Help. I’m actually gaining weight!

(Renee Slaughter) #3

This happened to me my 1st month in this year. I gained 5 lbs. But keto is about healing first. Your protein seems a little high. Are you working out? How many calories are you eating? BTW the second month in the lbs came off. Keep calm and keto on.

(Chris W) #4

Were you heavy carb burner before you started this WOE? You are spilling a lot of ketones pretty early, which would indicate to me you were not.

Have you noticed other changes?

We don’t normally use % but the general rule of thumb is keep carbs under 20g(net). Macro’s are easy to figure out based in grams.

You may also be putting muscle mass on, which is common and of course they weigh more than fat.

(Ruth) #5

Yesterday I ate 2 scrambled eggs with 1 tbsp butter, some dry cured pork sausage for lunch and a cheeseburger casserole for dinner (minced beef, cream cheese, spinach and arugula) I had 1339 calories. I work out 2-3 times a week. I try and fast until lunchtime. My pee sticks indicated ketosis early evening. I drink lots of water. I was very carb heavy before.

(Dan Dan) #6

To order to assist you please give your height, weight and an example of a days meals, snacks and drinks.

(Adam Kirby) #7

If you’re not gaining inches around your waist or your clothes aren’t fitting tighter then this weight gain is irrelevant. It’s likely water, although people have been known to gain lean mass on keto even without exercising. Probably water though. Your macros sound fine, definitely a case of Keep Calm and Keto On.

(Dan Dan) #8

It’s rare to gain body fat or muscle on a calorie restricted diet :thinking:

it’s more likely your retaining water and food. It takes time for the body to adapt to a new way eating.

(Ruth) #9

I am 178 cm tall, weigh 196lbs

I usually eat scrambled egg for breakfast with 1 tbsp butter (2 eggs) I like tuna and mayonnaise salad for lunch, 1 tin of tuna mixed with mayonnaise, 4 cherry tomatoes, about 2 inches of cucumber, spinach and lettuce with olive oil dressing. For dinner it could be pork chop with green beans and garlic butter or the chicken casserole from dietdoctor (40ml heavy cream, 1 tsp green pesto, 150g chicken breast, 1/2 tbsp butter, 75g cauliflower, 1/6 leek, 20g cherry tomatoes, 35g shredded cheese. I drink 4-5 bottles of 700ml water a day. I have 100ml full fat milk in black tea. I track my macros on carb manager.

Yesterday my macros were 4% net carbs 14g 58 calories 68% fat97g 874 calories 28% protein 89g 357 calories.

I am using recipes from Keto cookbooks and don’t feel hungry so no snacking

I really appreciate all your help

(Dan Dan) #10

Some on a ketogenic diet will experience retention of water and food in addition to slower elimination.

To help add fermented foods, apple cider vinegar, potassium, magnesium :smiley:

(Dan Dan) #11

Also calorie restriction is not recommended until you are fat adapted and then the preferred method is fasting because it doesn’t lower the metabolism :smiley:

(What The Fast?!) #12

I’ve been keto for a year and don’t lose even when I restrict. For some people, there is a LOT of healing to be done first. You also may food intolerances that are causing issues. Have you tried taking out common allergens like dairy or eggs? I would KCKO for a couple weeks and then if nothing is happening, try taking out those foods.

Also, I would start tracking/writing down what you eat and how you feel. That will help identify if there are any problem foods.

(Chris W) #13

The macros I came up with put you pretty far south of were you should be, I took the liberty of guessing BF at 27%, but you should be more in line with 1800-1900 calories.

151g of fat
129g of protien
.9 lean mass for protien since you exercise a couple times a week.
We typically don’t count calories you find many people here who do not find it useful, I find it counterproductive.
If you calorie restrict esp before you completely keto adapt all you are going to do is make you metabolism slower. At fat adaption you will be much more flexible to cut back on fat. The idea currently is for you to get the machinery moving full swing.

And dump the milk and look into fatty cuts not lean cuts like pork chops and chicken breasts.

(Rob) #14

Your basic TDEE at lightly active would be about 2200kcal +/- 5-10% so you are pretty much starving yourself. It is surprising that you are not hungry but I’ll take your word for it. It might mean that have wrecked your metabolism by previous calorie restriction, or a genetic oddity or your mind is telling your body this is enough. I would ignore the pee sticks, since they only show ketones spilled/wasted so its good that you are making them but not yet using them very efficiently. I would expect you to lose weight by calorie restriction alone but that you haven’t may suggest that your body is rebelling in some way. Probably storing water.

Ideas:

  1. You mention drinking water but are you getting your electrolytes - salt, potassium, magnesium. Most people need to supplement. See the keto-ade link above.
  2. Increase the calories up towards 2000 and give it a chance. It seems counter intuitive but keto works by feeding it well and healing the metabolism before it can start burning lots of fat.

It is a bit of a brain twister but in 3 weeks all kinds of strange things can happen. KCKO (eat more :grin:)

(Steve ricci ) #15

Me too after a few weeks, i Just kept following the rules and trusted whay i was doing.

(8 year Ketogenic Veteran) #16

THIS.
Eat more, specifically fat. Right now you’re teaching your body to use fat as its main fuel so definitely increase the fat with your meals. What several people are telling you is correct, keto is not about calorie restriction. It’s actually very hormonal and in order to access your body fat stores you need to keep your insulin down. Insulin is a hormone. In order for all of our hormones to function properly on the ketogenic diet, we need to eat a proper amount of fat.
So add cheese and mayonnaise to your hamburger, pour olive oil over your bowl of chopped avocados, cook some heavy cream or cream cheese into your eggs. Add fat wherever you get the opportunity especially during this adaptation phase.
And try to stay off the scale. Go by how your clothes fit and how you feel. Be sure to supplement plenty of salt or your body will retain water.

(Ruth) #17

Tha you’re being generous, I would say at least 35% fat :pensive::pensive:

(Leslie) #18

I would not be surprised if you are consuming too few calories and too little fat. My recommendation is to do some more research about metabolic set points and perhaps consult a keto minded nutritionist.
I hope you find this helpful
Keep calm and keto on

(Ruth) #19

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Now I’m concerned for my cholesterol but I’m getting the fats up

(Hoteski) #20

Milk is high in carbs … Can you switch it to cream or almond milk unsweetened

(Hoteski) #21

Try ashwaganda drops and maca powder once a day . This helped me when I was about a month in and things seem to be going in the wrong direction . They are adaptogenic and help your body adapt to the diet

(Chris W) #22

So one thing that many of us have learned is that conventional medical wisdom is flawed on several fronts when it comes to standard health markers. The only one they have seemed to get right is glucose level in my mind, but that is a different topic…

I think most would tell you here to ignore cholesterol, I know I am.
When it comes to fat the most important things in my mind are:
Not being inflammatory(the seed oils), not being hydrogenated(also the seeds oils), and varying the types to get a balance from SCT,MCT,and LCT.
Then I go for taste, but the longer I am at this the more I really like the taste of fats.