TF for 1 year: Now I'm fat! Anyone else in this dilemma?

[at-home]

I was in pretty good shape a year ago....waistline slimmed down some, feeling pretty good (as far as I can remember). Could exercise without exertion. I was doing a lot of low fat. When I learned about TF it all made sense to me and I love the food. However, now I have a big roll of FAT around my middle and have added chub all over -- and I am so out of shape physically. Anyone else experience this?

[chaoticzenmom]

Are you baking more? Are you eating lots of grains and flours? To me, Traditional food is just stuff your Great Grandmother would eat. It's not necessarily tons of oils, meats and baked goods. It's those things in moderation, but just with the elimination of processed foods. So, when I read your thread I read "I cut out processed foods and now I"m fat."

What's your idea of Traditional foods? What were you doing before?

I've been doing Traditional for awhile and have even started baking my own bread and having butter-filled home-made sweet rolls with dinner twice a week. We do eat more meat, sometimes raw milk and sometimes not. Lots of salads and vegetables. Several eggs a week from our backyard chickens. I drink Kombucha tea at least once every 2 weeks and kefir a couple of times a week. I also still have a Dr. Pepper once every couple of weeks (like 32oz) and birthday cake when I can get it.
I'm exactly the same weight as before, when I was working on cutting meat, drinking soy-milk and gluten-free, dairy and egg-free.

To me, being in shape wouldn't really have anything to do with your diet. I'd think it was a physical activity thing. Have you changed your physical activity levels?

[at-home]

I have been off of processed foods for a long time. When I read about TF, I realized that there are some fats that are actually good for you and going "low fat" is not necessarily healthy eating. So the main difference in my diet is including fats (butter, Coconut oil, eggs, cheese) that were "taboo" before. I do sneak in some tortilla chips and white sourdough bread, but I try to avoid those things, usually only eating Alvarado Street sprouted sourdough bread. So, maybe it is my activity level or stress level that has put on the pounds?

[Storm Bride]

I'd probably look at exercise and/or stress first. I've been overweight my whole adult life. But, I've frequently been in good shape, despite that. I can feel the difference in me when I don't get enough exercise, regardless of whether or not I'm visibly fatter. Likewise, on occasions when I've picked up my exercise level, I can feel the difference internally long before I show any loss of fat, if I ever do. If you're eating more fats and oils, I can't see that alone making you feel out of shape, yk? It may make you put on some weight (depends on a lot of factors), but I wouldn't expect it to leave you feeling out of shape.

[mbravebird]

I have gotten slimmer with TF, but mostly connected to my intake of organ meats, because a lot of my former extra weight was due to low adrenal function. With low adrenal function, your body won't process food very well, even healthy fats. When I have eaten a lot of liver or taken Dr. Ron's "organ delight", and when I have gotten enough sleep, I have slimmed down on the TF good fats.

So... could you have some underlying metabolic issues (perhaps caused by the years of low-fat)?

[chaoticzenmom]

Originally Posted by at-home

I have been off of processed foods for a long time. When I read about TF, I realized that there are some fats that are actually good for you and going "low fat" is not necessarily healthy eating. So the main difference in my diet is including fats (butter, Coconut oil, eggs, cheese) that were "taboo" before. I do sneak in some tortilla chips and white sourdough bread, but I try to avoid those things, usually only eating Alvarado Street sprouted sourdough bread. So, maybe it is my activity level or stress level that has put on the pounds?

Are you eating meat? How are you using your oils? I've heard some people here saying that they eat spoonfuls of coconut oil, but I don't think I could handle that.

Some fat may have to do with age and changing hormone levels. The adrenals were mentioned and that may be part of it. Do you work nights? Are you sleeping well? How does your hair feel? How's your energy level? Mood? Periods normal? Have you had your thyroid checked? Do you have access to a naturapath who could go over these things with you and check all of your hormone and vitamin levels?

