Gaining body fat? + ladies problems... page

[amber_maiden]

I lost too much weight in the last month with primal, and my period said audios... I need to gain about 5-8 pounds back. I'm 5'6, 115 pounds currently. I'm thinking that upping my bodyfat will solve the period issue. Do I do this by adding more fat into my diet, and upping any calories, or should I go the carb route?

Thanks in advance!

[Padz]

I'm a man but the same principles apply really. If your weight/ body fat is too low for your health/happiness following primal I would add certainly add some (not loads) complex carbs, however trying to just eat more primal foods would probably be better as long as you can eat enough!

If you're fairly active day to day, adding healthy carbs will not be bad for you at all.

[PaleoMom]

What do you eat now and how much?

[amber_maiden]

What do you eat now and how much?

I've modified what I eat in the last week- upping my fat intake with more nuts, and adding in dark chocolate, as well as fattier cuts of meat. I've also upped my calories from 1900-2200 to 2400-3000.

I tend to average (according to this past week on Cronometer), at about 120g of protein, 120g of carbs, and 120g of fat. Some of these end up a bit higher, like today I'm a bit lower of protein than that, a bit higher on carbs, and a lot higher on fat.

[ombat]

Try upping your starchy carbs. I lost my period after being on a zero carb diet for several months (to heal gut dysbiosis issues). I was eating fat by the spoonful and.. well.. this caused more problems. A couple of months back on a few sweet potatoes a day was all it took.

Is the 120g of carbs pre- or post- upping your calories?

[amber_maiden]

I was averaging around 200g of carbs before I upped my calories... I just checked on Cronometer. Funny it's gone down since upping my calorie intake- I'll have to watch that.

What problems did you have with eating fat? If you don't mind me asking.

Try upping your starchy carbs. I lost my period after being on a zero carb diet for several months (to heal gut dysbiosis issues). I was eating fat by the spoonful and.. well.. this caused more problems. A couple of months back on a few sweet potatoes a day was all it took.

Is the 120g of carbs pre- or post- upping your calories?

[Damiana]

When I lost my period, I just gained more weight. I don't recall eating more fat than usual but probably not, since I was eating a SAD diet at that time.

[eKatherine]

I have read more than once that women athletes with low bodyfat and amennorhea can get their periods back by adding egg yolks to their diet. YMMV

[Dragonfly]

I would suggest focusing on more nutrient-dense fertility foods, as opposed to macros. And more calories overall.

Here's a blog post I wrote on the topic:

Optimum Fertility ~ Nutrition | Sondra Rose: Happy Mind

[LauraSB]

I was averaging around 200g of carbs before I upped my calories... I just checked on Cronometer. Funny it's gone down since upping my calorie intake- I'll have to watch that.

Calories is probably going to matter more than carbs vs. fat. Except that fat has more than 2X calories per gram than carbs, so in terms of food volume, fat will give you more calorie bang for your buck. Is there some high calorie primal food you enjoy that you've been holding back on? If so, indulge!