New to Primal and a Few Questions page

[ErinFS]

So, here’s the deal… before April I was eating a very SAD diet and was just in generally really, really bad shape. I had no energy, was hungry all of the time, and my blood sugar swings and sugar/carb cravings were ridiculous. Not to mention the flab! None of my clothes fit; I switched to elastic waist bands rather than buy new clothes.

In April I started by cutting out soda completely. Once I’d done that I started trying to pick healthier choices, but was still eating out a lot and just either getting something grilled or eating less of the bad food. Even just doing that though, I lost about 10-11 pounds in about 6-7 weeks. However, my weight loss stalled there.

I used to be a runner, years ago, but ever since I had an injury a few years ago, I could just never get back into it again. The miserable-ness of running just wasn’t worth the “runners high” I got at the end anymore. So, I wasn’t getting any kind of really good exercise happening and since I was still making some bad choices, I stopped losing weight.

Three weeks ago a friend introduced me to Marks’ Daily Apple. I researched it for about a week before deciding to take the plunge. I started about 10 days ago and have lost 6-7 lbs in that time by cutting out grains and processed foods (I’m down 2 pant sizes from April too, yay! No more elastic!). I'm assuming most of that is water weight, but still.

I am left with a couple of questions though. I've been doing really well on this new diet until yesterday. Yesterday I not only had some serious SAD food cravings, but I was starving all day long. No matter what I ate, it felt like I was hungry an hour later. I have left in fruits in small servings because they give me that sugar taste I need sometimes. Also, I am eating full fat greek yogurt pretty much every day because unfortunately I am very picky, and don't like a lot of the typical Primal fare. Try as I might, I just can't seem to like eggs, cocnut oil, etc. I keep reading I need to eat more fat to feel not hungry, but I don't know how to add in much more fat when I don't like so many of the typical Primal fats. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Height: 5'6"
SW: 180
CW: 163
Goal Weight: 140

[jakey]

rather than adding in fats, you can start with fatty foods - pork belly, beef, salmon... just cook as you normally would, and don't worry about adding in more fat. top with olive oil if you want.

or you could add in some healthy carbs - sweet potatoes, carrots, fruits, green plantains.

but you have to get your fuel from fats or carbs. you can't just run on protein!

[Lewis]

... I started by cutting out soda completely. ... Even just doing that though, I lost about 10-11 pounds in about 6-7 weeks.

Good move.

... Marks’ Daily Apple. I researched it for about a week before deciding to take the plunge. I started about 10 days ago and have lost 6-7 lbs in that time by cutting out grains and processed foods

Great!

I keep reading I need to eat more fat to feel not hungry, but I don't know how to add in much more fat when I don't like so many of the typical Primal fats. Any ideas?

To be frank, I'm doubtful of what you're hearing. When it comes to hunger I'm inclined to think that's it's so much that fat is satiating -- although it is (and protein perhaps even more so) -- it's rather that carbohydrates tend to drive hunger. There are some interesting cases of cultures that value corpulence and where some individuals are therefore deliberately overfed. (Gary Taubes discusses them in Good Calories, Bad Calories.) Here you've got people eating masses -- perhaps eight or ten thousand calories or more a day, and yet they still get hungry, regular as clockwork, every few hours. That seems to be because their feeding regimen always includes a good belt of carbohydrate, and that's what keeps them coming back for more.

Yes, if your weight is stable and where you want it, you may need to add in more fat to provide enough calories (without adding carbohydrate). But if you're in a losing phase, you'll be burning your own bodyfat and shouldn't have to worry about adding a lot.

If you're getting hungry it could well be -- I've no way of knowing, but it could well be -- because the snacks of fruit you mention are larger than you think, and that's driving your hunger. If it's enough to spike your blood-sugar, then it's enough to cause an insulin release to mop that up, so that your blood sugar drops on the rebound. Your body then, as it were, asks for more food to get that blood sugar up again.

Most people in Paleo/ancestral/etc. health seem to recommend something like one to three servings of fruit a day. That's going to mean small servings and preferably of lower-sugar fruit, such as berries. That advice usually comes with the proviso that if you're trying to lose weight or are diabetic then go on the lower end of that recommendation. You could also try eating the fruit with heavy cream (if you're not dairy intolerant) -- adding fat (or protein) to a relatively high glycemic index food lowers the glycemic response to it.

[Hedonist2]

Welcome. What are you eating, besides the yogurt and fruit? No need to eat eggs or coconut but are you getting meat?

Your body might be hungry for some specific nutrient that you haven't identified yet. Experiment. One size of primal does not fit all.

Hang in there, and good luck!

[ErinFS]

I only mentioned the yogurt and fruit because for some they are a "no go." I am eating plenty of meat and veggies as well. The fruit that I eat is only berries, and I'm only eating maybe a handful of them over the course of a day.

I actually had a great weekend where I kept fogetting to eat because I really wasn't that hungry. Maybe it was just my body adjusting to the switch?

I'm now working on incorporating some IF, about 14 hours every day. Surpringsly, it's not nearly so difficult as I thought it would be.