I keep losing weight!

[Suiren]

Gaining weight was always impossible to me, even as a child.
My body was burning over 2000 calories a day just resting (had a metabolical test). My husbands thought was that my body does not absorb certain foods well and therefore does not gain weight from it, plus my metabolism must be messed up due to my former SAD diet.
Since getting off of carbohydrates I have been losing weight. Despite me scarfing down as much raw butter and olive oil as I can take without throwing up  .
 
I am terrified to lose even more, I have nothing left to lose. I weight roughly 47 kg's at the moment.

We don't have the budget to eat actual raw paleo, and can not afford to buy a lot of meat, avocados, nuts...so we avoid some of the worse things at least and focus on me gaining weight without grains.
Right now I eat raw butter with lunch meat, since lunch meat is cheap. I know its not great. Sometimes some aged cheese. I eat about 125 grams of butter
I also supplement with cold pressed olive oil. 5 table spoons a day. I eat some fruits throughout the day too.
I chose olive oil and butter over other fatty foods, because I will be able to ingest more fat/ calories with a lesser amount of food.
So things like raw milk, cream, avocados...will get me full before I have absorbed enough calories.

I have eaten some bread here and there on occasion because we had not groceries and a bakery across the street, but it seems my body can not deal with it anymore. I get stomach aches to bowel problems, a weird hazy feeling and I break out!

Anyhow, I need to figure out how many calories I need to take in to gain weight, and how and what.
I am breastfeeding and my son does not eat solids yet (only test out some foods once in a while), so I need even more calories than I normally would. To gain AND make enough milk. He is 11 months old and needs a lot of calories (he is 27 1/2 in and 23 lbs so nice and fat).

Can someone help me develop a plan? Maybe I need to eat more often than I am hungry. Could I add more olive oil? I am somewhat worried that drinking oil is unhealthy.
Is there maybe a low cost way to get my hands on high calorie raw animal fat, and would it provide me with enough calories?
Is my diet maybe the reason I am not absorbing enough calories?
Seriously any advice you can give will help me see this more clearly. I need to gain NOW.

[raw-al]

If money is an issue then I suggest getting raw ground meat. Ask them to put extra fat in which is usually free or close to it. You can usually get fat for free or close to free at a butcher. They normally throw it away. Slice the fat thin, so it is easier to chew. Try fats from different animals.

Butter fat is fine. I typically eat a lot of it generally with about 25% honey. There is no problem eating lots of fat. Let your taste buds be your guide.

Vary the source, in other words eat meat fat from one animal and then switch when it starts to lose it's appeal.

Generally avoid nuts like the plague.

Cooked food does not provide the nutrition that you think it would. Some others on this site can explain why, but essentially cooking destroys the nutritional value and makes digestion more difficult. I love to eat bread but it causes me to get upset stomach.

Go to this link: http://ayurveda.com/pdf/food-guidelines.pdf and look at the first two columns which gives you the vata list. These foods will be best for you to chose from. Notice the first column lists food that you are supposed to avoid, and the second column lists food that you should favour.

The avoid list is foods that will make you lose weight and the favour column will help you maintain or gain weight.

Good luck, and remember that worrying about it will not help.

[Dorothy]

Do you have access to some good eggs? How about raw egg yolks?

I'm loving having my chickens because then I can feed them really well on the cheap and get great nutrition that I can trust. I actually have had trouble losing weight because of those eggs, and avocados and salmon etc. etc. 

Be careful with the olive oil. Most Americans can't even tell when olive oil is rancid because they have never smelled or tasted non-rancid olive oil. I'd double up with the butter instead myself unless you have a great fresh source of olive oil.

Instead of eating bread, if you are going to go that route, I would suggest buying some organic brown rice and cooking it in water, cooking some vegetables in water and then pouring good fats on top or adding an avocado to it. Avocado and brown rice actually go very well together. As far as grains go brown rice is one of the least offensive and you don't have to worry about gluten sensitivities or added sweeteners

[jessica]

have you considered investing in a digestive enzyme to help break down the food, and start taking high meat to help assimilation while you gain some weight and health?

if taking carbs out causes weight loss then why not add carbs back in?  i would suggest baking carrots, parsnips, yams(the white ones) and winter squash and eating those for dinner or adding honey or berries and wild fruit.

