Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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So, I'm very confused and frustrated.

Let me start by giving some background info...

I'm 25 yrs old and a I'm professional dancer on and off Broadway. I've always been active, since the age of 3 when I started dancing. Up until my 20's I was in the 90lb range. Never had to diet, although growing up my mother was pretty strict with what we ate. She was an aerobics instructor and dance teacher and I learned "healthy" habits from her. Being a dancer I have very strict goals on what my body should look like, as it is my livelihood.

I've learned in the past few years that I have a womanly body (think Boticelli), and although I have a small frame and am in good shape, it wants to gain --- especially in the bust and hips. In the past when I've had a big audition that I needed to slim down for, I would just take a lot of class (meaning 1 ballet class and 1 jazz class/day for 6 days straight --- maybe even going to the gym and running for 45 min after class) and eat a little healthier. I.e salads instead of pizza or burgers. And the weight would melt off me. I have never ever had trouble losing the 5lbs I needed to in 1 week.

My boyfriend (Futureboy) went paleo about 2 months ago and it intrigued me. I had always believed in eating organic and cutting out the crummy chemicals and all the crap that causes cancer and diseases. So I started to eat paleo. Not crazy strict at first, just to clean up what I had been eating. About 3 weeks ago I learned I was going to have a photo shoot with Time Out NY magazine, and noticed I had gotten a lil chunky! So my boyfriend suggested that I go strict paleo. I did...In 3 weeks I have lost 2lbs, and each week i get more and more strict with my diet. This week I have cut back so much that I basically go to bed hungry. And my belly is bigger than ever! I have been taking about 3 ballet classes this week and 1 jazz, so not as much as I normally do because Colin said not to go crazy on the exercise.

So here's where I'm really frustrated:

The weight seems to come off of him so easy, I'm trying really hard to eat as little carbs as possible and cut down my portions. And I've looked at the website and see many women having the same problem. I've also looked at the before and after's...the women look really great after, but the men's transformations are outstanding! I've been told before that high fat/high protein diets work well for men but not so much for woman... Is that true?

I really want to stick with paleo. It seems great for my overall health, but it seems like its making me gain weight, and I can't gain weight --- not while I'm in the business that I'm in. This is also the first time in my life I've ever done a "diet"...it totally backfired! Now before anyone says... "What did you expect in 3 weeks?" In the past I could've lost 10lbs in 3 weeks. So far w/ paleo I've lost only 2lbs and gained some belly fat...Not cool! I'm also trying to let go of my long-held beliefs in fat-burning cardio (chronic cardio), but since I've begun to do so, my results have made me skeptical.

So, is paleo not ideal for my lifestyle? A lifestyle where i need to be able to drop 10lbs to be seen as a ballerina for a role...and then a few weeks later gain so I can look voluptuous for a different kind of role? Is this at all possible with paleo?? Is paleo better suited to men rather than women?? Please help!! Cause I really do want to stick with it.

edited Apr 24 2011 at 6:13

asked Apr 24 2011 at 5:41

gypsyloo
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All dieting including paleo is tougher for women because they are biologically more complex than men because they rely on more hormones to partition calories. They also have higher amounts of leptin because they are to carry the next generation where men dont. You likely are now beginning to run up against your own biology. What did I just say? Women at 20 have an estrogen to testosterone ratio of 20 to 1. At 25 it is 10 to one. At 30 it will be 6 to one and by 35 it falls to 2 to one. All the time it continues to fall with cell divisions. This is not the rate it happens to all women – The Quilt Apr 24 2011 at 11:36

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But the fact it happens is an immutable fact of biology. Because it happens you need to realize that you maybe facing a steeper slope of perimenopause. This may shock a 25 yr old but it should not. Youre not immune to our biology. I would strongly recommend you read an older copy of Suzanne Sommers book Ageless. She did a fine job explaining this in their and I think you would benefit greatly by reading what is really happening to you with respect to how you partion calories. As your estorgen falls it effects Lipoprotein lipase and Hormone sensitive lipase......and that is why it occurs. – The Quilt Apr 24 2011 at 11:39

