Paleo issues
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llfretwell
Posts: 218 Member
I need some advice, some support, some HOPE. I was doing so well the first couple of weeks of my Paleo eating. I lost about 5 lbs. Now, I can't stop binging. It's embarrassing. What is my deal? I CANNOT get back on track!? I already have issues with binging, but was doing so well with paleo for that short little bit. Why the slip up now and how do I get back on track?! It's depressing for sure..
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Replies
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Hard to know where to start for you- your diary doesn't have anything logged in it. When I'm feeling 'off-track' as you put it, it usually starts in the morning. If i 'slip up' and snag a pastry or a donut, I'm on that carb/sugar train allllll day long.
How are you starting your mornings? What keeps me in line is a really good coffee/protein drink. I do a cup of coffee with a couple eggs blended in and some cinnamon and cacao. It's filling, it's easy, and it gets me in the right mindset to have an awesome day.
Other than that, I don't have much to offer.
Best wishes.0 -
Hard to know where to start for you- your diary doesn't have anything logged in it. When I'm feeling 'off-track' as you put it, it usually starts in the morning. If i 'slip up' and snag a pastry or a donut, I'm on that carb/sugar train allllll day long.
How are you starting your mornings? What keeps me in line is a really good coffee/protein drink. I do a cup of coffee with a couple eggs blended in and some cinnamon and cacao. It's filling, it's easy, and it gets me in the right mindset to have an awesome day.
Other than that, I don't have much to offer.
Best wishes.
I was trying to do intermittent fasting in the mornings, and was actually doing pretty good with it. I haven't done it in about a week, though, along with this crappy eating. Can you give me the recipe of that coffee/protein drink? I'd like to try that. Thanks for your help!0 -
Is there something else outside of food that is going on? Stress is my biggest hurdle in binge eating, I haven't broken the emotional tie to food that makes me think 'oh, eating this whatever it is will make me feel better right now so I deserve it' when I am trying to tell myself now that I DESERVE to feel better, be healthy, have energy, put fuel into my body. I know it's easier said than done or I'd be a success story by now.0
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Forget intermittent fasting until you are through struggling and very settled into your Paleo lifestyle. For some women IF just doesn't work well. Me, I love it but only my keto lifestyle makes it work for me.
I can tell you from experience that if you are bingeing then you are eating too many carbs and not enough fat. And, in the first week, eat as much fat and protein as it takes to be satisified and only have moderate amounts of salad vegetables, no fruit or anything else that triggers a binge. Paleo does not have to be low carb, but for craving and bingeing issues, ketosis is your best friend.
I had diagnosed binge eating disorder. A ketogenic version of Paleo fully resolved it.0 -
Forget intermittent fasting until you are through struggling and very settled into your Paleo lifestyle. For some women IF just doesn't work well. Me, I love it but only my keto lifestyle makes it work for me.
I can tell you from experience that if you are bingeing then you are eating too many carbs and not enough fat. And, in the first week, eat as much fat and protein as it takes to be satisified and only have moderate amounts of salad vegetables, no fruit or anything else that triggers a binge. Paleo does not have to be low carb, but for craving and bingeing issues, ketosis is your best friend.
I had diagnosed binge eating disorder. A ketogenic version of Paleo fully resolved it.
I KNOW that I have binge eating disorder also. It is so embarrassing to think about the amount of junkfood that I would eat in 1 sitting sometimes. I would love to know more about your ketogenic diet. I know what ketosis is, but how do you do yours specifically? Like as far as fat, carbs and protein..0 -
Is there something else outside of food that is going on? Stress is my biggest hurdle in binge eating, I haven't broken the emotional tie to food that makes me think 'oh, eating this whatever it is will make me feel better right now so I deserve it' when I am trying to tell myself now that I DESERVE to feel better, be healthy, have energy, put fuel into my body. I know it's easier said than done or I'd be a success story by now.
YES!!!! I am STRESSED for sure! And I KNOW that that's my problem, but I still cant control it. Its depressing
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Forget intermittent fasting until you are through struggling and very settled into your Paleo lifestyle. For some women IF just doesn't work well. Me, I love it but only my keto lifestyle makes it work for me.
I can tell you from experience that if you are bingeing then you are eating too many carbs and not enough fat. And, in the first week, eat as much fat and protein as it takes to be satisified and only have moderate amounts of salad vegetables, no fruit or anything else that triggers a binge. Paleo does not have to be low carb, but for craving and bingeing issues, ketosis is your best friend.
I had diagnosed binge eating disorder. A ketogenic version of Paleo fully resolved it.