[Dorothy]

ooooh - butter on yams - that's hard to resist.

Baked roots and Soups of root veggies  - great idea Jessica. Very grounding for a vatta type.

Enzymes, high meat, probiotic foods - most EXCELLENT idea. Help the body to assimilate and use more of what you are ingesting.

[joej627]

Some different perspectives, I have dealt with this too:

1.  Do some liver/pancreas cleansing.  If your liver is clogged you won't be digesting/absorbing fat very well.  If you are mainly getting calories from that, you may be starving yourself on accident.  Plus, some people just need carbohydrates.  I don't agree that cooked food is always harder to digest.  Sure, the enzymes aren't there, but the fiber is predigested.  It's not a coincidence people want chicken soup or soft mashed potatoes when ill.  It absorbs easily.

2.  Look into inner child work/3rd chakra issues.  These involve perfectionism, sensitivity to criticism, personal power, etc.  I would wager a lot of people have issues here.  If you have serious problems here it is possible that the energy going to those systems (liver, pancreas, digestion, etc) will not be running as they should.  This is a very complex issue that takes a lot of work with but could help you a lot as well.  Check to see where your energy is on a regular basis.  If it is in "your head" or thinking all the time, energy will not be in digestion.

3.  I recommend focusing on very easy to digest foods in proportions that feel right to you.  Good options: avocados, raw eggs/yolks, marrow, stews, olives, root veggies with oils, soups, blended foods, etc.  Also, try laying down for a few minutes after meals and relax and digest.

[Dorothy]

These involve perfectionism, sensitivity to criticism, personal power, etc.  I would wager a lot of people have issues here.

You have some nerve insulting us like that Joe! You might not think we're perfect, but we have the perfect diet that makes us strong and virile so watch out or we'll punch you in the solar plexus!   

[joej627]

Haha no no no.  That isn't what I meant.  I meant people in AMERICA. lol i should have specified =)

Also checking into chiropractic could be a big help.  Sometimes, nerve supply isn't heading to the right areas.

-Joe

[goodsamaritan]

Gaining weight was always impossible to me, even as a child.
My body was burning over 2000 calories a day just resting (had a metabolical test). My husbands thought was that my body does not absorb certain foods well and therefore does not gain weight from it, plus my metabolism must be messed up due to my former SAD diet.
Since getting off of carbohydrates I have been losing weight. Despite me scarfing down as much raw butter and olive oil as I can take without throwing up  .
 
I am terrified to lose even more, I have nothing left to lose. I weight roughly 47 kg's at the moment.

We don't have the budget to eat actual raw paleo, and can not afford to buy a lot of meat, avocados, nuts...so we avoid some of the worse things at least and focus on me gaining weight without grains.
Right now I eat raw butter with lunch meat, since lunch meat is cheap. I know its not great. Sometimes some aged cheese. I eat about 125 grams of butter
I also supplement with cold pressed olive oil. 5 table spoons a day. I eat some fruits throughout the day too.
I chose olive oil and butter over other fatty foods, because I will be able to ingest more fat/ calories with a lesser amount of food.
So things like raw milk, cream, avocados...will get me full before I have absorbed enough calories.

I have eaten some bread here and there on occasion because we had not groceries and a bakery across the street, but it seems my body can not deal with it anymore. I get stomach aches to bowel problems, a weird hazy feeling and I break out!

Anyhow, I need to figure out how many calories I need to take in to gain weight, and how and what.
I am breastfeeding and my son does not eat solids yet (only test out some foods once in a while), so I need even more calories than I normally would. To gain AND make enough milk. He is 11 months old and needs a lot of calories (he is 27 1/2 in and 23 lbs so nice and fat).

