How quickly does Paleo//Primal show improvements?

Salkeela

Just wondering about how quickly you all started to notice improvements in well-being after starting this diet.

I'm only on day 5 now, and feel "good" for coping with the changes. However I'm wondering how far into the diet you all got before you decided you "felt better" on this diet than you had on your old one.

I'm imagining that the process could take a month or so, but am curious as to how soon you all first noticed?

Akimajuktuq

Short answer: I felt better IMMEDIATELY.

I think everyone is different. I had energy, sleep, digestion/acid reflux, blood sugar/insulin, and craving/binging issues resolved in the first week. After a few weeks chronic pain, depression, and anxiety were mostly resolved. In fact I had a very long list of ailments, most of which are totally gone and some of which, if not quite gone, are greatly reduced (joint pain in one knee and anxiety/PTSD).

ukgirly01

Took about 2 weeks for me but o be honest everyday I'm on it I feel better and better- could be something to do with all the weightloss too

Jindra12

At least two weeks with no cheats.

Shadowknight137

As for how long it takes, I always feel better on it. When I "endure" on some gluten free product, I usually feel terrible - not guilty, but sick. It's weird, really.
But for what kind of improvements there are...

I was browsing FreeTheAnimal last night and I found this link to PaleoHacks. Before and after pics. And dayum - that is improvement. Just figured I'd leave it here. Why not?

http://paleohacks.com/questions/7058/share-your-paleo-before-and-after#axzz2E4XBllf7

caribougal

I felt like **** from Day 2 to Day 10. Total carb flu, plus I had no idea about cals so I was also starving myself on 1200 cals with very little fat. I felt depressed and totally lethargic. All I wanted to do was sleep.

I felt better from Day 11 on, and even better once I upped my cals to 1400. I wasn't really suffering from any physical ailments before Primal, but I do notice some gluten sensitivity now when I "treat"... rumbling belly, bloat, and sometimes GI upset. Even more than gluten, I notice an immediate allergic response when I eat something fried in veg oil (at least I think that's what's causing the issue). I used to get chest congestion only after eating fast food. Now I get it, either mildly or significantly, almost every time I eat at a restaurant. My body has had a chance to recover from the constant onslaught of bad oils, and so now I respond immediately when exposed to them. I'm still trying to figure it out exactly.

EROG1970

I felt like crap on day 3 and felt that bad I was ready to give up. So glad I didnt because I woke up on day 4 and felt amazing. I started in March this year and to date I have lost 5st 7 lb. The more Im losing the better I feel. Also, there is a really bad flu virus going around and I havent (touch wood) had it. In fact, I havent been ill since I started.:happy:

JeffinRaleigh

I had one "false start" about five weeks ago where I felt weak and could not concentrate about three days in. I quit for about a week and a half before deciding to give it one more shot three weeks ago (as of today). I have progressively felt better and better each day this go round, with no "bad days" at all.

In retrospect, I'm thinking I wasn't getting enough fat and protein the first time around.

Salkeela

Thanks for all the replies. It does seem slightly different for everyone.

So far, I feel I'm coping with the adjustment well and not feeling starved or deprived. Actually I'm quite enjoying eating a bit differently.

However I've not noticed any real improvement yet. I guess my diet was fairly clean and not very high in grain-based foods to start with so there isn't such a drastic change now that they're gone totally. Mentally however it is a big change!!

I'm sticking with it though and will update here with progress thoughts in a bit..

nickymaire

I have lost a kg already (only one and a half days of being back on primal) and I had so much energy I woke up early and went for a power walk for over an hour (I NEVER EVER do that normally). My bloated tummy is already disappearing Have done primal before but fell off the band wagon while on holiday. But I had the same results last time.

chopzgurl05

First time I did strict primal I committed myself to 30 days. No exceptions. I told myself if it failed miserably, I could easily go back to my regular eating.
First time I was totally miserable for almost 3 weeks. Then one day I woke up after an amazing night of sleep and fully energized. I had steady energy all day. Stepped on the scale had lost almost 15lbs since the beginning of the month. And I just realized it was for me. Between about day 24 and day 45 (I kept going past the 30 day mark) I switched over to fat burner mode and felt fantastic. My energy, moods, skin and hair, ailments, etc etc etc improved. 3 weeks of feeling like total you know what was definitely worth it!
The other times I go very strict, within days my body adjusts and I see improvements almost immediately.

