Food journal for the Paleo Diet – PaleoTrack – Ooh, very nicely done web app! I was able to quickly enter my breakfast for the day and see the overall breakdown of calories from fat, protein, and carbs. I’m sure the numbers would shock some of you. 70% from fat! (Delicious, satisfying fat.) That’s the only way I can make it to lunch without my tummy grumbling. And yet my weight keeps steadily trending downwards…
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calorie kings been pretty good so far, but id be interested to check this out. sometimes the fat figures freak me out, but me too on the slowly surely downwards, and not hungry, ever.
After lunch I’m at 65% for fat and 32% for protein. I have less fat as the day goes on, really.
I did some googling and a lot of the paleo folks aim for around 60%-ish for fat per day, depending on how much carb you’re eating. (Lower carbs = higher fat.)
I’m not shocked, and you’re young and fit so you can manage it. But limiting the fat you eat is about more than weight; it’s about preventing fat depositing in your arteries too. That can even happen to thin people, to their great surprise (happened to a skinny man I work with).
yeah i definitely am not going the full on atkins thing, cos i cant get my carbs that low. i think im on track then, usually around 60%. phew.
From what I’ve read, vascular health has more to do with genetics than diet. (Which is why, as you point out, it happens to skinny people too.) All of the low carb diet proponents I’ve read advocate getting a full checkup and round of blood tests before you change your diet. This is also so you can see the positive effects, especially with regards to your “good” cholesterol levels! I’ve had mine checked repeatedly, and I’ve never had a cholesterol or blood pressure issue.
And I appreciate the compliment, but really, “young” and “fit” are very relative! I’m in my mid-30s, work at an extremely sedentary job, and currently weigh 10kgs over my healthy BMI level.
There are 4 or 5 major risk factors for artherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis. Genetics is the highest (its actually a disease and theres none of it in my family). Smoking is the second highest. Alcohol, not exercising and diet come down the list. Dietary treatments of these conditions consist of upping omega 3 and anti oxidant intake. Eggs, green veg etc. The assumption that fat people must necessarily have bad inner health shots me to tears. I have a very happy GP too.
And of course I meant shits me to tears. Which it really really does.
Thanks for the positive feedback, Kris. I created PaleoTrack because I was tired of being told I was eating too much saturated fat. 🙂 Same as you, I would be over 60% fat.
I agree that fat people can be healthy – I should know! 🙂 And I think that BMI is a load of bs – the person with the highest BMI I’ve ever known personally was a physio I used to go to who ran ultramarathons – he was pure muscle, and had a BMI of around 40 beucase muscle is heavier than fat. He couldn’t swim because he didn’t have enough fat to keep himself afloat. You are young (compared to most of the population!), and you are fit – you couldn’t have run the way you did last year, or cycle the way you do now, if you weren’t. You counter your sedentary job better than many people I work with who are your age.
Have to agree with MH on the last one Kris 🙂