Author Topic: Hi, I have unrealistic and unhealthy ideas about weight loss!  (Read 3378 times)

Offline CK30T311

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Hi, I have unrealistic and unhealthy ideas about weight loss!
« on: February 04, 2012, 08:09:57 PM »
So I am on day 5 of my paleo diet and I'm reading many stories to see how quickly everyone is losing the weight on this diet and I have to say I haven't been that impressed. I'm changing the way I eat which in many ways is like suffering because of cravings and just the financial aspect of eating healthy food, then I hear people say they lost 10 - 12lbs in 4 months, or 20 in 4 months and that is very discouraging because before this, I had tried my own diet of just eating under 1000 calories a day and jumping on an elliptical for 1 -2 hours straight for 3 days a week and I lost 20 in 1 month, so now I'm doing this and while I've lost about 7lbs in 5 days...I worry that this is going to stop and I can honestly say when I stop seeing results...I give up on the diet because I always figure why keep it up if I'm only going to lose a pound a week. So here I am doing the paleo diet along with going to a personal trainer 2 days a week and I plan to stick to it for a month to try it out but right now I'm not feeling too optimistic about this. So if any one has any great results they'd care to share than that would really help my motivation. Thanks :)
« Last Edit: February 08, 2012, 05:42:14 PM by samjohn »

Offline Jean

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Re: Discouraged by everyone's stories (Please share good stories!!)
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2012, 08:18:35 PM »
From what I've seen, the people who lose weight the easiest on paleo are the ones who weren't really trying to. Focus on how you feel. If you feel healthier and more energetic, and any niggling health complaints you had are improving, that's a good reason for sticking with it regardless of how fast the scale moves.

Offline stephiek

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Re: Discouraged by everyone's stories (Please share good stories!!)
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2012, 08:31:30 PM »
I agree with Jean.  Focus on how you feel.  And eating under 1000 calories per day and burning off at least half of that on a machine doesn't sound like a very healthy way to lose.  If you want to lose weight and keep it off, slow and steady is better than quickly in an unsustainable way.  I lost 12 pounds in the first couple of months without trying.  Now the fat is slowly melting away, maybe one to two pounds per month.  That's good enough for me.  Hopefully you will be happy with Paleo, and if not, hopefully you will find the right thing for you.  Good luck!

Offline Warren Dew

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Re: Discouraged by everyone's stories (Please share good stories!!)
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2012, 08:40:10 PM »
Here's a link to someone who lost 90 pounds in 4 months:

http://cavemanforum.com/progress-reports-photos/4-month-paleo-success!-still-in-progress/

That said, more people have had success with the slow but sure way, as it doesn't require quite the same degree of strictness.  1 pound per week is 52 pounds in a year, and men can generally average more than that.

Offline suze

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Re: Discouraged by everyone's stories (Please share good stories!!)
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2012, 09:47:28 PM »
I lost 30 lbs by following a Paleo lifestyle but put 10 back on when my "cheats" started to multiply.  I've been back on the wagon for about 3 weeks and have dropped 5 of those excess pounds already.  But as other people will tell you, this isn't a diet, it's a way of life.  You have to commit to the long haul and you will feel great if you do. 
http://icescoops.wordpress.com
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Offline Dingo Boy

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Re: Discouraged by everyone's stories (Please share good stories!!)
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2012, 10:59:47 PM »
Two years ago, I lost 36 pounds in ten weeks after 40 years of struggling with my weight and have been lean ever since. I can't imagine ever giving up my new lifestyle. Good? I sure think so...
Once I discovered I could save the world, I very soon realized the world did not want to be saved...

Offline Rogerbarton

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Re: Discouraged by everyone's stories (Please share good stories!!)
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2012, 05:43:59 PM »
Ok before I provide you with my results on Paleo, I need to give you some tough love.   First Paleo is not a diet, so if you are in it for the short term you might as we'll quit now, because you are not going to reap any benefit from it.  In the short term you may lose some weight, but if you are a diet hopper, you are doing yourself more harm then good and your weight will yo-yo or even increase.   Losing 7 lbs in 5 days is fantastic, but not sustainable over the long term, unless  you are morbidly obese.  1 or 2 lbs of weight loss per week or  52 to 100 lbs a year  is fantastic for a midrange diet, but yet weight loss of this magnitude would make you quit a diet.

Your exercise program is also one of extremes.  Jumping on an elliptical bike for 1-2 hour straight ?    What is that doing for you other than damaging your body ? 

So here is my suggestion to you and please do not take this the wrong way.   Rather than make Paleo your next diet, maybe you should first seek a mental health specialist to identify why you jump from one diet to another, why you participate in extreme diets and exercise routines that destroy your body, and why you are easily discouraged.   


