need some guidance/reassurance

[Mollymae]

Hi all,

I have to run out the door in five min, but I wanted to ask for some advice. I have recently begun eating more and more TF, and in the last week or two have made some much bigger steps, including going very low grain/grain free (have not had grain of any kind for a week now) and much lower carb, although that's less of the point for me. I am mostly feeling awesome! I have a long history of vegetarian whole foods eating, so this is a huge change for me and I often get kind of freaked out when I start thinking about what and how much I'm eating. I have been tracking my intake on fitday (which I am going to stop doing, I think, because it's getting me all stuck in my head) just to see where it all falls out for me, and I've been ending up with 50-60% of calories from fat and then 20-25% each of protein and carbs. I have had a few days of being insanely, out of control hungry, which I think might have something to do w/ grain withdrawal and something to do with just not enough food, which I am trying to figure out day by day.

Anyway, those percentages really freak me out sometimes! I'm eating traditional fats (pastured animal fats, olive oil, fat in raw milk cheese, etc.), and I feel confident that this is good for me, but sometimes it is scary after a whole lifetime of thinking fat = bad to realize that I am suddenly eating upwards of 90-100 grams of fat a day! I also have a history of eating disorders (doing great for a long time now, but the history is there!) and so there has been a lot of thought over the years tied up in what/how/when/how much to eat.

Do those percentages sound ok to you? Also, if we assume that I'm eating 90% nourishing foods (pastured meat, raw milk cheese, tons of organic/local veggies and fruits, working up to more fermented goodies, etc.) and about 10% not quite there yet (no raw milk at this time so we buy local pasteurized, but I haven't sold my partner on buying whole milk yet. i don't really drink it, but do cook with it), if I find myself still feeling really overwhelmingly hungry does it make sense to up fat MORE? more protein (this can be rough due to finances!)? Do I just wait it out and see if the hunger subsides as my body gets used to eating this way?

Any experiences/advice to share?
Thanks so much everyone! This forum has been SO amazingly useful and comforting to me as I start to change how I look at food.

[dogmom327]

I've been grain/bean free and eating high amounts of fat (70-80%) for 6 months now. I've lost 25 lbs and feel pretty darn good. If you want to post what you ate for a day or two, maybe those of us eating this way can help you make some adjustments?

[BetsyPage]

Yes, I would say up the fat! Also, are you taking coconut oil?

BTW the first couple of weeks after I made changes last spring I was SUPER DUPER hungry, but I just kept eating grain free and then my appetite just disappeared, and I could go for hours without eating. (like had to make myself eat.) The first couple of weeks of going full-force with it are the hardest, I think.

[Mollymae]

Thanks so much!
Betsy, it's nice to hear that you experienced something similar. It has been such a short time, but the first few days it was amazing; I felt so full and satisfied with all the added fat and protein. and then suddenly yesterday it switched, and I was so hungry I was actually scared. It was really weird. I was at work and had packed what would normally be enough food, but it was all gone by 12:30 and I was FREAKED OUT. Never had that experience before!

I'm not taking coconut oil... I'll admit the idea of just eating it totally turns my stomach. But you think that could help even out some of this weird stuff?

Dogmom, it is reassuring to hear that things are going so well for you! I don't know anyone who eats this way. I keep telling myself that I can try it and if it doesn't feel good or "work" for me, it's not like I'm being held at gunpoint to eat this way! There is a nutritional therapist in my area who really supports this kind of eating, and I would love to see him and talk more about my particular body/needs, but finances totally prevent that right now (my partner just lost her job and things are TIGHT). someday!

So here's what I ate yesterday (the day I was so so so scary hungry):

Breakfast(6:30): yogurt (local, grassfed, but pasteurized and lowfat) w/ homemade applesauce and about 1tbsp sunflower seeds, coffee w/ half&half

Snack(10am, SO HUNGRY!): hardboiled egg w/ real salt

Lunch (12): leftover chicken w/ roasted vegetables (butternut, radish, celeriac) w/ plenty of fat and some of the broth.
less than 1/2hr later I was insanely hungry again and ate what was supposed to be my afternoon snack: 1/4c tamari almonds and a small apple

Snack (4:30): I went to price chopper near my office and bought some organic lactofermented saurkraut and 2 organic valley string cheeses (normally I wouldn't buy that cheese, but it was the best I could do under the circumstances!)

Dinner (7): soup made w/ leftover chicken, homemade broth, kale, ginger, and a tiny bit of the leftover root veg

9pm: small piece of dark chocolate

Thoughts?! Today I did eggs and vegetables for breakfast instead of yogurt/fruit, and that seemed to hold me a little longer. Overall today has been less freaky, but I'm still really hungry even though I'm getting what I've been taught is enough calories (always comes out at or just under 2000). I am also not particularly active - I work an office job, have an hour+ commute each way, and am currently dealing w/ a back injury. I used to be much more active, and am looking for a job closer to home so that (among other reasons) I can have time to hike, walk, snowshoe, swim, etc. again.

Sorry for the looooong post!
Thanks so much.

[Llyra]

When I first gave up grains, I went through a withdrawal period of a few weeks where I felt like I was STARVING even though I was actually eating more calories than I'd eaten before. I felt lightheaded, too, the way you'd feel if you haven't eaten anything. I think the body gets addicted to the blood sugar surge that carb-y foods provide, and it tries to signal for more by telling you you're hungry.

I did fall off the wagon a few times, but once I committed completely, the feeling did eventually disappear, and I was able to feel satisfied by my food, and go for hours between meals without being hungry at all. I'd say give it some time.

[Mollymae]

Thanks!


I am still feeling very hungry, especially right after meals (?!), but it's definitely improving. I am also noticing (I think - tonight will be a good trial) that when I eat red meat (as opposed to eggs, dairy, or even chicken) I am much more stable and less hungry. This is totally new to me - I'd barely even tasted red meat until about a year ago.

I'm pretty freaked out about the cost of all this meat, too - we are absolutely not willing to buy conventional meat; we buy from a local farmer each week - given how tough things are financially right now. I really want to try the grain free thing for a while longer and see how it works for my body, but I also am reminding myself that we only do what we can.

I also have been including some small amounts of tubers/starchy vegetables, and made (sprouted) bean soup last night that I also ate for lunch today. I am hoping I can keep that stuff in my diet, because it really helps to stretch things financially! Also we are really serious about eating locally, and root veg is what is available to us right now and for the next few months. I'm making (grain free) meat loaf and mashed celeriac tonight, though, and it sounds soooooo good. Never thought I'd feel that excited about ground beef!

Anyway, thanks again for the advice. So it seems like the crazy hunger thing is normal? And eventually goes away? I'll try to hold onto that for the next little bit!