Fat and calories..... page

[primalkat83]

This echoes a few other threads, but I'm just wondering if anyone else new-ish to PB struggles to get enough calories and fat?

I've been following PB fairly strictly over the last couple months, and before that had got most of the way myself until I found MDA. Since following it more closely I've lost maybe 6lbs very easily (and weight loss was never a major goal of mine, more getting a bit fitter and leaner).

But - although I don't feel hungry, and eat when I want to - I feel like I'm starting to lose a bit too much weight for me, and not getting enough calories and struggling to eat enough fat.

I have a pretty busy life and generally up at 5.30 for work, and often dashing around. It just seems that with cutting grains, I haven't found a way of replacing those calories properly!

I've been feeling really under the weather this last week, hoping it is just a bug rather than diet related.

This is a bit of a ramble, and just need to knuckle down and eat more avocado/steak etc, but seem to be struggling with it at the moment!!

Has anyone else found the same problem?

[Graycat]

What is your carb intake level? The "feeling under the weather" part + the lack of appetite you describe sounds to me like you have recently gotten into nutritional ketosis, which is definitely not where you want to be when you don't want to lose weight.

[MissJecka]

I'm in the same boat as you, PrimalKat, although I'm not losing weight very quickly. I don't want to lose weight (though 5 pounds won't hurt!) - I just want to get toned and strong. For the past 3 months (ish) of being wheat-free/primal/paleo/whatever, I thought I was doing fine by eating lots of leafy greens, veggies, coconut products, oils, and meat, seafood, and poultry.

After a couple of months of abstaining from tracking Calories online, I decided to plug in what I've been eating lately and found I'm short on Calories and fat. Like you, I also only eat when I'm hungry, which isn't often (maybe twice per day), but I make sure I eat big meals at those times... at least I think they're big! Apparently not, though...

Anyway, I don't have advice but rather want to let you know you're not alone.

[BennettC]

If you goal is to be more lean and fit animal protein is obviously going to be your answer. Supplementing coconut oil would be a great idea, around 2-3 tbs throughout the day. This can automatically increase your calories by 240-360 a day and you'll receive many other benefits from it. it is the only on source of lauric acid on earth besides human breast milk as well as it being a great source of saturated fat

[primalkat83]

Thanks for your replies!

CleoCat - i don't track calories/macros (although maybe I should) as I find I just become too obsessed with it. But I really doubt I'm in ketosis - I have berries/fruit every day, and lots of green leaves and other veg, plus some dairy. My understanding of ketosis is that you have to eat pretty much pure protein.....

Thanks MissJecka - glad I'm not the only one!

I normally skip breakfast and IF happily from dinner to the following lunch-time, maybe time to bring in animal protein breakfast/cocnut oil!

[wolfman]

Well.....What is your ideal body composition? Are you losing muscle and strength? Or just fat? As long as you are keeping fit and strong numbers don't matter, and leanness doesn't matter. I think you should listen to you body, if you are getting skinny so be it. Lift heavy, keep your protein up and stay strong. I eat probably once a day, if I'm busy, and I always thought I was getting too skinny until I said, "screw it" if this is how my body is then okay, I still lift heavy and eat lots of protein and as long as my weights go up I'm happy.

[Lewis]

My understanding of ketosis is that you have to eat pretty much pure protein.....

No, that's a misunderstanding. The traditional ketogenic diets for epileptic children actually went very spare on the protein as well as on carbohydrate. AFAIK, there were actually worries around the protein having gone too low for growing children just in order to keep these kids in ketosis.

I normally skip breakfast and IF happily from dinner to the following lunch-time, maybe time to bring in animal protein breakfast/cocnut oil!

If you need to eat more, then yes. If you could eat two or three eggs scrambled with a tablespoon of coconut oil or butter with some steamed vegetables or something, that would certainly get both total calories and fat up.

[amdws1234]

Ketosis is low to moderate protein & high fat & low carbs.

I went through a period (couple months) where I wasn't eating much. I was losing my portable pantry (thighs & hips) at the time so no worries, I went with it. It seems strange to eat when you aren't hungry though, I would suggest just adding some more fat to the mix when it is mealtime. Coconut oil or Kerrygold to cook meat in, blue cheese atop a steak, some nuts & cheese added to a salad, etc... essentially all those things conventional wisdom has been telling you to forgo in order to be lean.

If I start feeling spacey, tired, etc... sweet potatoes help a ton.