Am I eating too few cals with a Primal / Paleo lifestyle?
tjnahm
Posts: 73 Member
Thanks for looking everyone! A few details to lay out first before the meat of the question... get it... MEAT! I crack myself up... haha :P
I am 40 years old, former minor league athlete (hockey) that got himself fat after nine surgeries and moderate depression over the past ten years of "retirement" from sports. I am 6'2", currently 307.6 as of this morning, and have lost 81lbs since 22 June, 2011... a little over 15 weeks. I walk approximately 2 miles a day, strength train 2-3 times per week, sprint once a week, and do a CrossFit style high intensity workout 1-2 times a week.
As mentioned in the subject, I eat a Primal / Paleo style diet and love it. No sugars, no grains at all, no processed food. I only eat beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, veggies, fruits, nuts, and limited dairy. I eat a large breakfast, moderate lunch, and light dinner. Sometimes I will eat a fruit snack after dinner, but that is really only if I am hungry.
I eat when I am hungry and I stop when I am full. I do not count calories or macro-nutrients on a daily basis, though I do typically average a week of tracking per month to see where I am in hindsight.
I have been tracking this week and I am finding that I am hitting the following approximate numbers on average for the week:
Calories: 1200
Protein: 90gr = 35%
Fat: 75gr = 55%
Carbs: 45gr = 10%
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/tjnahm
So the question... Even though I am eating when hungry and stopping when full. On the days I have a particularly strenuous workout (estimated 800-1000 cals burned), my net caloric intake for the day is sometimes near zero.
So, am I eating enough? Or do I not worry about it right now as I am still obese and still losing weight at an average of 5.2lbs per week for the past 15 weeks?
I am 40 years old, former minor league athlete (hockey) that got himself fat after nine surgeries and moderate depression over the past ten years of "retirement" from sports. I am 6'2", currently 307.6 as of this morning, and have lost 81lbs since 22 June, 2011... a little over 15 weeks. I walk approximately 2 miles a day, strength train 2-3 times per week, sprint once a week, and do a CrossFit style high intensity workout 1-2 times a week.
As mentioned in the subject, I eat a Primal / Paleo style diet and love it. No sugars, no grains at all, no processed food. I only eat beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, veggies, fruits, nuts, and limited dairy. I eat a large breakfast, moderate lunch, and light dinner. Sometimes I will eat a fruit snack after dinner, but that is really only if I am hungry.
I eat when I am hungry and I stop when I am full. I do not count calories or macro-nutrients on a daily basis, though I do typically average a week of tracking per month to see where I am in hindsight.
I have been tracking this week and I am finding that I am hitting the following approximate numbers on average for the week:
Calories: 1200
Protein: 90gr = 35%
Fat: 75gr = 55%
Carbs: 45gr = 10%
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/tjnahm
So the question... Even though I am eating when hungry and stopping when full. On the days I have a particularly strenuous workout (estimated 800-1000 cals burned), my net caloric intake for the day is sometimes near zero.
So, am I eating enough? Or do I not worry about it right now as I am still obese and still losing weight at an average of 5.2lbs per week for the past 15 weeks?
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Replies
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Don't know much about this diet but calorie wise and your size---I'm gonna venture and say you should be eating more to lose more but that's just me! Have you tried playing around with that idea? Try eating more calories and see what happens??0
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I would tend to guess not enough. Normally on Primal getting lots of calories is easy due to higher fat consumption. Are you going out of your way to keep it super lean?0
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if you are not hungry and feel good, i say why worry?0
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I'd say if you feel fine and your workouts aren't suffering, to just not worry about it.
But you could EASILY eat more. I suggest higher calorie stuff like nuts or avocado. Some people will even take coconut oil straight.
To be honest with you, I still count calories and I think it's holding me back. I'm sure if I just ate till I was satisfied, I would eat a lot less.
I suggest you just listen to your body. It will let you know if you need more fuel
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I am not an expert, but i can't say that it's a healthy thing to do for a long period of time. losing weight the healthy way is the way to go for sure. I think you should eat more. even if it's just veggies (which is better anyways)0
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Hi there. I am following the Dukan Diet, which is low-carb.
I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full as well. I average 1000 cals per day. I do not feel deprived. I feel full and satisfied after every meal. The fact of the matter is, you just get more food for the calorie price when you omit carbs/fruit.
So to answer your question, I don't think you're eating too few if you really aren't hungry and feel satisfied.0 -
I just read your food diary and it looks really balanced and healthy. The only reason you would ever want to eat more is if you were trying to build muscle.
