Q: Hi Nora, I recently finished your book and am having a hard time with the macronutrient proportions. With only having about 50g of protein and a handful of carbs, this is only about 240 calories. To make up the rest we would have to eat 150g. or so of fat. I am all for high fat and understand the benefits, but is this too much or do you suggest just keeping a lower caloric intake? Also, what about athletes? Thank you! ~ Laurie
A: I understand the need to figure out proportions but these don’t have to be quite so carefully measured. The idea is to eat enough fat so that your appetite is satisfied. I wouldn’t necessarily preoccupy myself with an overly specific “gram” range. The gram range I offered in my book for protein (the RDA) was mainly a very general, basic adult guideline. If you are especially active or muscular you may need more. Remember, too, that “50 grams of protein” can readily translate to 6 or 7 oz of meat depending on how much fat and other nutrients make up the meat. Meat, fish and eggs are NOT pure protein. Be sure, too, that you get adequate essential fatty acids (EFA’s) into the mix. You can add bulk by eating as many fibrous veggies and greens as you like.
As for athletes, yes–athletes with greater physical demands than average probably do need more protein and fat to meet those demands. Needless to say, I’m never a fan of carb loading, though…
~ Nora
Hi Nora,
If the meat, fish and eggs, and dairy are grass fed do we really need to be concerned about EFA’s?
The short answer to this is: “it depends”.
IF you have any symptoms potentially related to EFA deficiency then simply eating food containing them MAY not be readily sufficient to remediate the deficits. There are a lot of things challenging our prostaglandin pathways nowadays and it is becoming increasingly difficult to compensate for that. My feeling about it is that it can’t hurt to supplement with those anyway, so I’d rather err on the side of caution. –My two bits.
~Nora
Nora – big fan, first and foremost. Could you check the link in your most recent newsletter regarding your reply for the fruit consumption? The link takes me to this question regarding macronutrients. Thanks!
Thanks Josh for bringing the issue to my attention. An email is going out today with the correct link.
Here is the correct link
Nora,
I have been Paleo for 90 days or so and what a ride!! Thanks to the book by your new friend Robb Wolf and your book, I tailored a Paleo diet that is Low carb 50-75 day Low protein (RDA or so) and the balance being fats. I take magnesium citrate daily and fish oil. All fats being very healthy as I am a hunter and eat wild fish and meat, other fats being coconut oil and olive oil.
My rheumatism (Reiters Syndrome) has gone into total remission and I also lost 34 LBS to date.
I no longer experience cravings for anything and I seem to ride on ketones.
I was slightly ADD but that seems to have improved too. Is there anything else I should be doing for the ADD??
PS food bill is lower too!!
James
I supplement with Tumeric 1000mg, Fish oil 2g and Kelp daily.