Paleo Progress has stalled

So I've being doing paleo/primal for a few weeks now and there has been no movement after 11lbs of excess weight dropped. I did have two separate slip up days (the first one was after feel demotivated after a paltry result on the scales) but got myself back into the swing of things. I'm not sure if I'm eating clean enough really. I'm drinking far more water than I ever did before, have taken up drinking green tea three times a day and am exercising for an hour plus some light weights every other day, so that's around 4 times a week. I have consulted with trainers in the past and have been told that it will not be a case of accumulating muscle so early on in my new lifestyle. I am eating a lot of sweet potato, as it gets boring just having veg or salad with the protein choice of the day. I will have sweet potato for probably 3/4 dinners in a week. Most days breakfast will be eggs with onions or mushrooms or on their own. The last few days I've had bacon too. Lunch is normally chicken or fish with salad. Dinner will be meat, mostly chicken, with mixed veg and sweet potatoes with some meals. I sometimes snack on grapes, apples or almonds and cashews. I will drink once a week and it will normally be half a bottle of wine or a couple of gin and slimline tonics. This wasn't a problem in terms of my weight loss in the early days though. I don't measure what I eat. I just eat until I'm full.

So where's it going wrong do you think?

I had pork belly a few days ago. I'm confused as to whether I am or am not supposed to eat the fat/skin off any meats I eat. Isn't that a natural fat? I cook lightly with either olive oil or water. I do keep a food diary too.

I'm not just consulting the scales as I know they are not necessarily the best measure of success, however I don't look much different and my measurements are hardly moving. The upside is I am breathing so much better and can feel I am generally well in myself.

Maybe someone can shed some light. Thanks :)
 
I would drop the sweet potatoes. Only eat the fat/skin from good grass fed meats. Cheaper meats the fat has toxins in it.

Do you have time to cook? What do you make with your meats?

I would also cut out the alcohol for the time being.

You are breathing better and feeling well inside yourself.For me that would be much better than any weight loss.

You are going to the gym so you are getting fitter.

The number on the scales is just that a number. Look at it over a whole month.

The inches/weight will drop off.Like any eating plan you just need to stick with it.

And you aren't feeding your body all those foods that contain so many unpronounceable words.:)

Totally agree with the thread above. Sounds like you're doing all the right things.

Are you eating nuts (almonds, brazils ect) as snacks? If so I would regulate the amount you're eating. I only mention that because that was my stumbling block when I started.

Also getting 8 hours of quality sleep will help.

In the first 4 weeks I noticed that my weight levelled out for a while, but like you I felt a hell of a lot better and also I noticed that the size around my belly was decreasing.

Keep with it and for an extra push on the weight loss try doing sprints once a week (there a killer!!!) :)
 
Thanks so much for the help :)

I forgot to mention that I have totally cut out dairy as well as I can't quite get my head around what dairy is ok and what isn't, but I don't miss it anyway. So if I should be implementing it into my meals I would just need a bit of guidance on what to restrict it to.

I cook most of the meals myself, so it's all been fine as I know what is going into the dishes. The only problem is I live with other family members so I don't have unrestricted access to the kitchen. For this reason I usually bulk cook and have the same meal for a couple of days in a row. I tend to marinate the meat and then cook it either in the oven or grilling it. I try to avoid using oil as I only really use olive oil, so I try to just use water or a non stick pan. It tends to work for me. Also, when I snack on nuts I just have almonds and cashew nuts, and no more than a handful, but not every day as I tend to alternate my snacking. Sometimes it's grapes, apples or nuts. Sometimes I don't snack at all.

One place I know for sure I'm going wrong is the sleep routine. I've had a problem for months with my sleep pattern. I originally took up paleo as I thought a change in my eating patterns and regular exercise would make me feel more tired at the end of each day and ready for bed - as it would have done in the past. But it's not worked out that way. In fact, I'm sleeping less. The doctor has prescribed tablets but I don't want to use them as they just make me really lethargic for the next couple of days and then I know for sure I won't get up to do exercise or cook healthily. My body aches from working out, but it just does not want to sleep! Even my back up plan of listening to hypnotherapy apps to help relax me to sleep have ceased to work. So I think the combination of sweet potatoes, lack of sleep and weekly couple of glasses of wine have combined to make slow progress. I guess I gotta cut out those two things, and hope I fall asleep!
 
Sleep could definitely be part of the problem so definitely worth working on - really feel for you but agree that if you can avoid tablets that would be best. Some thoughts:

Have a look on marks daily apple - there are a couple of articles about sleep - everything from light/ screens before bed to temperature in bedroom etc
I've recently started a mindfulness course which is daily meditation practice - I'm definitely sleeping better and so are others on the course - note this is not the same as doing something to actually get you to sleep - more an overall body improvement with less stress
Finally - when I'm really bad at not sleeping then I just play familiar classical music. Once I stop trying to sleep and just recognise that lying relaxed in bed in the dark listening to music is good for me, it helps takes the anxiety away

Good luck x
 
Sleep.

Thanks so much for the help :)

I forgot to mention that I have totally cut out dairy as well as I can't quite get my head around what dairy is ok and what isn't, but I don't miss it anyway. So if I should be implementing it into my meals I would just need a bit of guidance on what to restrict it to.

I cook most of the meals myself, so it's all been fine as I know what is going into the dishes. The only problem is I live with other family members so I don't have unrestricted access to the kitchen. For this reason I usually bulk cook and have the same meal for a couple of days in a row. I tend to marinate the meat and then cook it either in the oven or grilling it. I try to avoid using oil as I only really use olive oil, so I try to just use water or a non stick pan. It tends to work for me. Also, when I snack on nuts I just have almonds and cashew nuts, and no more than a handful, but not every day as I tend to alternate my snacking. Sometimes it's grapes, apples or nuts. Sometimes I don't snack at all.

One place I know for sure I'm going wrong is the sleep routine. I've had a problem for months with my sleep pattern. I originally took up paleo as I thought a change in my eating patterns and regular exercise would make me feel more tired at the end of each day and ready for bed - as it would have done in the past. But it's not worked out that way. In fact, I'm sleeping less. The doctor has prescribed tablets but I don't want to use them as they just make me really lethargic for the next couple of days and then I know for sure I won't get up to do exercise or cook healthily. My body aches from working out, but it just does not want to sleep! Even my back up plan of listening to hypnotherapy apps to help relax me to sleep have ceased to work. So I think the combination of sweet potatoes, lack of sleep and weekly couple of glasses of wine have combined to make slow progress. I guess I gotta cut out those two things, and hope I fall asleep!

I agree with Kat1e, you should definitely look at blogs in the archive on Marks Daily Apple. Also he mentions sleep in his most recent (the fourth) podcast.

Also don't be too quick to totally cut out things like the sweet potatoes and red wine. As long as you're not over doing them they are fine to still have and you will still lose weight.

The secret to drinking red wine is only drink 1 - 2 glasses (the whole bottle is maybe a little too much - if there is such a thing) and drink it with a meal, preferably once you have a full stomach. This is because the sphincter mule is your stomach closes and keeps the food in your stomach longer so the acids can break it down before passing it into your bowels. red wine has a similar ph level to your stomach muscles and will add with the breaking down of the food, plus the red wine will be dealt with in the stomach before being passed on to the bowels and liver.

This is also a reason not to drink water with your food as the water dilutes the acids in your stomach and make them less effective.

definitely try to avoid taking the sleeping tablets, there are plenty of relaxation techniques you could try before they are required.

Good luck. :)
 
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