Oh and those coconut, almond date rolls??? ***drooool***
Feel free to add me. I love finding new Primal friends :glasses:0 -
I have been tracking this week and I am finding that I am hitting the following approximate numbers on average for the week:
Calories: 1200
Protein: 90gr = 35%
Fat: 75gr = 55%
Carbs: 45gr = 10%
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/tjnahm
So the question... Even though I am eating when hungry and stopping when full. On the days I have a particularly strenuous workout (estimated 800-1000 cals burned), my net caloric intake for the day is sometimes near zero.
So, am I eating enough? Or do I not worry about it right now as I am still obese and still losing weight at an average of 5.2lbs per week for the past 15 weeks?
1200 Net is the minimum a woman should get, since you are a rather large guy you should not be eating less than 1600 Net (1600 plus eating back what you burn from exercise) weight loss that fast is not healthy or sustainable and a large protion of it is probably muscle due to the huge caloric deficit. Set your goal on MFP to lose at most 2 lbs/week and use that as your intake and be sure to eat all of the calories you burn back.
Hunger is not the best indication of your body's nutritional requirements. Please eat more, much much more. On the days you burn 1000, you should not be eating less than 2600 cals.0 -
I just read your food diary and it looks really balanced and healthy. The only reason you would ever want to eat more is if you were trying to build muscle.
Oh and those coconut, almond date rolls??? ***drooool***
Feel free to add me. I love finding new Primal friends :glasses:
Actually a good reason to eat more would be to avoid losing a lot of muscle as you lose weight. A deficit too large will result in the loss of lean muscle.0 -
What you will do with that much of a calorie restriction my friend is cause your body to conserve and STOP burning calories. I'd bump up the cals.,... Linda/RN0
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again i would not worry about if you are feeling well and not hungry
if i caculate my bmr by my height and goal weight it has me at that weight eating 1069.
and technically when we explain to owners how to use the feeding guides on dog foods
we tell them to fed to the weight he SHOULD be not the weight he is.0 -
Thanks for the fast comments already!
We are eating mostly chicken, eggs, beef, bacon (baked not fried), and salmon (in that order) for our proteins. My wife prefers the mean to be the more leaner cuts and our bacon is baked again out of preference and for ease of cooking.
We cook with butter, ghee, and bacon fat the majority of the time.
It is possible that I am undercounting the cals from the fats... but not by much.0 -
if you are not hungry and feel good, i say why worry?
Because if he wants to lose more weight he needs to eat more. Plain and simple.0 -
Thanks for the fast comments already!
We are eating mostly chicken, eggs, beef, bacon (baked not fried), and salmon (in that order) for our proteins. My wife prefers the mean to be the more leaner cuts and our bacon is baked again out of preference and for ease of cooking.
We cook with butter, ghee, and bacon fat the majority of the time.
It is possible that I am undercounting the cals from the fats... but not by much.
Time to hit up some peanut butter
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if you are not hungry and feel good, i say why worry?
Because if he wants to lose more weight he needs to eat more. Plain and simple.
lose more than .......
So, am I eating enough? Or do I not worry about it right now as I am still obese and still losing weight at an average of 5.2lbs per week for the past 15 weeks?
sounds like he is doing pretty good0 -
Thanks for the fast comments already!
We are eating mostly chicken, eggs, beef, bacon (baked not fried), and salmon (in that order) for our proteins. My wife prefers the mean to be the more leaner cuts and our bacon is baked again out of preference and for ease of cooking.
We cook with butter, ghee, and bacon fat the majority of the time.
It is possible that I am undercounting the cals from the fats... but not by much.
measure and weigh everything that you eat, that way you know. But please eat more, about double what you are eating is what you need.0 -
if you are not hungry and feel good, i say why worry?
Because if he wants to lose more weight he needs to eat more. Plain and simple.
lose more than .......
So, am I eating enough? Or do I not worry about it right now as I am still obese and still losing weight at an average of 5.2lbs per week for the past 15 weeks?
sounds like he is doing pretty good
more than 2-3 lbs/week is not healthy weight loss.0 -
Having once lost a lot of weight on a low carb eating style, I, of course, have an opinion. I think it is a totally different way of eating and counting calories isn't very useful while eating that way. It sounds like you are not hungry and are eating reasonably.
You must have energy to do all those workouts. Do you feel good after working out an any time during the day...not drug out and exhausted or anything?
Are you losing weight at an expected rate for the type of diet you are practicing? Men lose weight so much easier (damn them ) than most women, and the paleo diet can make for higher regular weight loss amounts for anyone.
