Honestly- How many people here have GAINED weight? page 5

[Zena]

My first assumption is that your calories were way higher when you initially started primal. (And you did say you have lowered your fat intake.) Honestly, gaining 60lbs. in 19 months on 1400 calories per day would be a crazy scientific oddity. (and not just a little crazy, virtually impossible.)

I'm not saying that to be negative, I just look for the most obvious answer first. Generally, most people who gain weight are simply taking in too many calories, often more than they think. (This is VERY common in paleo or Atkins, since fat is so calorie dense it's very easy to consume a LOT more calories than one is planning.) Even if you DO have a faulty thyroid, your body still has to burn calories to operate.

However, the first thing you should do is consult a physician on your thyroid. If you have struggled this long, it's best to get it checked. Next, do a detailed calorie log with not an inch of fudging. From there, you should be able to build a workable diet plan.

I have a calorie journal at myfitness and paleo track and I purposely figure everything high, say for example I have coconut cream, I will claim 1 ounce even if I only use 1 T.. I have a digital food scale, measuring cups and spoons on my counter. I do not ever eat or drink when out in public because I cannot measure or weigh plus I am cautious of not getting junk oils, soy etc... Seriously I am so careful it drives my dh to madness and he is as flummoxed as I am about this. I track EVERYTHING...so far today I have only had coffee, ann 32 oz of purified water.

[tomi]

You don't have insurance - is there a free clinic in the area that would test your thyroid? Not just TSH, but T3 and T4 also. Make some phone calls to the local health department to see if there are any free clinics close to you. I would definitely bet on this being a thyroid issue - especially with you basal temps being so low. If you can't find a free clinic, find a doctor that is willing to take payments - or use a credit card and make payments on that if you have to. Hypothyroid can cause body aches, weight gain, fatigue - all kinds of nasty things.

I started taking Armour Thyroid about 4 months ago because I was "slightly" hypo by blood tests. I'm on a low dose, but enough to bring my levels up to "slightly" hyperthyroid. Doc says as long as I feel good we'll keep it where it is - not everyone has to fit into the high/low parameters set by the labs. I'm wasn't losing any weight until I got my thyroid function increased - no its coming off at a steady rate. - about a pound a week.

Best of luck...........

[Daydreamer]

Armour Thyroid is natural thyroid hormones from pork if I remember correctly ?
Not many doctors agree to give it, it's more often treated with synthetic T4 which doesn't cure everyone.
I have thyroid issues but I'm not on any meds, because traditionnal doctors in France refuse to consider this as "hypo".
(as well as many other hormonal problems)

However, next week I have an appt in Bruxelles, Belgium with a world reknown "anti-aging" doctor called Thierry Hertoghe. I have red many things about him and his treatment protocols and I have much hopes about it. But it is so expensive...

[Misabi]

I have a calorie journal at myfitness and paleo track and I purposely figure everything high, say for example I have coconut cream, I will claim 1 ounce even if I only use 1 T.. I have a digital food scale, measuring cups and spoons on my counter. I do not ever eat or drink when out in public because I cannot measure or weigh plus I am cautious of not getting junk oils, soy etc... Seriously I am so careful it drives my dh to madness and he is as flummoxed as I am about this. I track EVERYTHING...so far today I have only had coffee, ann 32 oz of purified water.

So by that logic, when you say you've been eating, what 1400 cals, it could actually be well under?
What quelsen said earlier to rings a true to me.

I see so many people posting on here saying they've been primal for X time and it's not working, but when you look at what the have been doing it actually resembles the fuckarounditis that you so often see at the gym. That is where a guy wants to pack on muscle but to do that he switches his workout plan each couple of weeks to try something new hoping for better results.

Have you actually read, understood and followed Mark's guidelines in The Primal Blueprint?
It sounds to that you've tried every flavour of the month self experimentation that has appeared on the forum instead and ended up eating way too little and stressing your body out even more.

Too many people try to get healthy by losing weight. More should concentrate on losing weight by getting healthy.

I'm not saying this to beat up on you, you situation sucks and I wish you the best with it.

[JoanieL]

I'm sorry, but the whole "you're not eating enough to lose" thing gets me hot. Ever known an overweight junkie? Know anyone who came out of a concentration camp fat? At my laziest 200 pound not doing anything physical weight, at 1200 cal/day, I lost a good 2-3 pounds per week, sometimes more. And that was with one day a week at 1600+ cal because I didn't want my body to adapt to such a low calorie intake. Below 160 lbs, that naturally started to slow down.

