into overdrive. Honestly two months later and I still cant sleep through the night without one or more waking me up. And acne! I had a terrible bout of acne that took about a whole month to clear up. Like I had not seen since I was in my teenage years. It looked so bad on my middle aged face! I'm still having pimples pop up every two weeks or so even now - although that does seem to be lessening over time.

I saw a number of threads in various boards ( including the whole30 official ones) about other middle aged / menopausal women having similar experiences. Again, correlation does not necessarily mean causation but I suspect eating whole30 compliant seriously messed up my delicate menopausal hormonal balance.

I learned a lot, and doing a whole30 led to my eliminating wheat from my diet and strictly restricting dairy and added sugar. Good things for me for sure. But over two months since I finished and all evidence points to me not yet recovering 100% of the hormonal balance I had beforehand. I also never experienced any of the "highs" they described like extra energy or that "tiger blood". So, personally I'd say unless you are a middle age woman, try it with an open mind but don't buy into the hype.

I'm on day 16. It's been a struggle but I've mostly been okay. The sugar cravings have been the worst! Over the past week I have been around cake almost every day.

I am part of a small whole 30 group of anyone would like to join a group!

JaxxieKat wrote: »

I read that and was like, "so, what can I eat?" And I'm saying that as a vegan.

It would be impossible for me if I were a vegan (I think it would be easy for me now, but I know I don't have any sensitivities/bad reactions to legumes and dairy and think they are healthy for me, and also think potatoes and whole grains can be positive additions to a diet, so find a diet revolving around saying they should be eliminated to be problematic).

I think the focus on cooking from whole foods is good, but I do that anyway (why it would be easy for me -- the meals pictured above are basically similar to how I normally eat and I find it weird that people would see that as W30 specific). I basically avoid added sugars now, just because I've been doing lower carb and they don't fit with all the amazing in season produce I must consume! ;-)

I have done 2 whole 30's ( and a few smaller resets) and have had great results, but for me, i think it's because i was eating less calories, not necessarily bc of the actual food choices made. My issue, which is actually great, is that i don't have any major sensitivities. So post whole 30, i found i was in more of a yo yo, where i would do whole 30 to lose weight i had gained back. Now, i am back on the moderation, so i can have whatever i want, as long as i stay in my calories and try to hit macros.

Search in groups for whole 30 maybe you will find us! I'm one week post whole30 I lost 15 pounds and another three by this past weekend. I didn't do reintroduction since I don't have gastrointestinal issues but I now think bread and pasta cause me some issues, or it may just be the lack of veggies.