Not Losing Weight After Strictly Following Primal for 6 Months page

[mnicoll]

I'm at a point of utter disappointment and frustration and thought it was time to get some support. I'm "THIS" close to giving up, a I feel like I make a tremendous sacrafice to be strict with the Primal diet and I'm just not seeing the results.

I have been STRICTLY Primal for the past 6 months. I'm incredibly frustrated because I've only lost 5 lbs in this entire time. I'm 5'2" and currently 130 lbs. I would like to get down to 115 lbs. Most of this ocurred in the first week. I keep trying to stay positive and patient, but I'm losing it!

I've been following the Ketosis and low carb advice and only eating 2 meals a day, primarly meat and vegtables. Sometimes, at night I'll have some almond milk chai, or occassionally some dark chocolate chips on a spoonful of peanut butter. This is as much as I've cheated.

I've started a new job and work over 70 hours a week in front of the computer. I spend every weekend doing 5-15 mile hikes and try to at least do some weights a few times a week as I do exercises around and try to get my heart rate up.

I'm wondering if I'm eating too few calories---or not often enough---or I've been doing this for long enough that I've just royally messed up my metabloism. I've been tested for thyroid issues in the past, as weight loss has always been a struggle...I swear, I gain weight from breathing!

Any advice to keep me from abandoning this all together would be really appreciated.

Be Well and Thanks!

[Knifegill]

5'2" and 130 pounds is a very healthy weight. But for body composition I get that you are probably wanting to see less fat and more muscle. Are you eating at least a pound of meat every day? Lifting heavy (which you do) plus providing surplus protein is normally a great way to add muscle mass, which will eat fat all day for you. Are you getting at least 2000 calories per day? Even though you are sedentary, your workout days and weekends do demand that increase. And remember it averages out over time, so you're not going to necessarily have to eat that extra 800 calories on the same day that you sprint.

Once I got down that last 10 to 15 pounds, ketosis didn't cut it anymore. I had to add some healthy carbs back in and IF.

[mnicoll]

Hi Knifegill,

Thanks for your thoughtful response. First of all, I appreciate you saying that 130 lbs at 5'2" is a healthy weight. I'd recently read a Psychologist discussing the concept that if at some point in your life you were told or you believed you were fat, then you may sabotage yourself to always be fat because that is your fundamental belief about your body concept. Call is cognitive dissonance rearing it's head! Since I've been little, I've been hyper aware that I had a small frame and could easily gain weight and look chunky. This was reinforced by lots of "are you really going to eat that second popsicle" as a child, which I think has also played a role in my journey.

I'm really probably not getting 2,000 calories a day. I'd say more like 1,000 -1,500 a day. I don't eat 1 lb of meat a day. I'd say more like 1/2 lb. I can't quite figure out what my missing link is. I've been at this for a long time and just feel like it's not clicking for me.

Thanks again, and it's helpful to hear that you too, stuggled with the last 10-15 lbs and Ketosis wasn't cutting it.

[fiercehunter]

Do you eat dairy? Otherwise hmmmm.

[smokyjoe]

Are you over-eating on the 2 meals that you do eat? Are you eating "Paleo Comfort Food" all the time? Eating Paleo or Primal will not automatically make you lose weight. You still have to reduce your caloric intake, despite being low carb. What's your calorie count per day?

My wife has the same problem, however she likes to "snack" too much, and eat some bread here and there. Then she gets mad at me, saying she can't lose weight on Paleo and that this diet only works for certain people.

Calories in may not equal calories out exactly, but it is part of the equation for fat loss. Give us more info to help you.

[mnicoll]

Not much dairy. A bit of cheese here and there, but it doesn't appear in my diet every day, or every week.
Totally agree with the "hmmmmmmmmm"....
Thanks!

[mnicoll]

I really don't think I'm over-eating during those meals. Meals are typically a salad with chicken for lunch and some fish with veggies for dinner. My whole family is astounded. They say if they ate like I did for a week, they'd lose 10 lbs. I think they're trying to be encouraging, but frankly, when I sit there watching them eat pizza I find it a bit patronizing!

[chia]

I didn't see your age anywhere? mid 30s?.... early 40s?.....

[smokyjoe]

I'm really probably not getting 2,000 calories a day. I'd say more like 1,000 -1,500 a day.

This tells me you are estimating your calories. I think if you measure your food, keep a food journal, and track your calories, you'll probably see you are eating more than that. I know with Primal eating you're not supposed to count calories, but when all else fails that's a good method.

[mnicoll]

I'm 29 years old. And I did keep a food diary and calorie counter for MONTHS...which is where I got that 1,500-2,000 estimate from. I thought that would have helped me realize I was over eating, or eating hidden calories, but really, every day it told me that I was in the calorie deficit area.