In need of new perspective and/or encouragement...

[screenager]

I've been paleo for 5 weeks now. I've been weightlifting for 5 weeks as well. I'm very patient, but wondering if there's something I'm missing. However, it is very likely that the "something" I am missing is a realistic view of myself. So if you could, after reading all of this and looking at some pics, either offer further advice, encouragement, or a realistic perspective, let me know. I just don't want to get discouraged, and I don't want to keep chugging away at it if there's something that's off.

So here's an album of 4 pics of me, my "photo weigh-ins." Warning: there are pictures of me without a shirt on that may not be safe for work if you work in the clergy field.

As you can see, I've lost exactly 1 pound, although I don't really care about that. What I see is the same exact body in two pictures taken 5 weeks apart although the 2nd body can lift a lot more and run two 5ks a week. Do I feel better? Yes. Do I want to look better? Yes.

Details:

I'm 85/15 paleo right now. 15% off comes from small things like store-bought vinaigrettes, my weekly indulgence in beer (the drink of the gods), and my scoop of muscle milk powder after lifting.

I lift M, W, F. I'm getting stronger fast. For example, 2 weeks ago I was squatting and deadlifting 100 lbs 8 reps, 4 sets. Monday, I did 160 lbs 8 reps, 4 sets with both.

I run on T and Th for 5k w/ my heart rate at about 150 (my "target heart rate").

Sat and Sun I tend to relax and rest, but sometimes I end up walking a handful of miles around town or something.

The two times I randomly watched my food intake w/ an app, I was running at about 2000 calories with 150-200g protien, 100-150g fat, and 100-150g carbs.

If there's anything else you want to know that you think could help, let me know. I'll try to respond asap.

[Inksplat]

Lower your carbs would be my first suggestion. 100-150 is maintenance range for a lot of people.

Also, your initial gains from weight lifting aren't actually going to be muscle, but rather your nervous system and brain learning how to do the motions--the fact that you're the same weight and same body comp would argue that that's what's happening there.

Another question..where are you getting your carbs from? What does your average day of meals look like?

[Nuala]

Well, I don't know but I see a difference. I'd say you have lost a few cm around your waist, it's especially visible on the second picture. The last picture is not representative because you vouch(?) yourself instead of putting your shoulder behind like the before picture.

So, to me, you are on the right track.

[edit]Yes, maybe as said above reducing some carbs. 100/150 sounds a lot.

[screenager]

I'm getting my carbs from fruit. That and beer when I drink it on occasion.

Daily meals:

2 eggs w/ diced veggies, 2 bacon strips

Fruit/veggie smoothie w/ protein powder (post-workout)

huge salad with a protein on top

grilled protein w/ grilled veggies

snack somewhere: nuts or veggies or an apple

Sorry about the pics being a bit different, I noticed that... Now I must decide if I should continue with my earlier pose or switch that pic out for the one the week after that matches all the other pics.

[Horsedog]

Body recomposition takes a lot of time. Sounds like you're trying to gain muscle and lose fat...at the same time. The body sucks at doing that (although if you're training naive it can be done). So...you feel better (awesome), your performance has improved (also awesome, and like Inksplat mentions, is at this early stage mostly due to neurological improvements)...but your physique? That's not going to improve vastly in 5 weeks. Give it another 3-4 weeks and THEN compare - bet you see a difference if you keep that program up!!

Keep us posted

[Inksplat]

Yeah.. if you're getting 100 carbs from fruit a day, you are eating waaaaay too much fruit, and that is very common in people who stall. I'd say that is the first thing you should adjust, because its the most obvious.

[screenager]

Cut down on the fruit and carbs, check.

Should I be cutting fruit and carbs if I'm trying to build muscle at the same time? Or should I focus on building muscle right now, cutting body fat later?

[Inksplat]

Cut down on the fruit and carbs, check.

Should I be cutting fruit and carbs if I'm trying to build muscle at the same time? Or should I focus on building muscle right now, cutting body fat later?

Depending on the fruit, a lot of the sugar doesn't even get turned into muscle glycogen, but rather goes to the liver instead, so its not even really helping you when it comes to recovering from your lifting. For that you'd be better with starches--sweet potato being the most Primal/Paleo option.

So drop the fruit and throw in a sweet potato, and you'd likely see some results both ways.

[Waldo]

'Eh it depends on your diet philosphy. When losing I was all about moderation on all fronts, but I would take carbs over fat any day. 100 g of carbs, LOL. Low carb diets work for some people, typically those with diabetes or prediabetes. For everyone else it will just make your athletic performance crappy. You don't fuel running fast or lifting heavy with fat. While I was losing I typically had 250-400g carbs/day.

