My Whole30 eating log; UPDATED with before and after pics!

[blackdogdeek]

UPDATE 26 September:

another update. i got my blood work results and they are crazy:

total cholesterol: 337
LDL: 252
HDL: 64

i was totally not expecting my numbers to go UP especially with this diet. is it possible that the increase in the fish oils i was taking might be responsible?

UPDATE 2: 24 Sep 2012

i just wanted to add an update. my blood pressure today was measured at 124/76. in june it was somewhere around 140/94. doc took blood for my cholesterol so i'll add the numbers when he gets back to me.

ORIGINAL:

my 42nd birthday is in exactly 2 months. i'm going to attempt this:

http://whole9life.com/2012/08/the-whole30-program/

<EDIT> i'm adding this bit for people who can't access the site: it's basically a 30 day eating challenge wherein you eat only meat, veggies, fruit, no sugars, no alcohols and only good fats from fruits, oils, nuts and seeds. </EDIT>

i've already been eating paleo with weekend cheats for the past 3 months and have lost weight. i've also been doing crossfit workouts 4 times a week and have seen considerable gains over the same time period. i'm hoping to continue both trends during the next 30 days.

wish me luck!

breakfast today (cafeteria) had cheese in it so i'll officially start at lunch time but for reference:

3 egg white omelet
about 1/2 cup of the following: spinach, peppers, tomatoes, onions
1/4 cup shredded cheddar (i don't know the source since it's the cafeteria so it's possible there are other unwanted ingredients in there).

<EDIT2>more reference stats:

5'6"
170 lbs (guessing from last time i weighed myself)
33" waist

1 rep maximums (in lbs):

deadlift: 315
back squat: 305
bench press: 185
press: 115
</EDIT2>

<EDIT3>total cholesterol: 280 (! yeah i know)</EDIT3>

UPDATE: 4 Sep 2012

well, i did it. due to my previous paleo-style diet the transition wasn't really that difficult. i suspect that it would be much harder for someone going from a traditional western diet to something like this especially at the 2 week mark.

significant stats:

final weight: 158 (total loss 12+ lbs in 30 days)
waist size: not sure but it is definitely 32" or less since i easily fit into a new pair of 32" khakis (i will update later when i measure myself, hu hu)

we haven't had any 1RM wods lately except for a fast deadlift 1RM and i was able to get up to 295#. but we were rushed through the sets so i'm not sure if i could have hit my previous 315# 1RM or not. as it was, i didn't even get a chance to try. still, if there was any strength loss it was probably not that significant. we did run a 5k time trial and without any training i was able to hit 25:40 which i was pretty psyched about. i think my running times and some other speed measurements during workouts are improving because i lost so much weight (pullups, pushups, lunges, etc).

my new plan is to continue on this diet since i have my cholesterol checkup on 24 Sep and i'm very interested to see what those numbers are. at the end of this next 30 day period i'm going to do a super-mega-ridiculous cheat day which will actually coincide with my 42nd birthday. then i'll go back to something like this for another 30 days, etc. i will NO LONGER be updating this thread for the new 30 day period but please feel free to ask me any questions here and i will respond as soon as i can.

lastly, here are my before and after pics. they're not the best quality so it might not be as obvious how much weight i lost but hopefully it can give some idea how effective the diet was.

before: 2 Aug 2012; weight approximately 170+

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/blackdogdeek/IMAG0250-1.jpg

after: 1 Sep 2012; weight 158

http://pics.bbzzdd.com/users/blackdogdeek/IMAG0343-1.jpg

thanks, everyone, for reading along and good luck with your own health and fitness endeavors!

 

[blackdogdeek]

8 oz black coffee

 

[blackdogdeek]

i also had about half an ounce of cashews this morning

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

Sounds pretty tough. Not sure I could avoid added sugar (splenda) or the alcohol. Are you supposed to track macros while doing this or you just eat whatever? It seems like a program that requires advanced meal planning at first until you get in the swing of things. Good luck.

 

[blackdogdeek]

thanks! i will attempt to provide volumes/weights of stuff i consume but other than that i probably won't do much strict measuring.

 

[vi edit]

More power to you. I think most people can easily acheive similar results without as draconian of a diet. But if it makes you feel better, then go for it.