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So you asked us this, is paleo not ideal for my lifestyle? My answer is its neither......Your beginning to age and your hormone levels are falling simultaneously and your so young that this very issue never occured to you. Your hormone status has everything to do with how you partition calories, especially as a women. Moreover, if you take synthetic hormones for any reason or you eat processed foods or you live a stressful existence (high cortisol is very common on broadway due to short careers) it is clear to me why you are facing what you are. Keep reading and truth will reveal itself – The Quilt Apr 24 2011 at 11:43

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another point I would make to you.....since you have instituted change you seem to be expecting immediate results. Youre switching fuel sources and effecting your hormonal status as you do. Give your body time to see it. Want some help seeing this from a womans perspective? Go to Robb Wolf's site and look for a testamonial of one of my patients Jodi Weibel. Read it. I think what she describes might help you understand what youre going through. – The Quilt Apr 24 2011 at 11:46

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women are beginning perimenopause much earlier and the first effect is almost always energy level and weight gain around the belly. It is exacerbated by anything that elevates cortisol. That is why so many women struggle......they work out even more do more cardio and they get fatter even when they are eating few calories. Its hormones. And the sad part is my profession just seems asleep at the wheel. Especially the OB GYN's – The Quilt Apr 24 2011 at 22:00

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Travis Culp · Accepted Answer · 2011-04-25 18:52:35Z UTC

Males are far more sensitive to fructose intake than females. Considering that most overweight and obesity is caused in large part by fructose intake, simply cutting way back on that makes a huge difference for males. I think estrogen is the specific hormone responsible for the difference.

You should edit your original post to list what you honestly used to eat typically and what you've actually been eating in a day. "Paleo" is far too general and has too many variables that could work against you.

I've given it a lot of thought and I think a lot of people make the mistake of pulling everything out of their diet and replacing most of it with a ton of fat and then overshooting the amount they're able to burn in a day. Nobody in the paleosphere mentions it, but fat calories are actually the most likely to be stored as fat. Most of the protein that an athletic person eats is going to repair, most of the carbs to glycogen, but most of the fat will end up, at least temporarily in adipocytes. High fat, low carb is best for really sedentary obese people who have some symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Doesn't sound like you at all. This is what I recommend you do instead:

Replace the grains you were eating with 150g (of carbs) from rice, potato or sweet potato minimum. I just steam them and add nothing to it. I like my fat to be attached to my meat sources and my carbs to be clean. It sounds like you're depleting a large amount of glycogen, so you could eat more no problem. Carbs stored as glycogen have little effect on how much fat you lose.

Replace everything sweetened you were eating with berries. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are very low in fructose.

Replace standard eggs with pastured eggs, standard meat with grass-fed etc, as much as is possible.

Replace all industrial seed oils (soybean, canola etc.) with grass-fed butter.

Eat 1/4-1/2 lb of ruminant liver per week. This is absolutely vital for addressing potential micronutrient deficiencies. Smells and tastes bad, but it must be eaten. 1/4 lb isn't much. Make chili or something to mask the taste.

If I want to trim off some body fat, this is what a typical day looks like for me:

Breakfast: 3 scrambled eggs + 1 ~300g sweet potato or a bowl of berries

Lunch: Half of a chicken (I remove the skin if I'm looking to lose fat) + rice and a red bell pepper

Dinner: 1 lb lamb steak fried with a little butter + rice

Can of sardines or some miscellaneous meat if I feel hungry at all before bed.

I never ever go to bed hungry. If you're doing this, your diet is all screwed up.

If you look at the food from a paleohacks POV, it's high carb, high protein and low fat and everyone will tell you that this is horrible, but it's really effective for rapidly losing fat while preserving muscle. There's actually a fair amount of healthy fat present in the egg yolks, the dark meat of the chicken, the lamb and the sardines. You don't have to eat like this forever, just when you want to lose fat. When you reach a bodyfat level that you are comfortable with, you take that template and pad it with a little bit more fat here and there. Maybe add butter to the rice or potatoes or choose a fattier cut of meat or eat the chicken skin etc. As it's listed, it's low calorie, high satiety and while slightly boring, still sufficiently satisfying in volume. I lift weights 6 days a week, so I need a lot of carbs, but I can't imagine that your dancing is all that different.