Offline skorpion317

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Re: Discouraged by everyone's stories (Please share good stories!!)
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2012, 05:11:59 AM »
This is my second time eating Paleo. My first time, I lost 45 lbs. in a little over a month, after struggling to lose 35 lbs. in 6 months eating a regular diet. I got lazy after a while and fell off the wagon, and gained it all back and then some.

I started eating Paleo again on Jan. 4th. So far, I've lost 37 lbs. I still have 88 to go.

Offline Xon

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Re: Discouraged by everyone's stories (Please share good stories!!)
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2012, 02:42:47 PM »
In 2 hours on a bike I think I could comfortably burn 1,000 calories. I can't imagine how you even had the energy to climb onto the bike on day 2 when you're burning more in 2 hours than you're eating over the course of an entire day.
What happened when you stopped this diet? Did you put those 20lbs straight back on?

Personally, I have lost 5kg since early Jan, which is about 11lbs. Not a huge number, but I'm about 10% bodyfat now, and leaner than I have ever been. So for someone my size, I think that's about as good a result as is possible.

My girlfriend on the other hand has lost about 12kg in 2 months (26 lbs), which is more than fantastic for her.

I'll put it this way, eating 1,000 calories/day you must have been hungry. REALLY hungry I'm guessing. You might say you weren't, but I expect you'd be lying. Eating paleo on the other hand, I can down 1400 calories worth of pork belly in ONE MEAL, and no that's not my only meal, I also have several strips of bacon for breakfast and a huge amount of beef for lunch. I can do this and still lose weight, and lose it faster than I have on any other 'diet'. For me, to eat healthily, not be hungry, and be trimmer than I ever have before, I'd say that's about as successful as I could possibly hope for.

Offline samjohn

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Re: Hi, I have unrealistic and unhealthy ideas about weight loss!
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2012, 05:46:43 PM »
Title edited as it gives the very silly message that people aren't getting good results, when they are.

Anyone discouraged by the stories here needs to educate themselves a bit more.

Also, if someone loses 12 pounds in 4 months on Paleo, they probably didn't have much weight to lose in the first place. Judging based on weight lost vs time in isolation of other factors such as starting weight/height is just silly.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2012, 10:07:45 PM by samjohn »
The answer to your question is 'eat more fat'.

Stop counting calories. If you are eating Paleo, there is usually no need.

If you are having weight loss issues, it'd be a good idea to start posting a detailed food journal, then everyone can help.

'Anecdotal Evidence' is an oxymoron.

Offline ahintz2

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Re: Hi, I have unrealistic and unhealthy ideas about weight loss!
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2012, 07:46:47 PM »
Haha, I've only been here a week and I already love the mods!  Too funny. ;D

Offline RubyRed

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Re: Hi, I have unrealistic and unhealthy ideas about weight loss!
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2012, 11:46:06 AM »
Haha, I've only been here a week and I already love the mods!  Too funny. ;D

Lmao  ;D me too

Offline PaleoViking

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Re: Hi, I have unrealistic and unhealthy ideas about weight loss!
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2012, 08:26:14 PM »
You actually burn more calories weight training than you do on something like an elliptical trainer.  Also, the metabolism boost you get from lifting weights lasts for days, while the metabolism boost you get from running will be over by the time your next meal comes around.  More muscle means more metabolically charged tissue that needs energy, which means you burn more calories at rest which means you will be burning off that tummy sitting there!  Don't limit your caloric intake either, eat well, eat slow and your body will tell you when to stop eating.

Offline busy91

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Re: Hi, I have unrealistic and unhealthy ideas about weight loss!
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2012, 05:44:18 AM »
I am new to paleo too.  I was limiting my intake of wheat since January, but I didn't go full paleo until about 3 weeks ago.  Since January, I've lost a total of 9 lbs.  3 of those pounds were from Paleo eating.  I also have been a very bad girl with my excersise.  However, since I went to paleo eating I usually have lots more energy, am more clear headed, my imflamation is gone (I had terrible knee pain due to imflamation I could hardly walk) but it is 100% gone, not even a twinge.  Do I want to lose weight...sure.  But I am more thrilled I can walk without pain.  And though my weight isn't flying off of my body, my waist line (I have a wheat belly) is shrinking.  In January my waist was a 41, it is now a 37 1/2.  People stopped offering me seats on the train/bus (they thought I was preggers).  I wasn't sure I'd be able to stay with this, but with these results I cannot see myself going back.  Hang in there, the weight will come off eventually. Life's a journey, enjoy the ride.

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Re: Hi, I have unrealistic and unhealthy ideas about weight loss!
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2012, 05:44:18 AM »