You'll have to pry my beer and *real* maple syrup from my cold dead fingers.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

More power to you. I think most people can easily acheive similar results without as draconian of a diet. But if it makes you feel better, then go for it.

You'll have to pry my beer and *real* maple syrup from my cold dead fingers.

I didn't read everything on the page but it seems to me that it's not primarily a weight loss diet but it promotes a lifestyle change. They limit the food souces so you can see how it affects your energy levels, mood, etc. Side effect would hopefully be weight loss. It doesn't say to eat a certain amount under your TDEE so it could be used for maintenance or bulking.

It's only 30 days so afterwards you could incorporate what you learned into your lifestyle. Hardest part sounds like the first 2 weeks during the adaptation phase. Then it's 2 more weeks of restricted eating and then you're free to do your own thing.

That's my take on it anyway.

 

[vi edit]

I understand the selling point of the diet, just don't really agree with all of it's far reaching goals (helping infertility, preventing injury, fixing allergies, ect) and feel that a more conventional clean diet focusing on clean foods and low/no processed items would achieve similar results. Plus you don't hate yourself every time you see an icecream cone or a beer and tell yourself you can't have it.

Some of the stuff just defies oh...I don't know...thousands of years of human use and consumption. Honey, alcohol, yogurt, ect. All things that we as a species have ate/drank since we were nearly walking upright. You would think that if we really felt terrible consuming those in moderation it would have died off a couple millenia ago. Hell, even look to olympic athletes...these are people arguably at the most elite level of human form and even they enjoy some Nutella, Subway, and brewskis every now and then

The whole thing sort of seems like those tough mudder races where it's not even about the health or fun of the event but as a war story of misery to brag to friends that you did it.

Again, if it makes you feel better, then more power to you. It's a much purer diet that I would ever be able to commit to.

 

[blackdogdeek]

1 rotisserie chicken breast
about 1 cup of string beans, carrots, tomatoes

unfortunately, the string beans look to be prepared with some tomato sauce and i'm pretty sure that means it probably has sugar in it so it looks like my strict diet won't start until dinner tonight or breakfast tomorrow.

 

[QueBert]

I would die without cheese bread and PB, this diet would be impossible for me to do for a month. Hell, I probably could barely make it a single day on it good luck to you op.

 

[blackdogdeek]

I would die without cheese bread and PB, this diet would be impossible for me to do for a month. Hell, I probably could barely make it a single day on it good luck to you op.

thanks! but, to be fair, i benefit from being on a mostly paleo diet already. this is only just a wee bit more strict than that.

 

[vi edit]

thanks! but, to be fair, i benefit from being on a mostly paleo diet already. this is only just a wee bit more strict than that.

Honest question...how do you feel right now and what do you expect to to gain by stripping down your diet even more than it already is?

 

[blackdogdeek]

Honest question...how do you feel right now and what do you expect to to gain by stripping down your diet even more than it already is?

honestly, i feel awesome. i've lost about 15 lbs since 1 May but i'm still getting stronger in my workouts. i will freely admit that there may be some element of a placebo effect involved but i feel like i think much more clearly now than i used to. i feel like my memory has improved as well but again it's hard to judge that in the absence of any previous metric. now, whenever i eat anything with wheat, i'm pretty sure i notice a drop in my mental acuity. after meals i also don't get sleepy the way i used to after a big lunch.

however, i took these results to mean i could eat anything i wanted that was allowed so i was eating a lot of bacon, non-grass fed red meats, fatty cuts of pork and beef, whole eggs and cheated pretty heavily on the weekends. so now my cholesterol has shot up to 280.

what i'm trying to accomplish with this diet is continued weight loss, better cholesterol numbers, hopefully continued strength gains, seeing if it's possible for me to sustain this diet for 30 days straight and then seeing what my body and mind feel like after that.

 

[vi edit]

however, i took these results to mean i could eat anything i wanted that was allowed so i was eating a lot of bacon, non-grass fed red meats, fatty cuts of pork and beef, whole eggs and cheated pretty heavily on the weekends. so now my cholesterol has shot up to 280. what i'm trying to accomplish with this diet is continued weight loss, better cholesterol numbers, hopefully continued strength gains, seeing if it's possible for me to sustain this diet for 30 days straight and then seeing what my body and mind feel like after that.

If your cholesterol is that high, and you are exercising and not eating like a total retard then you likely have genetic factors that diet alone is not going to fix.

