One month today - 1 pound lost :-( page

[donnal]

OK, so I have read a lot of the posts about women needing to count calories, etc. And, I have tried not to post the same old questions as everyone else but I feel I am failing. My daughter (who is supportive) said "maybe this just isn't the diet for you, mom" but I 1) don't want to think of it as a diet, rather a new lifeplan and 2) am really sad thinking of "failing" at this! I want to be Primal!

I came to this after many years of CW eating, LOTS of grains, lowish on proteins. I am not missing grains at all, surprisingly. I do feel well overall, but I didn't feel bad before. I loved me some carbs, though, and can see I was WAY overdoing them. I DID have more hunger ups and downs with grains than now.

BUT..... I have lost 1 stinking pound. This isn't the "melting off" I had hoped for!!

So I humble myself before the forum and ask for any helpful suggestions as to where I am not doing things right. I work a long day at a desk with some freedom for an occasional 20 min walk or out in the garden for 15 minutes picking produce. (I luckily work at home). However, this is Texas and it's 95-100 degrees out there, so I wait till 9:00 to walk an hour with my dog. Because of my garden, my diet has had a TON of organic vegetables the past months, mostly yellow squash, zucchini, serrano and jalapeno peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. I buy organic duck eggs at the feed store. I eat some organic meet like bison and some traditional store bought meet. I am eating more red meat than I have in the last 10 years combined, and I am using butter and eating bacon like I never have in adulthood.

The first week of Primal I struggled some getting the hang of it, had a few missteps and too many days of 1800-2000 calories. 2nd-3rd week, much better, sticking to the long walks, primal workouts, and eating very well. 4th week, best week yet. Using fit day and looking at the past couple weeks I am hitting 1300 calories ave. consistently, with 22% protein, 20% carbs, and the rest fats. NO grains whatsoever in all this time. NO tubers either. I have had alcohol on SOME occasions, including the low carb/cal beer or red wine. I have compensated though, so I didn't go over on carbs or calories. Trying to keep the carbs at around 50 daily.

Possible issues - the occasional alcohol - this is tough as I enjoy it but as of 3 days ago I decided to cut it completely. When I drink wine, the concept of "1 glass" is challenging for me so I think none is a better choice.

Cheese - I haven't drank any milk, except for 2 oz evap. milk in my coffee daily. I DO eat some hard cheeses - parmesan, etc. also enjoy feta, blue cheese on salads sometimes. I guess these are next to go? I have greek yogurt and eat it occasionally with some blackberries smashed in.

Nuts? I am eating almonds sparingly as snacks. 7 here or there. I guess they can go. Occasional dark chocolate square? Also a treat in the evening.

I am trying IF with fair success. Example - yesterday I had 2 coffees in AM, then 7 almonds at noonish, then a small chunk of cheese around 2 -- then my one and only meal at 5:30, it was Primal.
Dinner was:
-- 4 oz NY Strip, rare and sliced and 2 strips bacon, sliced up over 1/2 cup chopped romaine, 4 oz chopped green apple, 1 T gorgonzola, balsamic vinegar
-- 1 small yellow squash and 1 small zucchini (garden fresh!) sauteed with 1.5 T butter, onion, yellow and green peppers.
THEN a almond milk (1/2 cup), mineral water and strawberry shake 2 hrs later. and 1 square 85% chocolate late at night (10ish)
Calories for the day: 1340.

Activity yesterday:
Laid carpeting (on hands and knees, bending, stretching, pulling, it was hard work) - 1 hr.
Painted walls - 1.5 hrs.
Painted furniture .5 hrs.
Swimming (actual swimming as opposed to lolling around in pool) 15 minutes
Walking with dog 1 hr.

It SEEMS if my calories are down, my activity up, and my foods pretty darn Primal, shouldn't I lose something by NOW?

I need to lose 25#. In 10# I am in the "healthy weight for your height", in #25 I know I look my best.

Current stats:
53 yo F
179#
5'8" in bare feet
33.5" waist
44" hips
Sz 14 bottom

Thoughts? Suggestions? I am feeling discouraged. Sorry this is longish, I tried to anticipate what anyone would ask of me before hand.

[coach81]

It will come... take it day by day.. don't obsess over it.. everyday try to move a bit more, and listen to your body.... remember this is a way of life, NOT A DIET..

Good luck!

[loafingcactus]

First, it is early yet. Don't be so worried about the weight. You could be 1 pound up and eating carp, so you are winning.

Second, 1,300 calories may not be enough. I can't lose under 1,500 cal.

Lastly, what is your carb count? I don't eat zucchini so I don't know the carb count of that kind of fruit off the top of my head, but you may be getting too many of your calories form carbs.

[tooround]

What about the shrinking thing? Are your pants looser? Is your belly less puffy?

[donnal]

Here's my carb counts from Fitday going back for the week. To ME they seem plenty low!
46.7
67.9
38.7
51.8
61.3
35.3

[donnal]

My pants are not looser. My belly may be SLIGHTLY less poofy, very, very slightly. Waist measurement hasn't really changed, maybe by .25-.5 inch. That may be me pulling the measure tighter because I want results... but I really don't think it has. :-(

[belinda]

I agree that 1300 calories is probably not enough. And, IF'ing for women apparently isn't the greatest either.

Have you tried 3 balanced primal meals per day? I started at 187, am now 155, and I eat 3 primal meals per day, averaging around 1600 calories. I'm not losing fast - 4-5 lbs per month, but it's happening!

[belinda]

Another idea, since you work from home, can you set yourself up with a standing desk - even if you raise your keyboard and monitor on telephone books for a couple of hours, you'll burn more calories standing up than sitting down.

Also, skip the 2% evap. milk, and put a splash of whipping cream in your coffee. Put a half cup of coconut milk and an egg in your smoothie. That'll give you a couple hundred 'good' calories.

[donnal]

I just started the IF'ing this week actually, the last couple of days. I was REAL entrenched into the importance of regular meals. :-)
Just today I had a chicken-spinach-feta sausage for breakfast, cooked in a little leftover bacon grease for good measure. Ha ha.
Can anyone explain to me the "not enough" calories thing? My first week-10 days I was at higher calories, very regular 3x/day meals and didn't lose then either. I read the threads, said AH HA, women need lower cals, and knowing myself that on CW diets I need to be at 1200-1400, adjusted accordingly.

I have a VERY sedentary job and a lifelong sluggish metabolism...

I don't know, I don't want to be negative at ALL. I want this to work and am willing to try new approaches. I know something isn't quite working as is. A person can feel when they are lighter, losing, etc. and I can't say I feel that way. I am thinking the alcohol hasn't helped so eliminating that may show a difference over the next week or so. What about non-sweetened, flavored mineral water? I drink that fairly regularly. It has NO artificial or natural sweeteners, just some lemon or lime zest or something. LaCroix. Or, Topo Chico with a squeeze of lime, Is that bad do you think? To me it is akin to water, but with some bubbles.

[donnal]

I was also thinking of experimenting with a standing desk.