Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I just finished a 30 day challenge on Paleo and made it through unscathed. I feel good, skin looks good, and I dropped a few pounds. Even though my husband and I told ourselves we could "cheat" when we finished the 30 days, I really don't want anything but fruit, which I am trying not to eat. A couple of weeks into the challenge, I had only lost a couple of pounds and read that I should probably cut fruit in order to lose weight, so I cut them down a lot. I might have 1/2 an apple or one mandarin orange a day, but that's it. I also cut my nut intake a lot. Most days, I am under 50g of carbs. As for other foods, I had read to eat fat, so I tried to overcome my long-held fear of fats and started using more coconut oil, coconut milk, and animal fats. My stomach was upset at first, but now I am feeling better.

My major concern is that I still want to lose around 15 pounds. I am female, 5'7", 34 years old, and around 167 pounds and 30% BF. I like to be around 155 pounds and 23-24% BF. I am a long-time Weight Watcher, and what I liked about it was knowing that if I followed "the plan," I would lose weight. What I didn't like about it was that a lot of people do WW on a junk food diet. I wanted to lose weight on real food, so I decided to give Paleo a try, but now I feel confused about what the Paleo plan really is. I came to look for advice and find everything from not watching macros to major calorie restriction, from all lean meats to a lot of animal fats, from zero carb to moderate carb, etc...I am more confused than ever.

What I want to know is how I can speed up my weight loss. At the moment I am not even sure I am still losing. I started 31 days ago at 170, hit 164 several days ago, and this morning was 167. I don't know what I am doing wrong, but would really appreciate some troubleshooting.

High fat or low fat? How many carbs? What sources of protein? Restrict calories? What would be a good target?

Any other suggestions on how to do this more successfully? I really want this to work, but am feeling discouraged that the scale is not moving decidedly downward. (And no, I am not gaining any muscle). Thanks!

flag	asked Apr 26 2011 at 3:01 KM 71●1●4

IF rips the fat off! Also, see these posts: "How to lose Weight" - archevore.com/panu-weblog/2009/8/27/… & "Weight Loss When It's Hard" - high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.com/search/label/…. – Dave S. Apr 26 2011 at 12:24

Kamal · Answer 1 · 2011-04-26 03:09:13Z UTC

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Hey KM, relax! Weight loss does not follow a steady straight line. If you could survive 30 days of paleo, try to imagine what you'll look like in 180 days.

(Hint: skinnier)

Note that water weight fluctuations can be substantial. Also, if you take it easy on nuts and fruit, there is almost no way you'll stay the same weight. Just give it some time. What's that quote about patience? Oh yeah..."Patience. It works." (p.s. not a real quote) Paleo is almost self-regulating. Paleohackers hacks mostly because it's fun and interesting, not because hacking is essential to lose weight or have a healthy diet. Our ancestors, for example, did not have internet forums.

answered Apr 26 2011 at 3:09

Kamal♦
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+3 for patience joke, -1 for implication that there was no internet in the paleolithic, -1 for not telling me how to make the "not equal to" sign (paleohacks.com/questions/33899/…). – Paul Apr 26 2011 at 5:09

Also, do you have any knowledge about increasing bone density on paleo and how many pounds that could add to someone's weight? I know this was one of KGH's things back in the day .... – Paul Apr 26 2011 at 5:11

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Paul, not Kamal here, but what I usually do is bring up the symbol in Microsoft Word, using the "insert symbol" function, then copy/paste it into what I'm doing. There is probably an easier way though. – sherpamelissa Apr 26 2011 at 14:12

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Paul, Kamal here. My apologies for the late response to your question. I actually just google "not equal sign" and copy the symbol from the first link. I think there is also a "Press alt plus this numerical code" type thing for the sign, but that would be quite a burden to remember. With regards to bone density and weight, that is not something that I've ever thought about. My suspicion is that it would be minor. The body is about 15% bone mineral, and adding to bone density would be slower than things like gaining muscle and losing fat. Have you seen anything about this? – Kamal♦ Apr 26 2011 at 14:53

Thanks Melissa and Kamal. Hope it was obvious I was joking. Were I not, that would definitely be ≠ cool. Bone density, the big KGH post is here: archevore.com/panu-weblog/2009/9/22/… From September 09. Turns out if you're one standard deviation down from average your bones are about 15% less dense. (Everything rough here.) So if as you say the body is 15% bone by mass, then if you were to change from -1 to 0 on the scale then your body mass would increase by 2.25%. If you weigh 150 pounds then that's like gaining 3.375 pounds. The question is [Continued] – Paul Apr 26 2011 at 18:07

