Increased My Calories and Lost Weight page

[Conan]

So I just had my weekly weigh in this morning and I lost another 2 pounds!!! I had hit a sticking point a few weeks ago in my weight loss (5'11" 183 lbs.) and weighed in at 181 this morning.


I know 2 pounds isn't a big deal over the course of several weeks but the way that I got there seems to defy logic. I lost the weight by increasing my calories by 500-600 calories a day. I didn't just increase calories though, I also dropped my carbs from 200-225g a day to 140-160g a day. I should also note that I am eating only primal / paleo foods.


This definitely flies in the face of the calories in, calories out theory of weight loss. I'd be interested to see if I dropped my carbs even further if I would experience even more weight loss but there's not much more I can do to lower carbs without giving up my beloved fruit .


Anyhow, just wanted to pass along some more anecdotal evidence that's its not just about calories. Food choices are also VERY important if not more important than calories.

[FlyNavyWife]

I'll add another n=1 study.


I also increased my calories... before, was eating low-fat higher-carb, about 1300 calories a day.


Switched to Primal foods, stopped counting calories, am averaging about 1600 calories a day, with carbs under 80g most days.


Broke a month-long weight loss plateau and lost 3 pounds last week (my first week). With no exercise at all (meaning I've been on the couch most days). I can't wait to see what happens when I can start exercising again.

[Jedi]

FlyNavyWife, by how much have you reduced your carbs during this time, as that will affect things a lot?

[FlyNavyWife]

I don't have the data on carbs from before because I was mostly paying attention to the "all-powerful Calorie"... but I will tell you it was a LOT. Cereal for breakfast, pasta or rice at most other meals, bread to accompany meals... etc. I also ate less protein before; my diet was really carb-focused.

[Conan]

OK, just to add more fuel to the calories in, calories out debate - below is a link to the crossfit nutrition board where a significant number of people lost weight by following their normal diet and then eating ice cream right before bed.


And for those of you thinking that it is just a bunch of spam or hackers saying they lost weight on ice cream - the crossfit board requires you to use your real name to register. They also tightly monitor the boards and delete threads and ban people regularly.


Reading this thread has me seriously considering adding some ice cream to my diet right before bed.


http://www.board.crossfit.com/showth...hlight=breyers

[Clint]

Sorry, I haven't gone through the thread yet, but could you get the same results with an option that doesn't use processed sugar? Example, eat a bowl of blueberries and heavy cream with maybe some honey added; instead of ice cream. It seems to have the same components but without the processed sugar/carbs.


I know, in the end sugar is sugar, but I'm just trying to approach this problem from a Primal perspective.

[Conan]

Apparently there are all natural ice creams out there that use real sugar (Breyer's seemed to be the popular choice). Also, most of the folks were choosing the ice cream that had the most fat and least amount of sugar.


As far as replacing the ice cream with something else, one of the guys experimented with it (I think he used whole milk) and found that he didn't get the same results as he did with the ice cream. His theory was that there was something unique about the ice cream and he couldn't replicate it with other foods.

[natalienw]

When I was eating non-primal, I would eat a bowl of Breyers ice cream for my nighttime snack (really, only like 5 ingredients so not THAT bad, right!). It was not a huge bowl by any means, but those nights I slept so well and woke up feeling refreshed. I still have the ice cream but have not touched it since going primal. I may have to experiment a little with it now, just to see what effect it has now.


Oh, and I never gained any weight doing this either!

[Clint]

Interesting. If true, I wonder what is different about the ice cream than heavy cream & fruit combo? I've been doing so well on the PB right now that I don't think I'm comfortable experimenting w/ ice cream just yet!


But, Conan, do keep us updated on any results you have if you undergo this experiment.

[Nick]

A slightly less scary test would be to mix up some heavy cream, eggs, vanilla, and artificial sweetener for a low carb ice cream, and see if that has similar effects. The only change from their protocol would be the sugar.

It seems like most of those people are eating low fat to begin with, and mostly in-shape/not insulin resistant. So it may be that their bodies tolerate the sugar fine, and the addition of the fat to their diet is what boosts their metabolism, because low fat was holding them back.

Of course, a cup of Breyer's vanilla is only 260 calories: 14g fat, 28g sugar, and 6g protein. If you were sufficiently strict the rest of the day you could eat that and stay under 50g/day carbs.