Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I feel like I've been eating all morning. Even last night it took me two hours to feel full. I begin my meal with lots of steamed vegetables then get on to the protein and fat. This morning felt ridiculous. I finished off the second half of the 1.2-lb lamb leg steak I cooked up last night along with 2 eggs and 100 calories of broccoli. I took a break for about 1/2 hour and then I ate 7 eggs and about 500 calories of steamed broccoli.

I am a female college distance runner, 5'9", 145lbs and I'd like to lose a little weight (my racing weight is about 130-135lbs). But I feel like I overeat! I feel guilty even eating that many VEGETABLES. I just can't believe I can eat so many of them! I mean 600 calories worth?! Yikes! And eggs are so addicting...

flag	asked Aug 9 at 15:13 Rachael 323●5

One of the beauties of this lifestyle is how much you are allowed to eat, that being said, it's easy to over do it if you don't live an active life, which doesn't apply to you. I would keep doing what you're doing, but i will add sweet potatoes, Plantains and more clean fats to your meals. And, when it comes to vegetables, nutrition lies on variety. – Alvaro Aug 9 at 16:01

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Sometimes I go through periods where I can't get enough to eat. These periods eventually pass and then I go through a period of barely wanting to eat at all. It's hard to trust eating so much won't blow me up like a balloon but so far it hasn't. Anyway, it may be that you are missing some nutrients. Perhaps try some liver or make sure your vegetables have fat added so that the vitamins are more easily used. Sometimes I think getting off the bread and sugar, which seem to mess up the normal signaling of hunger and satiety, that your body now gets really demanding about nutrients. – Diane Aug 9 at 16:42

Vegetables have calories? – raney Aug 9 at 16:53

@Diane: I agree, I seem to have periods where I eat more than other times. I figured the 7 eggs and .7-lb lamb with my vegetables added enough fat.... I've been off of bread and most sugars for about 6 months now. – Rachael Aug 9 at 18:05

You are eating 4-5lbs of steamed broccoli? Because that is how much 600 calories of broccoli would be. – Dualhammers Sep 2 at 3:59

miked · Answer 1 · 2012-08-09 15:24:22Z UTC

A calorie is not a calorie unlike you've been told your whole life. It depends on where the food comes from. As long as you're not completely metabolically deranged (and you're not as a 145lb runner), you can actually trust your body's satiety signals and quit counting or even thinking about calories.

One thing to also keep in mind is that distance running will raise your cortisol and you will retain a bit more fat just as a result of your training style. All other things being equal a distance runner will always be less lean than a sprinter. That's just biology. Note, I'm not saying that being less lean is bad, but that you're fighting biology if you want to lean out while being a distance runner.

Where to go from here? Feel free to eat protein and fat without worrying about quantity, you'll get full. Instead of eating tons of veggies maybe just add a post workout sweet potato (or two depending on your activity level). It's not that veggies are bad, but sweet potatoes are much better at repleating your muscle glycogen and you'll recover from workouts better.

Don't monitor calories, don't monitor your body weight. Watch how you look, feel, and perform, and then make tweaks to diet and training based on that.

thegiantess · Answer 2 · 2012-08-09 18:37:36Z UTC

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I too am a distance runner so I can relate. For me there is no amount of protein and fat that will satiate me. I need carbs. And I am thinking you do too. Try eating some starches and see where that takes you.

answered Aug 9 at 18:37

thegiantess
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Caveman Kyle · Answer 3 · 2012-08-09 15:43:33Z UTC

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I think you may want to try adding more starches into your diet, especially post workout, and see how you do. Also, how long have you been paleo? If you are just getting started, your body will need a little while to get used to it.

If you are gaining weight after 30 days, then worry about adjusting things. I'd not worry much about it for now.

answered Aug 9 at 15:43

Caveman Kyle
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	Good advice about adding some starches. Sweet potatoes would be a good place to start. – j3wcy Aug 9 at 15:59
	I've been doing Paleo for almost a month now, although there have been adjustments throughout the month as I learn more and more. Thanks for the help! – Rachael Aug 9 at 16:04

W1ld · Answer 4 · 2012-08-09 16:20:04Z UTC

Rachael, I totally feel you on this issue, and I only lift heavy weights (about to start a CrossFit hybrid though)! There are times where I find I don't ever fill up, which I attribute to previous stomach stretching when bulking in the past :/

I just completed a whole30 and would now like to lean out some more, as well - my advice (and what I've been trying to stick to) is to eat somewhat slowly, truly appreciate the meal for its bomb'ness/deliciousness, and stop eating once your hunger has been sated. Another tip that might help is to drink 2-3 glasses of water before eating said meal.

I feel as though it I simply added more sweet potatoes Id just be a happy glutton, 3 swee potatoes in, haha.

jonathan · Answer 5 · 2012-08-09 15:44:13Z UTC

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Try adding more fat to your meals, ghee, grass-fed butter, lard and coconut oil are excellent places to start. They also allow you to eat a lot less protein (avoiding overeating) and satisfy your appetite like nothing else!

answered Aug 9 at 15:44

jonathan
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I figured the SEVEN eggs and lamb would have been enough fat in this meal... :/ – Rachael Aug 9 at 16:04

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Its more protein than fat. By over consuming protein your body increases insulin just like carbs. Hence, you get blood sugar highs/lows and get hungry. – Chelsea Aug 9 at 22:30

fromthericefields · Answer 6 · 2012-08-10 04:49:38Z UTC

I've done similar as well, but a couple of days later I found I could barley choke supper down and (it was a delicious meal of chicken along with the so very rare chicken skin from a whole chicken mom bought, my entire family will not eat the skin due to the fat so I had it all to myslef, but yet felt so full that day, even before I touched the chicken) was a couple of hundred calories short by the end of the day.

Or your body felt like it just needed to load up on fuel, for some reason. I believe it's natural, you should be fine.

A couple of days ago I binged on Chicken, cheese, butter, some carrots, and lots of salt. It totaled over 1000 calories worth and it was only 3:00PM, afterwards my stomach felt overfull and didn't feel well that evening but I slept like a baby.

Am I overeating?!

6 Answers