Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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Very interesting thing that has happened in the last couple weeks..

I've been tweaking things week by week...went Very low Carb..under 15g for a about a week, and was eating frequently..fat and protein every couple hours...i started to lean out a bit. (i'm trying desperately to lose the last 10lbs of fat before spring/summer) Felt GREAT for that week.

Then...started eating a bit more green veg the week after, because i was low in energy...so around 30g carbs and I started IF'in this past week, so i'd pretty much create an eating window... eating between 12noon-9pm..wake up ..fasted workout (low intensity walk, with sprint intervals) and then fat and protein in the 12-9 window..

Noticed a huge change already and not for the better...starting storing fat again, visibly put on some fat..rolly stomach (that was tight and flat during the VLC week) and legs are very fatty again almost immediately in the thighs and hips (where I store)..

Here's my theory...did re-introducing IF cause cortisol stress and put my body in fat store mode rather than fat release mode?

Is this all in my head? ( i won't be offended, i do think i have a distorted hyper awareness when it comes to the feeling of my body)

Thoughts...?

flag	asked Feb 26 2012 at 0:40 Paleo4ever 1,430●3●19

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I'd say most paleohackers have a distorted hyper awareness when it comes to the feelings of their bodies ;) – killerbee Feb 26 2012 at 14:35

grace · Answer 1 · 2012-02-26 01:19:40Z UTC

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My observations are that one needs bulletproof adrenals to do IF'ing and VLC (I don't)... and most (conventionally-trained, non-integrative) docs know CR*P about adrenal gland function (as they are ignorant of the HPA-thyroid-gut-gonad axis as well). For fat loss, it's necessary to have appropriately timed and synced adrenaline, cortisol and insulin and the tissues with high sensitivity to adrenaline, cortisol and insulin... This is why topical alpha-blockers, lifestyle changes, sleep, xenoestrogen/pesticide avoidance, herbals that promote insulin sensitivity (and directly reduce insulin resistance) are SUPER effective for fat loss (vitamin D, testosterone, ECGC, omega-3, adaptogens, etc).

answered Feb 26 2012 at 1:19

grace
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If the body is 'stealing' cholesterol to produce cortisol guess where it's pulling this from? Men: testosterone/progesterone/pregnenolone, Women: PROGESTERONE(our main anabolic/fat-burning hormone), leaving us in an estrogen dominant state which is FATTENING. This leaves many women infertile (which is epidemic like adrenal issues). – grace Feb 26 2012 at 1:24

Thats really interesting....does increasing your ingested cholestorol, such that a high fat diet usually also has provide a good source that would reduce if not neutralize the effect of the cholesterol "stealing". I would think the extra cholesterol built into a ketogenic diet would sufficiently dampen that effect in most? – JayJay Feb 26 2012 at 1:45

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Devany -- it's funny under insulin resistance situations our gender switches (T aromatizes to E in men; E to T in grrrls). I kinda suspect the (real) DeVany has a bit of moob-action going on. Men switch to moobies and grrrls to 'lady-staches'!!! – grace Feb 27 2012 at 3:19

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To 'sync' gotta have the best hormone fluxes... cortisol is circadian and diurnal like sunlight. Gotta get it up in the am (but not too high) and gotta get it down in the evenings (but not catatonic). I've found personally that supplying the adrenals what it needs (salt, multiminerals Magnesium Calcium Zinc Selenium Trace, calm/rest/yoga/sleep/naps) and targeted nutraceuticals help it to produce 'normal' fluxes of cortisol and adrenaline... known as adaptogens. Eleutheros, rhodiola, ashwagandha, community service, hugs, s***X... One of the best resources i've found from an MD, MPH... – grace Feb 27 2012 at 3:34

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Paleo4ever -- Poliquin used to make it (apparently it narrowed the thunder thighs of athelete Chrissy Mays) but it is a pharmaceutical so it probably got cracked down... either blocking alpha-2 or stimulating beta receptors (aminophylline) topically has been shown; gotta block the receptor or override the tissue resistance. I tink Ferriss talked about aminophylline. us.cpoliquin.com/product_p/lean%20legs.htm – grace Feb 27 2012 at 3:39

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none · Answer 2 · 2012-02-26 01:15:50Z UTC

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Are you female? IMHO IFing is not great for the ladies. We tend to have worse glucose control when IFing. It also raises cortisol like a mo fo.

Also, how old are you?

I can do a lot of things, but IFing like that young buck Martin B. does NOT work for me (big belly, out of control hunger AFTER I start to eat). I think it's because I am a girl and I DO NOT like to eat big when I do eat - that's pretty crucial. Eating big.

answered Feb 26 2012 at 1:15

none
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Definitely. There is a big gender divide (having children IS STRESSFUL, hormonally, physically)!!!!! – grace Feb 26 2012 at 1:20

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yes thats how i feel. big belly and just rolly... – Paleo4ever Feb 26 2012 at 3:08

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'young buck Martin B' ha ahaaa I wonder if he read this rat study? I think it mimics humans well -- see fig 2 and 15 -- healthy young bucks/rats get higher T and bigger testes mass with IF (and lower cortisol) and the females had VASTLY different reponses to IF and 20 and 40% CR in sensing the 'reproductive environment' (cortisol goes up with grrls esp at 40% CR e.g. starving). plosone.org/article/… – grace Feb 27 2012 at 3:16

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FRUSTRATING!!!!! arrrrgghh. We are uniquely and hormonally different, esp gender-wise. But I think a lot of men are like grrrrls these day, and cry/whine like them too. – grace Feb 27 2012 at 3:37

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Oh! Thanks for that link. I really really would like to see more gender specific about macronutrients, micronutrients, excercise and stuff like fasting. Paleo, thus far, seems to be a man's world. – none Feb 27 2012 at 4:17

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Eric · Answer 3 · 2012-02-26 00:57:32Z UTC

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IF does not always equal weight loss.

answered Feb 26 2012 at 0:57

Eric
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miked · Answer 4 · 2012-02-26 01:34:14Z UTC

Short answer, yet. Cortosol triggers insulin release which triggers fat storage.

My general advice for IF is only do it if it's "Easy" and don't plan it (that's called "planned" or "scheduled fasting"). My only IF comes if I get too busy for lunch or dinner. I just skip a meal "intermittently" if it's not easy to get a meal that day. And those days are just fine, I don't actually miss not having the meal.

If your IF causes you any stress, it's probably doing more harm than good.

Tracy · Answer 5 · 2012-02-26 13:50:37Z UTC

I have been IFing for two weeks following the plan you described. I usually only get in two big meals during my feeding window. Strict Paleo. I've seen the best results following this plan. I CrossFit fasted 5 days a week at 5:30 a.m., then feeding window opens at 11:30. I know I leaned out because I went from 3 huge meals a day to two. Maybe its what you are eating during your feeding window also??

IF’ing & Ketosis stressing Adrenals & Cortisol = fat storage?

5 Answers