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I am going to see a nutritionist, as recommended by my doctor since I need to gain weight. I have been paleo for about 9 months and lost a little too much. I have started to up my carbs with sweet potato and white rice and am eating more frequently (was doing IF with 2 meals a day). However, I don't know how to convince the nutritionist that these steps will be sufficient, since I have already seen one nutritionist who said I was going to have to eat bread and not limit my sugar intake if I wanted to gain weight (thankfully I am not seeing her again.) Any suggestions?

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Couldn't you just add some heavy cream to your diet? – Henny Sep 13 2011 at 2:43
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 I am not sure this is necessary, but if you do this, arrive with a list of everything you have eaten for the past week or two, and with precise quantities noted. Also note your beginning and ending weight and bodyfat %. Presumably, if nothing else, he or she can crunch the data and offer a daily calorie goal to shoot for--typically maintenance +500. – Daniel Kirsner Sep 13 2011 at 6:15
For this appointment I am required to bring a food log of the past 4 days, so hopefully that will help her make some suggestions. It may just be that I need more calories and she could help with that. – blur Sep 13 2011 at 11:14

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I'd just lay it out there, and ask her/him straight off the bat whether they think they'll be able to help you gain weight within the Paleo paradigm. They shouldn't treat Paleo any differently than if you were a vegetarian, the omission of grains & processed foods presents them with as much of a challenge as people who don't eat meat.

If they can't or are unwilling to, ask them for a referral to someone who will. Write down your meals for the week preceding your appointment, so they have a better idea of what you're eating and what you should add/omit to reach your weight gain goal.

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+1 from me. You made a very pertinent analogy that I hope to use in debates in my chosen field. I plan to become an RD and it's true, dietitians make accommodations for vegetarians, vegans, etc., why not for Paleo? – BAMBAM Sep 13 2011 at 2:31
Exactly! I don't understand why one is acceptable and the other is not. – Nemesis Sep 13 2011 at 11:23
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Ask your nutritionist how to best gain weight within the Paleo food groups. My guess is that you have to eat a crapload of sugary fruit like bananas, white potatoes, and saturated fat from grass-fed sources. Also try to cut down on your physical activity as much as possible. I wish I could do the same but I'm on a college campus and I have to walk about 2 miles/day. Plus I have a dog.

I eat a jar of honey per week. Nothing. 7 bananas. 7 pounds of grass-fed beef. 4 dozen eggs. 1 jar of coconut oil. 7 sweet potatoes. 7 cans of sardines. 7 avocados.

I could stuff my face all day long within the Paleo food groups and remain lean, flexible and agile but I remember when I first went Paleo and the weight flew off, some people thought I was sickly looking. Since then I've realized how much I had avoided fats then struggled with obtaining them and then struggled with trusting them in such high doses given all the myths about cardiovascular disease. Adding fats gave me a healthier appearance I think. You should really try to up fats if you can. And fruits are fun to eat. I love 'em all - kiwis, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, mango, grapes, oranges, melons, cantaloupe.

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 And every day for the past 2-3 weeks I've been eating 1/2 pound brick of grass-fed organic cheese for my strength training. Not a single pound of fat. It's insane. – BAMBAM Sep 13 2011 at 2:04
Do you track how many calories you eat? For some us athletic males it takes a pretty extreme amount to gain – cliff Sep 13 2011 at 2:07
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 I envy all of you! I wish I had that metabolism. – vdh1979 Sep 13 2011 at 2:12
Cliff. I eat about 3,500 calories. I don't even want to know how many calories I need or how much it would cost for me to gain weight. As it stands, my bench press makes me the 12th strongest male (unofficially) in my weight class in the entire U.S. If I hit my target bench, I move up to 6th all-time. I'm closing in fast. How much healthier can I be? I consider that optimal health. Any force feeding beyond that is tampering with mother nature IMHO – BAMBAM Sep 13 2011 at 2:16
It's funny because every time I walk out of the kitchen, I'm carrying a plate oozing with some kind of grease. My roommates (all girls) are probably ready to strangle me. And they're half my age, literally. – BAMBAM Sep 13 2011 at 2:19
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Why not just find a Nutritionist in your area who is Paleo friendly and familiar? Here's a link to a list of nutritional therapists who graduated from the same program that I did in case you're interested(WAPF associated, but most will be very Paleo friendly and familiar, Nora Gedgaudas is a fellow graduate)... http://www.nutritionaltherapy.com/Referral_List.aspx

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 I agree -there is no point in wasting your time and money if you are booked to see a traditional nutritionist with a heavy foundation in the food plate/pyramid. It will be frustrating too! – Senneth Sep 13 2011 at 17:05
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Paleo junk food re-enactment is your best bet. Basically combine any carb source with equal calories from fat and add a little salt, combine this with adequate protien intake and gaining weight shouldn't be that hard.

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Well if you're like most of us then tell her that grains and sugar upset your stomach. Or if you want to lay it all out just bring your favorite paleo book with you and give it to her.

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 I think if you have to bring a paleo book with you, then you are more educated than the nutritionist -so you might as wells spend you appointment money on some more great books and your time off as a dedicated reading day. – Senneth Sep 13 2011 at 17:06
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If you can find the chart Loren Cordain made comparing the nutritional content per day of an average 2000 calorie paleo diet vs standard food pyramid diet that might be handy.

If anyone has a link for that I'd love to have it. I've seen it before but can't locate it at the moment.

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I found a dietician on the paleo physicians network. May be useful?

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