New to Ray Peat…having weight gain

[TheToad]

Rita-
I’m so glad you posted this. As I am super new (entering my third month) and don’t have any advice at this point. What I am starting to learn, by reading on this forum, is that I’m not eating enough protein. I was told (about 8 years ago) by a nutritionist that high amounts of protein (greater than 60g) can be inflammatory in women over 35 years old. I was 39 years old at the time and lost a ton of weight (11 lbs in 6 days!) and was told it was all inflammation. Reading on this forum, this nutritionist practically depleted me!
Now, I am learning that I am not taking in enough protein and when I think back to my ‘healthy’ and ‘my best looking body’ days, in my 20s to my early 30s, I ate high protein (egg whites, chicken breasts, occasional fish), low fat, no complex carbs (breads and pastas but occasionally would have potato hash w eggs for breakfast) and fruit whenever I felt like it. I guess I was Peating and didn’t even know it!
So, maybe count how much protein you take in. I’m going to start at 100g (as suggested by a member on a thread I just read) and keep my fat low, complex carbs super low, and increase my fruit. I think for me, the key in weight loss will be increasing the amount of lean protein I’m going to take in. Maybe if your energy is low and you need a carb, go for a potato or sweet potato….?
As I am a medical professional, do you have any medical history that can impede your process? You don’t have to answer that publicly on here but maybe something to investigate.
I felt horrible when I first started and still have bouts of it. My understanding is for the amount of years you’ve had issues, it’ll take that in months to rectify now. So I can say my issues started around 2010…12 years so I’m assuming it’s going to take a year before I see a real difference.

Do you eat fruit or drink fruit juice alone? I’m thinking maybe it’ll help to eat/drink w a little protein? Collagen powder w fruit juice is what I was told by a long standing Ray Peater. I eat my fruit w low-fat cottage cheese. Maybe eating the sugar w the protein and low fat will help…?

I can keep you posted on what I’m doing and vise versa. Maybe together we can figure it out since we are having the same issues. I have to get my labs drawn soon to see what my body is doing and I’m cringing in fear of the numbers being bad and my doc flipping out

I dont mind opening up about my health issues.
I have PCOS and it's totally dependent on my body fat status.
I used to be very heavy before going Keto. I had lots of excess weight and carbs would always give me inflammation in the form of acne. Starches especially bc I had a messed up gut from too many antibiotics as a child. Simple sugar wasnt working bc I had developed insulin resistance. And fruit wasnt working for me neither bc of my liver.
I dropped all carbs and got better very quick. All my clinical symtpoms went away. You could say I was cured. But I know that if my body fat to muscle ratio starts favouring more towards fat I always get worse.
That's why I got so disappointed in peating bc I just gained a lot of weight and all my symptoms came back. I now lost 5lbs on low carb again and am physically doing a bit better again. But I'm far from optimal and it's frustrating.

I'd be happy to hear about your journey and check in once in a while, maybe sharing some of my stuff too. I hope you get better real soon :)

 

[Franesthesia]

yes, fats can have a so called elimination half-time of 600 days from the stored fat tissue. so using aspirin-niacinamide-vitaminE is the best combination to inhibit their excessive release and prevent shifting away from sugar burning. while stress may creep up and trigger release of stored PUFA, until depleted over the years

fruit is a source usually evenly high in glucose and fructose, and these are both a form of carbohydrates

if you can handle the soluble fibers of fruit without bloating, you may eat fruit up to 1h before a protein meal. When more in a hurry then absorbing a couple of glasses of juice before the meal should prevent the stress response of low blood sugar.

Thanks so much!
Can you recommend a vit E brand you like/Ray Peat acceptable?
I’ve been taking aspirin and niacinamide (B4)

 

[PeskyPeater]

Oh you have PCOS, you should have said that before :)
this means you may have insuline resistance and high aldosterone with low progesterene, this can casue metabolic dysfunction.
then dieting with keto, makes it even worse so you shift to fat burning and slowing down your metabolic rate.
then using carbs is going to pull harder on the stress hormone cascade, feeling the effects of prostaglandins sooner

 

[PeskyPeater]

Thanks for the tip. I was using that exact combination too.
The only thing that really made a noticable difference for me was the Vitamin E. Helped me to tolerate fruit without getting inflamed. The B3 and Aspirin didnt really do much. At least not noticable.

I also wanna add that I got into peating through a nutrition program. They just upped my calories and totally flipped my macros. No easing in. No adapation phase. I think this can also harm the body.

But I guess all that's left to do for me now is to track my daily calories, see how much I really consume in a day (since the appetite loss shrunk my stomache and I'm generally consuming far less then I even did on low carb) and then slowly shift my macros while increasing my exercise. Otherwise I fear my extra weight wont budge.
Or are there any other tips I could consider?

Nah, tracking calories is not a must. its overrated. nobody in the ancient times was able to count calories precisely. humans are still alive, why should we now in modern times count stupid caloires? The body can hold 1600 to 2800 CAL of glycogen in liver and muscle. Its easy to stay in that range on feeling
You may eat according to satiety, but try to hold back a little so you may eat more meals over a day to increase metabolic rate. say from 3 times to 5 times.

