Advice for newbies page 30

[Sungrazer]

How long does it take for the bad breath to go away usually? I have had mine for 3 weeks and I`m ready to adapt! On the other hand, its good to know my body is burning ketones.

As always the answer on how long it takes would be: It depends.

How does it smell by the way? If it is a smell of acetone or nail polish remover, it is ketone. If it smells like ammonia, it is excess nitrogen being disposed of. The latter may be alleviated with diluting the excess ammonia by drinking more water. You should drink enough liquid so you urine is clear at least a couple of times per day.

[KimmyBabs]

It's irrational thinking, and it has to stop. If you want to loose weight create a moderate calorie deficiency, do a proper amount of cardio and strength training which is so balanced that you're able to follow the plan. The best diet is the diet you manage to stick to and where you think it isn't a diet, but a lifestyle.

Sungrazer, very much respect your knowledge on this topic so I hope you can take my comment/question in the spirit I intend it: your posts have greatly confused me. (The one I quoted above but also the complicated chart earlier in this thread that helps you break down the percentage of macronutrients based on your caloric needs, based on your BMR.)

I've started doing PB because I believe in what Mark has written. I LOVE the prospect of high energy levels, truly feeling satiated and not always hungry, and obviously this "effortless weight loss" Mark talks about as long as your carbs are between 50-100g. Reading the book, I am under the impression we're not ever supposed to think about calories again and the only thing we should really be checking on from time to time is carb grams depending on whether we want to be losing fat or just maintaining. I have no intention of spending time in ketosis; I'm not looking to be the most ripped person in the world though I do want to shed a few pounds of fat. (At 5'4" tall and 124lbs., I don't have significant amounts to lose. I'd like to be somewhere around 115lbs., that is a very happy weight for me.)

But then I read your posts and I feel panicked and totally fearful.

I thought I was supposed to throw the idea of a deficit out the window! Now you've uttered what I was told is an unnecessary word in the PB world. Am I or am I not supposed to count calories? And if so, what number am I trying to stay under?

Many people in this thread say, "Just take it easy and don't think about it." Calculations and totals and deficits are the opposite of easy to me! I have become incredibly confused. I don't want to count anything if I don't have to... but if I'm going to stay stagnant or, worse, GAIN if I don't... then I'll get calculating.

Like I said, I totally respect your knowledge of this lifestyle and that's why I'm coming to you to clarify. I DO feel like you might be more strictly Primal than I would like to be, so perhaps that's where the confusion comes in.

Anyway, I'll leave it to you and the forum/thread folks to answer.

P.S. Oh, one other thing: I feel like there are two significantly different trains of thought on nuts. Could SOMEONE give me the definitive answer on that? Nuts are good or not good? And how much/many?

[JackieKessler]

I feel like there are two significantly different trains of thought on nuts. Could SOMEONE give me the definitive answer on that? Nuts are good or not good? And how much/many?

From what I've been picking up here, the problem with nuts is they have (produce? burn? magic up?) Omega 6, not Omega 3. And that, apparently, is Bad. Not box-of-pasta EVIL, but still Bad. The lone holdout seems to be macadamias, which are less Bad than other nuts. That being said, having nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans and cashews (and the aforementioned macadamias) in moderation -- i.e., not a jar of nuts with every meal -- is probably okay. Someone here on the forum said something along the lines that one should consider nuts to be a condiment, not a side dish or even a snack.

Me, I truly enjoy almond butter drizzled on apple slices. I don't want to give that up, and I ain't gonna.

[KimmyBabs]

Someone here on the forum said something along the lines that one should consider nuts to be a condiment, not a side dish or even a snack.

THAT is a great way to understand using nuts. Though I'm still mildly confused -- Mark talks about snacking on nuts at work or in the car or whatever. Is what he writes skewed to the outliers or the already-super-fit types?

(I'm ticked at myself for too many nuts the past two days though. Grr.)

[JackieKessler]

Mark talks about snacking on nuts at work or in the car or whatever. Is what he writes skewed to the outliers or the already-super-fit types?

I think it's more a matter of "your mileage may vary." Some folks can have a small handful (about 1/8 cup) of nuts and be completely satisfied. Others (**Jackie raises hand**) could blissfully eat an entire container of raw almonds and then snort the almond dust for good measure. So if you are good with having a few nuts daily (or whenever), don't think twice about it. But if you aren't good with having only a few nuts because that leads to more nuts and MY GOD MOAR NUTZ, then perhaps consider nuts to be in the "once in a blue moon" category. Whatever works for you!

[Mouse]

I've taken the advice of J. Stanton from the gnolls.org regarding nuts [and cheese]: "If you need to eat a can of nuts or a brick of cheese, you didn’t eat enough meat."

I am quite capable of munching through a LOT of raw almonds and cans of mixed nuts. I found that this tendency went away when I upped my animal protein...and stopped buying the dang things except for a little almond meal to make an occasional pancake. Nuts in and of themselves are not bad things. They just have the capacity to become the base of the food pyramid for some of us.

[Sungrazer]

But then I read your posts and I feel panicked and totally fearful.

Whoops - sorry if I confused you with my post. You have many questions and raise a fair point. English is not my native language so I hope I am not confusing you even more with this reply. That being said I think I should rephrase (and edit my original post) for clarification:
"If you want to loose that extra bit of fat and are already somewhat at low body fat percentage: Create a moderate calorie deficiency, do a proper amount of cardio and strength training which is so balanced that you're able to follow the plan. The best diet is the diet you manage to stick to and where you think it isn't a diet, but a lifestyle."

I hope this helped to ease your confusion, and made my point clearer?

For many, loosing fat or loosing weight is somewhat synonymous - myself included (or it used to be). Hence the confusing wording in my original post.
The human body wants to have some fat around, and doesn't like to get rid of it easily when you have attained a low body fat percentage. While it is true that you don't need to count calories while on PB if you have a high body fat percentage, it is also true that you if want to go to real low body fat digits you need to introduce a calorie deficit.

One way to do that is to eat leaner cuts of meat and not add much extra fat, or you can gain lean body mass. To gain lean body mass you need to work out in some fashion. Hence the lift heavy things, walk around at a slow pace, and sprint once in a while. Many fail to realise that the Primal Blueprint is a fairly active lifestyle compared to the mostly sedentary lifestyle many modern people live today.

Like I said, I totally respect your knowledge of this lifestyle and that's why I'm coming to you to clarify. I DO feel like you might be more strictly Primal than I would like to be, so perhaps that's where the confusion comes in.

Yes, I am mostly 100% primal all the time, unless I stumble and fall on a piece of potato chips (my cryptonite) or something like it. For the record, I have not counted calories the last year and a half, and I am still around 15 - 16 % body fat, but I am still gaining weight, but it is lean body mass.

P.S. Oh, one other thing: I feel like there are two significantly different trains of thought on nuts. Could SOMEONE give me the definitive answer on that? Nuts are good or not good? And how much/many?

Nut are good, just don't go nuts about it.

[Reva4Jay]

Everything you said

[Loana]

This helped so much. I'm new here so I was reading what was suggested to the newbie. I am currently tired and starving after a huge dinner of chicken breasts and broccoli that followed a lunch of lean beef on salad. The low fat content wasn't on purpose by any means...but it really drives home the point of how bad an idea not eating enough fat is for me now. I wonder if we have any bacon...Thanks for the info.

[Malka4re]

I'm talking long haul.