Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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Has anyone else found that eating a VLC diet high in fats, especially animal saturated fats, is correlated with a higher incidence of craving for fatty foods such as cheese, heavy cream, coconut butter, etc and subsequent FAT gain? I have only had luck losing weight on a paleo PSMF, but always get hung up moving into maintenance. Both times I decided to just up my fats and stay VLC but find myself craving uncured dry sausage, butter by itself, cheese, spoonfuls of coconut butter and eating past the point of fullness because I am craving it. I don't know if it is correlated with the drop in leptin- i hate doing refeeds because a)I'm not that lean, and b) they make me feel like utter crap no matter how low my fructose is and how clean it is. I also am very active when not on PSMF- swimming, paddle boarding, biking, tabata, weights, etc. and I IF 18/6 right now- longer window when not PSMF. I am wondering if I should just force myself to do the refeed to up leptin before I transition or move into a carb cycling diet once these 4 weeks are up as maybe VLC just isn't for me?

edit: So after reading through the helpful comments, I am wondering if there is anyone who switched to a higher carb (not high carb, but above 25g) and saw am amelioration in their cravings for fat

edited May 21 2012 at 15:36

asked May 20 2012 at 0:31

JASmith
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I should specify that these cravings were after having eaten a good size meal- 600 cals – JASmith May 20 2012 at 0:32

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You're going to hear alot of dogmatic support for low-carbism. I recommend taking it all with a grain of salt and following your intuition. – Kasra May 20 2012 at 1:31

Do that which works and discard that which does not. – Kasra May 20 2012 at 1:33

.What is PSMF?. – Warren D May 20 2012 at 5:22

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@Warren Protein Sparing Modified Fast. Basically very high protein, VLC, and very calorie restricted (1000 cals or less a day). Also involves not being very active and generally goes for 2-4 weeks at a time. I've read about this on bodybuilding.com where dudes just eat chicken breast and broccoli day in and day out.......... And when you refeed, you gain pretty much most of the weight back. – April S.♦ May 20 2012 at 6:13

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Joshua · Answer 1 · 2012-05-20 01:04:37Z UTC

So, you've been on a diet restricting fats (PSMF) and when you re-introduce fats your body is telling you to go crazy on them?

Go figure.

Ever know someone on Adkins that lost considerable amounts of weight, decided to go back to "eating normal" and gained it all back due to carb binges?

It's a very similar conundrum... just a different macronutrient.

From what you have written, I see a couple red flags here...
1. You have tried a PSMF multiple times.
2. You seem to be quite educated on different diets specifically targeted at weightloss.
3. You admit that you are heavier than you want.
4. The point of your original post is in regards to classic "binge" behavior.

Those 4 statements are very similar to my own life experiences, and I can tell you that you are following the verbatim pattern of a yo-yo dieter (as I have for most of my adult life).

My advice is to boil down a paleo diet to it's basics, avoid foods that you specifically know that target binges (dairy seems to be your trigger food from what you have written), and whatever you do, do not continue to bounce from Paleo to a PSMF!

On a PSMF you can feel quite deprived, and by re-introducing a higher fat diet your body is likely telling you "This is good! Do this!" - this is the type of programming you've given it by restricting fat so severely...

So, boil down paleo to the basics. Meat, fish, berries, veggies, even tubers if you want to eat some carb, use only virgin, unprocessed oils to cook with, avoid foods that likely cause a binge trigger... and most importantly... avoid deviation solely base on chasing "results", until you've given your current path a proper chance to work (which will take awhile).

Again, apologies if I am way off base here - but your experience is quite similar to my own.

Jan · Answer 2 · 2012-05-20 06:07:07Z UTC

cheese, heavy cream, coconut butter, are foods that are on the processed side. I cant moderate my cheese habbits, so i rarely buy it (once a month as a cheat). I go for more paleo type unprocessed fats. Like whole coconut, avocado, bone marrow, fish roe. I eat fishroe almost every morning, as they are now cheap and in season As much i like marrow, i have never binged on it. But i do eat sometimes little too much whole coconuts. Propably becouse they are much more novel food in my area.

YoungPaleoLover · Answer 3 · 2012-05-20 01:35:13Z UTC

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Yes I have definitely experienced this. So now to stabilize cravings I switch up my carb levels daily depending on what I need. Sometimes your body craves all that fat because it is starving for any kind of fuel. Whenever I get this I eat more carbs- sweet potatoes won't kill! Listen to your body it is the best advice I've ever taken I feel so much happier and healthier!

answered May 20 2012 at 1:35

YoungPaleoLover
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	So do you cycle them- high w/o days, VLC other and if so what constitutes a high one on grams? – JASmith May 20 2012 at 15:29
	Yes when I have a day with more activity I usually hit about 100 g of carbs that day-- something like 2 small sweet potatoes (or 1 really big one!). Then on days where I am sitting around (which is rare) I will stick to cruciferous veggies-- I usually don't track these, but you can't really over-eat on spinach so it usually remains below 50 g on these days. – YoungPaleoLover May 20 2012 at 20:48

Al88 · Answer 4 · 2012-05-20 01:35:24Z UTC

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I'm curious as well although I'm not craving or snacking but just eating a ton for 2-3 meals. I've done VLC before but didn't track calories. I have a nifty iPhone app I've been using to count carbs but I've also noticed I eat 2000-2500 calories a day now. That can't be okay for someone 125 lb and 5'7", right?!

answered May 20 2012 at 1:35

Al88
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I tend to need quite a lot of calories even when my activity level seems low. Unless you are gaining fat, it is ok. – Warren D May 20 2012 at 5:29

I'm 5'7 and 155# (mesomorph bodytype) and gain fat on VLC with anything over 1500 cals even being extremely active – JASmith May 20 2012 at 15:16

I meant to phrase that more as a comparison to different metabolisms- exactly what Warren said- if it's working for you then that's what you need to trust not some arbitrary set number. – JASmith May 20 2012 at 15:44

AI88, how is 2000 calories a day not ok? please don't let fashion magazines freak you out. – Rebekah Jun 16 at 18:54

julianne · Answer 5 · 2012-05-20 02:59:11Z UTC

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YES, high fat, low carb, simply does not work for me and some others I know. I just dont feel satisfied after a meal, and just want to keep eating fat. Then I feel disgusting an hour later and all the fat hits my system, and dont lose weight.

A moderate carb, minimal added fat to meals plus protein and I feel just right, with gooe appetite control and weight management. I dont eat super lean meat though - not fat phobic, just eat normal meat or whole eggs.

answered May 20 2012 at 2:59

julianne
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	What are you calling moderate carb? I did Paleo with 135g for 3 months before without any luck losing and gained some, but that was due to still having somf GF/sugary treat on weekends so I am willing to up the carbs after though start slow – JASmith May 20 2012 at 15:15
	Everyone is different, but the starting point I use for most clients is 2 g per kg protein per day, plus the same in carbs, and a little added fat per meal if any. This works for active insulin sensitive overweight people – julianne May 21 2012 at 22:44

vaalion · Answer 6 · 2012-05-20 07:47:44Z UTC

It's a good point for me too... However I haven't been gaining weight but it has made it harder for me to go below 15% body fat (men). I think a reason I don't gain weight is because I do intermitent fasting 1-2 times a week and often I will skip 2 meals when I do it.

But ya, all the delicious fat you grew up thinking were bad being accesible to you definitely makes me indulge a LOT in them now, I probably destroy the 2k daily calories I used to take now... I put butter/coconut milk on my meat, in my coffee.. in my hot chocolate.. on my spinach... It all adds up.

High Fat/Low Carb Triggers Overeating

6 Answers