31, female, started PB 233lbs, need help with macros and calorie intake. page 3

[vlo1125]

Calories do matter, but under eating will do more harm than good. You're not likely to go into starvation mode, that's a myth, but your body is intelligent and will try to conserve energy in other ways. I eat as much as you do and I'm 100 pounds, I would increase your calories to 1800, eat more fat, and keep the carbs under 50g.

I may try that, I guess my deficit is too much for how much I weigh. I thought I had calculated it for losing 2 lbs a week but my math could be wrong. It's crazy to hear I'm eating the same calories as someone I weigh 125 lbs more than and I'm not losing! Lol

I do not count calories all day but again enter everything into myfitnesspal at the end of the night, tonight I'm only at 1300 cals/ 51 carbs/82 fat/ 93 protein . So what can I eat that 500 cals and made of fat ? Man I never imagined I'd have this problem, mark is right it is hard to over eat when your are primal!

[ANewLeaf]

Some bodies lose weight very oddly. Mine comes off in chunks lately and its related to my monthly cycles. My month on scale often goes: \
3-4 days out from the period start, I drop 1-2 lbs a day. So, maybe a loss of 4-5 lbs. Then I gain back 1 lb during my period, 1 more after my period. Then another chunk of weight 3-4 days out from the next period.

Yes, and sometimes you lose weight differently in your cycle than most women. For instance, most women put on pounds just before their period. I end up losing my weight in the 2 weeks before my period. Then the two weeks during/after, I either gain or maintain. I think it has to do with my estrogen levels. I have Luteal phase defect too, which may be affecting the way my body loses...

I don't have any advice, as I'm in the beginnings of the weight loss myself and have had a rocky start, but mine was prednisone induced. Hopefully with the elimination of pred, I will see the downward movement again.

[spuggygirl]

As others have said, you have to tweak a little here and a little there and find out what works for you. Having said that, you're quite early into your primal journey so it may just be that your body needs to repair and rebalance before it is ready to drop the fat. As long as you're not gaining, I'd be inclined to sit with it for a while and concentrate on how you feel. It's very easy for us (myself included) to become very focussed on weightloss but the real point of PB is to be in the best possible health.

If you're still convinced that you're healthy and balanced and should be losing weight, then cutting the nuts and dairy are generally the biggest culprits. I don't know many people who can stop at half a dozen delicious macadamias.

Oh, and +1 for the heavy lifting. Apart from anything else, it'll just make you feel damned good!

[Future_PB_Dr]

Vlo, good advice here on this thread. But don't let the "eat more fat" cue confuse you. By eat more fat, they mean eat a higher percentage of your calories as fat. Thus, perhaps try to lower your protein? For some people, eating a high amount of protein can slow weight loss due to its ability to slightly raise insulin levels. I have found avocados to be a great source of fat that doesn't carry the copious amount of protein with it. I also love coconut oil, so I'll always add a tbsp or 2 to my protein/fruit smoothies.

Good luck!

[vlo1125]

I think you've gotten some good advice. If you're not hungry, don't eat. That's what they keep telling me anyway. Concentrate on eating nutritionally dense foods when you do eat. When you have that salad, pile it high, baby.

Oh, I'm curious as to why you say eliminate the flax? I sprinkle on the serving dose one 1 tbsp on my daily salad to get my Omega threes. I hate taking pills, so I eat it! Lovely crunch, too.

Ill keep the flax in I really like the texture it gives my smoothie!

[vlo1125]

Yes, and sometimes you lose weight differently in your cycle than most women. For instance, most women put on pounds just before their period. I end up losing my weight in the 2 weeks before my period. Then the two weeks during/after, I either gain or maintain. I think it has to do with my estrogen levels. I have Luteal phase defect too, which may be affecting the way my body loses...

I don't have any advice, as I'm in the beginnings of the weight loss myself and have had a rocky start, but mine was prednisone induced. Hopefully with the elimination of pred, I will see the downward movement again.

Hmm could be, I've been taking ovulation tests and I just had my surge today, and will get my period in the next 10 days. Sigh idk I'm just gonna try to relax and take it one day at a time.

[vlo1125]

As others have said, you have to tweak a little here and a little there and find out what works for you. Having said that, you're quite early into your primal journey so it may just be that your body needs to repair and rebalance before it is ready to drop the fat. As long as you're not gaining, I'd be inclined to sit with it for a while and concentrate on how you feel. It's very easy for us (myself included) to become very focussed on weightloss but the real point of PB is to be in the best possible health.