Can someone help me develop a plan? Maybe I need to eat more often than I am hungry. Could I add more olive oil? I am somewhat worried that drinking oil is unhealthy.
Is there maybe a low cost way to get my hands on high calorie raw animal fat, and would it provide me with enough calories?
Is my diet maybe the reason I am not absorbing enough calories?
Seriously any advice you can give will help me see this more clearly. I need to gain NOW.

Eat carbs.  In my case I eat durian.  Helps me gain weight.

And if you have never dewormed, try deworming.  See www.humaworm.com . helped me gain weight too.

[Dorothy]

Haha no no no.  That isn't what I meant.  I meant people in AMERICA. lol i should have specified =)

Also checking into chiropractic could be a big help.  Sometimes, nerve supply isn't heading to the right areas.

-Joe

I was TOTALLY PLAYING WITH YOU Joe! I was ranting like someone with third chakra issues. My sense of humor is kind of strange.

Sarcasm - just one of the services I offer.

I actually on the serious side agree with you that a lot of people get into diet because of third chakra problems so I bet a lot of us at this forum would be included. 

[Adora]

Add honey to butter as much as tastes good.

[CitrusHigh]

If what Joe said about chiropractics is something you're interested in, and you are on a budget like me, I find that imitating the way dogs stretch when they get up from a nap has really helped me to take control of my back and spine maintenance. I used to need to go to the chiro, but since I started imitating my aunt's dog, I'm my own chiro now.

So I would stretch the way they do, the front legs/spine, then the back legs/spine. I also do my own version of the yogic cobra position..I think, that's what a yoga teacher told me I was doing anyhow (which would make sense as my spirit animal would be the snake if you're in to that). Usually I do this right after I wake up and just before I go to bed. Sometimes if I don't feel like my spine came in to alignment the first time, I'll do it a few more until I'm not getting any more response from it (audible and tactile) or if there was pain from all the heavy lifting I do on the farm here, that should be gone or relieved.

Also, I've always been a hard gainer as well. I find that just loading up on massive amounts of protein and fat do it for me. Carbs not so much, though I do eat large quantities of those as well when I need the energy.

My dog fed all 9 of her puppies (ooOoo my little babies) milk and she was on a raw diet pretty much from birth. She was a young mom at about 1.5 yrs old and I had trouble keeping her fed, she was skin and bones for a while until I clued in and stopped rationing her food. I eventually let her eat as much raw milk, eggs, fat and meat as she could handle. She tried to eat me out of house and home, but we were able to keep up with the puppies until I could get them on to organ meats. Eventually, through eating ridiculous amounts of fat and protein she was able to not only feed all her babies to their content, but also gain her weight back and come to her normal, lean, healthy, balanced physique. You should have it a little easier since you only have one lucky little fella to feed. I would second what was said above about looking for suet from the butcher, might not be the tastiest stuff on the whole planet but it's pure energy and will make it easy to load up on calories without drowning your appetite prematurely.

Milk takes so much energy out of the mom to produce, so do whatever you have to to get those quality raw fats from grassfed/wild animals. You might have to get creative in your sources, but your baby is worth it and there is definitely a solution because most of the best foods, the most sacred and nourishing foods are either left for scrap or fairly cheap. Take advantage and scoop them up! Be friendly with butchers, and though I shun lying, if you have to, tell them it's for your dog and they may give you/sell you for cheap, loads of fat!

Of course if you're in a non-western country then that may be harder, because those foods are actually valued in countries where people aren't so spoiled as they are in the west.

[Chris]

Sounds like you have an absorption issue. It may not matter how many calories that you ingest, if your body cannot process it!

[Polyvore]

Sour cream and banana together.
Eat your olive oil on fresh cultured sauerkraut.
If white rice is less filling than brown rice, eat long grain white rice instead, it is still fairly low gi, just less insoluble fiber.
Crush frozen organic berries into pork and grass fed beef fat, then cool it, and eat it like icecream!