Anyway, consider giving this a try for a few weeks and see how you do. The typical bodybuilder's cutting diet resembles this composition because it's highly effective. As a recovering vegan, muscle catabolism is simply not an option, so low carb just isn't on the table.

A at Grain Free Diet · Answer 2 · 2011-04-24 06:05:29Z UTC

IMO, completely false.

First of all, stop cutting back. You need to eat.

I am a woman. High fat diets are the only diet that have worked for me. I lost 45lbs on it with practically zero effort. Here's the thing - the more I restricted calories, the less I lost. Meanwhile if I put away in excess of 2000 (some days in excess of 2500) calories of mostly fat, the weight fell off me.

I will stop losing if I: 1. Restrict calories 2. Have carb creep 3. Eat dairy 4. Eat fruit

Take that for what it's worth, a study of one.

As for dropping 10 lbs one week and then gain another week is probably possible. I'm not really sure it's healthy, but if I had to do it, I'd go very high fat practically zero carb unrestricted calories to lose quickly. Then, lower fat and add fruit and dairy to gain it back.

dorchid11 · Answer 3 · 2011-04-24 14:46:18Z UTC

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You asked: Is paleo not ideal for my lifestyle? A lifestyle where i need to be able to drop 10lbs to be seen as a ballerina for a role...and then a few weeks later gain so I can look voluptuous for a different kind of role? Is this at all possible with paleo??

No, I don't think paleo is ideal for this kind of jumping around with weight, losing and gaining and losing again. Paleo should help your body find it's setpoint, so if you are alrady underweight it is probably not going to help you lose more weight. Dr. K's comments about women's hormones are a good starting point to understanding this.

answered Apr 24 2011 at 14:46

dorchid11
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+1 for common sense. In my exp. if you are overweight, you'll lose. If you are underweight, you will lose any skinnyfat, and might even gain weight. When you eat what you are supposed to eat, you will settle where you are supposed to settle. – Joshua Apr 25 2011 at 15:59

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It is totally common sense, but I don't think what I'm trying to achieve is all that common.It's not really an option for me to settle where I'm going to settle. Just as an Olympic athlete wouldn't settle. Did you see Black Swan Joshua? The movie totally portrayed the crazy pressure to be perfect. Not just from your self but, from the higher ups as well.It is pretty on par with what the business is actually like. I just wish to do so by being healthy, and not bulimic like Natlaie Portman's character. – gypsyloo Apr 25 2011 at 21:54

(As weight loss, I guess, is more of the focus. Weight gain, from what I gathered, seems to be pretty easy and healthy on this diet.) – gypsyloo Apr 25 2011 at 21:57

Annie · Answer 4 · 2011-04-24 06:41:27Z UTC

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Unfortunately, unlike men, many women find that they have to cut back on carbs to lose weight on Paleo. This generally means less than 20 net carbs (carbs minus fiber) per day. This does not mean, however, that you should confuse carbs with calories or cut back on portions. There is no reason to be hungry when you are eating Paleo. Keep your fat high, at least 70%, and keep your portions healthy. I frequently eat over 2000 calories a day, but stay under 20 net carbs. My typical day is 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs. I recommend cutting out the fruit and measuring any nuts (a good source of fat) so you don't get carried away with them. I've lost 20 pounds on VLC Paleo without going hungry.

answered Apr 24 2011 at 6:41

Annie
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She's saying a small salad like it was 2 pieces of spinach. We actually both ate a big Cobb salad from Veselka with smoked turkey, bacon, boiled egg, and lots of red cabbage and spinach. And the coconut milk (a whole can) was in a shake with cream and blackberries/blueberries. I just fixed her shakes with a 3 egg omelet with mushrooms and scallions cooked in about 4 TBs of kerrygold and bacon. ;) – Futureboy Apr 24 2011 at 19:41