I, as someone else mentioned, think you should be avoiding doing low fat while you are doing a paleo diet. The two do not compliment each other. But healthy fat...the avocado and nuts are great suggestions. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds, too.
Other than that, probably you would serve yourself better to go by how you feel rather than the kcal count.
Like I said, just my opinion. BTW, congratulations on the amazing weight loss so far! 0 -
My vote is no. You are not eating enough. 5 lbs per week is relly high. I know it probably feels really good to be 81 lbs lighter but you need to let your body repair itself as you go. I believe this is about the level of a gastric bipass patient post op. (That is not part of your story is it?) The negatives of going too fast is that you will end up with a lot more skin issues and I am concerned about eating fat stores from the wrong places. I know as a pro athlete you understand how to do this but I think for your heart, liver and kidneys you could slow it down. Be patient young padawan... I also want to say good job on working this out. I think that the young pro athlete life would have to be one of the hardest things you can deal with-money and fame when you are not mature enough to understand it and then one injury or a little age and its all gone. Gotta be tough. It sound like you have a tremendous amount of strength. That will serve you well..0
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1. Why in the world are you only eating 1200 calories? That canNOT be what MFP has you set at.
2. You need to net NO fewer than 1200 per day. NET!
3. Eat a whole lot more.0 -
Hi there. I am following the Dukan Diet, which is low-carb.
I eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full as well. I average 1000 cals per day. I do not feel deprived. I feel full and satisfied after every meal. The fact of the matter is, you just get more food for the calorie price when you omit carbs/fruit.
So to answer your question, I don't think you're eating too few if you really aren't hungry and feel satisfied.
He is eating only slightly more than you and is more than double your weight, so he needs to eat more.0 -
If it works for you then that's all that counts. Different things work for different people. The MFP works for me where as the Paleo did not. I will say that I am concerned at how few calories you are eating especially being a tall guy. Just don't go too far. Good Luck0
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In all honesty I am trying to eat more... haha. I am just full after eating, and I don't get hungry in-between meal times.
I am strength training in addition to just wanting to lose weight as my ultimate goal is to get back on the ice again, as well as get involved in running events like Tough Mudder and the Spartan Race, and coaching my son in lacrosse and hockey. My strength has continued to increase on the weights by about 30% and I have doubled the number of push-ups I can do in just two-three weeks.
I know that this weight loss pace will taper down soon to the normal 2lbs/week or so, I am just looking forward to make sure that I am doing all I can to lose the weight, gain strength and endurance, and basically become leaner, stronger, faster, and overall harder to kill, in as healthy a way as possible.0 -
What you will do with that much of a calorie restriction my friend is cause your body to conserve and STOP burning calories. I'd bump up the cals.,... Linda/RN
Not quite. I'm no expert, but I've heard several well-respected people suggest that this is a myth. According to them, what really happens is that sometimes people lose weight by losing both fat and muscle. Muscle naturally burns more calories than other body tissues, even when you're at rest. So if you are maintaining your muscle and only losing fat, you will maintain your metabolism level & continue to burn. But if you are not eating enough protein and are losing both muscle and fat, your rate of calorie burn will decrease with the decrease in muscle, and you will have a more difficult time losing any more weight.
I would have your doctor do a body composition test regularly to make sure that what you are losing is just fat, not muscle. For example, my doctor says I've lost 42 lb in fat & water weight, and gained 4 lb in muscle (he was very happy with that ). If you are losing muscle, you should up your protein intake. Otherwise, if it's working for you, I'd go with it! 0 -
Sounds like a lot of great choices... I have only been doing Primal for about 3 weeks, have lost about 12 pounds thus far. My calorie count tends to be around the 1600 range, but I am never worried about how high or low I am on Calories, just about what I am eating and if I am hungry or not. I track my food mainly to make sure I am staying in my Prot/Carb/Fat range. If I keep my ratios right and get 1200 cals, I am not worried, if I go up to 2000, still not worried.Thanks for the fast comments already!
We are eating mostly chicken, eggs, beef, bacon (baked not fried), and salmon (in that order) for our proteins. My wife prefers the mean to be the more leaner cuts and our bacon is baked again out of preference and for ease of cooking.
We cook with butter, ghee, and bacon fat the majority of the time.
It is possible that I am undercounting the cals from the fats... but not by much.
If you are loosing 5lbs a week, I wouldn't think you need to lose any faster. That is a fast and major loss per week. I personally say, keep doing just what you are doing. If the weight starts slowing down, then maybe look at changing your intake some.
that is my non-professional opnion.