[momofmine]

Originally Posted by mbravebird

I have gotten slimmer with TF, but mostly connected to my intake of organ meats, because a lot of my former extra weight was due to low adrenal function. With low adrenal function, your body won't process food very well, even healthy fats. When I have eaten a lot of liver or taken Dr. Ron's "organ delight", and when I have gotten enough sleep, I have slimmed down on the TF good fats.

So... could you have some underlying metabolic issues (perhaps caused by the years of low-fat)?

mbravebird, how long/how much did you take of the organ delight? I have a freezer full of liver and I just never get around to thawing and cooking it. I go for the easy stuff that I am used to. Just wondering if this is something that would be a good substitute.

To the OP, I really find that grains in general are the problem for me, even the sprouted bread. In part because it just makes me crave carbs more and more. I feel the best when I eat grain-free. After I have cut them out completely for a while, I can start adding them back in slowly, but it's a slippery slope for me to going back to eating too many and entering the craving cycle. I cannot eat high fat and high grain. But upping the fat and protein is more satisfying and I feel full and don't crave the carbs.

Carbs from fruit, vegetables, nuts, etc don't affect me the same way as the carbs from grains, though.

[mbravebird]

Originally Posted by momofmine

mbravebird, how long/how much did you take of the organ delight? I have a freezer full of liver and I just never get around to thawing and cooking it. I go for the easy stuff that I am used to. Just wondering if this is something that would be a good substitute.

I've taken the organ delight for extended periods twice -- once for about six months when I was actively trying to heal my adrenals, and again during my recent pregnancy and past-partum phase, so about a year this last time. The Organ Delight is about half liver, iirc, and then the rest is a mix of adrenals, thymus, brains, and some other things. It's expensive, but both times it has really deeply supported me. And both times I have slimmed down. I usually took about three pills a day, less than what the label recommends, because I was trying to stretch it out. During rough days of the pregnancy and post-partum, when I was actively experiencing some adrenal stresses, I would need more.

Now I'm back to just doing frozen liver pills, and that sustains me just fine for much less money. You couldn't pay me to cook liver and eat it. I'm a wuss.

When I did my initial adrenal healing, I also did daily nettle infusion and 3TBS a day of coconut oil. When I was pregnant and early post-partum, I also did the nettle infusion daily. So perhaps those things work together synergistically...? I know the nettle supports the adrenals, too.

[dogmom327]

Is it possible you have food sensitivities? I gained weight eating TF and then figured out that I'm highly carb sensitive (and I ate a very typical American diet for years, did Weight Watchers, etc.). Now that I eat no grains, beans, refined sugars (essentially low carb), the weight has fallen off. I'm 31 and I haven't been this skinny since I was 19. I'm a size 4/6 rather than the 12/14 I was last summer. It's crazy.

[momofmine]

Thank you! I really think adrenals is something I need to address. I have a giant bag of nettles from Mntn Rose sitting here and haven't started doing that because I wasn't sure how to make an infusion. And simply haven't taken the time to look it up. Once I start doing something and make it a habit, it seems so easy, but when I haven't done it before, it seems hard. I am going to go look that up right now.

[brokenheart]

I'm not yet well versed in TF (just at the beginning stages of reading about it). However, something similar happened to me using a different method....I had heard about how wonderful coconut oil is for you and how it is a healthy fat that aids in weight loss. A lot of people were taking around 2 tablespoons per day, so I did that for 2 months (in my coffee...which is super yummy by the way ). If I didn't use it in coffee on a particular day, I would cook with it (to scramble eggs, etc).

I was totally shocked that I ended up with a roll of fat around my middle (well, a bigger roll ). I didn't change anything else. Guess it just doesn't work for me. Bummer.

[ginnybee]

Originally Posted by momofmine

Thank you! I really think adrenals is something I need to address. I have a giant bag of nettles from Mntn Rose sitting here and haven't started doing that because I wasn't sure how to make an infusion. And simply haven't taken the time to look it up. Once I start doing something and make it a habit, it seems so easy, but when I haven't done it before, it seems hard. I am going to go look that up right now.