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ya, about the salad, you ate my bacon. And I also did a pretty intense workout after eating only the salad at 7pm.I told you not to put cream in the shake!! And why 4tbs of butter!? Your making me fat! :) will someone please tell him to not use that much butter please!! – gypsyloo Apr 24 2011 at 20:15

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Use more butter Futureboy! She needs the fat-soluble vitamins. ;) – gilliebean♦ Apr 25 2011 at 19:56

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if i could upvote "use more butter" twice, i would! – tartare Apr 25 2011 at 23:28

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i'm not sure about cutting carbs. You're very active and already fairly close to your goal weight. You need to fine tune not fix a broken metabolism. what i DO think is you're throwing a LOT at your body all at once. New food, different training, stress about a photo shoot, all at once. I do get why you'd listen to your fella about food, but your dance prep? As a dancer since the age of 3, I think you probably have a decent idea of what is "too much" for you. As a trained dancer you might need more exercise than the average bear to exert you. Also why are you letting him eat your bacon?? ;) – tartare Apr 26 2011 at 4:32

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citrusfire · Answer 5 · 2011-09-18 00:58:04Z UTC

Say what?? Take it from someone with an extensive athletic background: If you are extremely active (i.e. you are a professional dancer) there is NO REASON for you to go low carb. Even if you honestly believe it's the healthiest way to be in the long long term, wait until after you retire. Life is too short to trade your passion/livelihood for some optimal fueling strategy for when you're middle aged. And I'm not convinced it is optimal, but I'm just saying that in case you are.

Anyway, Paleo is not low carb. You do not need a low carb diet and I don't see any reason why you would benefit from it. DO NOT EAT LOW CARB. Eat any kinds of potatoes with the skins removed, white rice if you want. Add those in. If anything I would limit fruit as a carb choice.

And, similarly, "chronic cardio" might not improve your health but if you need to cut weight for a week, do it. Especially if you're used to it, eating slightly less and working out more is a lot more enjoyable than eating a LOT less and trying to squeak by. That kind of cardio is great for cutting weight, just not for improving your fitness.

I have learned every lesson above myself. And honestly, I have yet to meet one person in a similar situation who has not learned similar lessons.

tartare · Answer 6 · 2011-04-24 06:52:02Z UTC

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how's your thyroid/iodine intake? i obviously know nothing about you, so this could totally be off base, but as a healthy woman who has never had any kind of serious weight issues, and certainly none by American standards, I was surprised to discover I might have a borderline issue. Still looking into it. In my case, persistent dry skin was what led me to think about it. It seems like you express a bit of a tendency to gain a little weight even though you're young and active. Consider a blood test to see where you're at.

Anyways, I agree with the above posters who said high fat is important, so don't be afraid of that.

answered Apr 24 2011 at 6:52

tartare
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Not sure about her thyroid, but we definitely need more iodine in our diets. I have been thinking about trying to incorporate seaweed into some of the meals I cook for us. – Futureboy Apr 24 2011 at 18:46

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Those little seasnax packets are great! You can just munch on the seaweed, or I crumble up a few strips and throw it into whatever I'm cooking. – valkyrie Apr 24 2011 at 18:56

I had never thought of that. My gaining weight, is like 5lbs.I don't think it's all that abnormal to fluctuate 5lbs on and off.It's just frustrating as 5lbs makes a world of difference to my own eyes,and to the people who hire me. I am still a little afraid of eating too much fat.If i didn't have a deadline I probably wouldn't care as much. I don't think it's thyroid, but It's better to be safe than sorry. Thank you for the suggestion I'll have it checked out! As for Iodine that helps with the weight loss? I know nothing about iodine ... – gypsyloo Apr 24 2011 at 19:42

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iodine deficiency could make your thyroid sluggish. i started thinking about it, like i said, due to a bout of pretty dry skin. Also I don't eat processed food or iodized table salt, and a few environmental things have changed for me so now i eat less seafood (not by preference) blah blah, so it was something that occurred to me. I have always been really lean and fit, so i never thought it was an issue. As for fat, you have to get over that. That right there is your problem. Fat burns. It's fuel source number 1! I've always eaten high fat and have never had significant cellulite or – tartare Apr 24 2011 at 21:37

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she says she is quite fit so I doubt the thyroid is a real problem unless its autoimmune Hashimoto's.....and no chance she'd be a broadway dancer if so. Her energy would not be there. I really think her cortisol is thru the roof. – The Quilt Apr 24 2011 at 22:05

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mari · Answer 7 · 2011-04-24 14:45:41Z UTC

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How low carb are you going? Low carb can increase cortisol, which may explain the belly fat. You might try shooting for 100-150 grams a day, particularly if you're active. Have you read the perfect health diet blog at all? He has some interesting posts on why low carb doesn't always work.