Also, I like using walnit oil, coconut oil and macadamia oil in sparing amounts. I go with Grass fed beef, organic or open pastuer chickn and organic veggies, when possible. I will say I am not averaging 5lbs a week like you, but closer to 3lbs a week, which is good for me.
Best of luck with it. Keep us all informed. I personally would like to see more of your progress.0 -
i will still maintain my dont worry stance. if you want to eat more cause you are hungry than fine.
but i wouldn't force yourself to eat more because someone on a website says you should.
or what numbers some website says at the end of the day.
the website should be used as a guide line not a be all end all.
as i never send blood work or anyother medical tests into the site it really cannot defintively say what is right for ME.0 -
The whole point of eating the Paleo Lifestyle way is to learn to eat intuitively and listen to your body. This is where I differ from most of the opinions posted here.
It is not about the QUANTITY of the calories / food you eat, but the QUALITY that is the most important.
Naturally, you are eating a CLEAN, WHOLE FOODS Diet and your calories are not going to be near what someone else who is eating processed foods and experiences hunger more often than you do.
Listen to your body. Eat when your hungry, don't eat when your not. Calorie Counting is for the birds.Thanks for looking everyone! A few details to lay out first before the meat of the question... get it... MEAT! I crack myself up... haha :P
I am 40 years old, former minor league athlete (hockey) that got himself fat after nine surgeries and moderate depression over the past ten years of "retirement" from sports. I am 6'2", currently 307.6 as of this morning, and have lost 81lbs since 22 June, 2011... a little over 15 weeks. I walk approximately 2 miles a day, strength train 2-3 times per week, sprint once a week, and do a CrossFit style high intensity workout 1-2 times a week.
As mentioned in the subject, I eat a Primal / Paleo style diet and love it. No sugars, no grains at all, no processed food. I only eat beef, pork, chicken, fish, eggs, veggies, fruits, nuts, and limited dairy. I eat a large breakfast, moderate lunch, and light dinner. Sometimes I will eat a fruit snack after dinner, but that is really only if I am hungry.
I eat when I am hungry and I stop when I am full. I do not count calories or macro-nutrients on a daily basis, though I do typically average a week of tracking per month to see where I am in hindsight.
I have been tracking this week and I am finding that I am hitting the following approximate numbers on average for the week:
Calories: 1200
Protein: 90gr = 35%
Fat: 75gr = 55%
Carbs: 45gr = 10%
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/tjnahm
So the question... Even though I am eating when hungry and stopping when full. On the days I have a particularly strenuous workout (estimated 800-1000 cals burned), my net caloric intake for the day is sometimes near zero.
So, am I eating enough? Or do I not worry about it right now as I am still obese and still losing weight at an average of 5.2lbs per week for the past 15 weeks?0 -
The whole point of eating the Paleo Lifestyle way is to learn to eat intuitively and listen to your body. This is where I differ from most of the opinions posted here.
It is not about the QUANTITY of the calories / food you eat, but the QUALITY that is the most important.
Naturally, you are eating a CLEAN, WHOLE FOODS Diet and your calories are not going to be near what someone else who is eating processed foods and experiences hunger more often than you do.
Listen to your body. Eat when your hungry, don't eat when your not. Calorie Counting is for the birds.
I get what you are saying here, but hunger is not a very good indication of your body's nutritional requirements, and the amount he is eating and exercising would not be enough for my 1 year old son, let alone a 300 lb man over 6 feet tall.0 -
Lmao......
But please eat more, about double what you are eating is what you need.Thanks for the fast comments already!
We are eating mostly chicken, eggs, beef, bacon (baked not fried), and salmon (in that order) for our proteins. My wife prefers the mean to be the more leaner cuts and our bacon is baked again out of preference and for ease of cooking.
We cook with butter, ghee, and bacon fat the majority of the time.
It is possible that I am undercounting the cals from the fats... but not by much.
Back to OP, your doing GREAT, if you feel ok and are losing the weight do NOT change what your doing, some "advice" given in this thread is shocking, luckily its the minority! do what YOUR happy doing!
1,200 calories a day was my main daily goal and I lost 120lbs doing so, no ill effects, lots of energy and feel great! normal blood pressure and heart rate etc! I have around 1,400 calories a day now on average as I don't have much more to lose, if I eat more I get very very sluggish,
I've also not put ANY weight back on so am very happy!0 -
^THIS!!!! totally agree! :happy:but i wouldn't force yourself to eat more because someone on a website says you should.0
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