Hey everyone!
I’ve been doing keto for roughly 4 months now and have been loving it. I’ve incorporated a 16/8 IF most days with a few 3-5 day fasts mixed in as well. I’ve been listening to a lot of podcasts that talk about fasting vs feasting, and making sure you eat enough on the feasting days. I’ve also heard these podcasts talk about really feasting and taking in enough calories in order to prevent metabolic damage. As someone who was an eternal yo-yo dieter before keto, I assume I would have some damage already. Since going keto, I’ve only lost ten pounds, though I definitely look slimmer. I’m 5’10”, plateaued at 174, and have always been a little more muscular as well. My question here is how do you guys take in enough calories, and is undereating something I should be concerned about? I’ve tried keto coffee in the morning with 1-2 tablespoons each of butter, hwc, and mct oil, and dinner will be a bun-less burger with cheese, broccoli, and sometimes bacon. If not that, then I’ll scramble some eggs with butter or bacon and melt cheese on top. My calories are always around 1100 or less, though my bmr according to online calculators is closer to 1800. The common them is to eat fat to satiety, though I feel like I’m over eating and overly stuffed at such a calorie deficit already; that is, I really only feel hungry enough for one smaller meal a day. From everything that I’ve read and listened to I’m assuming this undereating is the reason I haven’t been able to lose more than the ten pounds. If so, how do I go about fixing my metabolism in order to be able to eat more without feeling sick?
Fasting vs Feasting and Metabolic Damage
BPC or what you call “Keto coffee” can easily be 800-900 calories itself. On my feasting days I just make sure to eat lots of fat and not over do the protein. I also stick to 2 meals and avoid snacking at all costs.
I hear you, it’s very confusing the advice not to undereat. BUT, as I asked this same question a dozen different ways the advice that seemed more important was not to eat if you aren’t hungry. If you are slowing your metabolism you will have more symptoms than just slowed weight loss, such as feeling cold, depressed, increased hair loss. You might have a day where your appetite knows no bounds! For me it’s always changing. The last pounds are notoriously hard to lose, but it sounds like you are doing everything right. KCKO!
Ya, I agree with not eating if you aren’t hungry. It’s the same mechanism we are trying to relearn which is to listen to our bodies and eat when hungry and stop when full. I too have a tendency to have some really low calorie days. I’m not sure why this is. It does fluctuate so I assume my body just needs different things different days. I am trying to do good quality feasting on my eating days and that’s just the best I can do. I’m not going to force it. Since I know it’s going to be little in volume I make sure it is quality meat and fat and fillers such as salad are omitted.
I noticed that you are 5’-10 and 174. So, you’re pretty darn tall. I’m 5’-6 and the same weight and I’m not super overweight so I imagine you as well aren’t too far above your goal weight. I mention this because you say you’ve only lost 10 pounds but the last 10-15-20 pounds are the hardest and slowest to come off. I wonder if this may be closer to the reason for your plateau than metabolic damage. If I’m right, I guess my thoughts aren’t much help so I’d say just KCKO.