amanda6393

I was browsing FreeTheAnimal last night and I found this link to PaleoHacks. Before and after pics. And dayum - that is improvement. Just figured I'd leave it here. Why not?

http://paleohacks.com/questions/7058/share-your-paleo-before-and-after#axzz2E4XBllf7

Great link...thanks :bigsmile:

jennaworksout

took me 2 andhalf weeks, to get past carb flu and feel like my self... but better , I never feel like crap anymore!!! :bigsmile:

_lizzie_

I seem to be pretty sensitive to carbs (read I gain weight really fast on them) so when I stopped eating them, especially sweets and bread, I dropped the weight like crazy and felt great immediately! I used to be so hungry all the time I couldnt focus on other activities even though I was overweight and not starving by any means! Now I skip meals regularly, just because I dont feel like eating. Its so freeing. I just got a little stricter with my primal (used to drink more booze and eat more milk & chocolate than I should have) and its coming off again and I feel even better, its only been half a week.

atynk

I felt great like day 3... its amazing the changes.. although I didn't lose weight the first 2 weeks ( i started crossfit at the same time), my clothes fit so much better and i look better! My skin is clearing up, and I only "cheated" 2x (once a dinner out, and once popcorn at the movies) ... This is the end of my 2nd week and the scale finally moved, and boy did it ever (5 lbs) ! I got injured so i haven't been able to workout, and normally if i can't workout, I eat crap, but now, I don't even think about it... In fact I'm hardly hungry ever

I told myself I would give this a great 30 day try, but from how i look and feel now, I know this will be a part of my life forever!

Ps- Last night I made fake mashed potatoes- with califlower, butter, and spices, let me tell you.. it was amazing!! Taste so similar to mashed (no joke) , its going to be served a few days a week from now on at my place!

Mrs_Duh

It took me about a week to get over the "carb flu", which was filled with fatigue and headaches. After about I week I felt better and my digestive system was functioning a lot better. I also lost ten pounds in the first two weeks, which made me feel great!

Salkeela

Well I got "THE MUNCHIES" today! But I was very good and stuck to my correct foods - however I'm cutting myself some slack today regarding calorie allowance. I think today is the first day I'll go over on cals, but I'd rather do that than break the Primal way of eating!

JeffinRaleigh

Well I got "THE MUNCHIES" today! But I was very good and stuck to my correct foods - however I'm cutting myself some slack today regarding calorie allowance. I think today is the first day I'll go over on cals, but I'd rather do that than break the Primal way of eating!

I can relate to this. I had a hard time meeting my calorie target the last 2-3 days and was a bit lethargic this morning. Upped my fruit intake a bit to get some sugar in me and it seems to have resolved it very nicely.

(If anyone has an alternate strategy besides healthy [but sugary] carbs as a pick me up in similar situations in the future, I'd love to hear it. :bigsmile:

Zeromilediet

I'd guess it depends where you're starting from. If you're eating carbs around 200 per day and cut to 20 or something, you're going to feel that! Some people cut close to zero to kickstart things--much depends on your goals as well.

I wasn't a big carb eater before so I didn't feel really awful like some. On the other hand, I'm older than some and what I noticed before the weight loss was the inches came off, the bloating disappeared and then how my joints felt and skin cleared up (I'm paleo because dairy gives me acne).

I still notice things almost two years later. I wish I'd known about this years ago, especially before I had kids.

Salkeela

Just looked back over my MFP diary entries... Before starting Primal/Paleo stuff I was probably eating 120 - 150g carbs a day. Today I had 77g.

So I guess not a hugh dramatic drop in carb levels, but something.

I was hungry today and ate a couple of extra chicken drumsticks and so resisted toast!!! & feel pretty smug about that!

GnaBean

If you Google Whole 30 timeline, they have a great timeline of what to expect, both physically and emotionally, while your body adjusts. I love the timeline because it helped me knowing how long things were going to last.