Getting Fatter on keto

(KCKO, KCFO) #21

You might want to give Keto Woman podcast episode 37 a listen. It is by a T1D who thrives on vegan keto eating. She is also a MD, surgeon.

(Ron) #22

Remember that volume of fat is over twice the calories than protein and will fill you up faster. 4oz of protein is 160 calories, 4oz of fat is 360 calories and will reach satiety quicker. You have to replace the reduced grams of protein with increased grams of fat. Just reducing protein alone will obviously make you more hungry because of calorie reduction. This is why you see so much advice to eat more fat. I know it’s hard to go against the old ways that have been preached to us about fat being bad but this will really help and make the process of Keto work. Give it a try.:ok_hand:

(Amanda ) #23

Well, another week of keto and another new high weight on the scale. Measurements show i’m gaining weight around my stomach. So discouraged.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #24

And you are absolutely sure your carbs are under twenty grams? Are you testing ketone levels?

(Amanda ) #25

According to MFP, I am under 20 carbs a day, most days under 15.

I havent tested ketone levels. I kept reading that the strips weren’t reliable.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #26

Well, the strips do work in the beginning. Just to know if you are in or out, but factors like dehydration can give you a darker reading. Do a search for the breathalyzers. They are very cheap and some forum members swear by them. Many also use blood monitors, but those can be pricey and the test strips are pricey as well. How long have you been doing Keto?

(Empress of the Unexpected) #27

Oh, sorry, I see you are at 14 weeks. You could still try the strips just to get a yes or no answer. Some members still turn the strips a dark color a year later.

(Diane) #28

Other things beside being or not being in ketosis can affect weight loss and body recomposition. Stress and not getting enough sleep, underlying health issues like hypothyroidism (low thyroid function), etc.

One thing I’ve tried which really seems to help is to supplement with ginger root capsules. It purportedly helps regulate the stress hormone cortisol. It helped me lose inches around my lower belly and thighs, even without weight loss.

I also started supplementing with magnesium which helped improve the quantity and quality of my sleep.

Just a couple of thoughts which came to mind when reading this thread.

Good luck!

(KCKO, KCFO) #29

All of this makes me think you are not getting enough fats.

It is also hard to stay under 20 gr of carbs if you are eating much dairy and nuts.

Try cutting back on the higher carb veggies too. Cauliflower and broccoli can cause bloating.

Are you using soy products? They can be problematic as well.

You might want to look at alternatives to keto, like paleo or Whole30, many thrive on those WOE as well. Not everyone thrives on keto. It is also not a weight loss diet, it is a healthy eating lifestyle for many people. You were well within your normal range to begin with, if you are gaining weight now, you might take a deep dive into any food sensitivities you might have. Whole30 is a good starting point to find sensitivities.

You can never rule out stress factor if not losing. Any injuries, are you facing other life challenges currently?

If you have been eating low calories for a long time on CICO WOE, then your body might need to do some healing. Calorie counting for YEARS kept me yoyoing up and down. Keto cured me of being obsessed with them, and I found fasting after a few months of eating keto and I finally got to my goal, and have maintained it for over a year now.

All the best sorting out what really works for you.

#30

Thank you, I did not know this. Though I tend to like cauliflower more than broccoli, I wasn’t aware it could cause bloating. … I did feel somewhat bloated one day last week, but will be keeping this in mind next time.

Thanks.

(Amanda ) #31

Thank you both for your thoughts!

I take a magnesium supplement at night. My sleeping has never been better, so that is a huge win. I am in a very high stress work environment that won’t change any time soon, so i wonder if that is the culprit.

The keto breathalyzers look pretty expensive. I haven’t heard much about those.

I did order some keto strips so maybe that can tell me more about this story??

(Empress of the Unexpected) #32

Some of the keto breath monitors are pricey, but I have seen some on Amazon for under $20.

(KCKO, KCFO) #33

Here is the lengthy thread about cheap breathalyzers. I have a Greenwon, was about $10 from Amazon. It really helped me keep on track the first few months. Later after I started fasting a lot I found I didn’t need to use it too much I pretty much could tell if I was in ketosis or not. I still test from time to time if I haven’t fasted in the last few days.

(Amanda ) #34

So I got the keto stix and tested last night at 5pm, which showed trace keto.

Then I tested this morning after a natural 12 hour fast (6pm to 6am) and keto sticks showed no ketos.

Now, I’m 4 months into keto so will ketostix still show much?

(KCKO, KCFO) #35

I found they are only good at letting you know if you are dehydrated or not. Some people say they work for them, but that wasn’t my case.

Have you checked out the thread linked to message just above yours?

(Amanda ) #36

Yes, but when I looked online, the breathalyzers were really expensive, except for a few models that folks rated pretty badly. $50 and up.

(KCKO, KCFO) #37

The thread mentions several under $20. You want the old school cheap ones, you only need the acetone, not the alcohol detection. Newer more expensive models don’t even record acetone.

Greenwon worked and continues to work well for me. I pretty much know when I am in a higher state of ketosis. It is really measuring the stuff your body didn’t use as fuel. So really high numbers are a sign you are not burning ketones as fuel. Don’t chase super high numbers. Aim for nutritional ketosis. This info from Ketosummit.com might be helpful for you.
https://ketosummit.com/optimal-ketone-levels-for-ketogenic-diet

(Amanda ) #38

Fantastic info - thank you!!

(Leslie) #39

I’m really sorry that you are still struggling. I was hoping that by now everything would be falling into place for you.
Try not to get discouraged. I can imagine that you must be feeling frustrated and are just trying to stay motivated to continue.
I wonder if there’s not an underlying issue, as already suggested by several others here.

My first thoughts are about inflammatory processes and food sensitivity/allergies.
Did you give up the nuts and dairy? Many people are allergic to one or the other or both. There are some nuts that are very high in phytic acid which causes damage to our microbiome and may lead to inflammation of the intestinal tract and leaky gut.

Perhaps consider doing some research on anti-inflammatory foods. The are two doctors I have found on the web that offer some real nutrition solutions to inflammation. One is Josh Axe and the other is Eric Berg.

I personally don’t have gut problems but I did experience some issues related to inflammation and completely resolved those with their advice just by adding the right vegetables and fermented teas to my regime.

How are you doing with food prep? Are you still using processed dressings, mayo, margarine, cheeses, coffee creamers, seed or corn oils? Do you use apple cider vinegar in your water?

This process can be highly personal to individual needs. For some it requires working backwards. I have known some who needed to do a complete elimination diet and reintroduce one food at a time over the course of weeks or months in order to figure out which one(or ones)is the culprit.

Try to stay positive and calm
Keep coming back here, we will help. We want to help

(Leslie) #40

Right after leaving that post, I heard this podcast episode and about jumped out of my skin because it’s like she’s speaking to you, I think anyway.

https://overcast.fm/+K1gGMPAgc

Let me know if the format doesn’t work and I’ll try to link it in another way