I KNOW that I have binge eating disorder also. It is so embarrassing to think about the amount of junkfood that I would eat in 1 sitting sometimes. I would love to know more about your ketogenic diet. I know what ketosis is, but how do you do yours specifically? Like as far as fat, carbs and protein..
Binge eating disorder is more severe than just craving and losing control on occasion. That said, in my case, it was completely caused by malnutrition with made it easily curable when I finally figured out what to do. Of course no doctors or psychiatrists gave me any helpful info....
Anyway, it's not hard. My second paragraph tells you what to do, generally. You need to eat lots of healthy fat (coconut, animal-grassfed or wild ideally, avocado, etc), moderate protein, and very low carbohydrate. No fruit, salad veggies only. It's not forever but a ketogenic lifestyle will heal your current struggles. At first, and as long as you need, do not limit calories. Eat as much fat and protein as needed, with moderate amounts of salad vegetables, to feel satisfied. Yes, I'm basically describing the old Atkins Induction Diet with the difference of choosing only whole, healthy foods. No "low carb" products and no artificial sweeteners.
You can look at my diary; it's open to everyone. August is a good month to go by because I was doing a keto Whole30. Just a note; to recover from a long list of health issues, I had my carbs at 5% and fat at 75% (aimed for 80) for most of the last year. I only just changed my carbs to 10% because my metabolic disorders have been adequately addressed. I'm now eating fruit but couldn't eat it, except for occasional berries, when I first started out.
Not everyone Paleo needs to eat like this, but it is a huge benefit for certain health issues.0 -
Forget intermittent fasting until you are through struggling and very settled into your Paleo lifestyle. For some women IF just doesn't work well. Me, I love it but only my keto lifestyle makes it work for me.
I can tell you from experience that if you are bingeing then you are eating too many carbs and not enough fat. And, in the first week, eat as much fat and protein as it takes to be satisified and only have moderate amounts of salad vegetables, no fruit or anything else that triggers a binge. Paleo does not have to be low carb, but for craving and bingeing issues, ketosis is your best friend.
I had diagnosed binge eating disorder. A ketogenic version of Paleo fully resolved it.
I KNOW that I have binge eating disorder also. It is so embarrassing to think about the amount of junkfood that I would eat in 1 sitting sometimes. I would love to know more about your ketogenic diet. I know what ketosis is, but how do you do yours specifically? Like as far as fat, carbs and protein..
Binge eating disorder is more severe than just craving and losing control on occasion. That said, in my case, it was completely caused by malnutrition with made it easily curable when I finally figured out what to do. Of course no doctors or psychiatrists gave me any helpful info....
Anyway, it's not hard. My second paragraph tells you what to do, generally. You need to eat lots of healthy fat (coconut, animal-grassfed or wild ideally, avocado, etc), moderate protein, and very low carbohydrate. No fruit, salad veggies only. It's not forever but a ketogenic lifestyle will heal your current struggles. At first, and as long as you need, do not limit calories. Eat as much fat and protein as needed, with moderate amounts of salad vegetables, to feel satisfied. Yes, I'm basically describing the old Atkins Induction Diet with the difference of choosing only whole, healthy foods. No "low carb" products and no artificial sweeteners.
You can look at my diary; it's open to everyone. August is a good month to go by because I was doing a keto Whole30. Just a note; to recover from a long list of health issues, I had my carbs at 5% and fat at 75% (aimed for 80) for most of the last year. I only just changed my carbs to 10% because my metabolic disorders have been adequately addressed. I'm now eating fruit but couldn't eat it, except for occasional berries, when I first started out.
Not everyone Paleo needs to eat like this, but it is a huge benefit for certain health issues.
This is so helpful. Thank you. I am looking at your diary now and was wondering if you put butter and coconut oil in your coffee in the mornings? Do you only do that and no breakfast?0 -
I hear and see this often. Read and follow "It Starts with Food". Your binging is probably a combination of sugar addiction, psychological addiction and hormonal imbalance.
Those that "fail" at this lifestyle are the ones that follow it as a diet rather than a way of eating. I bet you are thinking about what you eat in terms of, "can't have this or this or this" - rather than "OMG I get more bacon"
(Just guessing as I have seen this approach often).
In life we are all more successful at things that we are "running to" rather than "running from". - so think in terms of the positive rather than what you can't have. Just my 2 cents.0 -
everything mikeflymike said is perf.0
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I hear and see this often. Read and follow "It Starts with Food". Your binging is probably a combination of sugar addiction, psychological addiction and hormonal imbalance.
