Newbie Q about Energy/Hunger levels page

[Sarahrob2248]

Hi all - I just officially went primal a week ago or so, but I completely overhauled my lifestyle to what i would consider a mostly primal diet a month and a half ago.

I've never really been overweight, but I have struggled with depression, awful sinus problems, migraines, and just generally feeling terrible most of the time.

Starting at the end of February, I cut out most grains not really in attempt to avoid them, but instead to make sure my body was getting the nutrients and protein it needed. I found that after I ate the things I felt my body needed (meats, fish, eggs, dairy, lots of fruits and veggies), I wasn't hungry enough to eat grains. And before, processed grains was pretty much my whole diet - dinner was usually just a pasta or rice dish, while I would eat a "healthy" granola bar for breakfast.

Anyways, I've been going more and more Primal, and I find that I'm nowhere near as hungry all day, yet I have much more energy. I used to have to take a nap somedays on my lunch break. I work full time during the day, go to law school part time at night, and drive 2.5 hours commuting. I figured it was just all work/school that was exhausting me, but now I don't need a mid-day energy drink or nap.

I'm not complaining, but I only eat (primal, of course) when I'm hungry and I stop when I'm not, and I find that most of the time I don't break 1200 calories, plus I have much more energy. The more primal I become the more this is true.

I feel better than I ever have in my life, but I want to make sure this is a normal reaction, especially since I am below the CW's thoughts on cal intake/sources.

Thanks in advance

[Zoë]

Mark is extremely active and eats only 2800 calories/day or so. Dr. Kurt Harris says he eats only 1800 calories/day and neither of them have run into many problems. I don't think calories as just this 'number' on a piece of paper matter. Your appetite wont let you down. Appetite is a very complex evolutionary adaption. It won't let you waste muscle or let you starve. Unless you have anorexia in the medical sense (which can be caused by drugs, severe dieting, or other metabolic/hormonal disrupting substances), don't sweat it. 1200 calories does not sound like anorexic levels.

[EGYnutrition]

I'd rather see macronutrients then calories but if you feel great then you are great. Your body doesn't lie to you until you lie to it with fake food and fake chemicals.

[Sarahrob2248]

I just started using fitday.com, but yesterday was fat: 57 grams, carbs: 66 grams, protein: 89, approx. 1100 cals. No fruit. Unfortunately I still drink coffee with fake, really bad cream substitute-I love really creamy coffee and am making the switch to real cream this weekend. I know I could probably up my fat and lower carbs, but I'm still making adjustments.

I guess I'm still struggling with cw: eat frequently even if you are not hungry, never go below 1200 cals, etc.

[tooround]

I'm still struggling with a few CW habits too.
I freaked the first day I hit 1900 calories! I don't do that very often. Actually I don't fitday very often any more.
But I am getting better at just sipping coffee with real cream instead of eating frequently.

[BarbeyGirl]

I cycle up and down a lot. After almost 7 months of being primal, I'm getting more and more comfortable with listening to my body. I'm in a low-cal phase at the moment (estimating here, I don't log my diet most of the time), but there are plenty of days when I eat as much primal food as a guy twice my size. I'm quite active and have a high lean mass %, though -- I think that makes a big difference in whether or not you can "get away with" this. Perhaps the biggest factor of all is whether you have a healthy metabolism. If yours is still healing, you might do better to restrict a bit. If it's healthy and strong, listen to your body and do what it says -- for low calorie or high.