I discovered and began the Paleo diet after reading Loren Cordain's book "The Dietary Cure for Acne" in 2009, since I wasn't a candidate for Accutane. After 2 months, I was completely acne free. I have stayed with the diet ever since, with only one slip up in December 2010 (in which I had non paleo foods). I've since gotten back on track and my skin is cleared, but I find that on this diet, I am constantly hungry/ tired, easily gain weight when I try to solve the problem and still crave non-paleo foods and I don't understand why...
Before going Paleo, I used to eat whatever I wanted and never gained weight. I would eat a lot of fast food, usually 3-5 times a week, and bread before 2009. I never thought about calories or even looked at food labels. I just ate when I was hungry. The only exercise I would do is weight lift and some cardio. I'm not/never have been overweight (5'8, 125), but since switching to paleo, I am constantly hungry and I have not been able to solve the problem.
I've tried adding more fat, more protein, etc; but, I find I binge on that and just end up gaining weight since I am tired afterwards. When I do get energy, I feel the need to do more cardio then weight lift. I've lost muscle because of this. When I used to eat whatever I wanted, I had much more muscle and less body fat (I would often fill up on bread and pasta [which I think about everyday and crave]). Now, I feel/look flabby and hate how my body looks. I feel as if I've changed my body and the way it processes food. I've basically traded one ailment (acne) for another (weight gain).
I don't know what to do...
I currently eat tons of vegetables (mostly broccoli, cauliflower, onions, cabbage, and non starchy vegetables), some proteins, fats (avocado, mayo, coconut oil) and some fruits (usually after a meal). I find I can scarf down tons of vegetables until I feel bloated and still be hungry within an hour. When I add protein to the mix, I just end up eating more.
I wish I could eat non starchy vegetables (beans, potatoes) since they fill me up, but I've discovered that they trigger my acne almost instantly. I've been too scared to try adding in bread/grains, since I don't want to gain weight and have acne.
Any suggestions on how to feel full, be acne free and regain muscle/lose fat would be greatly appreciated...
Winning the acne battle, but losing the muscle/weight battle,
-WillIAM
