I am finally got the nerve to write my first post...can you guide me? page

[2_N_Jenn]

Hi Paleo Board!

I have been doing paleo for about a year now. I have all the books and read this forum and lost 65 pounds. I never followed the diet to a tee though. I am 215 pounds and want to get to 150 and eventually to 133pounds. I have been heavy for over 15 years now but I can't seem to get this diet and what to eat, etc.

I am wondering how to cook veggies and what meats to do? what do I leave out exclusively?

Exercise is where I am having the problem...
I exercise so hard. Do deep water training 2-3 times a week for 60 minutes and walk 1-3 times a week for 45-60 min. No weight coming off. I do indulge a little with sweets and alcohol. For me, I just can't give up the junk entirely. I don't know how to let it go. How much water do I drink?

Do I have to weigh my food and should I have a calorie count?

Okay back to exercise....am I doing too much? I find after swimming I gorge myself cause I am so hungry. Should I just walk and do weights? I can't lift heavy weights because I have pelvic floor dysfunction so That is why I swim and walk.

Thanks for reading,
Jenn

[EagleRiverDee]

When did your weight loss stall? You lost 65 lbs and then...what? Did something change or did you just stall? How long have you been stalled?

Calorie counting necessity varies by person. A lot of people simply see their weight optimize when the go primal. Others still have to count calories.

Drink when you're thirsty.

Can you post up a sample of what you eat in a day?

[2_N_Jenn]

Thanks Eagle dee for being my first poster.

I have stalled and know it. My motivation has stalled and don't know what to do to get it back.

I eat eggs and meat and veggies and fruit and then I splurge.

I want to keep my menu basic and basically the same weekly. I find all the recipes and amounts overwhelming to be honest..

I find drinking coffee makes me eat more and Ai am more hungry. swimming definitely ups my eating.

Jenn

[Tribal Rob]

Basically you need to experiment with what is sustainable for you.

It may well help to journal, online or on paper, write down what you eat, what you do and how you feel. Then you'll be able to look back and see what you can tweek.

You may need to go very low carb, you may need to go higher carb and lower fat, you may need to allow yourself one day a week off plan, you may need to be really strict and aim for 100% compliance, you may need to do leptin reset, you may need to count calories to get handle on portion control. You may need to meal plan for the whole week so you know exactly what you are going to eat and when.

You can work this out after you figure out where you are at now by journalling.


Oh and weight loss is 90% what you eat, if swimming makes you eat more than you burn off then don't do it, or work out how much you burn off swimming and don't eat back more

[2_N_Jenn]

Thanks for the good post. Well, looking back on the years of dieting the only diet that was good besides paleo was the south beach diet. Also, I really don't like working out. I feel that I am forcing myself. I know that sounds like a cop out but true.

I have done journaling and found most times I forget. I know that I am not. Calorie counter. Did that with weight watchers. Nothing seems to stick for me and just wanting to make something work.

What is a leptin reset?

What can I do that will burn as much as swimming? I can't run btw.

Much thanks,
Jenn

[EagleRiverDee]

I have to limit fruit in my diet or I can't lose weight. I have a weakness for dark chocolate and red wine...and have to limit those as well or I can't lose weight.

It may just be a little tweak you need. You could maybe try cutting out fruit and just try and get all the colors in vegetables to make sure you're still covering your bases nutritionally.

Repetition in meals isn't a big deal if you enjoy them and if they cover your nutritional bases. My problem lately is I only crave meat, I have not been craving vegetables or fruit. I sort of have to remember to eat those.

Remember that exercise can assist you in losing weight by burning extra calories and building muscle- BUT- it can also boost your hunger and some people have more difficulty losing weight if they are vigorously exercising because they end up eating more calories than they burned. You might experiment with dialing back the exercise a little, just to see what happens.

[Narcolepticjenn]

Welcome from another Jenn! I am NOT an expert, but here's an idea... You have basically proven that swimming alone doesn't make you lose weight, right? So pretending like it will is only going to make you feel like a failure. That won't help at all. Try thinking of the swimming as something you do for other reasons, like improving your flexibility or reducing stress or something. If that's not actually true -- if you hate swimming and don't feel any benefit from it -- then think of some other activity that you do like.

Focus your weight loss efforts on your diet. Baby step it if you have to. For instance, I started by making over breakfast because my usual breakfast was all CW (toasted whole wheat english muffin with natural peanut butter). Also, starting the day off Primal made it easier to stick to it the rest of the day. If you fall off the Primal wagon by 9 AM, it is way too easy to give up on the whole day/ week. So take it one meal at a time. Make sure you have something Primal around when you get hungry. Some posters will tell you to stay away from nuts and fruit for weight loss, but I figure nuts and fruit are way better than Doritos and donuts. The point is to get your body off the crap, and then you can fine tune from there.

[2_N_Jenn]

I have to limit fruit in my diet or I can't lose weight. I have a weakness for dark chocolate and red wine...and have to limit those as well or I can't lose weight.

It may just be a little tweak you need. You could maybe try cutting out fruit and just try and get all the colors in vegetables to make sure you're still covering your bases nutritionally.

Repetition in meals isn't a big deal if you enjoy them and if they cover your nutritional bases. My problem lately is I only crave meat, I have not been craving vegetables or fruit. I sort of have to remember to eat those.

Remember that exercise can assist you in losing weight by burning extra calories and building muscle- BUT- it can also boost your hunger and some people have more difficulty losing weight if they are vigorously exercising because they end up eating more calories than they burned. You might experiment with dialing back the exercise a little, just to see what happens.

I love fruit but the sugars just want me wanting more. I don't know which meats to eat and how to cook veggies without boiling the crap ot of them. It is like I don't know how to do this paleo even though I have done nothing but read about it. I wished that I could find a good butcher or place to get meat.

I defenitely find when I exercise hard that I am mroe hungry esp. when swimming. I feel like a hamster on a wheel going round and round and round.

Do you drink coffee and do you find it ups your hunger. I can't drink wine, well, only sulfite free wine as I am allergic to sulfites. My weight loss has stopped but I am to blame.

Thanks for the great advice. What is your daily menu look like?

Much Thanks,
Jenn

[2_N_Jenn]

Hey, Another Jenn with two N's. Howdy! I use to be a ultra competitive swimmer in my younger days. 10-15 thousand yards a day and weights. Those days are long gone so it didn't matter what I ate cause I burned it. Now, an 1 hour class of hard deep water treading makes me crazy hungry and I just think it isn't enough to starve off the hunger. I really don't enjoy exercise unless it is with someone. I am all exercised out from my younger years. I like walking okay and roller blading and that is it.

What is your daily menu? What is primal? It seems there is alot of different opinions. Breakfast would be a good one for me to start but I am not a chef either. I get overwhlemed with this easily. What has been your struggles and successes?

Big Thanks,
Jenn

[Narcolepticjenn]

Find a friend who can cook. Pick something Primal you want to learn to make, and invite them over to cook it together.