And yeha, check if you have worms or parasites that might be sapping your calories?

[joej627]

Yea good call on the parasite thing everybody, i agree.

One trick I used to (still do) use when I had issues with that was to throw in some anti-parasite stuff whenever eating high-calorie foods.  Throw in some raw garlic with your potatoes, or some coconut oil.  Fresh raw cinnamon sticks on your apples, fruit.  Nature has tons of this stuff.  Fresh oregano, onions, etc.  Garlic seems to be the most powerful but I haven't experimented too much with the other herbs.  Other than that, a good 30-60 day parasite cleanse using the good old walnut hulls, cloves, etc is a good way to go.

-Joe

[Dorothy]

Remember everyone that she is breast feeding. Most of the anti-parasites herbs are going to be really bad for her right now. Her baby probably shouldn't be getting garlic, onions, wormwood etc. through her milk.

Suiren - just be careful to research each and every suggestions in terms of breast feeding ok?

[Suiren]

Dorothy,
yes I will for sure! I would also assume a harsh cleanse could negatively affect my breastmilk supply.

Thanks you for the suggestions everyone! I have not been able to reply yet because I have been busy with work (from home so work+baby), but I have been reading and researching everything.

Parasites:
What are some signs and symptoms of having parasites? I want to see if I have any. Everything looks normal when I use the bathroom.

Not absorbing calories:
Not sure, I have always been this thin. Also I was thinking someone who does not absorb calories might be painfully thin? I am a little below normal atm, so I have some fat that stays put. But maybe it can still means my body does not absorb calories well, someone enlighten me please
The only time I ever gained weight was in pregnancy (135lbs), after delivery with baby, placenta and fluid gone I was 119lbs. Not sure if that was really my actual weight, I might have still had water stored, but I was heavier than now, I can tell by my Jeans that don't fit anymore

Cleanses:
Just keep in mind the breastfeeding, and I also collaps if I don't eat frequently, probably not a good basis for a cleanse.

I have been increasing my calorie intake, if my weight goes up even the slightest bit, I guess that is a good sign.
Does anyone know how much calories I should need/ burn? I often feel like my body burns too much. I am 5'5" and 103.5 lbs atm.

My appetite is not great, but that is just because I don't like what I eat. Its like "Damn it I have to eat to stay alive..."

I appreciate all your advice, I want to solve this problem once and for all.

[Chris]

I have a suggestion for you Suiren. When you eat your fats and proteins, use some good quality enzymes. They will help break down fat and protein, so it becomes easier for your body to absorb. Lipase for fats, and Protease for protein. Try adding a good lipase supplement directly to your oils, let the enzymes have a chance to break down the fats, then enjoy. Give it a try. Enzymedica (www.enzymedica.com) makes a great product that is free of allergens ( soy, dairy, corn, egg, wheat, gluten, ect). They have a diverse lineup of enzyme supplements. Hopefully, that might do the trick for you. Good Luck!

[Suiren]

Thank you Chris, I will have a look at that.
So basically it could be that my body is not breaking down the fats and proteins right which can hinder weight gain?

I was thinking as far as getting rid of parasites goes or de-worming, I might also see a doctor? I usually prefer natural methods but I want to see which method would be the most gentle and easy on me, and for my breast milk. If I get sick my supply can drop, and I am already supplementing with fenugreek because my son has a bad latch/ is lazy.

[Chris]

So basically it could be that my body is not breaking down the fats and proteins right which can hinder weight gain?

Absolutely. That would be my guess, I doubt you have parasites. But, that's just my opinion.

[eveheart]

Before you try all sorts of tangential reasons for losing weight, I keep looking at your original post:

Since getting off of carbohydrates I have been losing weight.

Why did you get off of carbohydrates? I know this is a good idea in many cases, so I was wondering what you based your decision on. Has that condition been helped by RPD? What carb-containing foods would help stabilize your weight without exacerbating your condition? (In my own case, I eat ultra-low carbs in order to prevent joint inflammation and lose weight; I do eat a few non-inflaming carbs which I found by trial and error.)

