Cannot get into Keto

(Ryan White) #1

Hello Keto Friends I need your help and wisdom. I have to figure out what I am doing wrong

I have been trying to do the Keto diet for 2 weeks and I cannot get into Ketois. I have been testing using urine test strips, every test is negative. I haven’t lost a pound but maybe a few water lbs and I have not gone through any keto flu except maybe a slight headache. I need help to figure out what I am doing wrong. I have followed every guideline outlined by the “keto laws”. Can you help me figure out where I am going wrong. The only thing I haven’t tried yet is fasting for a full 24 hours. I will outline my stats and details below.

Age: 34
Weight: 235 lb
Height: 6’1"
BMI: 16%
Lifestyle, Active: 6 days workout, lifting and cardio

Meal 1:
Bullet Coffee

Meal 2:
Chicken
Necessary Fat
Veggies

Meal 3 post workout
Protein shake

Meal 4
Beef
Veggies
Necessary Fats

I am following the the suggested marcos of 5% carb / 20%protein / 75% fat, for me this turns into 180g Protein / 165g protein / under 20g Carbs. its around 2400 calories a day. I am doing IF starting at noon and last meal at 8. I track all my macros using a phone app. I hit them every day.

I do not cheat on diets, I do not care how bland they are I never add random flavorings. I count every carb and weight my food out. I do not add condiments that have hidden carbs, if I don’t know what’s in it I don’t eat it.

Friends I need someone to help point out what I am doing wrong. Can you help me?

Post edited to remove link - system does not like links being posted by new users and assumes they are spam.

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #2

If you are working out six days a week it’s possible you are using up your ketones and not losing any in urine. Have you tried testing numerous times, throughout the day?

You are in ketosis if you are that active and keeping carbs below 20 g a day. It’s possible you’re putting on muscle mass and negating the fat loss according to the scale.

Do you feel different, better?

Keep checking back, there are some folks who are as active as you and may have more info.

Edit: that protein shake listed catches my attention. What’s in it?

(Ryan White) #3

So I have been using Gold Standard whey protein so very low carb… I wonder if I need to add fat to it when I take it?

image

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #4

Are you hungry throughout the day? You are a big guy who works out often and it doesn’t seem like you’re eating much. Granted, I don’t know your serving sizes. You’re right, the shake doesn’t offer a lot of fat or calories.

(Ryan White) #5

Thought the day I seem to be fine I do not have any “cravings”. Yes the shake is only there for an after workout protein shot, then about an hour later is my last meal

(Allie) #6

Skip the shake and just eat a real meal PWO, and throw away the pee sticks as they’re useless. Focus on how you feel, keep carbs below 20g, when you’re hungry eat.

And try to relax, you’re stressing yourself out and that will be messing with cortisol. How’s your sleep? Salt intake?

(Ryan White) #7

Oh goodness sleep has been terrible, aside from peeing three or four times from the amount of water I am drinking falling asleep was been difficult, I am tired but am restless at the same time.

I an doing a high salt intake as suggested I am doing my best to get it from food but I add as I see fit

(Running from stupidity) #8

+1

Also, why is it that I’m “blunt”[1], and this wee English lass isn’t?

[1] not A blunt

#9

Whey is very insulinogenic. So you might want to consider whether that could be raising your insulin more than you would want for fat loss.

But also, imo, you’re to early into the process to really be thinking that you’re doing something wrong. It’s not a crash diet and doesn’t work the same for everyone.

(Carl Keller) #10

Hello and welcome Ryan.

Stress, vigorous workouts and poor sleep could very well be what’s keeping you from ketosis.

When cortisol (the stress hormone) is elevated, glucose is released into the bloodstream. What follows are higher levels of insulin as well. As blood glucose goes up, ketones go down and vice versa. Raising insulin will stop fat burning and keto-adaptation for the coming few hours, potentially even days

Constantly high levels of cortisol and insulin are catabolic to the body, meaning, they break down tissue for the production of energy. That’s why it’s a good idea to pay especially more attention to how you’re working out during your first few weeks of keto. You don’t want to put yourself through glycolytic workouts while not replenishing them with some fast absorbing glucose because the body will take that fuel from your valuable muscles and organs.

If you are doing 20 net carbs, you might consider trying 20 total carbs. This means less carbs from veggies but it may make enough difference for you to start seeing results.

