Bigger breakfast. Bigger lunch. Go for 4+ eggs and two portions of your protein at lunch. Salmon is a great lunch meat too with fat that the fat phobic won't notice. Throw some extra olive oil on your salad - that often does not scare the fat phobic. Don't be afraid to eat some healthy carbs like sweet potatoes - at your activity level you need them. Don't worry about losing weight right now, concentrate on getting your energy level up.

First of all, don't stress! I wish I knew about Paleo nutrition when I was 14. You're way ahead of most of us.

Don't pressure yourself. You're going through a process that will take some time.

See if your mom will get you some coconut oil. I have some friends who refuse to let go of the low-fat nuttiness, but they accept that coconut oil "contains the saturated fat that's good for you".

With coconut oil, you can bake yourself some Paleo goodies that will help you feel like you're not depriving yourself. Some Paleo peeps don't approve of baking, but I think it's fun to have a treat now and then.

Shameless plug: http://ifcavemombakedcookies.com/

Hard-boiled eggs, sweet potatoes, and nuts are some snack ideas that will help you to feel full. Make mashed sweet potatoes and add some coconut milk--soooo good and filling.

You are 14. You should not "diet."

At each meal eat:

• a palm size portion of meat
• a fist size portion of vegetable
• a cupped hand full of starchy stuff (sweet potato)
• a thumb size amount of fat

Eat three meals a day. Get plenty of sleep and sunshine. Lift some weights, run fast, walk around. You will be fine. Some girls get puffy at age 14, especially in the face. Don't freak out too much if you are one of them. Your body needs to get used to its new hormones. It will get better.

Sounds like you're most like not eating enough. Being a teenager you're still growing. If it's alright with you, how much do you weigh, and how much are you looking to lose? Sometimes we aim to lose more than we actually need to, we set goals FAR too high and when we don't achieve the results we desire, we get depressed.. binge and then we're back to square one.

Also.. what sports are you playing? More activity = More energy.

Fill me in!!

~ Cricket

Wow, sorry to hear of your woes. If it only goes out the window at night after a good day of paleo eating, my take is that you simply need more fat in perhaps a larger paleo dinner (and perhaps a more protein-and-fat-laden lunch).

Also, your dairy (butter) is likely inhibiting your fat loss if you're like me. Lastly, skip the peanut butter and go back to nuts, or better yet smoked fish, jerky, ceviche, fermented veggies - basically anything else more paleo. The legume-butter is likely made with vegetable oil (promoting inflammation and fat gain) and nut butters should only be treated as occasional treats (again, if you respond like I do). If you must snack, do so, but stay on the paleo bus so you don't add so much stress, from food and mental sources both.

Anyway, that's my 2p. Enjoy your paleo food and don't treat it as a limitation, but rather as way of ensuring you eat the best things for you instead of poisoning yourself slowly. Good luck!

Yes, you definitely need more fat.

Replace your lean salad lunch and dinner with rich soup! No sane mother will tell her own child that soup is unhealthy, or that salad is healthier than soup. Most parents would chew their own arm to make their children eat soup!

Golden cauliflower soup (replace the beef broth with more coconut milk if you don't have broth)
http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/10/24/golden-cauliflower-soup/

Cream of broccoli soup
http://nomnompaleo.com/post/2345953636/curried-cream-of-broccoli-soup

Tomato soup
http://nomnompaleo.com/post/2825821540/quick-cream-of-tomato-soup
http://paleodietlifestyle.com/cream-of-tomato-basil-soup/

Coconut milk chicken curry
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chicken_curry_in_a_hurry/

Squash soup
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/curried_squash_soup/

Shrimp curry with onion and red peppers
http://paleodietlifestyle.com/curried-shrimps-and-spinach/

Can you offer to cook two meals for week? Would your mom let you? Then you could make a big batch of soup and put it in pint-size mason jars, one jar per school-day, to eat for lunch or dinner.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ball-12-Count-Wide-Mouth-Pint-Jars-with-Lids-and-Bands/21290193

More recipes: just replace ingredients as needed, for example, if it asks for vegetable oil, use butter or coconut oil, and so on.
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/soup_and_stew/

As someone who struggled with weight throughout my teenage years, I provide you with the following advice: you have found paleo, lucky you! you are way ahead of the curve. Now you need to adjust to eating a diet of whole foods that your body proccesses differently than packaged sugars and flours.

Therefore, since you are young and at crucial development eat some frickin' carbs- your body will thrive and thank you! You won't feel tired and your appetite will actually decrease and performance will go up!!

To gain muscle versus fat, opt for glucose-dense starches like sweet potato, butternut squash, just-picked bananas, berries, and zucchini.

Make sure you are getting enough carbohydrate at each meal-- I found I was eating consistently low carb just because paleo carbs aren't available in pre-packaged bags like most foods are.

Make sure you are sleeping enough- don't worry too much about your protein and fat- get a decent size in each meal and eat to satiety as long as that carb source is there too!

Try not to overthink it. Stress is the worst thing a young body needs. I am sure you are a beautiful person and with increased carbs you will feel, look, and perform better.

Best of luck! Let me know f you have additional questions!!

ebrady,

Have you bought a copy of Dr. Briffa's Escape the Diet Trap for you and your mum to go through together? Your paleo journey will be much easier if both of you team up.