If you're still convinced that you're healthy and balanced and should be losing weight, then cutting the nuts and dairy are generally the biggest culprits. I don't know many people who can stop at half a dozen delicious macadamias.

Oh, and +1 for the heavy lifting. Apart from anything else, it'll just make you feel damned good!

Thanks. Too true about macadamias, good thing I don't buy them! I only eat a weighed ounce of almonds every other day so I don't think it's the culprit but i could knock it down to once a week and see if that helps. I always measure my dairy as well but I tend to notice some days where I add about 1/2 an ounce of cheese to each meal, at the end the end of the day that's 1.5 ounce of cheese. Maybe I need to cut it down to just 1/2 ounce a day.

Just gonna keep at it and try to tweak. I am convinced I am eating in the healthiest way for my body so regardless of weight loss ill continue to eat this way.

[vlo1125]

Vlo, good advice here on this thread. But don't let the "eat more fat" cue confuse you. By eat more fat, they mean eat a higher percentage of your calories as fat. Thus, perhaps try to lower your protein? For some people, eating a high amount of protein can slow weight loss due to its ability to slightly raise insulin levels. I have found avocados to be a great source of fat that doesn't carry the copious amount of protein with it. I also love coconut oil, so I'll always add a tbsp or 2 to my protein/fruit smoothies.

Good luck!

Great advice, love me some avocado and add it often to my eggs in the morning. I just added 1 tbsp coconut oil to my green smoothie and it was super yummy!

[Cryptocode]

Your calories are fine. Eat only if you're hungry and make sure your fats are > 65%. If so and you feel well, try weight lifting and sprints.

[Balance]

I started PB 1/26/13 5'4 at 233 lbs. my first week i lost 5.2 lbs , my 2nd 2.2lbs, so i now weigh 225lbs. but for the last 10 days ive shown no progress, the scale will yoyo .6 lbs in either direction. i know 10 days isn’t much of a plateau but ive gotten a couple people to jump on the PB bandwagon and all seem to be losing more rapidly in the first month than i am. My husband (start weight 257) has lost 14.4 lbs in 2 weeks, a friend (start weight 210) has lost 13.8lbs also in 2 weeks. i did have a thyroidectomy nearly 2 months ago but i am on synthyroid 150mg daily. Coincidentally my mother (start weight 220) who introduced me to PB is also on synthyroid 150mg ( though she still has her thyroid its just hypo)and has lost 18lbs in her first month of PB. so while id like to blame my slower results on my lack of thyroid i just look at my mom who is 20 years older and on the same dose of meds and think thats not the case.

at 225lbs and only 24 days into my primal experience i dont think i should be plateauing?! i am going to get my labs done today to check how my thyroid levels are doing but i think they should be fine(heck they might even lower my dose and then I’d be in real trouble!)

I’ve been eating about 1300-1600 cals a day (on average in the 1550's), fat: 100 gm, Protein: 79 gm, Carb: 50 gm. sometimes i go a little high on fat or protein but the carbs i sometimes struggle to hit 50gm. I’m 100% primal since day one, purging my house of anything with grains and sugars and vegetable oils, i even gave up my beloved coffee. i don’t do grass fed beef but i try to buy organic when i can.

Exercise: walk for 45-60 mins 2 times a week. zumba for 30 mins 2-3 times a week.

So should i lower my calories? Are my macros wrong? Change my exercise? i know if i go by mark's suggested 1-2 lbs a week that i am right on track but for someone who started obese i think a bigger loss is usually normal the first month.

So in 25 days you have lost a little over 7 lbs? In my opinion that is a great start! When you gained the weight you probably didn't gain it at a tune of 7 lbs per month. Take your time, remember you want to create a healthy lifestyle for yourself not a diet to lose weight. Because if you look at it as a diet then you will continue to count and starve yourself which will just cause a lot of extra stress (and most likely more cortisol). You should be completely satisfied with that fact that you are making yourself and your family much more healthy, you are losing a little bit of weight, and you are becoming more physically active. The little bit of weight will eventually end up being a lot of weight but give it time. I agree with the other posters to add in some high intensity burst training (like sprints), do some weight lifting, and keep it fun. I am personally 160 lbs and if I ate the amount of calories you were eating I would feel like I was starving. Honestly though, don't obsess about your calories, and don't try to find a perfect macronutrient ratio. Eat real food, throw away the junk (like you have already been doing), and stay the course. Good luck!