I need help...seriously...I need help......sighs page

[DanWebster]

I just can't seem to make it work...and I am not too sure what to do.

I just can't seem to see any results....other than bouncing around the same 3-5 lbs up and down...while my coworker doing the same job, eating the same way and exercising the same amount has dropped 15lbs...what am I doing wrong?...honestly it has me so depressed that my usual happy self and desire to be outside and active is dwindling and the donuts at the local bakery are looking more and more like home.

I have been at least 80/20 since April 1st...following the recipes in mark's book etc etc etc and I haven't seen any real differences in energy, health and wellness or weight loss and i am not sure what I am doing wrong. It really has me in a downward spiral that I am sure is headed for a carb binge and i do not want that...uugggh.

I am 38 years old, male, I spend a lot of time outdoors doing a lot of different sports and I always have. I grew up skinny, almost too skinny and eating anything I wanted. At about the age 21/22 something changed and the weight started to creep on and seemed harder to leave. now at 38 and 5'10" I float between 220-228lbs and i feel every pound of it. I have a strong muscle base and i am over all "healthy"...but just way way waaaay overweight and I just can't seem to shake it. I know primal is not meant to be just a weight loss diet...it is a life choice and a change...however the effortless weightloss was one of the side effects i was most looking forward to.

any advice would be welcomed...if any one has like a 2 week detailed menu plan i would love to sneak it from you...as one of my problems is creating meals day after day etc. I am also finding a lack of interesting side dishes..it seems my meals all consist of a slab of roasted/grilled meat and a veg and a salad...boom...that is it..and while it is delicious it gets a bit monotonous....so please, help me if you can.

If you are going to tell me how UN-dedicated I am etc etc etc just move on please...i am not doubting the program or the benefits etc. I agree with it...just struggling right now and looking for some guidance.

[Danielle5690]

The first thing I noticed is that you said "I have been at least 80/20..." IMO, that 20 frequently turns into 30, or 40, or 50 without us even realizing it. You don't have to be super-strict for the rest of your life, but I think that people with very deranged metabolisms and alot of weight to lose really need to be 100% for at least the first several months. Not because you can't lose weight with an every now and then off-plan food choice, but because maybe we've forgotten what good eating really looks like, or maybe we need to learn to pay more attention to what we put in our mouths. I have seen people think that they are eating 100% primal because of the meals they eat, and completely ignore the handfuls of candy they eat and Cokes they drink in between meals. I'm not saying you're doing that... but consider the possibility that your 20 is bigger than you think it is.

My second suggestion, aside from committing to total 100% primal for at least a few months, kind of goes against my grain, but it might help you. Consider (ugh I hate even saying it) tracking your calories and measuring your portions carefully for a few weeks. I don't think calories are it when it comes to weight loss, but I do think they matter to some extent. Tracking your food for a little while will do three things: 1) it will help you get a feel for what appropriate portions look like, 2) it will force you to think about everything you eat, which will make 100% adherence easier, and 3) it will help you check your macro and micro nutrients to make sure you're getting the right balance of everything.

That probably sounds like alot of work, and I wouldn't suggest it to everyone... I wouldn't do it now, but that's because I am done losing weight. If you want to kick-start things, you have to be really strict for a while (that's my opinion). When you have achieved what you want to with this way of eating in terms of health and weight loss, then I think that's the time to allow some detours into non-primal fare.

Lastly... if you haven't done it already, consider cutting out dairy and nuts. I have consistently seen people report that these things stall their weight loss. It doesn't happen to everyone, but it happens often enough that it's worth investigating.

[JudyCr]

Yep, you've got to forget 80/20 until you're at your ideal weight.
Go for 50 grams of carbs daily or less. Exercise every single day.
Swim, walk, run, sprint when u can.

Eat eggs, bacon, salad with meat, olives, pork skins, celery, cheese, plenty of raw and sautéed veggies, strawberries & cream

You can do it, drink plenty of filtered water, green tea with lime, macadamia nuts.

[JudyCr]

Yes, restrict the cheese and nuts, but a little is so wonderful and filling.

[Knifegill]

Well? Tell us what you have been doing, silly.

[PrimalJes]

Or, you may find the exact opposite to be true! You may need to up your calories/primal carbs/protein/or fat (or all!). Weirdly, for me, I stopped losing once I got really strict with my carbs (eating under 50g) and eating too little calories. Now that I have stopped counting again (even though I just found out I'm pregnant), the weight is finally budging again! Of course, being female and pregnant, I don't see this trend continuing much longer. Haha. We're all different and you have to find out what works for your body! Experiment with it!

[jammies]

It would be helpful if you could tell us more about your diet. What is your 20%? Are you eating 20% of every meal not-primal?

What does your diet look like on a day to day basis. Can you give us the run-down for a couple of days including how much? are you eating dairy, nuts, alcohol?

How is your sleep, exercise, and overall energy level?

[Metric]

Agreed. Please give us an average detailed day including exercise, drinks, etc. It'll help. Also, I have a link to my food journal below if you're interested to see what I eat.

[DanWebster]

I am guessing it is the nuts that are messing with me.

here is an average day for me:

wake up and do a light work out of push ups, pull ups, squats.

shower...and often no breakfast...just have never been a breakfast person...if i do have any it is a handfull of strawberries/blueberries.

skateboard/walk/ride to work...about a 10 minute skateboard ride....nothing too hard

skateboard/walk/ride home for lunch (and agan back to work) for lunch I usually have either an omelete and bacon or salad with fish, chicken, ham etc on top...dressing is usually from marks books of dressings...either a vinagrete or a coconut milk based dressing

skateboard/walk/ride home from work...play with my sons for an hour...or we go play tennis, bike ride, frisbee etc.

dinner is often steak grilled, fresh salad, steamed veggies such as cauliflower or broccolli, diced avacado/tomato salad

for desert if i have it i will chop fresh fruit in a bowl, drizzle chilled coconut milk over it and grate some fresh nutmeg on it.

snackss...this may be where i am failing...often my snacks are mixed nuts...usually cashews, almonds and macadamian nuts. I also have home made jerky, pepperoni sticks or dark chocolate.

that is a typical day..on tuesday, thursday, saturdays i do a longer movnat style workout in the mornings.

when i say that i am at least 80/20 i mean that i often feel like i am 90/10 or close to 100...but i am thinking the mixed nuts and maybe th fresh fruit are hampering me at this point in my progression. what do y'all think??

also I have been using coconut water as a recover drink after my work outs....i realize they are high in carbs..but i usually try to limit those as well and calculate accordingly to include those carbs in my daily count.

[jammies]

If I were you I would try very hard to eat much, much larger meals and completely eliminate snacking. You may finding adding a bit of fat to your meals will help control your appetite.

Nuts and dairy are a common cause for people to not lose weight, so either limit them dramatically or eliminate them completely. Also ham and bacon are fairly processed foods, so I personally don't use them as staple foods.