Nettle infusion: 1 part nettles to 4 parts water. You can do like tea or a quart at a time. Put 1 c. Nettles in quart sized jar. Add one quart boiling water. Let steep overnight. Strain. Keep in fridge. Drink within a few days. This makes a really strong infusion; you could go weaker, I guess.

Easy, peasy.

[UrbanSimplicity]

Originally Posted by momofmine

Once I start doing something and make it a habit, it seems so easy, but when I haven't done it before, it seems hard. I am going to go look that up right now.

especially when it comes to all this crazy TF stuff! but once i figure it out (and it becomes habit, like you said) it's so much easier and I love it!

[Leersia]

TF diet only works for me if I keep the carbs really low. Right now, I eat a low-carb breakfast and lunch, and then I'll eat whatever we're all having at dinner (moderate carb, usually). I have the apple-shaped body type, and have always had a hard time with carbs, meaning that when I eat them, even TF-style, it leads to sugar and carb cravings. I'm only just now really getting a handle on it.

I have to say that I get so tired of worrying about and tweaking what I am eating all the time@!

[momofmine]

Originally Posted by ginnybee

Nettle infusion: 1 part nettles to 4 parts water. You can do like tea or a quart at a time. Put 1 c. Nettles in quart sized jar. Add one quart boiling water. Let steep overnight. Strain. Keep in fridge. Drink within a few days. This makes a really strong infusion; you could go weaker, I guess.

Easy, peasy.

Thank you!! I had no idea it was just like making tea. I thought it was somehow more complicated!

Originally Posted by UrbanSimplicity

especially when it comes to all this crazy TF stuff! but once i figure it out (and it becomes habit, like you said) it's so much easier and I love it!

I know, like making yogurt! The first time or two, it seems so overwhelming, but then once you do it once or twice, it's just so easy.

Originally Posted by Leersia

TF diet only works for me if I keep the carbs really low. Right now, I eat a low-carb breakfast and lunch, and then I'll eat whatever we're all having at dinner (moderate carb, usually). I have the apple-shaped body type, and have always had a hard time with carbs, meaning that when I eat them, even TF-style, it leads to sugar and carb cravings.

This is definitely me also. However, I really find that I am not *as* affected by the carbs in fruit, vegs, nuts. But I just feel better when I eat lower carb and higher fat/protein. I have more energy and no brain fog.

[alireb]

Ditto keeping it low carb. If I eat grains, my body goes haywire. I also have to limit my dairy or else I can get out of control.

Also, if you've upped your fats (and therefore calories) and it's not keeping you more full and allowing you to eat less otherwise, that could be your mistake.

[organicmidwestmama]

Originally Posted by dogmom327

Is it possible you have food sensitivities? I gained weight eating TF and then figured out that I'm highly carb sensitive (and I ate a very typical American diet for years, did Weight Watchers, etc.). Now that I eat no grains, beans, refined sugars (essentially low carb), the weight has fallen off. I'm 31 and I haven't been this skinny since I was 19. I'm a size 4/6 rather than the 12/14 I was last summer. It's crazy.

this. tf can be super high sugar/carb if you pick and choose and start baking up a storm with sprouted grains. for many fo us, this will cause weight gain and sugar cravings and all sorts of problems. sucanat and honey are still sugar. grains are still really high in carbs and lower in nutrients then veg or meat or eggs.

[seashells]

I did TF - mostly, making everything from scratch, whole foods, increasing my meat intake (I previously ate none, so I added some), and not being afraid of fat (not forcing myself to eat it but having as much as I liked). I did bake some but not very much - and used stone ground whole wheat and very little sugar (about 1/3 the amount called for in any given recipe) - and, again, not baking too much, maybe once every other week.

I felt noticably BETTER on the diet - but I didn't lose a single pound of weight, even though I also at the same time did an exercise routine (and I wasn't exercising before, so this wasn't the status quo). I had (and still have) 30 pounds of excess fat.

I don't really know. Either different people thrive on different diets (which I can believe - some thrive on vegan but others wither on that diet) or there is some factor that some of us aren't doing and others are.