Those that "fail" at this lifestyle are the ones that follow it as a diet rather than a way of eating. I bet you are thinking about what you eat in terms of, "can't have this or this or this" - rather than "OMG I get more bacon"
(Just guessing as I have seen this approach often).
In life we are all more successful at things that we are "running to" rather than "running from". - so think in terms of the positive rather than what you can't have. Just my 2 cents.
This is spot on and so helpful. Thank you! I will look into getting this book, for sure!0 -
I am also keto but my carb allowance is slightly higher, even though I tend to stay under 40g most days. My diary is also open to give you an food ideas you might want. As for the fasting, stay away from that for now until you get the hang of things. I only recently started it myself, but I had to settle in first. It will come.0
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My weekday breakfast-on-the-go:
1 cup brewed organic coffee (organic bc coffee, especially imported, can be heavily pesticde-laden, and I'm not a fan of starting out my day with hormone disruptors!)
3 eggs (get farm-fresh, free-range- chickens fed soy/grain will produce eggs with higher omega-6 fats than omega-3.. and we're going for the awesomest possible start to the day here)
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil (make sure it's not refined, refined is cheaper, but it's got a lot of the good stuff stripped out)
little bit of raw cacao powder
little LITTLE bit of raw maca powder (stuff is really energizing but tastes like *kitten*)
however much cinnamon you want
optional scoop of protein powder. Egg, pea, whey, hemp, whatever you like. I go a little off-book and use Jarrow unflavored whey
If you find that it doesn't taste good to you, play around with adding a small (think an inch/two inches long or less) bit of banana or a little (like a tsp) or raw local honey. However, keep the sweet stuff to a minimum. My goal in drinking this stuff every morning is to get as much protein and healthy fat in as I can, so whatever temptation may come my way before lunchtime is no biggie. Proud to say I have about a 100% success rate :-)
In regards to what others have said about binge eating disorder, you've definitely got some good advice here. Glad to be able to share a tool with you, and I hope it serves you well!
ETA: I was TOTALLY expecting the word *kitten* to get asssssterisked, haha!! It's the little things.0 -
Forget intermittent fasting until you are through struggling and very settled into your Paleo lifestyle. For some women IF just doesn't work well. Me, I love it but only my keto lifestyle makes it work for me.
I can tell you from experience that if you are bingeing then you are eating too many carbs and not enough fat. And, in the first week, eat as much fat and protein as it takes to be satisified and only have moderate amounts of salad vegetables, no fruit or anything else that triggers a binge. Paleo does not have to be low carb, but for craving and bingeing issues, ketosis is your best friend.
I had diagnosed binge eating disorder. A ketogenic version of Paleo fully resolved it.
I KNOW that I have binge eating disorder also. It is so embarrassing to think about the amount of junkfood that I would eat in 1 sitting sometimes. I would love to know more about your ketogenic diet. I know what ketosis is, but how do you do yours specifically? Like as far as fat, carbs and protein..
Binge eating disorder is more severe than just craving and losing control on occasion. That said, in my case, it was completely caused by malnutrition with made it easily curable when I finally figured out what to do. Of course no doctors or psychiatrists gave me any helpful info....
Anyway, it's not hard. My second paragraph tells you what to do, generally. You need to eat lots of healthy fat (coconut, animal-grassfed or wild ideally, avocado, etc), moderate protein, and very low carbohydrate. No fruit, salad veggies only. It's not forever but a ketogenic lifestyle will heal your current struggles. At first, and as long as you need, do not limit calories. Eat as much fat and protein as needed, with moderate amounts of salad vegetables, to feel satisfied. Yes, I'm basically describing the old Atkins Induction Diet with the difference of choosing only whole, healthy foods. No "low carb" products and no artificial sweeteners.
You can look at my diary; it's open to everyone. August is a good month to go by because I was doing a keto Whole30. Just a note; to recover from a long list of health issues, I had my carbs at 5% and fat at 75% (aimed for 80) for most of the last year. I only just changed my carbs to 10% because my metabolic disorders have been adequately addressed. I'm now eating fruit but couldn't eat it, except for occasional berries, when I first started out.
Not everyone Paleo needs to eat like this, but it is a huge benefit for certain health issues.
This is so helpful. Thank you. I am looking at your diary now and was wondering if you put butter and coconut oil in your coffee in the mornings? Do you only do that and no breakfast?
Yes, that's a "fat fast" and the butter and coconut oil are blended in my coffee. So even though I say I am "intermittent fasting" I am actually allowing Bulletproof coffee in my fasting window. Some people say it counts some don't. I seem to still get the fasting benefits so it counts to me. But never mind that- you probably need to be having breakfast for now. For some reason, my particular body loves the IF. It apparently isn't for everyone, especially women.
