Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I can already tell that I'm going to get several perspectives on this, but I want to take them all into account.

Specifically, I can't consume carbs (including any fruit, sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc) because I was recently diagnosed with dangerously high levels of bacteria and yeast in my body and low probiotics. Paleo is perfect for my conditions, but I have yet to see the scale drop. If anything, it increases. I know having inflammation in the body from the former often prevents weight loss as well, but I have been strict on my diet for the most part.

I'm allergic to gluten but I do not know if it's Celiac. Been doing Paleo for some time now, haven't lost any weight. Because fat levels do not effect insulin levels I figure that it should be eaten often (for me I eat mostly avocado and coconut oil/butter). Meat is every day, 2-3 times. Should I cut some animal protein out? Lastly, veggies are a staple at every meal, without question :)

If anyone needs to know for further analysis, I'm 20 yrs old, 165 lb., 5'9". Mahalo!!

flag	asked Oct 10 at 5:35 CA Wahine 15●4

Elunah · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-10 12:58:47Z UTC

A direct answer to your question is difficult to provide because it would understate how complicated the human metabolic process is. This is something of a Doctor Oz question, and we don't earn money pushing supplements to housewives here on PaleoHacks. IMO, Paleo is fundamentally about getting plenty of nutrients, avoiding antinutrients, and letting your body do the rest. In this vein, your macronutrient ratio and overall caloric intake are the two factors that will most strongly affect your body composition.

We could, however, talk about the effects of the each of the three macronutrients. Fats is the Paleo darling. After being vilified by conventional unwisdom for decades, we finally see that fat doesn't make you fat. Many kinds of fats are essential for survival, and fat adaptation provides numerous wellness benefits. (More here.)

We also love protein. There are numerous essential amino acids that we cannot generate ourselves and thus must metabolize from food. However, protein is toxic in large amounts, and after a certain amount, your body will start converting protein into glucose.

Carbs are a mixed bag, because some of the most nutritious foods come with carb baggage. However, there are no essential carbs. You don't need them to survive, because you can generate carbs through ketogenesis.

Now, back to macronutrient ratios. If you're serious about micromanaging your diet, I think it's important to pick a ratio and use tools to try to stick to it. Two common ratios are 40C:30F:30P (Zone) and 20C:65F:15P (a specific kind of Paleo).

Matt · Answer 2 · 2012-10-10 13:42:15Z UTC

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Not losing weight? You're eating too much. Doesn't matter if it's fat or carbs, you're just eating too much.

answered Oct 10 at 13:42

Matt
36.4k●2●10●69

Hahaha thank you.Yes, portion control is obviously important, but I'm not gaining weight either. I think there is just a need of a caloric deficit. – CA Wahine Oct 10 at 22:33

animaleater · Answer 3 · 2012-11-21 03:21:43Z UTC

Keeping calories below your calculated total daily energy expenditure and nearer your basal metabolic rate is rule number one to lose weight.

To get down to @15% bodyfat, eat reasonably fatty meat and greens ad get into ketosis, which if strict, will get you enzymatically fat burning adapted. Get a gram scale and measure the days portion of meat (raw). If you're not losing, lower your daily grams. Keep fat percentage comstant.

After being in ketosis at least one month, more if you've been metabolically deranged (insulin/leptin issues), eat as many potatoes or white rice as you can eat once a week in the evening after your hardest workout. That'll get you to 15% easily. Such a carb load jump starts fat loss. But you've got to get and stay fat adapted in ketosis well before that carb load begins.

Once you get at or below 15%, you need more tweaking. Ditch the weekly carb fest and simply get about 1-2g carb per lbs bodyweight directly after workouts 3x week. Low fat those days. Zero carb higher fat rest days.

Poof you hit sub-ten percent bodyfat.

thhq · Answer 4 · 2012-11-21 03:53:40Z UTC

What is the point of losing weight at all? You're not fat. Why obsess?

You haven't mentioned how active you are. If you do succeed in losing weight by starving yourself or fasting, the weight will come off as both muscle and fat. The easiest way to increase your metabolism AND preserve muscle tone is to exercise. This will probably make you eat more, but wouldn't you rather be toned than achieve a skinny-fat frail appearance?

Is one macronutrient more powerful than another to help burn fat?

4 Answers