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Kim The Nourishing Cook · Answer 2 · 2011-04-26 03:10:38Z UTC

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Did you take measurements prior to your whole30? You may be losing inches.

answered Apr 26 2011 at 3:10

Kim The Nourishing Cook
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Yes and I might have lost 1 inch on my waist and one on my hips, or I might be pulling the tape tighter. Not sure which it is. – KM Apr 26 2011 at 15:33

jroe · Answer 3 · 2011-04-26 13:30:53Z UTC

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Any of these 17 things apply to you? http://www.marksdailyapple.com/17-reasons-youre-not-losing-weight/

answered Apr 26 2011 at 13:30

jroe
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excellent link...also checked out the carbohydrate curve, which was awesome. It's great to get clear-cut answers, because most of the time I have spent trying to lose weight I have been full of questions. – pistachio Jul 17 2011 at 14:03

Jessica · Answer 4 · 2011-04-26 03:50:45Z UTC

Every person is different, so what works for one person may not work for another. I weigh myself quite often.. not because I am stressed about why the pounds are not melting off as fast as I would like, but I am curious as to how the fat-burn cycle is working for me. It is not uncommon for me to lose a pound a day for 3 days, and then jump back up to where I started. Then, I may gain a pound or two, and the next day Voila! I am down 7 lbs. I've only been paleo for about 2 months now, but I have lost 26 lbs, which I think is pretty darn good. What is better is that I FEEL amazing. I have boundless energy, and even my self confidence has taken a sharp turn for the better. I like who I see in the mirror, and the best part about it is that it gets better every day. I still have a long way to go. I am female, I just turned 30, and I now weigh 228. I am 5'7", and I have many lbs to shed, still.

You will get there. Just give yourself time. Besides, if you are like me, it took many years to get to that ultimate low point before making a change. You said you feel good and your skin looks good. Those are amazing achievements. Don't sell yourself short. You're doing an amazing job, and you will continue to get better yet. Don't give up so easily! :)

matt cosimini · Answer 5 · 2011-04-26 03:15:41Z UTC

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My big question is what are you doing for exercise? Paleo and short intense exercise go hand in hand.

answered Apr 26 2011 at 3:15

matt cosimini
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I have three young kids, so I workout at home with barre method workout videos. It is strength and interval training. I haven't been able to work our super consistently lately, but aim for 3-4x/wk. – KM Apr 26 2011 at 16:24

Annie · Answer 6 · 2011-04-26 03:22:29Z UTC

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Hi KM, congrats on your new lifestyle! I am curious about how much weight your husband lost if any? I can tell you what I do to lose weight most effectively, however, this is all about what works best for each individual and sometimes you just have to try different things to see what works for you.

My most effective weight loss strategy for most females is high fat, medium protein and very low carbs. Personally, I am on 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs (under 20 net per day of carbs minus fiber) of all grass-fed, no-antibiotics, no hormones, all organic stuff, etc., unless I eat at a restaurant. This means no fruit, no dairy (because of insulin response,) and few nuts if any. I also IF a few days a week.

Best wishes!

answered Apr 26 2011 at 3:22

Annie
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	Forgot to add-do not restrict calories and don't go hungry. – Annie Apr 26 2011 at 3:24
	Hey Annie, I understand that this works for you, but I actually do need to restrict calories to lose weight based on my broken metabolism. I also do 50% fat, 25% carb, 25% protein. I know we have a few low protein gals around here as well as some higher carb people too. – sherpamelissa Apr 26 2011 at 13:21
	Yes, Melissa, I did mention that each individual is different. I am curious, do you have to cut calories even when you drop your carbs drastically? – Annie Apr 26 2011 at 13:44
	Yes, I don't do well on really low carb or low protein. I've tried them all! I am formerly obese though and what my body responds to is different than people that have been generally healthy, but just need to lose 10/20lbs. – sherpamelissa Apr 26 2011 at 14:13
	So true Melissa, everyone is different. I am glad we all have a place to go to get ideas from across the Paleo spectrum. – Annie Apr 26 2011 at 14:37

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haig · Answer 7 · 2011-04-26 06:35:32Z UTC

Eating paleo/traditional will help you avoid food toxins and stay nourished, which will keep you healthy and within an acceptable weight range. However, if you want to be leaner for aesthetic or performance reasons then you need to take some extra steps.

1.) Keep insulin low through high fat, moderate protein,low carb by sticking to eating mostly animals, healthy fats, and non-starchy vegetables. Skip a meal and fast sometimes also.

