4 lbs of weight loss in 2 months only

#21

I’ve been eating twice a day and fasting 16-18 hours a day and my calories are at about 1000. My scale isn’t budging. All macros are balanced and I am having 20 carbs a day (10 net). Not much weight loss.

#22

I’m getting to the point where if I cut out one more thing, my only options will be meat and veggies.

(Cindy) #23

The one thing you need to cut out is the scale. Seriously. AND put it in perspective.
Since you started keto, your scales have gone down 20 or 24 lbs? That’s excellent!
How much actual fat do you think you can actually lose per week?

We want to think that if we do everything right by the numbers, then the weight will drop. But that’s just not true. Sometimes you body needs time to maintain. Sometimes, in periods of high stress, your body will actually GAIN even if you do nothing different. We’re not macro calculators…your body doesn’t give a shit if your macros are balanced or not.

So quit trying to live by NUMBERS. If you’re extra hungry one day, EAT. If you’re not hungry one day, DON’T eat. If you’re craving meat one day, EAT it. If you’re craving fat, then add some extra mayo or butter or olive oil. But eating the same macros, day in and day out, do NOT allow for any fluctuations in what your body needs.

Since I started keto, there have been days that I just want a big ribeye. Not much else, just the ribeye. Other days, the cauliflower or leafy greens are the thing I want most. I’ve had days where I want fat…HWC, or extra butter on my eggs, a sandwich with keto bread, bacon and lots of mayo. In fact, I think I would have been happy just dipping the bacon into the mayo but I didn’t think of it at the time.

I think those fluctuations are important because it’s pretty much impossible to rigidly follow macros if you’re ever going to go on vacation, socialize with friends, etc.

The gist of it is…keep your carbs low and give it TIME.

(Door Girl) #24

Bacon in mayo… I know what I’ll be dreaming about tonight. :slight_smile:

And Stacie, the stress of worrying about your speed of weight loss might be keeping you from losing weight. Seriously. Start working on listening to your body, and see where that takes you. With a history of extreme dieting, your body needs to trust that you will give it the nutrients you need or else it is going to cling to all the extra energy (fat) it can. Sounds woo, but a lot of people see the scale (or more importantly their clothes) finally move in a favorable direction after they start listening more and stop being afraid of a higher feeding day.

I’m tracking lots of stuff, and without fail my weight is up noticeably the days after I indicated a high stress day, and usually moves down to a new range when I have a body-driven higher eating day. I look at the trends, not daily numbers in isolation. And I have a smart scale, so it takes work to erase a datapoint and it is impossible to add one. Keeps me honest.

Relax into it, enjoy what you are eating, and once your body resets you will probably see some favorable changes.

#25

Eat! Eat more! When you feel hungry…wait for it…EAT.
Don’t snack, fill up once or twice a day, your body will do the rest.
P.s. two pounds a month while sedentary is rad. With the 16 pounds you lost initially and 2 pounds a month, I’m figuring 40 pounds in a year and that’s not good enough?!? Be realistic!

#26

Not good enough for me! I’d like to lose another twenty lbs in 3-4 months. I think 4-5 lbs a month is realistic that’s really only a lb a week. I do 16-18 hour fasts each day. I eat less than 20 carbs (not net; regular carbs). I also do 24-36 hour fast a few times a month. So for everything I am putting into this, I would like to see results since it will make me less depressed and more positive which is really important for my well being.

I’m thinking of doing some weight lifting and walking each day 3-4 times a week. Because I need to get an ankle scope and can’t do much. The whole problem started with how active I was before my injury and then my body going oh &@ you’re not doing much now!

My calories were only at 700-1100 a day though and I’m thinking that could be the problem; starvation mode. Going to take cheese out of the equation and eat 1200-1400 a day and see if things move quicker.

Adding more veggies and fiber. Red meat doesn’t do well for my stomach nor does cheese. As delicious as it is! Let me know if you have any more tips to spike my metabolism :slight_smile:

#27

Thanks sorry forgot to link you on my response above :grin:

#28

I dip everything in mayo now. :slightly_smiling_face: Even raw broccoli is yum dipped in mayo.

