Oh and get a food scale. Your "I believe my portions are normal" comments suggest you are probably really bad at eye balling and are eating portion sizes that are 2-3x bigger than what you think you're eating. Weighing out nut butter will be eye opening because the actual weight of a portion size is so much smaller than what weighing by volume or eyeballing would have you believe.

Op Whole 30 is not meant to be a weight loss diet. It's for resetting your body and detecting food sensitivities through reintroduction after cleansing your body. I would bet anything the avocados, eggs, almond butter, Lara Bars, nuts, etc are adding up and blowing your calorie count. It tends to be a high protein, high fat diet and that's clearly not working for you. Honestly, just stop.

Now here is what you should try: find what is called a TDEE calculator online. Enter your stats and it will tell you what your body burns just to operate each day. From that, subtract 300-500, depending on how strict you can follow a diet and how fast you want to lose weight. That's your calorie allotment for the day. Stay within it. Do 30-40 minutes of HIIT cardio. I don't know what your workout is, but do this. It burns fat. When you've lost 10-15 lbs. add in some weight lifting to build muscle which will reduce the flabby look you can get when you lose weight but have no muscle .

It is possible you have a thyroid issue but most probably you don't. You need lower calories and high intensity exercise. Simply put, this is the unpleasant reality for someone who has 50 lbs to lose and doesn't have a teenagers metabolism anymore.

Thank you everyone. It sounds like I must have been eating too many calories. I’m going to start tracking next month.

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I’m just surprised. I’ve been working out too, 35 minutes a day for the month. No sugar or dairy. I thought I’d lose some weight from dropping sugar!

I’m really worried that I have a medical condition that will keep me from losing weight.

The only way I can lose weight (3 pounds a month) is to have a 1200 -1500 daily calorie deficit based on Fitbit or My Fitness Pal. For me this means eating about 1500 calories a day and exercising so that they say I am burning 3000 calories a day (which is more like 90 minutes of exercise and two dog walks a day). That plus, NO added sweeteners real or fake, only the good fats, no cereals except for stone cut oatmeal in the morning, limiting the high sugar fruits, and eating as much broccoli, cauliflower, kale, spinach and Brussels sprout as I can. I eat mainly in the berry arena for my fruits. I do eat cheese in limited qualities and oily fish, lower fat sustainable sources lean meats and local farm sources eggs.
If comes off really slowly.

I am not on Whole 30, but am counting calories (using an app) and lost 6 lbs in just under 3 weeks. Not working out but planning to start back up. It's all about the calories.

I lost 90 lbs. I don’t eat grains and follow a keto diet, but the reason I lost weight was because I tracked every bite that went into my mouth. Calorie restriction is how you lose weight. Being grain free and keto helped me feel better and feel more full, but the calorie counting is how I lost it. If you counted calories and still didn’t lose weight, then I’d have my thyroid checked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't recall losing a lot immediately on Whole 30, but my clothes started fitting differently. I'd give it more time.

For me, the helpful thing about it was kicking the sugar habit I had. Eating less refined food. I felt a lot better while I was doing it, because it made me eat more vegetables!

Same for me. OP, have you been weighing yourself every day during the 30 days? I did (I know, I know) and noticed my weight fluctuated throughout but by the end I had lost weight. Also, although I didn't lose many pounds, I measured myself before and after and had lost inches. I've also stuck with it - but not as strict - for months after and feel much better. Good luck!

No I have not. I stepped on the scale on day 24 for the first time because I really thought I had lost weight. I'm just scared. If I didn't lose 1 pound after cutting so many calories and exercising, what will it take to lose 50 pounds?!?

Probably a combination of calorie counting and watching your ratio of carbs and fat. Whole 30 allows for plenty of fat but doesn't ban fruit or sweet potatoes--you combine those plus fatty meats, and you won't lose weight unless you are very active and/or male. The stereotype of a Whole 30 person is a twenty-something Crossfitter. Those people are torching calories. I'm the PP who suggested the online forums. Try posting your question there, and I'll bet you'll get some good suggestions.

I am a mid-late 30s person who does not do cross fit (in fact, I can’t exercise because of a hip issue) and I regularly do a month of whole30. I eat potatoes and sweet potatoes and nuts and still lose weight. My extended family all does whole30 and some of them are near 70 and all lost a lot of weight.

OP, first thing, if you thought you lost weight, then you must be feeling good so stick with it. Second thing, if I are in your shoes, I’d find a naruropath if some sort and see if you have allergies to any compliant foods.

If you feel good, keep doing it. Don’t think about your total pounds that you need to lose. Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:One thing I’ve found hard about keeping calories down on whole30 is that you can’t use cooking spray. I have been really watching my amounts of oil, but it’s still calories. Anyone found a substitute for cooking spray? I’m only on day six.

I got a small spray bottle (from Weight Watchers, but it looks pretty standard to me) and filled it with olive oil. It delivers more than cooking spray but far less than if you're dumping oil in pan. Maybe a teaspoon or so per spray.

One thing I’ve found hard about keeping calories down on whole30 is that you can’t use cooking spray. I have been really watching my amounts of oil, but it’s still calories. Anyone found a substitute for cooking spray? I’m only on day six.