Happy but Confused


#1

So my weight has bounced back up once again for unknown reasons and it was very discouraging to see that happen again (it basically evens out to 1-2 lbs lost over almost 8 weeks of strict Keto now, reminder I have over 70+lbs to lose). Back on April 16th (10 days ago), I took measurements for 10 areas of my body (being much more careful this time for consistency and ease of future measuring).

I am super happy that I have lost the following inches:
1/4 inch from chest (mid-chest)
1 inch from under breasts
1 inch from natural waistline
1/2 inch from waist/butt below belly button
1/2 inch from both left arm and right arm

I am confused though, because I thought you lose inches from the fattest area first! By far my tummy and inner thighs seem to be the very fattest and largest in proportion to the rest of my figure…but those are the areas that haven’t budged. I am really glad now that I am measuring though, I can see why some people lose even inches, but don’t feel different in their clothes that much…maybe it is where the inches are being lost, if I had lost all those inches in my tummy for instance, my pants would be noticeably baggy. I wonder if it is the insulin resistance that is holding the fat on tummy/thighs…it would make sense with what I’ve heard on 2KetoDudes for the stomach getting fat with IR and I have had discoloration on inner thighs since childhood (a tan area associated with PCOS or IR).


(Jody) #2

I think it’s our hormones as ‘ladies’. I have always lost weight from my stomach first … that’s not happening this time. It’s coming off my hips/thighs. I am also 49, so big hormonal changes going on.


(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #3

I’m glad you’re losing fat. Since you are not losing weight, it’s likely that you have actually put on few pounds of lean muscle or have increased your bone density, so congratulations on that, too.

Body composition seems to be a complicated subject. In my case, my body seems to be in reverse, losing fat in the reverse order of its arrival. That means I can expect to have a big belly right up to the end, I guess (heavy sigh).


#4

I guess the silver lining is this is PROGRESS to celebrate…and I don’t have to spend $ on new pants yet (but will happily do so of course when the time comes :grin:


#5

It could be that the belly fat is not visceral, that is inside near the organs, but rather subcutaneous? Also, the fat and the IR could be co-symptoms of an inflammatory condition which could indicate a reaction to one or more foods reacting badly in your gut.

Have you tried eliminating certain food groups like dairy or nuts etc to see if you have a sensitivity?


#6

I have learned that certain dairy products are very inflammatory for me like cottage cheese, cow’s milk, and cheddar cheese. I seem to tolerate smaller amounts of parmesan cheese, sour cream, HWC, and cream cheese. I have digestive issues with most nuts and nightshade veggies/plants…I have started having issues now with oral reactions to tomatillos (am allergic to tomatoes) and jalapeños seem to be becoming problematic too :pleading_face:


#7

Wow. Maybe start with the very basics like meat and eggs to see if that helps, then add stuff back in later?


#8

Yes, all of my food allergies seemed to pop up out of nowhere a few years back first with bananas, then peanut butter, then tomatoes, and from there it was mostly just additional nightshades I was reacting to like paprika. Besides the oral reaction I will get intense joint pain within 10-20 min especially in my feet. I was tested for Lyme and most autoimmune issues because my CRP and ESR was very high. They never did find a reason. I think I may need to do what you suggest and go very basic for a while and then slowly add things back :blush:


(Jody) #9

I had a period a few years ago, after a very stressful even in my life, my gut went to hell and I actually ended up malnourished and anemic because I wasn’t absorbing anything. I had to get a functional doctor to help me put all the puzzle pieces together because my regular doctor just wanted to throw drugs at it. I had to cut out certain foods while I took the time to heal my gut, now I feel like I have a gut of steel.


(Carl Keller) #10

I’ve read about experts who have tried to target weight loss in specific areas of the body and all have failed to produce or observe a consistent result. It seems our bodies will do what they want.

Personally I would expect what fat we lose first would typically depend on how fat we are. If we have exceeded our personal fat threshold, which is the amount of fat we can store in our adipose tissue, our bodies start storing fat in places it doesn’t normally belong… so it makes sense to me that the overflow storage of fat should be burned first.

Let’s say my belly is my personal fat warehouse. Once that warehouse is filled to capacity, incoming goods are stored where ever they can be stuffed… and then when demand increases, the storage areas outside of the warehouse are most likely going to be emptied first. Why? Because that’s what any good warehouse manager would do.

I believe all bets are off if someone hasn’t reached their fat threshold.


#11

I hadn’t thought of that, but it does make a lot of sense :+1:


(Jane- Old Inky Crone) #12

@BeStill Wow, I never met anyone else who was allergic to bananas. People look at me like I have 2 heads when I tell them that. I’m also very allergic to latex, bananas are closely related.


(Full Metal KETO AF) #13

I think you should try a low lectin Keto Diet for a while to see what happens. Nightshades and dairy are high lectin foods and that may be the issue. In any case looking into a low lectin diet is worth your time, and may shed some light on your food sensitivity issues. I hope things get better for you soon. :cowboy_hat_face:


#14

Thank you so much David, I actually did not remember that dairy was high lectin, I feel like my body is telling me to lay off the dairy :tired_face: Now I need to listen. Do you know if butter and HWC fall under the high lectin category? Or is it any/all dairy?


#15

My sisters-in-law has a sensitivity to raw bananas, but can eat banana bread, etc. I’ve warned her though that’s how it started for me…first raw bananas were an issue then eventually I reacted heavily to anything with the smallest amount of banana in it. I used a natural baking mix pre-Keto and felt like I had chewed on glass for days, only found out after the mix contained banana flour (at that time I didn’t even know that was a thing lol).


(Full Metal KETO AF) #16

No they don’t because the milk has been removed. If you really want to minimize buy or make ghee instead of butter.

I get a brand of cream that Cronometer actually confirms as zero carb in any amount that I log. Humbolt Creamery Organic Cream. I live in California and don’t know where it’s available. However I have found that regular grocery store whipping cream usually has some milk content listed in ingredients along with carrageenan or other gum to help it retain the viscosity that cream is supposed to have, hence carb content in what should be a zero carb single ingredient food. You can try looking for cream in a store that carries organic foods like a health food store if it’s no available where you’re shopping now. Trace amounts shouldn’t be an issue usually unless you have an actual allergy. Oh and you also mentioned peanuts. One of the 8 major food allergies.

image

:frowning:


#17

I might give ghee a try :thinking: