Frustrated. page

[Roos]

I am in need of advice! I started out Paleo, eating very strictly. Then maybe 2 weeks into it, after doing more research online and reading The Primal Blueprint, I started eating Primal. After a full month, I had lost exactly 1 lb. I assumed I was overeating so I cut nuts out of my diet and limited fruit intake to 1 serving/day. Over the next month I lost another pound. So 2 months into it, I had lost 2lbs which left me frustrated.

Background: An athlete in high school and college, but with always a little extra in the midsection. I am 5'3" and am always around 125. My main complaint is my "love handles" as they are called. I clearly have weight to lose when in a bikini, but with a shirt on, I would be considered in-shape by most. During these 2 months, I tried to exercise about 4X/week. Nothing too strenuous, about 30 minutes of cardio.

A positive : I did feel better eating primal. I never felt bloated and I put an end to a serious carb binge. At times, I was so hungry after work (I work 2nd shift), that I would come home and quickly eat 2 huge bowls of cereal. That left me feeling gross and guilty.

Since I didn't see the type of results I was looking for, I have slowly stopped eating primal. I didn't go back to the cereal binge or gain weight. Still, I'm frustrated. I thought I found my answer. Clearly it works, so why not for me?! I'm hoping ya'll will take the time to share your thoughts.

Thanks!!

Roos

[Nik]

Don't worry....and don't give up. I weigh the same as you now, and I the rate of weight loss is so much smaller at a smaller weight. When I started, I was losing up to 2 lbs a week. I haven't changed much, and I still lose, but it's about 1-2 lbs a month now. I see this as a slow process now, where as when I used to focus on losing weight, I would want to lose as fast as possible, so I could go back to eating "normal".....it just doesn't work that way. You have to be patient, and stick with it, and it will come.

Just realize that you don't have as much to lose as some, and it will just take a little more time. Also, I've never done any cardio, other than short sprints. Most of my exercise is body weight type exercise. Pushups, squats, planks, burpees, pull-ups with a band. This has really changed my body, where just running never could have given me the toned arms I have now. Try doing the sprints, and pushups, squats and planks. Also, what worked for me is intermittent fasting. I would eat a late breakfast 10:00 or so, and early dinner 4:00 or so, and then not eat again until 10 or 12 the next day. Don't decrease your calories......just eat more at one sitting. I don't know why it works, but it does.

If you haven't been strictly primal/paleo for a while, IF might not be that easy, but if your eating low carb for a while, it shouldn't be too hard. Good luck Roos. I hope this was somewhat helpful.

[GUN5LING3R]

Can you break down an example of what you are eating per day and what kind of exercise you are doing and how often? Maybe we can figure something out. Don't give up!

[Roos]

Thank you Nik. It's good to know that you are now losing that slowly too. I guess I had a unrealistic expectation about how quickly this would go. In my desperation, I did try IF. I only did it 2X, and only about 17 hours. I have read that when done properly it works wonders.

Gunsling3r - Here is an example, and I pretty much ate this with slight variation everyday.

Breakfast - 3 whole eggs fried in butter
4-5 pieces of bacon
Coffee

Lunch - A huge salad - romaine, cucumber, red bell pepper, tomato and dressing, but I watched the sugar content and got the real thing to get the fat
Meat could be: Turkey meat, Chicken, Beef, Pork Loin


Dinner - Another huge salad same as before. Meat could be: shrimp, scallops, steak, pork loin, hamburger (85/15), chicken.

Snacks included a handful of nuts, fruit, and an occasional larabar.

I didn't really weigh anything because I wasn't counting calories. I just ate until full. Eventually, I start counting carbs, to make sure I was maintaining the "sweet spot."

[PaleoMom]

Have you checked your daily protein intake? It looks like your getting some at every meal, but what is your total? I personally noticed a big difference when I made sure to get 1g per pound of lean body mass. Having it come from meat and a little bit eggs (but NOT powder or dairy) made all the difference. Also, try cutting out the nuts and fruit and get your carbs from veggies instead. Add those back in when your just trying to maintain instead.

IF also really helps a ton. Try 1x weekly sprints, and 1-2x weekly lifting weights or doing body weight work and cutting out the cardio. I don't think that is helping the weight loss any.

ETA: I'm personally guaranteed to gain any day that I eat a larabar, just fyi.

[bwhit]

Also, have you measured? It doesn't sound like you have much weight to lose, so your body composition might be changing without showing up on the scale. And you're feeling better, with no bloating or carb binging and losing weight. Sounds like you're on course.
You also seem focused on only the eating part. I would add in other exercise besides cardio like sprinting and lifting heavy things, make sure your sleep is good, stress levels are good, etc. And maybe experiment with lower carb at some point. Instead of having a second huge salad with multiple vegetables, just have some kale or spinach. You can up the carbs again when you've lost the handles and want to go to maintenance mode. That's how I'd tackle it. And be positive. I heard there is an old Chinese (I think) saying that says "it's better to eat the wrong food with the right attitude than the right food with the wrong attitude." Good luck.

[ciavyn]

Also, have you measured? It doesn't sound like you have much weight to lose, so your body composition might be changing without showing up on the scale. And you're feeling better, with no bloating or carb binging and losing weight. Sounds like you're on course.
You also seem focused on only the eating part. I would add in other exercise besides cardio like sprinting and lifting heavy things, make sure your sleep is good, stress levels are good, etc. And maybe experiment with lower carb at some point. Instead of having a second huge salad with multiple vegetables, just have some kale or spinach. You can up the carbs again when you've lost the handles and want to go to maintenance mode. That's how I'd tackle it. And be positive. I heard there is an old Chinese (I think) saying that says "it's better to eat the wrong food with the right attitude than the right food with the wrong attitude." Good luck.

+1

I am 5'1" and 125 lbs. Same situation, but we don't have much to lose. So it is slower. But my body looks better. I haven't lost a ton of weight (10 lbs. total so far over 6-8 weeks -- mine was a slow transition), but my body fat percentage is going down and my body looks much better. I also feel better most of the time. Give it time, enjoy trying some new things, and don't lose hope.

[pattyd]

Sounds as though your body is at its set point. Those last few pounds are really hard for women to lose. If it were me I`d re-evaluate my goals/desires. You could probably lose those little love handles with upping your protein and making sure you`re getting a gram per pound of body weight and watching your fruit/nut consumption. Also I would be careful with the larabars as their carb count is up there imo. You sound like you`re at a very healthy weight. That`s what I mean by re-evaluate. If you really enjoy eating primal because it makes you feel great then stick with it and do it for your health and not the weight loss part. I didn`t see dairy in your list but if you do dairy some have gotten results cutting it. Also some have used carb re-feeds to end a plateau.

[Roos]

Wow - thank you all for your input.

PaleoMom - I had to stop buying Larabars because while super tasty, I felt the same way. Sadly, I was also strangely comforted that it came in a package, ready to eat. Something mental there. I have no idea how much protein I am eating: I was super excited to stop counting calories but I guess I really traded calorie counting for protein and carb counting. I plan to start recording my intake (which means weighing everything again! ugh). Oddly enough I just got back from doing sprints at the track (I have been reading up on HIIT), so maybe that will help kick start my metabolism.

Ciavyn- Glad to know I'm not the only one. I read Primal Blueprint and naively thought if I ate right I would immediate have abs!!! I guess maybe the changes are so slow that I'm not noticing? Taking measurements might help.

BWhit - Measuring is probably a good idea. As I said above, I am going to try to add in more sprinting. I dabble in CrossFit, so I get the heavy things up from time to time, but might try to do it with more regularity. I always joke, sleeping is my hobby. I sleep like a pro, 8-9 hours every night haha. I think it really might be a matter of honing my skills with IF and Primal and trying my hardest to give myself time to see the results.

PattyD- My body is at a set point, definitely. For some reason, it is very happy here and most of the time, I'm okay too. Frankly, I could care less about my actual weight, but wish my midsection was a bit more flattering. I am not sure yet if I enjoy eating primal enough that it outweighs the hassle of it all. Still willing to give it a shot until I decide.

[RachelZoe]

Hi there...I've dabbled in Primal a bit, and I'm at the point where I'm close to my goal weight but my body fat percentage is still high enough that I'm not happy with how my body looks, i.e. my middle section is still pretty flabby. I would love instant results, but I know that I'm going to have to be consistent with good eating and exercise to really change my body...and to keep those changes. It's a pain watching my scale go up 1.6, down .3, down .6, up 1.3 and so on as it feels like I'm making no progress at all when I look at the numbers or when I look at my middle.

However, I do know...based on too much past experience...that eating any other way than primal (and skipping the gym) will pile the pounds on and only make things worse. At least I'm holding steady for now...and I know that I really need to commit to consistency to see if things will get better.