Is it normal to put on weight when you start to do everything "right"? page

[YogaBare]

Hey everyone,

I discovered primal nearly three months ago, and since then have been incrementally adapting to it. I was already pretty lean to start, and when I dropped the grains and fruit I lost a lot of weight, and even though I was regularly gorging on nuts I wasn't putting the weight back on. I was vegetarian, and was mainly eating veggies, eggs, nuts and cheese.

Over the last week I started eating meat again (yay!), I am fully embracing the fat thing, and I don't snack. But - I am definitely putting on weight.

Is this normal? I don't think I'm eating more calories per day (because I was eating so many nuts before).

[orielwen]

Can you measure your body fat? Are you working out? You might be using that meat to make muscle.

[YogaBare]

your body is probably adjusting to eating meat again, and it will cause you to gain weight temporarily

I suspected that might be part of it... is it definitely true? Also my fat consumption has gone up a lot.

Can you measure your body fat? Are you working out? You might be using that meat to make muscle.

Nope, it's not muscle. I use a tape measure to check my hip circumference... have gone up an inch!! I've been pretty active, and have done some lifting but not as much as I would like to.

[Leida]

Is your digestion impacted? Do you feel like you are retaining water? Which fats are you using? Is that butter and bacon or natural fat in meats and coconut oil?

[YogaBare]

Is your digestion impacted? Do you feel like you are retaining water? Which fats are you using? Is that butter and bacon or natural fat in meats and coconut oil?

Digestion is definitely impacted... haven't been - ahem- going regularly since I ate an ostrich burger I'm guessing this and water retention has something to do with it (I just took an 18 hour flight) - but could it really be as much as one to two inches?

Been using all those fats except coconut oil.

[Leida]

Oh, yes. So, please, do hydrate and worry not. I find that i do much better without added animal fats, just eating the fat that is naturally in meats and fish, and cooking with coconut oil if I need to grease the pan a bit. You will feel much better in a few days

[Paleobird]

I'm so glad you have decided to take your rightful place in the food chain Yoga Bear. Welcome to the omnivorous dark side.

18 hour flights can really mess up your system. I second the hydration idea and maybe add some probiotics such as kefir, kombucha, kraut, etc.

[YogaBare]

Thanks guys I keep telling myself that once everything balances, my weight will too. I'm resisting the usual urge to crash diet while I wait for that to happen..!

[rhiarti]

I had a similar thing when I increased my fat intake, so I can only begin to imagine how it scales up for a reformed vegetarian. (Congratulations, by the way!)

If it helps, the way I think of it is to imagine your body was a dehydrated sponge. Someone adds water, it's going to get heavier, but not necessarily in a bad way! Your muscles, your bone, your skin... all of you is finally getting the nourishment it needs. That's a good thing! After an initial adjustment period of wanting to eat absolutely everything in sight, my system has really settled down now to the point where, for the first time in my life, I actually forget to eat. I definitely feel heavier, but it's a good, strong, healthy heavy: nourished bones and strengthening muscles, not blubbery fat.

Hope that a) helps, b) makes sense! Give it time, and really try to focus on how you're feeling versus what the scales tell you. Your body will let you know if you need to cut back!

[YogaBare]

Cheers Rhiarti - it makes total sense