Another thing to consider is micronutrient deficiencies. Those can cause weight gain, and people who aren't eating very much are particularly susceptible.

answered Apr 24 2011 at 14:45

mari
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Go ahead and try this if it speaks to you, but I gotta say -- most of the women I've seen on various forums, including myself, who increase carbs (a la Kwasniewski, or other higher-carb "low-carb" plans) gain weight at an incredible pace on higher carb. If you're a carb-sensitive woman, and I'm guessing that most of us with two X chromosomes, this is a path to getting fat, and fast, too. – Rose Apr 24 2011 at 17:18

I think that people don't necessarily decrease their fat and protein calories when they do increase carbs, which may be a factor. Also, some people, like you said, just aren't insulin sensitive and haven't taken many steps (beyond just going paleo) to correct that. Things like IF and correcting any micronutrient deficiencies can be very helpful. – mari Apr 24 2011 at 17:45

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Those are good points, Mari. If carbs go up, then (IMO) calories gotta go down, which means lowering fat & protein. And micronutrient deficiencies can be hard to pinpoint, but critical, so I agree there. It took me three years to dial in the best way for me to eat, and I think for most weight- and health-challenged folks, persistence and tweaking (not constant, though -- give a change a few weeks to show results) are required. – Rose Apr 24 2011 at 18:36

It's so weird to me, because before going paleo, I would eat some sort of heavy carb at least once a week. Like a pasta or a pizza, I ate a lot of Sandwiches on wheat or 7grain bread. And now in an entire week, the only carbs ive had was some white rice on 1 sushi roll. And it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Seriously its no carbs everyday with the exception of 1 sushi roll. So there maybe something to this low carb- cortisol issue. But I also agree with you Rose, us woman seem to plump up when even looking at potato. – gypsyloo Apr 24 2011 at 19:01

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Low carb does not raise cortisol. – Ambimorph Apr 24 2011 at 22:34

Ambimorph · Answer 8 · 2011-04-25 00:07:17Z UTC

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The most effective and safest fast weight loss that I know of is the PSMF (protein sparing modified fast). It's completely paleo compatible. Basically, you eat your body's requirements for protein, and nothing else. Long term, you wouldn't want to stay this low in calories or fat, but for a get-the-fat-off emergency, it is probably your best bet.

By the way, from your comments on various answers, it seems like you might not be counting all your carbs. For example, if you add up all the carbs in a cup of coconut milk (even without the berries!), and a cobb salad, you might be surprised how much that can add up to.

answered Apr 25 2011 at 0:07

Ambimorph
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Thank you for the psmf i'll try that.As for the carb counting issue, eating a salad and a coconut shake in a day while exercising, is it really that bad? From going from what I used to eat, I thought id lose weight. I used to eat anything and everything. Ice cream Sundays were my favorite, I ate them at least once a week. a bag of twizzlers and small popcorn at the movies. a drunken slice of pizza here and there.To go from eating what I craved at the time, to eating a salad w/ no dressing and a shake, for an entire day.I cut my carbs and calories in half, at the very least. – gypsyloo Apr 25 2011 at 7:47

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I'm not saying it's necessarily bad, I'm saying you have to count it. My guess about why you used to tolerate that stuff and don't now is simply that you are older. A body will only take such abuse for so long. If you must cut your calories make sure you are getting adequate protein. – Ambimorph Apr 25 2011 at 12:37

Losing Amy · Answer 9 · 2011-04-24 20:09:11Z UTC

I don't want to sound like Paleo is the Holy Grail. It works for me, or I wouldn't be here. But I also have different goals for going paleo than what you do. I have much more weight to lose and am not even close to being healthy as is. Almost 3 weeks and just over 10lbs (4.25% BW ) so far.

