New to the group

silveropes

Hi all,

I'm back again at mfp. I started paleo a few months ago and then due to stress quit and went back on my carb /sweet tooth crutches. I'd lost about 10 lbs in the one ish month i did follow paleo. I never felt better in my life. I had more energy, slept better, everything was better.

I'm recommitting as of today...

My dr wants to put me on meds to help me get pregnant. I have pcos and had my thyroid removed so my female cycles left with it.

I want to lose weight and get healthy so I can have a family.

Can you answer one question that i'm on the fence on and would like to hear from yall what you think.

Some say on paleo dont count calories - i like this idea but i'm not sure if it will work shed light on this for me.

LeenaGee

Welcome and good luck starting a family. I think it is a good idea to count calories to begin with but I personally found it was too much focus on food and it made me hungry all the time. It is a bit of an eye opener to see how much you are really eating so I think it is a good idea.

sarabeth624

Log to find out what works for your body - not to stay under some prescribed number. A lot of people find they can eventually have more calories when eating strict paleo - perhaps because they are finally giving their body optimal nutrition and it's not as stressed.

Paleo is naturally lower carb if you are eating real food and not overdoing the sweets. A lot of us count carbs, just because we are addicts, but that's not necessary if you aren't trying to actively lose significant weight.

Akimajuktuq

Counting calories can hurt when one ends up under-eating and loses lean body mass and slows metabolism. That's what happened to me, even though I was Paleo, eating healthy foods, I listened to my body less and MFP stupid calorie guidelines more. FAIL.

I think tracking for macros is useful (especially for someone like me that needs to keep carbs low and sugar minimized) and you can even set a calorie goal but I would recommend setting it much higher than MFP defaults and to NOT put in to lose more than half a pound loss per week (assuming that you don't have lots to lose).

I do think that calorie counting is a fail and it's far more important to listen to one's body which is very effective as long as we are consistently eating the foods that are healthiest for us.

silveropes

I have around 60 lbs to lose. I'm just unsure on if counting will work like today alone i've blown through 1/2 my calories at breakfast. Blueberries, eggs, and bacon and i'm still hungry...

Akimajuktuq

Ok, trying not to freak out here..... WHY are you aiming for 1200 calories???????? Even 1600 is too low with 60 pounds to lose. 3 meals at 600-700 calories is likely just fine. Also, I only looked back a bit but why is your protein and fat (omg more fat!!!) so low while carbs so high? For someone who wants to lose fat you are getting an awful lot of sugar. More veggies, far less fruit will help you.

Under eating is a fail. Please stop. Looking at your diary yesterday and I want to cry. No fat and so much sugar. And not enough food in general. Do you eat other meats besides processed ones? I've only seen bacon and jerky for the last couple days.

I don't ask why you are hungry, I ask "how could you not be?". Fat, protein (unprocessed meats preferably) and veggies are what will satiate you, in that order. Sugar will totally work against you.

I'm not trying to pick on you; I'm trying to help. If I have come across offensively please forgive/ignore me.

LeenaGee

I agree with Akimajuktuq, to me it looks like you are on a "diet" and not eating the Paleo way. More veggies, more meat, chicken, fish. 2 fruit a day is usually enough. Love eggs but don't rely of them as much.

Get a good Paleo recipe book or search on line, as there is heaps of food to choose from. Stir fries are a great way to go. Watch the sauces though and just use herbs and spices.

silveropes

Thank you for your feedback. Husband did a major grocery shop while I was at work yesterday. I do tend to eat a lot of fruit and veg - imo and a decent amount of meat. Please dont hold it all against me till i have more consecutive entries than 2 lol. I'm still new still figuring it out and I use pintrest like its going out of style and i do have a few cookbooks as references as well.

Just more about me -

I am up for the challenge b/c having a family is valuable to me. I've had success in the past and at that time yes was eatting too little due to thats what mfp said 2lbs a week would look like. I've recently per a suggestion increased it. I also ride a stationary bike while i'm at work to increase my movements. Its a slow stroll but it keeps me from getting bored...

I'm up for more help keep me accountable. I will try I'm not saying it will be perfect b/c i'm not perfect. I will give my best to the challenge.

SteamClutch

Welcome Silver, as you can tell we are a passionate group here. Meat will get you a ways but fat is where it is at when it comes to transforming the way your body works. keep checking and adjusting your macros and make sure the fats are quality fats. I recommend lots of veggies and nice portions of meat, eggs and such too.

LeenaGee

"Please dont hold it all against me till i have more consecutive entries than 2 lol."

No way honey, anything we say is to help. I suck at this dieting thing and I would be too ashamed to open my diary. Paleo is my ideal of how to eat but I fail all the time. My family eat well but they also bring a lot of junk into the house and sometimes when I am tired I just can't help myself.

I started light exercise again today after a lengthy break. I work really hard and so I use that as an excuse not to exercise but it is so important to get the heart rate up a bit and I am nearly 60 and I need to keep my muscles strong. Wish me luck as I suck at exercise as well.

Akimajuktuq

I'm not holding it against you. I just want you to be healthy and happy and lose fat effortlessly (I didn't say "instantly") which means that you must eat enough, not avoid fat, and limit sugar. Yes, fruits are healthy in moderation, but better to get your majority of carbs from veggies. Trying to lose weight as fast as possible will mean you lose lean body mass and slow your metabolism. I did that and it sucks for the long term. The faster the weight loss on the scale the more likely you are also losing lbm which comes down to burning less calories and having a higher percentage of fat:muscle on your body.

lujo321

No judging here. It is likely going to take you a while to get you footing. I am also just getting back to it and I decided to baby step it and give up one thing at a time. I agree though with some of the above posts that you do need to reduce your carbs and increase your fat.

ascrit

welcome!

sarabeth624

I hate to even suggest it... but if you do a search for "keto calculator" there are several that will give you an extreme guideline for your macros. Most of us here are not so extreme with the high-fat. I use mine as something to shoot for and miss most days. But, yeah, tailor your MFP guidelines to fit a more paleo/primal way of eating so you don't freak everyone out when they look at your diary.