 

[PeskyPeater]

Thanks so much!
Can you recommend a vit E brand you like/Ray Peat acceptable?
I’ve been taking aspirin and niacinamide (B4)

vitamin E in olive oil is recommended. Dr Peat advised mixed tocopherols. I like NOW vitamin E 200iu in olive oil softgels. I use it almost daily.

 

[TheToad]

Nah, tracking calories is not a must. its overrated. nobody in the ancient times was able to count calories precisely. humans are still alive, why should we now in modern times count stupid caloires? The body can hold 1600 to 2800 CAL of glycogen in liver and muscle. Its easy to stay in that range on feeling
You may eat according to satiety, but try to hold back a little so you may eat more meals over a day to increase metabolic rate. say from 3 times to 5 times.

It's rather hard for me to go by satiety since I lost all of my appetite. So even if hungry, it often doesnt even feel like hunger. Just like a slight inconvenience in my stomache area and it can go unnoticed very easily especially during busy days. I'm basically satiated all the time. That's why I initially also felt the need to comment here. I gained weight and then lost appetite and on top of that I think stress is keeping my cortisol up, wasting away my muscle and causing me to gain even more weight even though I am not even overeating

I guess lowering stress is the first step. The rest may come back by itself. And increasing carbs from my current low carb diet should happen rather slow and controlled.

 

[PeskyPeater]

I dont mind opening up about my health issues.
I have PCOS and it's totally dependent on my body fat status.
I used to be very heavy before going Keto. I had lots of excess weight and carbs would always give me inflammation in the form of acne. Starches especially bc I had a messed up gut from too many antibiotics as a child. Simple sugar wasnt working bc I had developed insulin resistance. And fruit wasnt working for me neither bc of my liver.
I dropped all carbs and got better very quick. All my clinical symtpoms went away. You could say I was cured. But I know that if my body fat to muscle ratio starts favouring more towards fat I always get worse.
That's why I got so disappointed in peating bc I just gained a lot of weight and all my symptoms came back. I now lost 5lbs on low carb again and am physically doing a bit better again. But I'm far from optimal and it's frustrating.

I'd be happy to hear about your journey and check in once in a while, maybe sharing some of my stuff too. I hope you get better real soon :)

Dr Peat recommended losartan when having metabolic problems it may correct insuline resistance and supports the function of progesterone that is low in PCOS.
also nalexone or naltrexone may help to treat PCOS, the excess estradiol damages the opioid system in the brain, causing a dysfunctional feedback loop I believe.

 

[PeskyPeater]

It's rather hard for me to go by satiety since I lost all of my appetite. So even if hungry, it often doesnt even feel like hunger. Just like a slight inconvenience in my stomache area and it can go unnoticed very easily especially during busy days. I'm basically satiated all the time. That's why I initially also felt the need to comment here. I gained weight and then lost appetite and on top of that I think stress is keeping my cortisol up, wasting away my muscle and causing me to gain even more weight even though I am not even overeating

I guess lowering stress is the first step. The rest may come back by itself. And increasing carbs from my current low carb diet should happen rather slow and controlled.

oh that must suck. That is not fun to deal with.
I think in that case serotonin is messing with your appetite. Best to use a specific serotonin antagonist like cyproheptadine or ketotifen. This lowers stress and estrogen effect too.

 

[TheToad]

Dr Peat recommended losartan when having metabolic problems it may correct insuline resistance and supports the function of progesterone that is low in PCOS.
also nalexone or naltrexone may help to treat PCOS, the excess estradiol damages the opioid system in the brain, causing a dysfunctional feedback loop I believe.

Now THIS is information i would have probably spent ages on to gather by myself!
Thank you VERY much for your tip!

 

[PeskyPeater]

@Rita. no prob. Im glad Im reaching somebody with it :)
Then I have looked into TCM herbs that are used in PCOS [for someone I met] and found two in particular that showed to restore the ovaries. Dong Qaui and Bai Zhu.

 

[TheToad]

@Rita. no prob. Im glad Im reaching somebody with it :)
Then I have looked into TCM herbs that are used in PCOS [for someone I met] and found two in particular that showed to restore the ovaries. Dong Qaui and Bai Zhu.

Thank you so much for the tip! I'll definately research it!

 

[PeskyPeater]

I guess lowering stress is the first step. The rest may come back by itself. And increasing carbs from my current low carb diet should happen rather slow and controlled.

yeah controlled and with regular intervals, dr peat said the bloodsugar has a 90 mintus cycle. so lets say you drink a cup of warm decafe with cream every hour or 5th quarter and eat some fruit. you should prevent low bloodglucose. and salty bouillon or broth with collagen helps to lower stress, as the collagen and salt is anti-serotonin.