An issue I had when switching to paleo is that my plumbing decided to shut off. My stomach got larger because I had what my husband calls a "food baby". Probiotics worked wonders. I swear by them so I make sure my gain isn't from not going to the loo.

Don't go hungry. That's a sure way to feel really crappy, regardless of what diet plan you're trying to follow. Personally, I don't like to eat as much fat as most people here probably. I don't like things drizzled in oil and I despise avocado. I tend to only make it to about 25% fat, 25% carb, and 50% protein. I like meats to say the least. I also don't eat as many calories because of it (typically 1000-1200, though I'm told I should be eating around 1600 as my BMR is in the 2250 area), but I feel great and that's what counts. I don't feel famished or worn out even after a workout that kicks my rump.

Every time I feel like I'm plateauing, I tend to suprise my body and change up the ratios of what I eat. I'll have next to carbs one day, drinking a ton of water, and then a normal (~50-80g carbs)+a tiny bit extra(maybe 10g more) just to let my body know food is abundant.

Listen to your body. If you feel like you need to eat light. eat a BIG salad. Veggies aren't the carb machines that fruits are. Eggs in the salad are a good way to add some protein and fat without it being too much. I love salads and utilize them often. I don't even like dressing mostly. Just the juices from whatever meat I decide to put into it tend to be enough for me.

Lastly, do what works for you. If you want to go paleo, but are restricted by your work, so be it. You have to do what you have to do. I'm probably going to get flack for that, but I understand that this might not work for all people.

Mallory · Answer 10 · 2011-04-25 15:49:48Z UTC

stop avoiding everything. stop counting so much, and if you can dont eat before bed so you sleep better(and try sleeping longer). get some sun. Curcumin found in tumeric should help cortisol naturally balance out. make sure your digestion is in order, being a stressed out 'dieting' dancer signals youre prolly deficient in l-glutamine, maybe try taking some mixed with water when you wake up.

it sounds like you have a very odd and disordered habit in your eating/dieting past(ice cream sunday, twizzlers, 'eating everything in site') and that much bouncing around from diet to diet is prolly the worst thing you can do to yourself. you need to work with your hormones and not against them. get in some starch post workout because your a chick, and your body is either gonna fight you on the hormones and you can go to the doc to get meds or you can figure out how to work WITH your hormones and enhance your cortisol(high and low at the RIGHT times) and make sure your providing the vita/min your body needs

Alfredo · Answer 11 · 2011-04-24 06:44:08Z UTC

As for whether paleo is better for men than women, there should be no appreciable difference, so long as you take into account the differences between men and women. Men certainly can lose weight more easily, as our low estrogen isn't working against us to store calories for pregnancy.

Between different people, it has different effects as well. Find what works for you. That said, you probably won't find a lot of advice on how to gain/lose ten pounds in a week here.

Yoannah_offca · Answer 12 · 2011-04-24 18:23:26Z UTC

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The Paleo way of living/eating is to bring what is optimal for your body. Maybe very skinny is simply not healthy nor optimal for you? I know it's against what the expectations are, but these expectations are unhealthy and very strict. Women can be wonderful dancers without risking their health. You should eat healthy (paleo) and whatever your body does with it, that's what is optimal for you. You also need time to get used to new changes, women have so many hormones and complex regulations, that we can't expect our bodies act like some simple mechanic toy.

