So I’ve been doing keto for about 6 weeks. I had an I ital loss of 12 lbs. Feeling great! I had one chest day but got right back on it and was feeling wonderful. This week I’ve regained those 12 lbs and feel horribly. I’ve been really strict with my macros from MFP and getting me steps in 7k with my Garmin. I’ve been under 1600 calories for 6 weeks. I feel like crap and I know I wanna push through it but it’s really tough. My husband has been on it the same length of time and has lost 16 lbs and you can see the weightloss. I’m really discouraged…
Discouraged
Baytowvin
(TJ Borden)
#2
For the first couple months, the only macro that really matters is keeping your carbs to 20g or less a day. Stop counting calories for now. Your first goal is to get fat adapted. Once you get there, THEN you can look more at macros, although I don’t think calories are ever super important.
Focusing on calories this early will work against you and if you’re taking in less than your BMR, your metabolism will slow and you won’t reap the benefits of keto.
cwemmons
(Tina Emmons)
#3
I feel your pain! I have been strictly keto and fasting like a fool for 12 weeks and have 2 pounds I could tell you about losing! I have never had such a poor result on any eating plan, including losing 60 lbs on Atkins back in the day and steadily losing 3 pounds a week on LCHF last summer. I’m waiting for fat adaptation tho I have no clue how I’ll know. The general wisdom here has been, took a long time to get here and takes time to heal and start working. I don’t think I would have survived without the forum. I have now seen many stories like ours. My only advice from what you’ve said is your calories are low. That’s probably barely above your BMR and possibly acting as calorie restriction for you. You probably need more like 2,000 but counting calories doesn’t usually have a good result. Just watch your carbs and eat as much fat as you want…for now. Personally, I’m going to dive into some EF. Starting a 5-day tomorrow hoping to shake things up!
Naomihelfrich
(Naomi Helfrich)
#4
Thank you I will try to adjust that. I’m so frustrated that I lost so much and then gained it back. Thanks!
Jyjec
(Eric Clément)
#5
Doctor Fung had some really interesting facts on His obesity podcast about calorie counting and caloric deficit in the yo-yo dieting episode maybe you should listen to it. I find the more info I have the better I can prepare myself
Vicky_Ockwell
(Vicky Jane Ockwell)
#6
Awe…that’s hard…hope you feel a lot better soon.
The Keto for women show with Shawn Maynar is AMAZING. I think you will find some wonderful help and encouragement there 
Bombera77
(Michelle Curtis Pippin)
#7
Did you gain all 12 lbs back in one week? If so, something else might be going on. Do you have existing issues with fluid retention?
240lbfatloss
(Ken)
#8
Be patient. Women are a little different due to hormonal issues. IMO, water retention is a larger issue as well, so results on the scale take longer to appear. A one pound fat loss per week is reasonable, but is easily hidden. That means around 60lbs. in a year, or about 10 gallons.
Naomihelfrich
(Naomi Helfrich)
#9
I gained them all back over 2 weeks. I’ve been drinking about 96 oz of water a day, maybe a little less. I’m gonna try to up my calorie intake as well as my father. I’m not sure I’m actually getting enough fat. I’ve been trying to stick to the MFP information but I think I need to tweek it. Thank you for your help.
240lbfatloss
(Ken)
#10
It wasn’t fat you gained back. It wasn’t fat you lost in the first place. You initially lost water and glycogen. Your regain was the same thing, unless you went back to massive, chronic Carb intake. If you were strict, then it was only water. This is a common beginner issue, understanding that your body doesn’t flux fat like that, it’s only possibly water, unless you’ve switched back to eating carbs.
It is because of this that most weight loss commercials never say you’ll lose fat, only weight, as they’re counting on initial glycogen depletion to move the scale at first. Real fat loss takes time, but for people really fat/deranged it can be more rapid at first.
