2 Months on Keto and gaining weight

newbies
(Annalize) #1

:persevere:Hi Everyone,

I have been doing Keto for 2 months now. I lost 2 kg in the 1st 2weeks and after that I was stable and in the last 2 weeks I gained 1,5kg.

My current stats: 74.5kg. 163cm, 48 years old, female. Macros: 15g carbs, 118g fat, 70g protein. 1500 Cals per day.

I log my food on a Keto app and I test my blood ketones. the 2nd week my best reading was 1.6 and now it does not go higher than 0.4. I have not changed anything in my diet and exersise. I am sick with flu and on antibiotics this week. my ketones are around 0.2 since I stared with the antibiotics. I am too scared to get on the scare as I might have gained more weight.
Any help or suggetions will be highly apprciated. I come from a background of badly yo yo dieting on a low fat, low carb diet, eating very little. I dont wan to go back there. I feel much better eating keto. Maybe my metabolism is damanged?
thanks guys and ladies. I an really desparate.
Annalize

#2

If you’ve been yo yo dieting and restricting calories for a while, treat the first few months of keto as a healing process. Don’t worry about calories and eat to satiety. Let your body busy itself rebuilding lean mass and working out a new hormonal balance. You’ll know when you’re ready to push towards weight loss again - once you start spontaneously fasting, you can make that a tool in your arsenal.

In the meantime, try not to fixate too much on the scale, take some key measurements like hip, waist and thigh and see if you’re making progress in other ways.

Keep calm and keto on. :slight_smile:

(Annalize) #3

Thank you so much. I will hang in there and see how it goes. I also have issues with digestion. I had to take laxatives for ever. Since on the keto diet, I have been using magnesium, vit C and probiotics and I think my body is still healing as you say. It seems to be helping, but far form normal.

(Clare) #4

The antibiotics will be playing havoc with your gut flora, which may lead to temporary weight gain. You need them if you need them - but they will cause some upset.
I would agree wholeheartedly with the advice above - don’t let yourself get neurotic about fluctuations in weight at this stage.

Also, if you need a little help to get things ‘moving’, rather than take a laxative, try making home made keto bread with psyllium husk added. You should find that does the trick nicely.

Once you’ve finished the antibiotics, eat some pre-biotic foods to get your gut flora going again. Unpasteurised cider vinegar with the mother still in it is great, eat leeks, chicory etc - if you google ‘prebiotic foods’ you’ll get a list. Don’t worry too much about the carb count for a couple of days - just get your bugs chomping on those veggies. You’ll know it’s working when you start farting. (sorry)

Good luck!

(Annalize) #5

thanks so much for the advice.

(Karen Fricke) #6

Possibly too much protein, 1 gram per kg of lean body mass works out to closer to 50 grams for most females.

(Annalize) #7

thank you. I will cut down on protein, but is hard as it is to feel full on 70g. Protein adds up so quickly.

Any suggestions please?

(Clare) #8

let us know how you get on - we’re here for you.

(Annalize) #9

Thanks so very much. I will do so.

(Clare) #10

Oh - again, regarding protein - I wouldn’t worry too much about it to begin with - just try and make sure you’re eating plenty of fat. Your appetite will adjust and you will find you want less protein as your system adjusts. And depending on your build, you may well need more than you’re allowing yourself.
I do a bulletproof coffee for breakfast and this works well for me. It’s also helpful in keeping the total protein load for the day down because it’s a pure fat breakfast.
There are a couple of days of misery adjusting to no solid breakfast but you do get used to it pretty quickly and it encourages the fat adaptation. Do you have any coconut oil? If so, try a coffee blended with a butter and coconut oil for breakfast. It may help.
I hope this works for you and sincerely, just yell for us if you need encouragement.

(Dustin Cade) #11

Let your body dictate what you eat, not the scale… I know most people come to keto for the weight loss but find all the other great benefits and that’s what keeps people on keto even after the weight is gone…

(eat more) #12

i think it really depends on the female (or male) and her (his) lean mass :smiley:

what has worked for me is to take smaller protein portions.
i don’t do it every meal…just depends on the amount of fat i am adding.
lower fat meal i have higher protein…higher fat…lower protein and sometimes i just eat LOL

(paul ) #13

Been doing Keto since Dec 2 12016.Starting Weight 265
First 6 weeks lost a pound and I was in induction (zero carbs for a month)
Very depresiing since I am 61 on the typical heart and statin regiment.
Long story short, 4months months later, down 40+ pounds and almost 4 pant sizes (sqweeeeezing in 36 lol)
Less than 10 carbs a day now. Fasting really works for me IF every day 24 hours
So stay the couse eat FAT and it will click in!!!

#14

All good advice. I hope you feel better soon. That will not be helping and adding stress to your system too. It really can take a while for things to start firing on all cylinders. I really get how frustrating it is but suggest that you stay away from the scales and focus on other things that are improving - once you feel better of course. Just keep plodding forwards and it will come good. xxx

(Annalize) #15

Thank you very much for all the support and advise. You guys are awesome. I will hang in there and be patient. Thanks again

(Terri) #16

Hi, I know this is an old conversation, I found it in a search. I also have a history of laxative use, and currently use vitamin c and magnesium to manage it, and am also gaining weight after 2+ months. Can you tell me how or if this resolved for you?

(Christina) #17

I’m new as well (3 months in). My understanding is that immediate weight loss (mostly water), then some weight gain is normal. Also my understanding is that if a BODY has any healing to do (IBS, chronic illness, yo-yo dieting, etc) it will concentrate on that first, and you won’t see weight loss. Also - I have been ill for about 25 years and inactive. So my understanding is that my body is converting fat to muscle with my protein intake (I’ve been very low protein intake for about 15 years) and since muscle weighs more than fat, that exchange will look on the scale as +, -, +, -. I, too, have had challenges with constipation and magnesium is AWESOME! Make sure to take forms that are absorbable (a lot of people take CALM - and although it does drive you to the toilet, it is not really helping your body) - malate or glycinate are great.

Good luck to you, and be patient :slight_smile:

(Transplant West) #18

By “CALM” do you mean the product “NATURAL CALM”?

(Eli) #19

General rule is if your on a stall or even gaining weight is too cut back food, do more restricted IF, cut back protein and some extended fasts to kick the ketosis back into action. I’d start off with a one or two day fast then check the ketone levels again. If the signs a positive then introduce stricter IF and only eating meals, no snacks, along with a cutback in protein. Your already quite low on the scale so any changes may take a while. KCKO

(Christina) #20

Yes, Transplant. Natural CALM is magnesium but not a good absorbable type for your other cells