My rules for weight loss:

#1. Never listen to anyone who is fat.
#2. Never listen (blindly) to anyone who has never been fat.
#3. Doctors, though flawed, generally give better advice than people on message boards.

[heatherdarbs]

I lost the majority of my weight pre-primal also. I was eating primal for the most part, except that I had added in whole grains and legumes, because I heard they were good for me. My carbs were about 150-225 per day. Fat was about 30%. Losing about 10lbs per month.

Like you, I was looking for a lifestyle and while what I was doing would have been okay, I was eating all the time it seemed, so I was looking for something different.

I found primal, and started increasing the fat, lower the carbs. That helped me to get a good grip on my hunger. To understand hunger. It helped me to practice fasting. I was getting full on less food. But as the fat went up, the weight loss went down. It didnt matter where my calories were, or where my carbs were. My protein was always pretty consistent. But my pattern definitely shows with each increase in fat, weight loss slowed until finally at about 75% fat, it actually was a weight gain and my fasting would take it back off. My calories were at a deficit. Very few 20%.

But you said you have tried to lower fat, so I don't know. I think 30% up to 40 maybe, is where I need to be for weight loss. And I think 60-70% will be good for maintenance.

What finally gave me the courage to go back to what was working, when most everyone else was having great success with high fat/low carbs, was I re-read this page. I had read it before, but it did not sink in.
Perfect Health Diet: Weight Loss Version | Perfect Health Diet

And it may all just be a co-inky dink also. I have only recently converted back, so time will tell for sure, but so far, I have lost more weight since Oct 3 than I have in the last 3 months combined.

Trying to adhere to the standard guidlines, I just recently, (reluctantly) added back a TON of veggies that I had been craving through this entire process. I scaled back on fats (to avocado and cooking oils) and left my protein alone. I've already seen changes in my body comp and it's only been a week...I've been doing this for about 4 months. My approach now is to go with what I'm craving and keep it clean and primal.

[JudyCr]

Yep, free clinic, show them your nutrition journal, tell them all you've written here, they will help you.
I hope you find some answers and relief.

[gopintos]

Trying to adhere to the standard guidlines, I just recently, (reluctantly) added back a TON of veggies that I had been craving through this entire process. I scaled back on fats (to avocado and cooking oils) and left my protein alone. I've already seen changes in my body comp and it's only been a week...I've been doing this for about 4 months. My approach now is to go with what I'm craving and keep it clean and primal.

Loved reading this!! It's nice to hear of other similar experiences. I wish I had not waited 7 months. I thought I would be close to goal by now... ugggh. Oh well. I learned lots along the way. I have kept off what I have lost, so that is good.

[Lawyerchick12]

There might/probably/most likely some medical explanation for what is happening (sorry to hear btw, I know how frustrating losing weight can be). Absent any medical explanations though....have you;
1. Actually tried increasing your calories and observed what happened? I am tiny too 5 1 and started at about 155, I did not decrease my calories to 1200-1400 (which I am still eating and still losing weight) until I hit the 145 lb mark. I think you should try 1500-1700. At your current weight it may be too drastic for your body to go as low as 1200 without any medical supervision.

That's all I have really. Good luck and hope you figure things out.

[gempdx44]

I'm sorry, but the whole "you're not eating enough to lose" thing gets me hot. Ever known an overweight junkie? Know anyone who came out of a concentration camp fat? At my laziest 200 pound not doing anything physical weight, at 1200 cal/day, I lost a good 2-3 pounds per week, sometimes more. And that was with one day a week at 1600+ cal because I didn't want my body to adapt to such a low calorie intake. Below 160 lbs, that naturally started to slow down.

My rules for weight loss:

#1. Never listen to anyone who is fat.
#2. Never listen (blindly) to anyone who has never been fat.
#3. Doctors, though flawed, generally give better advice than people on message boards.

Sorry to say that calories count for me as well. I gained weight on "unweighed, unmeasured" Primal. Now I find I can lose verrrrrryyyyyyy slowly (like 1-2 pounds a month) if I eat 1400 calories a day and drink my water.

Also there is no shame in taking "drugs" for a thyroid problem. You are just replacing what your body no longer makes on its own. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's two years ago, and while the weight loss is still a huge struggle, at least I am not slowly gaining anymore. I am thinking positive thoughts in that you'll be able to figure something out and get your levels checked!