Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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Hello all! Ive just boarded the paleo band wagon full swing in the last week, having in the preceeding three gradually weaned from grains/sugar/dairy/legumes/soy etc etc etc. (Gradually because it took me that long to realise some of the foods I was eating werent strict paleo!)

I love it and I FEEL different already, which is why Ive persisted... But my scale says otherwise. Ive gained two pounds and almost 1% body fat. Doesnt seem like much but im quite small and athletic so it feels a TON.

Some important background: Im a distance runner, currently injured. And Ive also started paleo off the back of a calorie deficit I was previously maintaining in a bid to lean out. I picked this time (while im not running) to conduct my paleo experiment because I felt like my running pursuits had me leaning quite heavily on carbs/grains and I didn't like the feeling (plus I was always hungry!). Since transitioning I have been unusually sedentary (for me), though am about to start a new weights routine, hitting the gym around three times a week.

I'm a short 5'1, 123lb (up from 115 when running) with a body fat % now sitting at 21-22% (up from 18-19). I have gone from roughly 1200-1400cal a day to 2100cal on paleo (when im super hungry). Have ditched nuts and am eating lean meats (chicken, beef, tuna and salmon), veggies (A LOT of which seem to be mushrooms and spinach!) and fats (avocado, coconut products, oils), with roughly 20-50g carbs, 150-180g fat, 100-130g protein.

Im also taking in 2500 IU of vitamin D and up to 8 clean fish oil capsules.

My question is: Is the weight/fat gain temporary? Does it have to do with not being entirely fat adjusted, and so retaining it all before my body knows enough to switch to fat as a primary fuel source? Does my eating seem on-par (I eat to satiety now rather then constantly feeling restricted) with my height or could it be a calorie surplus causing the gain? Am I likely to lean out in the long run??

Many thanks in advance for any help!

flag	asked Aug 7 at 0:11 Alice 35●1●2

I've had the same issue--going from 116-118 pounds to 122-123 within the first few weeks of Paleo. I'll be interested to see the responses. – TheMooseMuncher Aug 7 at 0:21

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If you're getting fat maybe you are eating too many calories. Paleo food isn't magic food. It makes you healthier, that's for sure, but none of it has magic weight-loss properties if you eat too many calories. – Diane Aug 7 at 0:49

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Sounds like you self-identified the most likely culprit: diet switch (more calories) + injury + unusually high amount of sedentary time. tl;dr version: you're eating a lot more and doing a lot less. – Jesse Aug 7 at 1:06

If you have increased your caloric intake by 60%+ that would certainly be part of the explanation. I'm your weight, 5'9" and also go to the gym three times a week and am maintaining my current weight on around 1850 cals a day. I am not sure whether you'll lean out on 2100 cals. – Sigrid Aug 7 at 1:13

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Sorry I should have mentioned - that 2100 cals is having been on my feet most of the day everyday, often walking at least 2hours a day (this is sedentary for me, relative to these activities plus the usual 15-20k run I'd do of an evening). So the net cal is generally still around...1600? In some senses its an absolute no-brainer - too much food, I knew that. But I guess I asked because if I were going on appearance rather then scale data I would have assumed Id already leaned out somewhat. I feel like I LOOK better. Muscles are more visible etc. Was really perplexed by the whole scenario. – Alice Aug 7 at 2:57

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CD · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-07 11:51:37Z UTC

Too early to tell. Being an injured runner your body will accumulate fat and water regardless of your diet.

Also at 18% your body may respond differently to the paleo diet. My brother-in-law, a former elite distance runner in college, was at about 5% BF when he started paleo in Feb. He's now at about 9%. He's far healthier, he's just not running sub 2:30 marathons anymore.

Kelleil · Answer 2 · 2012-08-07 00:54:11Z UTC

I think most people will only jump on two things:

1.) Wow lady, that was a huge increase in kCal. While calorie isn't a calorie, a lot of calories end up being a lot of calories.

2.) Lean meats? Ew. Why? But you are getting enough fat so that's great! Btw, how are you getting the fat if you are using lean meats?

Stephanie Ruper (www.paleoforwomen.com) would say that 18-19% is starving oneself if a woman and that your body was screaming back for where it needed to be. Yeah, that didn't help? Didn't think so.

Jesse · Answer 3 · 2012-08-07 00:55:20Z UTC

It's too early to tell what it is. We don't know your water intake, activity level, or if you've just got a "food baby" you need to drop off at "the pool".

In all honesty, lock the scale up for the first 30 days. It's only going to mess with your head.

Record your data (meals, workouts, sleep, meds/supps) and then after 30 days evaluate your weight and measurements.

Initial fat/weight gain… THIS IS TEMPORARY, RIGHT?!

3 Answers