Like Mike said, I never focus on "I can't have this", I focus on "yay, rib eye steaks and mushrooms fried in tons of butter". Yum. I don't miss the junk at all. And even the occasional popcorn night is enjoyed but never becomes a habit. Feeling great is just too good to give up.0 -
For me the biggest help was leptin reset. Leptin reset is basically is about eating BIG protein and fat dense breakfast very soon after waking up. It suggests 50 G protein within half an hr of awaking. I didn't do it to the recommended amount or timeframe because it was not doable for me, but I try to achieve as close as I can. I aim for 40 gr protein and 40 gr fat at breakfast within 1.5 hr of awakening. If i achieve this at the morning, I have a great day without feeling hungry or letargic and no cravings. If I eat breakfast, but less than 25 protein and 25 g fat, the day will be not so good, but ok. If I skip breakfast, I end up binging later for sure. For me IF is just not doable. I rather see myself increasing my breakfast and dinner and not eating lunch at all.
The other thing that helped me is to get rid of the all or nothing mentality. I know that very low carb not even fruit works for some people , but for me that caused binging. Doing keto is HARD, at lest for me it was. I jst couln't stick to it. When I tried I ended up having keto day binging day keto day binging day flipping around. Maybe I am just too week or something, but I can not do it that way.
I saw Marks carb curve and the 100-150 gr carb is the maintaining zone, so I started there. I set my carb to 150 g, which is the higher end for paleo, and honestly I was not really good archiving even that on daily basis at first. This allowed me to eat all the fruits I want even some rice and potato. Once I settled there for a few months, i started to reduce the carb. First went to 125 for a few months than 100 g and just a couple of weeks ago set my MFP goal to 83g, which is 15% for me , since I eat 2200 calorie a day minimum, more if I walk a lot. I started to lose weight when to the 100g , and it is really started to get going in the last 2 weeks since I am at ~ 85g zone. I think I will stay here , and won't go below this anytime soon. I feel great and I still enjoy my fruits and it is a suistanable on the long run.0 -
Mike's advice is great!0
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I am so grateful for all of these responses! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! I am definitely going to start eating breakfast again and not worry about the IF until I'm well settled into Paleo. I appreciate all of the advice and support more than ya'll know!!0
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For me the biggest help was leptin reset. Leptin reset is basically is about eating BIG protein and fat dense breakfast very soon after waking up. It suggests 50 G protein within half an hr of awaking. I didn't do it to the recommended amount or timeframe because it was not doable for me, but I try to achieve as close as I can. I aim for 40 gr protein and 40 gr fat at breakfast within 1.5 hr of awakening. If i achieve this at the morning, I have a great day without feeling hungry or letargic and no cravings. If I eat breakfast, but less than 25 protein and 25 g fat, the day will be not so good, but ok. If I skip breakfast, I end up binging later for sure. For me IF is just not doable. I rather see myself increasing my breakfast and dinner and not eating lunch at all.
The other thing that helped me is to get rid of the all or nothing mentality. I know that very low carb not even fruit works for some people , but for me that caused binging. Doing keto is HARD, at lest for me it was. I jst couln't stick to it. When I tried I ended up having keto day binging day keto day binging day flipping around. Maybe I am just too week or something, but I can not do it that way.
I saw Marks carb curve and the 100-150 gr carb is the maintaining zone, so I started there. I set my carb to 150 g, which is the higher end for paleo, and honestly I was not really good archiving even that on daily basis at first. This allowed me to eat all the fruits I want even some rice and potato. Once I settled there for a few months, i started to reduce the carb. First went to 125 for a few months than 100 g and just a couple of weeks ago set my MFP goal to 83g, which is 15% for me , since I eat 2200 calorie a day minimum, more if I walk a lot. I started to lose weight when to the 100g , and it is really started to get going in the last 2 weeks since I am at ~ 85g zone. I think I will stay here , and won't go below this anytime soon. I feel great and I still enjoy my fruits and it is a suistanable on the long run.
The only reason that I push keto is because it is sometimes the only thing that resolves certain health problems, especially those related to metabolic disorder. It is not hard as an ongoing lifestyle, but it IS hard to get through the extreme carb craving period. But that only lasts a matter of days for most people. Keto is not the CAUSE of bingeing, the craving for sugar is. We will be tempted to binge when starting out on keto, but what foods do we reach for? Steak? No, sugar. The point of keto is to eat as much fat and protein until craving/bingeing is gone. Then healthy higher carb foods can be reintroduced gradually over time. (Unless one wants to remain ketogenic, as I do.)
