Losing weight

[Orweller]

I've started this diet to get rid of all the junk I ate, to get rid of inflammation (and it did). But I now weigh 137lbs, from 148 since December 1st last year. I'd like it to stop now. I've been eating till comfortably stuffed, never was hungry or felt low energy at any point. I do not look emaciated (even asked my wife) even see abs and muscle definition. I am 5'8 so I know it's not crazy low weight. Also, never had weight issues, and also ate diciplined for years now, no fast food, etc. Maybe I am too disciplined? Do I need to add carbs? 

 

[Bob]

How many meals a day? Do you know your average daily calorie and macros? Are you intermittent fasting or eating 3 meals a day?

Even though this is a weight optimization diet, in general, you can eat more to stop losing weight. If you want to gain muscle weight, lift heavy things. If you want to gain some body fat, add in some carbs. You'll find healthy carbs in milk and fruit and vegetables. The only caveat with vegetables is the plant defense chemicals that you may or may not react to. Basically, follow Paul Saladino's advice that if it's fruitage it's probably more benign, whereas leaves, stems, roots, and seeds will contain more toxins. 

If you didn't have auto-immune or chronic health issues prior to starting carnivore, then your personal proper human diet can include these other things as well. Dr. Berry says the proper human diet is a spectrum from zero carb carnivore up to 100g a day "low carb", and what is right for you depends on your DNA and personal physiology.

We just want to stay away from ultra-processed foods, vegetable seed oils, sugars (refined/hidden), and grains for the most part.

[Orweller]

18 minutes ago, Bob said:

How many meals a day? Do you know your average daily calorie and macros? Are you intermittent fasting or eating 3 meals a day?

Even though this is a weight optimization diet, in general, you can eat more to stop losing weight. If you want to gain muscle weight, lift heavy things. If you want to gain some body fat, add in some carbs. You'll find healthy carbs in milk and fruit and vegetables. The only caveat with vegetables is the plant defense chemicals that you may or may not react to. Basically, follow Paul Saladino's advice that if it's fruitage it's probably more benign, whereas leaves, stems, roots, and seeds will contain more toxins. 

If you didn't have auto-immune or chronic health issues prior to starting carnivore, then your personal proper human diet can include these other things as well. Dr. Berry says the proper human diet is a spectrum from zero carb carnivore up to 100g a day "low carb", and what is right for you depends on your DNA and personal physiology.

We just want to stay away from ultra-processed foods, vegetable seed oils, sugars (refined/hidden), and grains for the most part.

I eat between 1500 and 1900 calories, sometimes over. I eat when hungry, no IF, no big meals once a day. I guess my stomach isn't big enough as I always have eaten small meals 5 times a day. I work out daily, lifting weights. 

I have added carbs -thus also fiber- up to 45 grams a day. I guess I am glad I have documented everything I ate on Myfitnesspal. No processed foods though, and I have managed supplements meticulously. 

I eat an ounce of carrots or broccoli, or cauliflower each day. 

Fruits may be more benign, but then I consider fructose vs vegetables. Toxins vs. Fructose. 

I am just amazed how well this diet works for weight loss, in my case, a little too well. Again, I am not in a panic, I have weight 135 before, in fact in high school I was 130. So I am not in dire straits (great band by the way). 

Documenting what you eat is important for this reason I guess. I am glad I did. It gets annoying sometimes, but I have all the info I need to change paths slightly. I guess my post was designed to think out loud with fellow carnivore adventurers. 

[Bob]

So I am also 5'8" and 175 lbs. I do not intentionally exercise but my day job can be laborious sometimes. I have sat idle since mid-November, eating 2 or 3 times a day, and probably closer to 2500 calories on the average. If I dropped it down to 1800 and lifted everyday, I am sure that I would lose weight too. This is, in fact, what I plan to do coming soon.

[Orweller]

22 hours ago, Bob said:

So I am also 5'8" and 175 lbs. I do not intentionally exercise but my day job can be laborious sometimes. I have sat idle since mid-November, eating 2 or 3 times a day, and probably closer to 2500 calories on the average. If I dropped it down to 1800 and lifted everyday, I am sure that I would lose weight too. This is, in fact, what I plan to do coming soon.

That would be exactly the case. I also think that moving around for work is not quite the same as weight lifting. Working is endurance, conditioning, weightlifting is building muscle, especially focused on hypertrophy sets and reps. At work we break the body down, in the gym we build it back up. Muscles are extremely significant for metabolic health. Especially after our 40s, we start losing our muscles every year. Fortunately, I started back when I was 35, so I probably metabolize food quicker. And you don't even have to lift each day, 3 times a week, for 30 minutes. No hours at the gym needed, part of building muscle is that rest day and sleep. I haven't been over 2000 calories in 45 days or so, and never once was hungry, or felt weak.   

[Orweller]

So I am down to 136.6... 137 was my threshold. Add more fat? or add mor protein? Again, I've never been once hungry during my 66 days of carnivore. I already had a small stomach and don't like stuffing myself, I eat till I am comfortable full. About 500 calories a meal. Too much and my stomach feels like a brick. 

[Bob]

22 minutes ago, Orweller said:

Add more fat? or add more protein?

Either one, but probably fat. You should eat your ideal body weight in grams of protein (140g) at a minimum, and then eat an equal or greater amount of fat or carbs (140g or MORE). 

140 protein = 560
140 fat = 1260
Total minimum calories = 1820

If you add 20g of fat (160g) you are at 2000 even.

You are eating either 2 meals (1000 calories) or 3 meals 1500 calories a day, for a max of 1500 calories a day according to your average of 500 per meal, and you are my height. AND you're active. It's no surprise you are losing weight.

[Orweller]

2 minutes ago, Bob said:

Either one, but probably fat. You should eat your ideal body weight in grams of protein (140g) at a minimum, and then eat an equal or greater amount of fat or carbs (140g or MORE). 

140 protein = 560
140 fat = 1260
Total minimum calories = 1820

If you add 20g of fat (160g) you are at 2000 even.

You are eating either 2 meals (1000 calories) or 3 meals 1500 calories a day, for a max of 1500 calories a day according to your average of 500 per meal, and you are my height. AND you're active. It's no surprise you are losing weight.

Been eating between 1700 and 1900 calories a day. Again I feel perfectly fine, energetic, focused. I have about 10% carbs each day, as I introduced small portions of carrot, pickle, or pepper, for anti-inflammatory properties and potassium, I am talking 1 ounce portions. I am glad now I have been tracking my food. 

[Bob]

At the same time, I wouldn't get too concerned about the difference between 137 and 136.6. My weight can fluctuates 3 pounds or so with no differences in my day to day diet, between 174 and 177. Tomorrow you could step on the scale and that .4 pounds is back. 

[Orweller]

On 2/5/2024 at 9:09 AM, Bob said:

At the same time, I wouldn't get too concerned about the difference between 137 and 136.6. My weight can fluctuates 3 pounds or so with no differences in my day to day diet, between 174 and 177. Tomorrow you could step on the scale and that .4 pounds is back. 

Yes, this is true, but 137 was my threshold. I am not stressed or anything, but I don't want to wait till I lose too much, etc. My weight was 136.4 this morning, by the way. With this awareness I can adapt my eating pattern.