Also, you mentioned

My body was burning over 2000 calories a day just resting

. This is a fairly low-to-average amount for a female. Nursing and running after a child can bump your needs way over 3000 calories a day, or even higher.

If I were in your shoes, I'd start eating some carbs (but not bread!) and tinker with the amounts until you find body-mass equilibrium.

[joej627]

As a mild "treatment/preventative" you could add things like raw garlic, coconut oil, fresh cinnamon, oregano, etc to the diet.  These all discourage parasites without pushing you too hard.  That is crazy with the breast milk, I can't imagine having to do this stuff and worry about that too 

I agree enzymes can be helpful very short term.  They should only really be needed if your eating cooked fats anyway.  If your liver/GB is "stuck-up" you should really be doing some form of liver-cleansing to unstick it.  I had this same problem.  The more I clean up my liver, the more fat i crave and the more weight I seem to gain back.

[Suiren]

Joe
Is there a gentle way of cleansing the liver? Because not eating foods the whole day, then getting diarrhea I would run into the breastfeeding problem again.
It makes a lot of things harder, and I also worry about certain raw foods like high meat while breastfeeding. I have not been exposed to a lot of bacteria yet.

I do eat some cooked fat or smoked meats since they are readily available and affordable. We don't have transportation, so even getting fatty leftovers from butchers is a challenge.
We are planning to order online soon though

Eve
I'm sorry I made a mistake there. I meant to write "grain based carbohydrates". With Pasta specifically I was able to keep up my weight and even gain some.
I probably don't eat enough natural carbs though, and should maybe extend my carb intake past carrots and bananas.

I was told by my doctor that a woman my size (height+small frame) should eat around 1400 cal to maintain a normal weight. He found my metabolism to be faster than average (I was eating 2200 cals and burning 2000).
But I guess he was wrong? Is maybe a SAD normal lower? I am a bit confused.

I thought since breastfeeding burns an extra 500 cals, that would equal up to 1900 needed for a normal person, or 2500 for me?

Over 3000.... I don't know how I would be able to eat that. I get full and nauseated of what I am eating right now, but it only equals up to roughly 2000.

Maybe meal plan suggestions would help? I don't know how to put together a over 3000 cal raw paleo meal plan.

[raw-al]

Joe
Is there a gentle way of cleansing the liver? Because not eating foods the whole day, then getting diarrhea I would run into the breastfeeding problem again.

I'm not sure a liver cleanse would be a great idea when breastfeeding. The baby would tend to have the same thing happen to it.

[joej627]

One thing I have realized over time is that it is not so much how many calories you eat but what are you ABSORBING?  If the liver is clogged = no bile = no fat (especially cooked fats) digestion.

Yes, there are gentle ways of cleansing the liver.  I would put the order something like this:

-MILD: lots of juicing, greens, carrots, beets, apples, etc.  High raw juices, easy on the fiber.  Also raw egg yolk and liver would be here too.  Liver is more of a healing/cleanser for the liver.

-MODERATE: Dandelion greens in juices, peppermint oil (thank-you dorothy), milk thistle, other herbs that stimulate bile flow.  Coffee enemas would be a great help too

-INTENSE: things like Liver flushing, fasting, etc.  I really wouldn't recommend this type of stuff unless you are having serious problems, especially with kids and breastfeeding.

Meal ideas:  stick with easily digestible mono-type meals.  High-calorie options include raw eggs, avocados, olives, coconut/olive oil, steamed potatoes, peas etc.  Don't be afraid of the starchy tubers.  Just mix them with other veggies to slow down the absorption.  A winner around here is steamed sweet potatoes with brocolli with large amounts of coconut oil, raw butter, or olive oil.  You can easily get 600-800 calories in a meal doing this.  It's a long dual-sided process.  Ultimately, you need to improve digestion/liver function/absorption and at the same time give your body stuff it can easily process. Hope this helps.