 

[TheToad]

yeah controlled and with regular intervals, dr peat said the bloodsugar has a 90 mintus cycle. so lets say you drink a cup of warm decafe with cream every hour or 5th quarter and eat some fruit. you should prevent low bloodglucose. and salty bouillon or broth with collagen helps to lower stress, as the collagen and salt is anti-serotonin.

Thanks for all the advice. You ever feel so drained from stress, you cant really do anything? Like not even research your own remedies. I'm at this point right now and all these tips, just know that they are highly appreciated! I'm taking notes and I will definately put them to use!

 

[Franesthesia]

vitamin E in olive oil is recommended. Dr Peat advised mixed tocopherols. I like NOW vitamin E 200iu in olive oil softgels. I use it almost daily.

Awesome! You are a wealth of information!
One last question: what meats/protein do you eat?
Is chicken breasts ok?

 

[PeskyPeater]

Awesome! You are a wealth of information!
One last question: what meats/protein do you eat?
Is chicken breasts ok?

chicken breast without the skin is oke. but the skin has too much PUFA. lean chickes is only oke together with gelatine or collagen to improve the protein ratio and prevent inflammatory reaction. and some saturated fats

I eat daily greek yohurt and cheese, reduced fat cheese 35+ animal rennet
chicken broth, fat scooped off and beef broth with added collagen / stock powder. its silly the supermarkets remove the gelatine from the broth, and I just buy a big can of chicken stock powder online to put it back in. lol
sometimes slow cooked beef stew rich in collagen
sometimes cod fish filet
oysters weekly

I get protein from potatoes too the ketoacids convert to protein said dr Peat, pretty cool stuf, the body adds a molecule and boom usable protein for you. Its also in fruit and I drink 2 liters of pear or apple juice per day

 

[Franesthesia]

chicken breast without the skin is oke. but the skin has too much PUFA. lean chickes is only oke together with gelatine or collagen to improve the protein ratio and prevent inflammatory reaction. and some saturated fats

I eat daily greek yohurt and cheese, reduced fat cheese 35+ animal rennet
chicken broth, fat scooped off and beef broth with added collagen / stock powder. its silly the supermarkets remove the gelatine from the broth, and I just buy a big can of chicken stock powder online to put it back in. lol
sometimes slow cooked beef stew rich in collagen
sometimes cod fish filet
oysters weekly

I get protein from potatoes too the ketoacids convert to protein said dr Peat, pretty cool stuf, the body adds a molecule and boom usable protein for you. Its also in fruit and I drink 2 liters of pear or apple juice per day

yea I don’t know why they do things to our foods . Thank you again. You’ve been so helpful!

 

[FitnessMike]

Interesting. Sorry if I'm hijacking this threat now, but I have a very similar story as Franesthesia and you seem like someone who may have an answer to my problem as well. Low Carb helped me lose my excess weight and all the symptoms that came with it. But starting to peat made everything worse again. I gained 30 pounds and all the fruit really didnt do me any good in terms of my liver. I have a terrible fructose tolerance and my glycogen stores never seem to fully charge up. I cant go 2h without getting super hungry and low energy again. I have currently (after 8 months of peating) stopped my peatarian experiment and gone back to a rather low carb style diet after all of a sudden losing ALL of my appetite and cravings. I was low energy and hungry, but there was no urge in me left to go and eat anything, which resulted in me depending on caffein. And whenever I didnt consume any caffein (weekends i.e.) I'd just sleep forever. 20-30h without a break easily. Like I was hibernating. It was terrible. This only started after around 7-8 months in and I dont know what I could have done better.
I tried not to take any thyroid in the beginning, as it kept me ravenously hungry, caused crazy waves of overheating and sweating and made me overeat my calories which also contributed to weight gain. But the weight still piled on even without the thyroid hormone.
Any clues on what I could do better on my next round of peating?

Sorry again for hijacking the threat.
Thanks in advance

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhS3rjj4AIA&t=361s&ab_channel=AmplifiedVitality

 

[TheToad]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhS3rjj4AIA&t=361s&ab_channel=AmplifiedVitality

Seen it before! Thx for the reminder. I guess I'll just gotta go veeery slow in my transition. As I said, I wasnt given any adaptation period when I first started. But thank you very much!!

 

[PeskyPeater]

@FitnessMike ^ one of my favorite clips

 

[schmolch]

I also gained a lot of weight, i feel like a seal trapped in a fishing net and can barely close up my pants anymore.
Fortunately i wear cycling pants most of the time, they stretch very well.
I can neither go back (to carnivore) nor reduce calories, sugar or fat. I would loose all the mental benefits and i'm not willing to do that.
But I think i am starting to figure out what boosts my metabolism the most.
For example today i had 3 meals instead of 1. It's the same most of the time, raw ground beef with cheese, some butter and ketchup. I add lots of salt, potassium, eggshell-powder, D3, K2 and a raw egg yolk. Through the day i drink diluted orange-juice with sugar and a lot of coffee.
It's 1 degree celsius right now and i had to open the windows because i got too hot. At the same time my mood improved and i felt like doing some work. That's what i want, hopefully my pants will forgive me.