(Allie) #11

As Carl says above, these things. They’re all different forms of stress that will likely be harming your progress. Ease up on yourself, stress is your enemy.

#12

Welcome,

Not everyone gets keto flu - so that’s nothing to go by.

If you’re totally sure you’ve sorted the basics out (especially the 20g carbs) - then:

  • Maybe just give it another week (unless you feel unwell).

  • Internal overgrowth of candida / yeast can be an issue, that stuff feeds on sugar. Keep starving it.

  • Medication can throw things off. I’m not saying you have any or you should stop any you might be on, but they can confuse matter.

  • As others have said, give that shake a miss. Protein powders can be taken but they can also have hidden sugar or wheat products in them

I reckon give another week … and let’s see how it goes.

#13

6’1" @ 235 seems like 2400cals a day is pretty damn low, that’s NOT adding in the fact you’re lifting 6 days/week! You’ll find many people are anti whey, except the people that lift. I wouldn’t worry about that but make sure your “necessary fats” are as much from real food as you can and not just dumping weird things in meals just because they’re fat. I’d also give the fasting a rest until you’re adapted. For now your body is trying to re-figure out it’s fuel source and not that efficient at burning fat yet, restricting meals on top of that typically doesn’t work well. I’ll agree with the ditching the pee sticks, sometime they work, sometimes they don’t. Not very reliable, especially as you adapt.

(Running from stupidity) #14

+1

(Allie) #15

I lift and am anti whey because it affects me badly.

(Janelle) #16

Welcome. I used to wake up what seemed like a million times a night. I take a Magnesium Citrate before bed and now sleep right through. It has the effect of keeping you “regular” as well (think Milk of Magnesia - same ingredient). Also consider whether you need as much water the second half of the day if it’s keeping you up at night.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #17

Okay. First, the urine strips are notoriously misleading. And all they measure is the amount of acetoacetate you’re wasting, in any case. They can be a good indication that your body is in fact producing ketones, but if you’ve been eating under 20 g/day of carbohydrates for two weeks and aren’t dead (you aren’t, are you? :grin:), you are producing ketones, ipso facto.

Next, at 6’1" and 235 lb. (187 cm and 106.8 kg) and 16% body fat, you are only a bit overweight. Weight loss will come slowly for you, since you have so little to lose. A ketogenic diet is a long-term process, not a quick fix. The primary benefit is restored metabolic health, and weight-normalization is a by-product.

Lastly, are you sure 2400 calories is enough? Are you eating to satiety? If so, then don’t worry about it; your body knows best. But if you are deliberately eating to a target, consider just eating as much (or as little) food as your body wants. At your size and activity level, err on the side of perhaps too much protein, rather than too little, and then fill up on fat—all while keeping carbohydrate under 20 g/day, of course. That way, your adipose tissue will be free to surrender fatty acids to be metabolized, and your body will be getting enough energy coming in to feel safe shedding the excess stored fat. But as I said, you don’t have that much to lose, so it will come off slowly.

ETA: Forgot to mention that measuring the ketones in your blood might give you some reassurance that you are in ketosis, but the ketone strips for a blood meter might be too pricey, compared to the urine strips, to be worth it.

(Frank) #18

235 lbs at 6’1” with 16% bf??? Damn. You’ve got some serious muscle mass on that skeleton if these numbers are right. I started my journey at 6’1” 235 lbs but that was 30+% bf. I’m around 16% bf now but maint at 185lbs. I’m not sure what I’d look like with 50 lbs of muscle on my frame.

#19

And that’s fine, when you’ve narrowed it down that whey specially has an issue with you that’s a different story. I got a buddy that can take whey all day but casein destroys him. My problem with the Whey hate is many people (from what I can tell, don’t use it) act and give advise like it’s HFCS or something. Ya, it can cause an insulin response, but not the “spike” that people always say.

#20

I don’t “hate” whey. But, in me, it DOES spike my insulin and causes my heart to race and I have an overall bad reaction. It’s likely because of my insulin resistance. So, for you, it may not spike, but over the years in the paleo forums, I’ve seen plenty of people (lifters) complain of insulin spikes or other problems with whey protein. If it’s not a problem for you, then ok. But there is no harm in mentioning the potential problems with it to someone who is trying to troubleshoot. Additionally, it’s good info for other people reading the thread.