I was a competitive long distance for 7 years, and did many things to damage my metabolism. When I was 19, I dramatically cut my food intake to about 2000 calories a day (usually I must have eaten a ton more), while averaging 10 miles a day running. I dropped from 135 pounds to 115 (I’m 5’5). I suffered most of the semi-starvation symptoms, such as being depressed, constant urination, always cold, no energy, no libido, obsessed over looking at food pictures, eating the core of apples and shells of peanuts etc… I also was doing low sugar, low salt, low fat, and conventional wisdom healthy. Here is a picture of me from then.
For the last 3 years of my running career, I found paleo/primal and though it was the best thing ever. It made so much sense. So I decided to cut out all grains, potatoes, and fruit. I spent a year gorging myself on a ridiculously high fat/ high meat diet. In a state of damaged metabolism, I regained all the weight and more (probably 140-145 pound), while running up to 10 miles a day.
The last 2 years of my running career I wised up and ate some carbs, fruits, potatoes, and occasionally rice. I seemed to maintain a weight, but it was mostly due to my chronic running. I didn’t count, but I must have been eating around 2500-3000 calories, and I would purposely eat less at the end of the season to slim down for the big end of the races.
Last year, when I was 22, I graduated college and stopped running. I also started reading about Matt Stone and Ray Peat. I decided to “Eat for Heat” and up more calories to close to 4000 over the summer. I also ate mostly everything, just avoiding PUFA. I put on about 20-25 pounds, going from 130 to 150-155. I felt like I might have avoided the fat gain if I ate less dietary fat, but I think some of the gain was necessary.
Here is a comparison from last summer to today.
In September of 2013 I decided to lower my dietary fat. For over the course of the year, I ate a lower fat, moderate-high protein, high sugar, high carb diet. I followed most of the guidelines of ray peat. I kept fat between 30-40 grams most days. I ate lots of salt. I ate around 3000 calories in the fall, but upped it to 3500-4000 in the winter, pounding the fruits (especially dates). Up until this summer, I had thought that I had to keep my dietary fat very low to not gain fat, but over the past months I’ve been averaging 50-80 grams of fat a day, mostly saturated. I have leaned out even more, despite averaging 3500-4000 calories. I do think that keeping dietary fat lower is better for fat loss though, especially when you have some to lose.
Although I stopped running, I do continue to walk and move a lot. I try to not to sit a lot, and I do a lot of body weight training. I stopped upper body weights in the Spring. The only lifts I do is squat and deadlift.
Staple foods are fruit, juice, low fat yogurt/cheese, potatoes, rice, shellfish, gelatin. Often wheat, eggs, beef, low fat milk, ice cream. When I eat higher fat, it’s chocolate, dairy, coconut oil. I have alcohol 1-2 times a week, usually less, and mostly cider or liquor.
I also keep pufa below 5 grams almost every day, and I think that’s the most important thing I do.
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