Is fish oil a part of your diet/supplementing? If not, it should be unless you are consuming a large amount of wild caught cold water fish.

 

[blackdogdeek]

If your cholesterol is that high, and you are exercising and not eating like a total retard then you likely have genetic factors that diet alone is not going to fix.

i think i'm probably genetically predisposed since i know my father and his sister both have high cholesterol. but, i was also eating a retarded amount of bacon.

Is fish oil a part of your diet/supplementing? If not, it should be unless you are consuming a large amount of wild caught cold water fish.

yes. i take two of these a day:

http://cdn.livesuperfoods.com/media...als-omega-3-purified-fish-oil-soft-gels_1.jpg

 

[blackdogdeek]

rotisserie chicken wing drumstick, leg drumstick, leg thigh
about 1 cup string beans, carrots, tomatoes

it's the rest of my lunch. $7.50 for 1/2 rotisserie chicken and 2 sides.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

If your cholesterol is that high, and you are exercising and not eating like a total retard then you likely have genetic factors that diet alone is not going to fix.

Is fish oil a part of your diet/supplementing? If not, it should be unless you are consuming a large amount of wild caught cold water fish.

The paleo diet stresses eating a lot of animal proteins, especially fattier cuts. This is one of the huge problems with it. They posit that it increases buoyant LDL as opposed to dense LDL, which isn't a problem (not true). I've seen this regularly with people on the Paleo diet, even though they typically do CrossFit. They eat so much saturated fat that I believe changing his diet alone may very well drop his cholesterol below 200. I say give it 3ish months and then get another lipid panel run. If it's below 200, you're good to go. If not, you may want to talk to your doctor about statins or other drugs to reduce it.

Also, CF is pretty big on fish oil supplementation. If he's not on it, I second the suggestion.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

i think i'm probably genetically predisposed since i know my father and his sister both have high cholesterol. but, i was also eating a retarded amount of bacon.



yes. i take two of these a day:

http://cdn.livesuperfoods.com/media...als-omega-3-purified-fish-oil-soft-gels_1.jpg

Taking two of those fish oil won't really do much for your lipid panel. A 1000mg fish oil pill typically only contains 300mg of combined DHA/EPA. Most research supports at least 2000mg DHA/EPA daily (not just fish oil). That means you should take 6-7 fish oil pills per day for it to affect your cholesterol.

EDIT: Actually I looked it up - that fish oil brand only has 550mg DHA/EPA per 2 pills. That means you should take 7-8 pills per day.

 

[blackdogdeek]

on the drive home last night:

4 oz black coffee

dinner last night:

rotisserie chicken wing, wing drumstick, leg drumstick, leg thigh
about 1 cup broccoli steamed
about 1 tbsp olive oil
about 1 tsp white wine vinegar
sprinkle garlic salt

 

[blackdogdeek]

I say give it 3ish months and then get another lipid panel run. If it's below 200, you're good to go. If not, you may want to talk to your doctor about statins or other drugs to reduce it.

my doc already had me schedule a followup at the end of september so it's short of 3 months but hopefully if i can maintain this diet for the 30 days and continue working out i should be in a better position or at least show a good trending.

EDIT: Actually I looked it up - that fish oil brand only has 550mg DHA/EPA per 2 pills. That means you should take 7-8 pills per day.

ok i'll start taking 3 in the morning and 3-4 at night. but i have a question: does the fish oil supplementation affect my energy levels? i was always worried that i wouldn't be eating enough fat to maintain energy levels that's why i ate so much pork and beef but i didn't stop to think that i might be getting a significant amount of fat from the fish oil.

 

[blackdogdeek]

breakfast:

3 egg white omelet
about 1 cup of spinach, peppers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms

 

[blackdogdeek]

8 oz black coffee

 

[SociallyChallenged]

my doc already had me schedule a followup at the end of september so it's short of 3 months but hopefully if i can maintain this diet for the 30 days and continue working out i should be in a better position or at least show a good trending.



ok i'll start taking 3 in the morning and 3-4 at night. but i have a question: does the fish oil supplementation affect my energy levels? i was always worried that i wouldn't be eating enough fat to maintain energy levels that's why i ate so much pork and beef but i didn't stop to think that i might be getting a significant amount of fat from the fish oil.

