Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

2

1

Has anyone here lost more than 50lbs while averaging 200+gm of carbohydrate a day? For all I am glad that Paleo has embraced starch for those who need it I'm wondering if that hasn't skewed people's results.

edited Oct 24 at 2:29

asked Oct 24 at 1:50

Satchmo

pbo · Answer 1 · 2012-10-24 02:11:36Z UTC

3

Yes. Before I tried the paleo diet, I had lost weight twice, eating over 200+ carbs (I was also a vegetarian).

To lose weight, you need to be in an energy deficit. You can easily do that with over 200 carbs.

answered Oct 24 at 2:11

pbo
2,765●3●11

	+1 provided theres an energy deficit carbs dont matter – meta Oct 24 at 7:47
	Same experience. – Jade Oct 24 at 11:00
	Exactly, what matters is getting yourself into a caloric deficit, which has nothing to do with carbs. Now for a lot of people, going on a low carb paleo diet, helps them do this (many times without counting). – pbo Oct 24 at 14:57
	PBO - Not really my experience... – Satchmo Oct 24 at 22:51
	Interesting. How many calories a day were you eating? Maybe you were not in a deficit? – pbo Oct 25 at 0:29

show 1 more comment

shelley · Answer 2 · 2012-10-26 02:04:54Z UTC

I can lose weight on carbs but its really really hard..I am hungry alot, hot flashes, cranky..not pretty at all but I did lose some that way, gained some back and then went Paleo about a year ago and lost another 30plus with ease..around 60g of carbs per day..but I really don't count them but lots of fat..this has worked better than anything else I have tried and I have tried alot

CD · Answer 3 · 2012-10-24 14:31:56Z UTC

1

Not quite that many carbs, but higher carbs intake helped my weight loss. I started around 50g carbs and saw some immediate results that stopped after 6 weeks, I switched to 100-150g carbs and the weight dropped 2-3 lbs per week until I hit 10 lbs lower than my original goal weight.

answered Oct 24 at 14:31

CD
21.9k●1●3●39

	do you think starting off low carb and transitioning to higher carb was what caused the weight loss success for you? Or do you think that having the carbs all along would have helped you lose that 2-3 lbs immediately rather than after six weeks? – Amber Oct 26 at 2:37
	Who knows? It also could have been that I made a switch right when I broke the plateau for other reasons (i.e. not carb related). All I know is that when I drop below 50g now, I feel sluggish. When I eat around 100g I feel much better. I will go up to 150g when I am doing some serious running. So I am sticking with the carbs. – CD Oct 26 at 13:22

Alan · Answer 4 · 2012-10-24 02:26:35Z UTC

Weight loss is a different journey for us all. I used to weigh 108kg and I got down to 80kg by still eating pasta, rice and other high carby stuffs. Clearly that was before the start of my paleo journey. Now im 75kg :)

Point is, give it a go and see how it affects you. That is the only way you will know for sure.

Little Rain · Answer 5 · 2012-10-24 02:42:01Z UTC

Yes, I have lost almost 100 lbs at one point, but at that time I was also eating anywhere from 900-1150 calories a day. I haven't tried counting carbs now, while doing paleo. I have added starchy foods in my diet, and I have lost a few pounds without trying... but I really don't think my carb count is that high. I should track that. I'd think if you upped the carbs you'd just have to be very careful about calories and/or exercise if you wanted to lose weight. I think it's possible, just takes more planning.

Elunah · Answer 6 · 2012-10-24 14:41:19Z UTC

I lost 40 pounds over the year doing Paleo without worrying about carbs. I definitely ate over 200g in fruit-based carbs on a regular basis. That being said, I think it's way easier to overeat carb-heavy foods than fat-heavy foods. Fats tend to be more satiating, at least to me. Before, I could easily eat a couple big bananas in a sitting.

MathGirl72 · Answer 7 · 2012-10-24 14:52:40Z UTC

I lost weight faster when I added in more carbs (up to 100g from 30g-50g), but couldn't keep control over my blood sugar. It's a double-edged sword for me, which sucks! Perhaps once I have lost the excess weight, approx. 110 lbs to go, my sugar levels will be more stable and I won't have to be quite so neurotic about my carb intake.

Michelle · Answer 8 · 2012-10-26 01:15:19Z UTC

Lost 40 lbs (80% of which was fat). Didn't need to lose any more than that. In fact, had to gain 10 back, since that last 10 was due to some disordered eating behavior. I was on Weight Watchers all that time, so I had a calorie deficit. It worked for me because I learned to eat real food, and I've kept it off for two years effortlessly without counting calories or weighing myself regularly. I'm also not entirely metabolically damaged, though, so my diet has more leeway. I've been doing what I call a "managed carb" approach for the past year to control my PCOS symptoms, which admittedly were mild to begin with.

Carbohydrate Poll

8 Answers