2.) Manage your cortisol by reducing stress, sleeping, and relaxing/enjoying yourself

3.) Manage leptin sensitivity by overeating safe starches and fruits once a week.

4.) Count calories (ya I said it, so what, wanna fight about it =) ). To make sure you lose weight count the calories your eating and make sure it's around the ballpark to provide a reasonable caloric deficit.

5.) Exercise by lifting weights 2-3x a week and early morning fasted walks are nice too.

There you go, if you don't get lean with this then go see a doctor and/or get bloodwork done.

Brad · Answer 8 · 2011-04-26 20:52:45Z UTC

Lots of good answers here. I'm glad you only got a little bit of "paleo is not meant for weightloss." I see that repeated all the time, and it's disingenuous at best. Almost all of the leading luminaries in the paleo world advertise it as being designed for weightloss. Here is the cover of Wolf's book:

http://naturallyengineered.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/paleo-solution-robb-wolf.jpg

and here is the cover of Sisson's:

http://primalblueprint.com/product_images/j/915/pb_book_prodimg1__89290_zoom.jpg

Both mention weightloss right up front, and so I hope this "paleo is not designed for weightloss" meme will be allowed to die, or else the stars of the paleo movement should alter their claims.

Dayglobear · Answer 9 · 2011-04-26 03:15:21Z UTC

Give yourself a break. You may be in a hurry, but your body needs time to adjust to its' new state. Especially being female, weight is cyclical, and as many have said before, the human body gets really good at saving energy when it gets into freaky new stressful situations (like major diet change). This means it becomes really efficient at holding onto the energy stores it has. Try continuing paleo (I lost 60 lbs over a year) and up your carbs to between 50 - 100g per day, then do 3 day periods every 2 - 3 weeks of little to no carb intake. This can get you out of the deprivation rhythm that a steady diet tends to burden you with. Be kind to yourself. Walk for an hour per day if you can manage it, and do 2 interval training and 3 weight training sessions per week.

Sara · Answer 10 · 2011-04-26 04:11:11Z UTC

If you're really serious about losing weight, you should be exercising, too. While muscles may put on a few pounds at first, they're important to have and will make your skinny self look sooooo much better. As someone else said, it's not about what the scale says, but how you look and feel.

sherpamelissa · Answer 11 · 2011-04-26 14:23:03Z UTC

I agree about relaxing and giving your body some time to adjust, but I will also throw out a few suggestions.

Track your food for the next two weeks while you are waiting for your body to adjust. If you don't start to lose weight again, drop the calories by 10-20%, calorie restriction will probably work for you if unweighed/unmeasured is not working.

Add in some HIIT workouts. You can find some great 15/20 minute workouts on the internet and they can seriously boost your metabolism. I usually just do 3 workouts per week and it helped speed my weight loss along. You don't need any equipment, body weight exercises work great for this. If you want some suggestions, please let know.

Work out fasted if you can. I am a morning workout person, so it's easier for me to do.

Erin · Answer 12 · 2011-04-26 19:11:16Z UTC

Congratulations on making it through the first 30 days!

There are a lot of great answers on here. I hope they help.

I have one little suggestion - don't get so caught up in the scale. Pick a pair of jeans, shorts, or a dress that doesn't fit well, and try it on every week. The pounds may be going up and down daily but if you're burning fat, you'll see and feel the difference in the clothes.

Good luck!

Rebecca · Answer 13 · 2011-04-26 03:20:23Z UTC

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A lot of people don't lose weight on Paleo. It isn't a "weight loss" plan. I would suggest since weight loss is your goal and you have had success on WW…Do WW eating only paleo food. Problem solved.

answered Apr 26 2011 at 3:20

Rebecca
1,195●2●5

It would be nearly impossible to do WW on Paleo food. WW severely restricts fat and calories. – Annie Apr 26 2011 at 3:23

It does restrict calories, but not fat. You can eat anything at all on WW, just everything has a "point" associated with it and you just track your given points. Not impossible at all. I think veggies have zero points, so you can eat plenty…just fill in the points with protein and fat. Simple. – Rebecca Apr 26 2011 at 3:29

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But the points calculator is heavily skewed in favor of low fat foods and against fats. I am allowed 21 points (new system) yet I ate 1600 calories today of which 70% was from fat and added up my points and it's almost twice what I'm allowed in a day. You really can't eat a high fat diet and stay within the points system IMO. – Shari Bambino Apr 26 2011 at 3:54