(Cindy) #29

You’re putting your emotional well-being in the wrong “basket.” Scales LIE. Seriously. The more you start weight lifting, the more you start walking, the more likely that the scale numbers will stall or even go in the opposite direction. Yes, you should exercise if you enjoy it because it has so many other health benefits.

But that’s the key, you know? HEALTH. And enjoying life. Not living it according to some number on a scale that you’re letting dictate your level of depression or well being.

I would guess that you want to be 20 lbs lighter because you want to be smaller, right? Then judge your success by how your clothes are feeling, how much healthier you are, etc…not by a number on the scale that will fluctuate with water retention, muscle mass, salt intake, time of day, etc. and has very little correlation with your actual health.

#30

You should listen to the Keto for Women Show with Shawn Mynar. You really are expecting too much of your body and pushing too much. Who says your expectations are realistic for your body? Your body is proving to you that it’s not realistic. It’s time to nourish your body more and maybe do less fasting while your body is trying to heal things you have no idea about. Imagine you were your body and you had done all of this work to lose 20+ pounds in an unreasonable time period. And then someone tells you it’s not good enough (and you are, meanwhile, collecting additional resources to continue with your good works). This is not a compassionate way to treat yourself or your body.

If you listen to the podcast for women, you may find some clues into what has you (what you think as) stuck. The answer in this situation is not ketoing harder.

#31

Yes but it sounds like your metabolism has been wrecked, you will have to heal that before you get any real results. Our bodies aren’t a simple mathematical formula, and they definitely don’t care that we want to lose Xlbs in Y months.

(Cindy) #32

This, a million times! I wished I’d learned how to do this in my 30s…it took hitting my 50s and realizing that, no matter how much I struggled, no matter how hard I worked to be some version of “good enough,” age was going to catch up to me no matter what I did. I’m not saying to quit trying, but weighing a certain amount doesn’t fix anyone’s life, it doesn’t guarantee anything, and if you don’t enjoy the journey while you’re trying to get there (where ever “there” is), then you’ve wasted that time.

(Steve Spencer) #33

I started my keto journey in November 2018 right after Thanksgiving. It is now March 6 2019 and I’ve lost 24lbs. Yes at the beginning the struggle was real. I keep at under 21g carbs a day and under 1600 Cal. I’ve learned one thing since I started this I I need to be patient my body will react different at times. Keep plugging away.

#34

The strange thing is all the fasting makes me bloated! I’m having issues going to the bathroom. I think my fiber content is too low so I am addressing that right now and working on drinking more water.

I’m just sad because I don’t see inches going down either or my clothing getting looser. I guess I just need to relax a little and just keep on ketoing on and then let it happen slowly.

It’s hard though. I remember being in my 20s and weight just melting off like butter!

PS And that bacon with mayo sounds delicious whoever said that! Maybe avocado mayo!

#35

You should not eat in a way that you feel as though you are starving yourself. There is nothing wrong with fasting at all. I fast as well. But when you DO decide to eat, you should eat what you want, within the keto guidelines. I eat a fulfilling salad most days. Sometimes I add a piece of baked salmon, or baked chicken. I eat almonds and cheese. But I don’t eat pork or beef. And before I eat sometimes, I may go walk around Wally world just to burn some fat. I’ve lost nearly 70 pounds since October.

#36

Wow that’s incredible!! That’s the kinda weight loss I would like!

Maybe there is something to no pork and beef in your diet! Do you eat cheese or dairy?

Great job on all your hard work!!

(The amazing autoimmune 🦄) #37

I have a similar amount of weight loss but I do eat pork and beef. YMMV.

#38

What are your secrets and what do you eat in a day typically? If you can give me an example. :slight_smile:

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #39

You should also be asking is this person male or female, how old, how much did they have to lose in the first place, etc, etc. We’re all coming from different places which is why this way of eating can be done in so many different ways with differing results. You’ve got people saying they’re going to fast until they lose 50 lbs and folks who eat three meals a day seeing loses.

#40

I eat 1/2 to 1 pound of cream cheese, 8-10 eggs, 3-5 slices of cheese, 20-40 slices of salami and a bag of pork rinds a day.