If you are able to manage your health while eating lots of fruit, and even potatoes and rice (personally, I do not want to eat grains and low nutrient starches) then that's really great and keep doing what's working. However, for some of us, at least for awhile, we are greatly benefited by using ketosis to slay the sugar addiction and eliminate excessive cravings and hunger. Personally, if I didn't stop the bingeing when I did, I'd be a full blown diabetic now. I was not physically capable of moderating foods with sugar, natural or not.0 -
For me the biggest help was leptin reset. Leptin reset is basically is about eating BIG protein and fat dense breakfast very soon after waking up. It suggests 50 G protein within half an hr of awaking. I didn't do it to the recommended amount or timeframe because it was not doable for me, but I try to achieve as close as I can. I aim for 40 gr protein and 40 gr fat at breakfast within 1.5 hr of awakening. If i achieve this at the morning, I have a great day without feeling hungry or letargic and no cravings. If I eat breakfast, but less than 25 protein and 25 g fat, the day will be not so good, but ok. If I skip breakfast, I end up binging later for sure. For me IF is just not doable. I rather see myself increasing my breakfast and dinner and not eating lunch at all.
The other thing that helped me is to get rid of the all or nothing mentality. I know that very low carb not even fruit works for some people , but for me that caused binging. Doing keto is HARD, at lest for me it was. I jst couln't stick to it. When I tried I ended up having keto day binging day keto day binging day flipping around. Maybe I am just too week or something, but I can not do it that way.
I saw Marks carb curve and the 100-150 gr carb is the maintaining zone, so I started there. I set my carb to 150 g, which is the higher end for paleo, and honestly I was not really good archiving even that on daily basis at first. This allowed me to eat all the fruits I want even some rice and potato. Once I settled there for a few months, i started to reduce the carb. First went to 125 for a few months than 100 g and just a couple of weeks ago set my MFP goal to 83g, which is 15% for me , since I eat 2200 calorie a day minimum, more if I walk a lot. I started to lose weight when to the 100g , and it is really started to get going in the last 2 weeks since I am at ~ 85g zone. I think I will stay here , and won't go below this anytime soon. I feel great and I still enjoy my fruits and it is a suistanable on the long run.
The only reason that I push keto is because it is sometimes the only thing that resolves certain health problems, especially those related to metabolic disorder. It is not hard as an ongoing lifestyle, but it IS hard to get through the extreme carb craving period. But that only lasts a matter of days for most people. Keto is not the CAUSE of bingeing, the craving for sugar is. We will be tempted to binge when starting out on keto, but what foods do we reach for? Steak? No, sugar. The point of keto is to eat as much fat and protein until craving/bingeing is gone. Then healthy higher carb foods can be reintroduced gradually over time. (Unless one wants to remain ketogenic, as I do.)
If you are able to manage your health while eating lots of fruit, and even potatoes and rice (personally, I do not want to eat grains and low nutrient starches) then that's really great and keep doing what's working. However, for some of us, at least for awhile, we are greatly benefited by using ketosis to slay the sugar addiction and eliminate excessive cravings and hunger. Personally, if I didn't stop the bingeing when I did, I'd be a full blown diabetic now. I was not physically capable of moderating foods with sugar, natural or not.
Akimajuktuq, I am sending you a friend request. I am really interested in this ketogenic eating and you sound like you know what you're talking about. I know that carbs and sugar are definitely my weak point and what sets me off on binges. I need to learn from you! 0 -
i feel like i am always all woo-woo on here, but seriously, don't focus on ANYTHING else other than taking care of yourself. don't focus on being "paleo." you don't get a medal for being paleo or perfect or anything. just take care of yourself. binging is so hard, and i find usually it's because i'm trying to push myself into a box i can't fit in right at that second. do what you need to do to take care of yourself, and nothing else.
when i am choosing what i am going to eat, instead of thinking "oh, what can i have while eating paleo? not bread... not pasta.... not cheese... ok, i guess i'll eat this old wrinkly apple. sigh.", i try to say "what would make me feel good, mentally and physically? what do i actually LIKE to eat? what do i actually want????" that helps me a lot. it fights the binging by giving me the power to CHOOSE, not being forced to do something.
ETA: at the risk of upsetting the keto user (and PLEASE don't take it that way), i REALLY would hate for you to have MORE restrictions. in my opinion, i don't think you need that. you need a better relationship with food, not less choices probably. be gentle on yourself. you aren't broken, you're figuring this out.0