But high fat equals high points equals very little food. – Annie Apr 26 2011 at 4:01

But you don't HAVE to have so much fat…concentrate on veggies and protein…once you've lost the weight, you can add in more fat if you need to. – Rebecca Apr 27 2012 at 17:58

KM · Answer 14 · 2011-04-26 03:38:24Z UTC

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Annie-my husband lost 11 pounds. Thanks for the responses so far. I will have to respond in the morning. Gotta get my Paleo sleep!

answered Apr 26 2011 at 3:38

KM
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My husband had nothing to lose, but has lost 11 pounds also. Down to under 8% body fat. He has to struggle to get in 3500-4000 calories a day with carbs from sweet potatoes, etc., in an effort to maintain his weight. I wish it were that easy for me! – Annie Apr 26 2011 at 15:36

He says it's 11 because he had gained about 3 the last week before we started and doesn't think those pounds should count. But if you count those, he's really lost 14! Annie--Do you mind sharing how long you've done Paleo and what you've lost? Thanks! – KM Apr 26 2011 at 19:03

I started Paleo in December of 2010, but did not lose anything while my husband was dropping weight he didn't "need" to lose. In mid to late January 2011, I looked up some old Atkins stuff (this is before Paleohacks) and decided to try "Induction" which is 20 net carbs per day or less. So I have lost 20-22 pounds since mid to late January. Within 5 pounds of my goal of 125. On a side note, I think the more we have to lose, the faster it goes in the beginning. – Annie Apr 26 2011 at 22:29

And along the same lines as what others have mentioned, don't get too frustrated if the scale does not move as fast as you would like. I have not lost any weight in two weeks, but my pants are falling off of me and the handheld body fat monitor shows my body fat going down. While they are not entirely accurate, they can give you an idea if your body fat is going in one direction or another. It helps to avoid frustration and to stay motivated when the scale is not moving. – Annie Apr 26 2011 at 22:35

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Thanks Annie! That is great weight loss in my opinion! I know it takes time and I am very impatient, but I don't want to be wasting my time trying something that isn't going to work as well if there's an easier way to get to goal and then tinker with maintenance. I really appreciate all your input. – KM Apr 27 2011 at 2:50

gilliebean · Answer 15 · 2011-04-26 15:37:45Z UTC

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Don't underestimate the power of hormones. And along those lines, don't underestimate the power of sleep.

I suggest getting to bed at a reasonable time (b/w 9 and 10?) and waking up with the sun or just early (depending on your latitude). Upon waking, get outside and walk or run or do burpees or whatever.

Basically by doing this, you're sending hormone signals to your body that it's time for energy. The hormone cycle will run its course and then when it's time for bed, you'll be much better able to let the nighttime hormone cycle run its course too!

All this should help curb sugar cravings as well as speed weight loss.

Reading material: Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival

answered Apr 26 2011 at 15:37

gilliebean♦
13.7k●2●21●55

I'd like to underscore this point - I believe my own weight loss would've been much easier if I had just been getting enough sleep all along. Alas, with two young ones (.5 & 3) in the house, it's tough to get everything done and sleep a proper 8 hours, all inside of a measly 24 hours. – Casey Apr 26 2011 at 15:56

Thanks for the link to the book, I plan on reading it this weekend. – Annie Apr 26 2011 at 16:10

Sleep is tough for me. I have three kids under 5 and a husband who often gets up really early, so I don't always get the amount of sleep I need, but it's getting better. – KM Apr 26 2011 at 19:04

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I don't have kids yet but I'm gonna go ahead and suggest this anyway: Perhaps try going to bed at the same time as your kids, and getting up with them, for three weeks and see how you do. – gilliebean♦ Apr 26 2011 at 20:35

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I go to bed with my 9 year old at 9:00/9:30 most nights, but my house is a disaster most of the time! I learned that I don't care that much. There are more important things in my world. I don't have the dissertation issue though. – sherpamelissa Apr 28 2011 at 0:13

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meg · Answer 16 · 2013-06-07 19:51:38Z UTC

I would also suggest taking pictures and measurements - I hadn't realized how much my body had changed before I looked that my "before" and "during" pics!

Also, if I fruit one day (even just a small portion) I am bloated for 2-3 days after that and I gain 5+ lbs right off (water weight/bloat?) Try nixing the fruit altogether and see how that works out for you.

Ryan · Answer 17 · 2013-06-07 19:57:10Z UTC

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what's your exercise plan??

answered Jun 7 at 19:57

Ryan
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Weight loss on Paleo--HOW?

17 Answers