You are eating 2000 calories/day while exercising close to every day? Seems real low.

Weight loss stalls are a result of eating too few or too many calories.

Do you take other measurements? They tend to show you better than the scale if there is a problem or not. The scale can be tough because of how much the body fluctuates weight-wise and how much scales suck and how much people suck at weighing themselves.

[Inksplat]

'Eh it depends on your diet philosphy. When losing I was all about moderation on all fronts, but I would take carbs over fat any day. 100 g of carbs, LOL. Low carb diets work for some people, typically those with diabetes or prediabetes. For everyone else it will just make your athletic performance crappy. You don't fuel running fast or lifting heavy with fat. While I was losing I typically had 250-400g carbs/day.

Nearly everything you just said is false. Which is especially funny since NF itself is based around the paleo/primal way of eating. So you're saying the method advocated by Steve is bullshit? I'm confused.

[screenager]

No, I don't do any other measurements right now. I should start doing that... I don't know about buying body-fat calipers, but maybe I'll spring for a tape measure to do chest, stomach, waist, etc. measurements.

[Waldo]

No, I don't do any other measurements right now. I should start doing that... I don't know about buying body-fat calipers, but maybe I'll spring for a tape measure to do chest, stomach, waist, etc. measurements.

Calipers aren't all that good, especially in the hands of an unskilled operator. They'd be cool to have I suppose, but I wouldn't prioritize it at all.

A soft tape meausre though is incredibly useful. It gives better measurements than the scale, for sure. Often the tape shows progress when the scale shows none. The scale virtually never shows progress that the tape doesn't also show.

[Waldo]

Nearly everything you just said is false.

Cool story bro. But I do know what I am talking about.

Which is especially funny since NF itself is based around the paleo/primal way of eating.

No it isn't. It is Steve et al's suggested diet and many here are paleo/primal, but I think that it is incorrect to say that the site is based on that way of eating. I would say a can do conquering attitude and approach is much more the site basis.

So you're saying the method advocated by Steve is bullshit? I'm confused.

Paleo isn't technically a low carb diet, but it can be made to be, and many followers approach dieting from the Taubes/Atkins low carb school of thought and not the calorie based school of thought. It is a bit of a moving target on that.

But yes, most of the reasons to go Paleo are bullshit if you have no food sensitivities.

[screenager]

I'mma let you finish, but I'm doing Paleo and y'all can fight about that shit on a thread I'm not subscribed to. Muchas gracias. I appreciate everyone's help/opinions regardless.

I may just keep at it the way I am for a bit more. Continue with my young-grasshoppa patience.

[Inksplat]

There are a helluva lot of people who would disagree that its only people with "food sensitivities" that gain from Paleo.

I have no issue with grains, in terms of what you'd probably call a food sensitivity. I lost 90 pounds previously by following conventional wisdom, and was tired and cranky and hungry. When Primal? I can eat the exact same amount of calories, lose weight quicker, with less exercise, and feel better while doing it.

So I know that you're just blatantly wrong. Unless you call weight gain a food sensitivity.. in which case..uh.. yeah.

Not to mention, you say it'll make your athletic performance crap, but a very large portion of the CrossFit community is paleo/primal. Are you seriously going to say that they are examples of crappy athletic performance?

Edit: Sorry for posting after you requested not to. Wasn't there when I started writing. I won't say anything else.

[Raincloak]

fwiw, I think you do actually look a bit better in the second set of pictures. Keep working out and don't give up At least you're gaining strength, so when that fat does come off, you'll have some nice muscles underneath.

[Thilde]

I second Raincloak....I think the change is visible in the pictures. Sure, it's not a Super Obvious Giant Muscles situation, but there's definitely a difference. Maybe it's because you live inside your own body that it's harder to see it? I know that's how I am a lot of the time...I don't always see changes in photos, maybe because I'm being too critical or looking at it from the perspective of someone who's inside this body day in and day out. Anyhoo, I think the second set of photos shows that the fat is decreasing and it looks like overall tone is a bit better. So I say keep up the good work and I bet in a few more weeks you'll see some more obvious changes. Thanks for sharing; you've inspired me to maybe take some photos for tracking!

[screenager]

Thanks all! I'm stickin' to it one way or another. I've dedicated myself to try this for a year. After all, I tried wimpy cardio and counting calories for about 4 years without ever really seeing results. It was time to try something new AND give it the time it deserves.