Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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Background: 20 year old athletic female, I've been primal since July 2011. Paleo usually and as of right now following 100% as I can while being at college.

I'm a competitive rower (crew) in college. I joined a year ago, took the first season to learn. Started racing this past fall, had this winter off and now I've been back in training for the past few weeks.

I have had a serious lag in my ability to sprint or row at a high intensity. Of course i'm comparing myself to last season but I get fatigued very easily. Part of my training is also running but the low intensity jog stuff for 15-25min is not bothering me at all. We are on ergonometer machines currently due to the weather also.

I currently consume about 1500 - 2100 calories a day. Somewhere between 20 - 150 carbs depending really. I can not consume fruit other than bananas/blueberries because of acne breakouts from ANY sugar. I am a completely dairy free as well. I am 5'6 / 140lbs. Typically eating 2 meals a day (approx. 10am and 6pm), occasionally one snack if I feel like it.

Can anyone explain how I can fix this?

I really do not feel as though I have been over training (taking days off frequently when sore). I do not understand why last fall I didn't have this problem. I was consuming occasional dairy, but I feel much better without it right now. The only thing I can think of is my consumption of nuts and coconut products was a bit higher.

What should I be consuming pre/post workout? Eventually we will be training in the early mornings and I will not have time to eat before that workout.

Any advice is appreciated!

edited Feb 25 2012 at 20:02

Dragonfly
31.2k●1●8●41

asked Feb 25 2012 at 19:14

ov227
388●2●7

I tracked my calories today after advice & even though I'd call this a lazy day (only did a 10 min easy row plus some abs work). I ate about 1000 calories, two meals total. I ate a larger meal at 7pm yesterday night but I ate at 12pm and 630pm today. I used fitday to track. I don't feel deprived but this worries me, tomorrow at practice I might feel the affects? Am I eating the wrong stuff still? Meal/Snack 1 was a random mixture (2 bananas, a lot of chocolate cocoa powder, coconut oil) tasted good actually. Meal 2 was 4-5oz of salmon & an avocado. I also had 2 cups of tea over the day. – ov227 Feb 27 2012 at 0:02

Ralph Furley · Answer 1 · 2012-02-25 19:47:16Z UTC

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Is it possible that you are not eating enough on the low end of your range? You're obviously fit and muscular and training at a high level. 1500 cals per day is what a somewhat sedentary woman might eat in order to lose weight. You are far from sedentary. I think that you should consider sticking to the high end of your range. Also, why are you restricting carbohydrates so much? 20 grams of carbohydrates per day does not sound like much for a collegiate endurance athlete. Perhaps try upping your carbs more consistently and see how you feel.

answered Feb 25 2012 at 19:47

Ralph Furley
2,065●3●9

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It definitely does not sound like enough calories. I am roughly the same height and weight (5'7, ~136lbs), and I need around 2000-2500 cals per day, probably more a lot of days. If I go below 2000, I definitely feel it. I'm not nearly as active as you. I'd try adding in more tubers if you eat them, or just trying to add in more fat sources like butter, cream, bacon, coconut oil, etc. – killerbee Feb 25 2012 at 19:58

And I just noticed you said you are completely dairy free, so forget I said anything about butter or cream...... – killerbee Feb 25 2012 at 20:00

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+1 to upping carbs especially. Carbohydrates are necessary for peak performance at the intensities you'll be seeing in a 2k (or even a 6k). Once you get into 80% VO2max and beyond (which you will be well into) carbs are necessary for the final edge. No way around it. You can't burn fat anaerobically. – Silverspeed Feb 27 2012 at 2:48

shah78 · Answer 2 · 2012-02-25 20:04:07Z UTC

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please add 1000 (Paleo) calories /day for a week and then repost. Good luck.

answered Feb 25 2012 at 20:04

shah78

Bob smiley · Answer 3 · 2012-02-25 20:58:05Z UTC

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Sweet potatoes, eat'em.

answered Feb 25 2012 at 20:58

Bob smiley
104●1

They do not serve them at my school cafeteria. I might buy some in the store but I'll have to boil them...does this harm nutrients and how can I "spice" them up? – ov227 Feb 27 2012 at 0:04

miked · Answer 4 · 2012-02-26 01:22:09Z UTC

I'm assuming you're talking about the 2K since you mention crew. For something in that range, you're going to need to be able to metabolize something other than muscle glycogen. You can get away with just making sure your muscles are packed with glycogen (eat a potato the night before, etc) for the 500. But for things in the 3-10 minute range (and the 2K falls right in the middle of that), you need something else for energy. You could go the carbo-load way and load up on carbs just before the race so you have tons of blood sugar, but I think that's a bad idea for many reasons. The other way is to manage your insulin such that it's totally "off" at race time. Remember, that when you have insulin floating around, you have a harder (if not impossible) time pulling triglycerides out of your fat cells for energy. Conversely, when you don't have insulin floating around, the trigs just flow out.

What does that mean for you? You have to experiment with what works for you. For me, I don't eat anything with significant carbs about 3-4 hours before a workout. About 1 hour and 15 minutes before I have some easy to digest MCT fat (usually coconut butter, but coconut oil can work - it just upsets my stomach). The MCTs are perfect because they're already in that burnable form, so it's like free energy. If you tinker with it and see what your window is, you can see some significant performance boosts (at least I do!)

Also, as others said, eat more (good paleo) calories. I push about 5,000 a day.

Jon D · Answer 5 · 2012-02-25 19:27:12Z UTC

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Look at Beta-alanine. It's a natural amino acid and it's really cheap. It specifically helps with High Intesity Training. I get mine on Amazon. Also a apple and 12 almonds 30 minutes before workout works for me

answered Feb 25 2012 at 19:27

Jon D
51●3

I will look into it, and start trying a pre-workout snack. Thanks! – ov227 Feb 27 2012 at 0:05

paleo luver · Answer 6 · 2012-02-25 19:38:58Z UTC

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Honestly the same exact thing happened to me and it turned out I had parasites. I suggest going to a really good homeopath.

answered Feb 25 2012 at 19:38

paleo luver
27●1

This is slightly alarming, hopefully not the case. Were there any other symptoms? – ov227 Feb 27 2012 at 0:05

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A homeopath? Homeopathy has not been proven to work beyond the placebo effect. It's bunk science; sorry. – Silverspeed Feb 27 2012 at 2:46

Burning out during high intensity exercise

6 Answers