I say 3mo because it's a fairly significant amount of time to get really significant results. An apt at the end of Sept is fine. I was just being conservative so you'd see good results without having to get more lipid panels.

Fish oil supplementation shouldn't affect your levels, why would it? Anything you eat - fat, carbs, protein - will allow you to maintain your energy levels. At rest, yes, you tend to metabolize more fat, but everything you eat can be converted to fat during anabolism. With this diet, I would try to reduce the consumption of beef and pork and try to eat more lean chicken and fish (wild caught). Definitely eat all of them, but more chicken and fish Less fat, less omega-6s, more omega-3s, etc.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Fish oil supplementation shouldn't affect your levels, why would it?

i meant would i get energy from the fish oil. my understanding is that on paleo i'm burning fat for energy. thus, i ate a lot of fat in order to make sure i could work out. i'm now trying to cut fat down in my diet and wondered if i could cut it way down if i supplemented with more fish oil. in other words, could i trade meat fat for fish oil in my diet and thereby keep the same energy level but drop the cholesterol numbers.

eg - i used to eat 3 fried eggs, a sausage patty and 3 slices of bacon for breakfast which clearly has a lot of fat. now i eat 3 egg whites and a cup of veggies which looks like it has no fat in it so i'm worried that i won't have enough energy for workouts. should i not fear because i'm taking fish oil? is fish oil a significant source of fat for energy?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

i meant would i get energy from the fish oil. my understanding is that on paleo i'm burning fat for energy. thus, i ate a lot of fat in order to make sure i could work out. i'm now trying to cut fat down in my diet and wondered if i could cut it way down if i supplemented with more fish oil. in other words, could i trade meat fat for fish oil in my diet and thereby keep the same energy level but drop the cholesterol numbers.

eg - i used to eat 3 fried eggs, a sausage patty and 3 slices of bacon for breakfast which clearly has a lot of fat. now i eat 3 egg whites and a cup of veggies which looks like it has no fat in it so i'm worried that i won't have enough energy for workouts. should i not fear because i'm taking fish oil? is fish oil a significant source of fat for energy?

You'll get some calories, but really not that much from fish oil. Typically, the bottle will say how many calories are in a serving. I wouldn't suggest trying to use fish oil as a nutrition source for calories. Eat fish if you just want to do that It's tastier and more effective. Paleo has a skewed view on fats. Sure, eating a higher fat diet than suggested by the USDA or FDA (whatever) is healthy as shown by research. However, eating a high fat diet, especially high in animal fats is just as bad as eating a low fat diet. You have to run the middle ground. Fat isn't the only thing to give you energy, especially for working out. Technically, carbohydrate is much better for that, especially if you're doing metcons. Your energy levels will be fine - just keep your calories high enough and stay away from junk. You have a good idea of what to eat and what not to eat. Just cut down the animal fats and increase healthy stuff (lean meats, fibrous veggies, complex carbs, nuts, seeds, etc).

Fat isn't the only thing you get energy from. Literally everything that goes into your body creates energy (carbs, fat, protein). You will have enough energy as long as you're getting enough calories total. You kinda went from one extreme to the next, which is fine considering your cholesterol levels. You probably (hopefully) won't have to maintain that. Eggs are high in cholesterol, but dietary cholesterol doesn't affect all that many people. It's saturated fat that affects cholesterol most significantly (and guess what has that? Animal fats - bacon, sausage, pork, beef). To make your meal plan more moderate, I'd suggest that you could still eat the whole egg, just not all the animal products. For me, I eat 3 whole eggs, 16oz milk (I know, not Paleo), and a banana/berries. Almost no animal fat, except for the milk. High in protein, high in fat (good, unsaturated fat from free-range eggs), moderate in carbs. I say find things like this to make a part of your daily staple.

As an aside, it's very interesting for me to see the different pursuits of health and fitness all cling to their one macronutrient. Endurance athletes are all about carbs carbs carbs. Bodybuilders and weight lifters try to get obnoxious amounts of protein in their diet (like 2g+ per pound of body weight), and then there's the CFers who are Paleo who are obsessed with fat. Research supports that a healthy balance of all of these is essential to optimal health. You need protein for recovery. You need fat for baseline energy maintenance, long term energy, low-level workload workouts. You need carbohydrate for anything cardio, anaerobic, or endurance related. Don't get caught up on one. You need all of them, you just have to find good sources and balance them.