How much good fat is too much? Day 11 page

[bunnyrogers]

Hi -

I started the PB program 11 days ago with a group of people from my crossfit box. I don't eat meat and haven't for 25 years. I'm mostly vegan but I do eat fish and have started to eat quite a bit of salmon. I do track my diet daily on my iphone via FitDay mobile. I am 5'3 and weigh 160. Through my tracking I am obtaining 80-100 grams of protein (from fish, nuts, leafy greens and a plant based protein powder that has a total of 4gr. carbs per serving) the non animal protein that i eat does have the essential amino chain to be considered a complete protein as meat is. Anyway I am eating[B] 50 carbs a day, 80-100 grams of protein and my fat ranges from 40-90 grams. On days that it's 80-90 I feel like that's too much. Is it? I am really low energy in the afternoons and know that I need to give my system some time to turn around and to start burning fat as fuel? Is that the right concept? As a vegan I was eating too many carbs - even tho they were plant based. The scale isn't moving for me but I have lost a few inches. Does it take the scale awhile to move?

Thanks a million for reading my thread - I feel so out-of-sorts with all the changes but am focused on making this work.

[RichMahogany]

You can't be mostly vegan. It's like being very unique or slightly pregnant. Doesn't work that way.

What's your activity level, height, sex, and weight? Unless you're a tiny person or on medication that causes your metabolism to be slowed down, I don't think you're eating nearly enough. Even at the high end of the ranges you mention, you're only getting approximately 1400 calories. At the low end, 880. I'm an active guy, but I'm on the small side, and I would lose weight (and feel very hungry) eating double those amounts.

[Lewis]

Anyway I am eating[B] 50 carbs a day, 80-100 grams of protein and my fat ranges from 40-90 grams. On days that it's 80-90 I feel like that's too much. Is it?

50 grams of carbs a day? That's 50 x 4 = 200 kcal
An average of 90 grams of protein? That's 90 x 4 = 306 kcal

So you get around 500 kcal from the protein and the carbohydrate (not that protein is for fuel, as opposed to body repair).

You eat from 40 to 90 grams of fat.

Thats from 40 x 9 = 360 kcal
........to.... 90 x 9 = 810 kcal

In other words, your total calorific intake for the day ranges from 500 + 360 = 860 kcals to 500 + 810 = 1310 kcals.

Maybe you're calculating it wrongly. I sure hope so. The U.S. recommended daily allowance for women is 2000 kcal. I believe the World Health Organization thinks that too low and says 2300kcal.

According to your figures, you're about a thousand kilocalories short of that on a good day.

Whatever the Primal Blueprint is, it's not low-carb and low-fat ... and overall low-calorie.

Yes, you would be low in energy on that. A moderate calorie deficit in the context of a low-carb diet might be a good strategy at times. I honestly doubt it should be much of a deficit or kept up for long.

I would just eat good primal foods to satiety -- till you don't feel hungry -- without worrying about calories or measuring anything. You can add more fat in the form of olive oil on your salads, a knob of butter on your cooked veg, some avocados, and some coconut milk. Make scrambled eggs with tablespoon of coconut oil or butter. Or don't take the carbohydrate as low as 50 grams per day. But either way I think you need to eat more. You can't cut out carbohydrate and fat.

I'd suggest you read through the Primal Blueprint 101, which Mark has been kind enough to put online:

Primal Blueprint 101 | Mark's Daily Apple

And really it is worth getting the book, too.

I think this particular podcast episode from people whose approach is rather similar to Mark's gives a remarkable insight into why some dominant ideas about weight-loss don't work, and I'd strongly urge you to listen to it:

Podcast 14: AHS Takeaways and Keith Norris Interview - Caveman Doctor

[Danielle5690]

You want roughly 60-70% of your calories to come from healthy fats, generally speaking. I don't measure stuff or count calories because I see no need, but my body tells me rather emphatically when I've overdone it with fat (nausea).

[bunnyrogers]

Lewis thank you for responding! I am currently reading the PBP and am also reading as much as I can on Mark's Daily apple. I am tracking my progress on FITDAY as Mark suggests in hopes that I can stay on top of my protein and fat - to ensure I am getting enough. Ok. today I am at 50 grams of fat, 30 carbs, and 70 grams of protein. I still have a lot of the day left to probably double those stats.

Doesn't Mark say in the book staying between 50-100 carbs is where you want to be to promote weight loss and to become a fat burning machine? I'm leaning every day.
Today I've had salmon, extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 of large avocado lettuce. Coconut protein shake (4 carbs, 22 gr. protein). I need to have that shake to ensure protein. in a bit i'll have some macadamia nut butter.


Yesterday I ended up with 125 grams of fat. is that still not enough? I will listen podcast as well.
thanks-

[bunnyrogers]

Thanks Danielle - I track on Fitday like Mark suggests in the book because it's such new territory for me. I am needing to know that hey I might need to seriously eat more fat, protein etc.. Thanks for the info.

[bunnyrogers]

Rich- I guess I see your point with the mostly vegan comment. Mostly vegan in the way that I don't eat dairy and very little fish. Anyway as I stated above I am 5'3 160 lbs. I do workout at a crossfit box. AND Bunnyrogers (female).

I will work at increasing my intake of fat, and protein to where they need to be.

Day 12 and going strong. Thank you for responding.

[mcantri]

Hello, another newbie here.

I'm concerned, I guess, that I might be getting too many veggies. Is that possible?

The reason I ask, is because I'm slowly gaining, rather than losing. Any advice is welcome!

5'6" Female
45 years old
143 lbs - 32% body fat
Madison, WI (in case anyone is out there)
Goal: drop 15 lbs of fat

6:00 - 30 minute work out, 2 circuts with medicine ball, planks, etc.

7:30 - protien shake, 2/3 cup berries, bee pollen, amazing grass, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, 1T hemp (or chia) seeds
OR 2 eggs, spinach, kale, cooked in coconut oil

10:00 - Apple, Protien Shake

11:30 - Really BIG salad - 3-4 oz Chicken, celery, artichoke hearts, yellow pepper, red onion, 1 cauliflower piece, slice of mushroom, 3-4 cherry tomatoes, boiled egg, spinach, mixed lettuce, 1 T blue cheese, red wine vinegar, 1-2 Tablespoons EVOO

4:00 - sometimes apple or berries, sometimes protien again (beverly international)

7:00 - Another really BIG salad - 4-6 oz Chicken/ground beef/meat, celery, green onion, roma tomato, mixed lettuce, 1 T blue cheese, vinegar, 1/4 cup walnuts or sunflower seeds, ranch dressing

Thank you!

[Danielle5690]

mcantri: No such thing as too many veggies. Cut out the nuts and stop drinking your calories (protein shakes) and see what happens. I'm guessing that's your issue, and not the big salads. Try sticking with eggs and greens for breakfast instead of the shake.

Are you actually hungry 5 times a day or are you just in the habit of having a morning and afternoon snack? Try eating three hearty, filling meals and skipping the snacks. That's another possible issue.

I love smoothies/shakes too... but I didn't start drinking them until I was down to the weight I wanted to be and only after a hard workout. It's too easy to slam a ton of calories into your system with a smoothie, you have to be careful how you use them.

[honestboy640]

Rich- I guess I see your point with the mostly vegan comment. Mostly vegan in the way that I don't eat dairy and very little fish. Anyway as I stated above I am 5'3 160 lbs. I do workout at a crossfit box. AND Bunnyrogers (female).

I will work at increasing my intake of fat, and protein to where they need to be.

Day 12 and going strong. Thank you for responding.

doing good work men