By the way, here is one of the most beautiful dancers I've seen (esp. check after 1:45):

http://youtu.be/VQhESNW10fk

answered Apr 24 2011 at 18:23

Yoannah_offca
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I wouldn't give up dancing for the world, and allowing myself to indulge and gain would be forfeiting. The business is the business... It will never change, you can either complain or comply. – gypsyloo Apr 24 2011 at 20:04

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Futureboy - I can't get why you had to say "I don't want to offend". There are many different styles of dancing, and I understand that the classic ballet is different to modern dance. What I do find offensive, is your cruel and baseless judgement about the woman's health. There are unhealthy skinny and fat people with heart issues. Weight is no indicator for heart disease. That is pure fatism and stereotype-based judgement. – Yoannah_offca Apr 24 2011 at 20:33

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o_0 you are right, there is no sense to get into it. and really, the argument that people go into paleo to not be fat... maybe it's you. I am here to be healthy. people get into bulimia b/c they don't want to be fat. Focusing on that is dangerous. and I am not kidding, being fat=/=unhealthy. same as skinny=/=healthy. – Yoannah_offca Apr 24 2011 at 21:29

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"Healthy at any weight" is giant, stinky crock of doodoo. – Futureboy Apr 24 2011 at 23:54

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I'm very calm. I just dislike your assumption that you have advice to give about dancing, and then hold up a very unfit "dancer" as support to your point. It undermines your entire argument, yet you continue to support your belief (and it is just that) that one could be healthy while being OVERweight. It's even called OVERweight. Gee I wonder why? – Futureboy Apr 25 2011 at 22:23

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dsohei · Answer 13 · 2011-04-26 01:46:03Z UTC

my 2 cents - eating is a hormonal event for both sexes, and the body likes to stay the same (homeostasis) and will react to large dietary changes, even if they are better in the long term. it is true that between age 20 and 30, people begin to rapidly age biologically. this culture with mineral-depleted diets and processed foods in childhood, vegetarian myths, aerobic/cardio myths, etc... all these stresses are cumulative and are chipping away at us behind the scenes. for the time being, in the career that you are in, find a female paleo strength ands conditioning trainer that is in good health hormonally. someone who is already past age 30 or 40, because they will know first hand how to help you age gracefully and transition without making mistakes. you are in new york so you have the resources at hand, the internet is good, but not a substitute for functional testing, etc. get the full gamut, bone density tests, micronutrient, hormone panels, GI function tests. see where you are at now. work with SANE people who have experience and are walking the talk.

as for the strict culture of your workplace, interview those who have already gone through it and really see if they have massive injuries, cancers, how their lives are after they are no longer in their prime by broadway standards. it might shock you.

paleonyc · Answer 14 · 2011-04-24 14:22:15Z UTC

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i feel like we just discussed this in another thread; in fact, we did.;)

http://paleohacks.com/questions/33909/confused-on-how-to-lean-out-on-high-fat/33915#33915

answered Apr 24 2011 at 14:22

paleonyc
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the difference in weight loss between you and your boyfriend is not sufficient evidence to make a claim about the efficacy of the diet based on biological sex. overexercise, stress and insufficient sleep can all create a cortisol problem which is notorious for promoting continued belly fat, even with a dialed-in diet. – paleonyc Apr 24 2011 at 14:24

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who cares if it was asked before. It obviosuly did not help her here. We need to be compassionate and help instead of following rules. – The Quilt Apr 24 2011 at 17:42

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Thank you Dr.K! @ paleonyc I know it's not sufficient evidence, but i was also using many threads like the one you posted, and advice from a trainer who said " high fat/high protein works better for men", and also my own eyes from the before and after's and it made me question ... I had not made up my mind, simply asked a question. Not to categorize at all but that thread did not apply to me 100% as i have never been overweight. Also, i was asking specifically for my lifestyle and workouts. I don't have any of the specific food aversions that valkyrie does, I love lamb, I love ghee. – gypsyloo Apr 24 2011 at 18:09

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I avoid nuts, and chocolate, I am now completely dairy-free although I have never had any allergies. Fish oil doesn't make me break out, I'm not gassy and not depressed. I also wanted to get some answers as to my specific workouts. As high intensity has a range of meanings. As I am trying to let go of my workout more weigh less attitude. Running to me isn't high intensity, an intense day to me consists of 2 ballet classes (90 min each) and 2 hrs at the gym. In conclusions this is a completely different question. – gypsyloo Apr 24 2011 at 18:20

I eat a ton of 100% cacoa chocolate daily......for longevity – The Quilt Apr 25 2011 at 15:35

Is Paleo better for men than women?

14 Answers