I hope this isn't redundant... page

[Venna]

I'm new to primal and have been trying for about a week and a half now. Granted I have had grain/sugar carbs a few times (slice of cake at my grandson's birthday party and a slice of bread last night) and I'm trying to figure out to have coffee with our my demerara sugar (I can't drink it black so I guess I need to wean myself off coffee all together). My trouble is not keeping my carbs down but getting enough protein and not eating too much fat.

Based on the numbers for losing fat weight, my totals grams for macronutrients should be:
Protein: 109
Carbs: 75
Fat: 104

I'm entering in my food intake on fitday.com and for the past two days (yesterday and so far today) my fat intake is WAY too high and I don't know how to get it down other then cutting out all the fat that I've added to increase it. Since my fat and protein are so close... what would you recommend because I'm at a lose as how to make this work correctly. Also, Mark says not to get too stuck on weighing and measuring but based on the recipes he's provided, how do you know what you're eating unless you do weigh and measure? I am not good at eat balling so I really hope that isn't the answer.

[Stabby]

Fat is to be the most prevalent macronutrient by at least a factor of two compared to the second most prevalent (yay arbitrary formulae). Why in the world would you try to eat less fat unless it was omega 6? Have a stick of butter. Mmm.

Actually that's a good idea. *runs downstairs*

[Venna]

I don't understand my figures then. Can someone provide me with assistance is I gie my totals can you give me my daily macronutrient guidelines please? I'm so bad a math and I find it hard to believe that I'm supposed to consume 2300 - 2600 calories per day in fat. That seems a bit, well, outlandish to me. HELP!

V~

[jo]

I doesn't look to me like you are eating too much fat. I'm too lazy to work it out for myself, what are the percentages?

[mayness]

How did you decide on that amount of protein? And if it's 0.7 or 1 times lean body mass, then how are you determining your lean body mass, and how active are you? Just want to make sure you aren't overestimating how much protein you need.

As for weighing and measuring your food... I think it's a good idea at first for sure (for most people anyway). Once you've done it long enough it gets easy to just estimate what and how much you can eat throughout the day, but at first, numbers help. Of course, if the measuring and counting stress you out, I'd say to find another way, but it seems like you're fine with it.

[Venna]

Using online calculators to establish body fat percentage and then (with my roommates help) I figured my lean body mass was 155 lbs. I don't do a regular exercise routine or workout. I use public transportation to get everywhere which requires me to walk a lot to get from the bus stop to my destination. I'd say on average I walk (briskly because that's just how I walk) about 2 - 3 hours per week. I was using the figure of .7 grams of protein per lbs of LBM to maintain what I have. I may up this if I begin incorporating other primal fitness aspects into the walking but until my knees no longer crack and grind when I walk I'm not sure it's safe for me to do anything else that too strenuous. Really I just don't want to end up with diabetes like my mom and her mom (unknown if any other family members have ended up with it or not). If I can drop the 30 or so lbs of extra fat I'm carrying around and tone up, so much the better. I want to feel better rather then drained and tired all the time and I want to be around to raise my son (he just turned 3 and is autistic so needs me to be around a long time.) Anyway, it's the fat intake that I'm having trouble figuring out. Three different measurements produced three VERY different totals and I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

[Katt]

http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/lbm

I'm 206 lbs with a LBM calculated via the above at 109 lbs. I should be getting about 76 grams of protein a day, though I often eat more. Generally Fat: 69%, Protein 25% and carbs 6%

[Venna]

This calculator shows my LBM MUCH lower then the one I used originally. I don't remember what the web site was, I found it using a google search. It took into account my height, weight, waist, hip, forearm and wrist mesurements. I'm not horribly over weight since I'm just over 200 lbs and I'm tall. I probably have about 35 - 40 lbs to lose. If I go much lower the 170 or 165 I start to look gaunt and that never looks good on anyone. I also have a significant amount of muscle mass that I accumulated while growing up dancing and swimming and have been able to maintain. I've just accumulated fat on top of the muscle so I don't look toned, particularly in my hips, thighs, stomach and upper arms. I don't think that the LBM of 155 is too far off because I actually weigh a lot more then I look like I should. I wouldn't say that I'm active enough to require 1 gram per lbs of LBM per day for maintenance and repair which is why I went with the .7 grams per day instead. For fat loss obviously I want to stay in the "Sweet Spot" so keeping my daily carbs below 100 grams, I'm shooting for 75 grams because that will probably be easier for me to hit then 50 until I can cut out coffee (which I put demerara sugar in and can't do coffee without it). Pinning down the fat amount is what's hard for me. Perhaps I'm just struggling with the concept of eating fat to burn fat. I am afraid of fat I'll say that much, but 1700 calories per day for someone of my size and activity level doesn't seem healthy. I know people smaller then me that eat more then that per day. On the flip side, eating 2300 - 2600 calories of fat per day seems really high also. Maybe what I really need to do is let go of the idea that fat is bad for me. That's a hard one to wrap my head around. Anyway, time for lunch!

[Katt]

I don't use sugar in coffee. I just put a few ounces of heavy cream into it. Gives me just enough sweetness to make it tasty. And yes, after all the brainwashing, it's hard to get into the mindset that eating fat won't hurt you. Took me awhile, too.

[Venna]

I know I need to get rid of the sugar but I really can't stomach coffee without sugar because I don't like the flavor of coffee. I'm weaning myself off of it so I don't end up struggling through the next few days with a caffeine withdrawal headache because those just suck. That's why right now I'm sticking to 75 grams of carbs per day to allow for the sugar in my coffee. Once I'm able to let go of that, I'm taking the carbs down to 50 grams.

So you really think I'm supposed to eat 2300 calories of fat a day? That doesn't sound like a lot to anyone else? I know small countries that survive on that for their total caloric intake and I'm supposed to consume that much in just fat?! (not really, but still...)