Help - why can’t I stay in ketosis while eating keto


#1

Hi All,

I have been eating Keto since, June 2018 there have been few short periods including over Christmas when I fell off the wagon so to speak. I haven’t always tracked my food but have been last 10days because, even though I have been eating keto my weightloss has stalled.
This week I have adjusted my macros the last week to lower carbs to 8g fat and increase protein although not really managed this.

I have been checking my blood sugars and ketones as well the last two weeks and have sporadically.
I only get over 0.5 the highest was 0.7 and usually about 0.3. This is same since I got monitor in october 18, but I did get 1.0 once.

My blood sugars are usually 4.5 on avarage but vary from 3.7 - 5.2

I am 36 year old female
I started at 246lb
I am currently 209lb
Last week couple weeks lost .5lb each

My avaerges daily are:
Carbs - 16g
Fats - 115g
Proteins - 115g
Calories - 1600cal

So my question is what am I doing wrong? Why am I unable to stay over 0.5 ketones and why I am struggling to loose weight given how much I have to loose.

Thanks in advance.


(Karen) #2

I’m going to toss out some of the things most people say. They might be helpful, and they might work. If your carbs or net carbs consider counting total carbs. Watch out for sweeteners.
Consider reducing your protein and increasing your fat
I’m not sure if these will help but you could give it a try


(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #3

Also, you are still losing weight, and it’s only been a couple of weeks since your weight loss rate slowed, so that doesn’t really count as a “stall.” It’s really more in the range of normal variation. I wouldn’t worry just yet. I’ve seen many posts by people who’d be happy to lose as much as a half a pound a week. Keep calm, and keto on, you’re fine.


(bulkbiker) #4

That’s fine you are in ketosis why are you worried?..
If you just want the numbers to be higher fast for 3 days…


#5

Ah that should have read, I rarely get over 0.5 and once got 0.7. But usually get 0.3 as averge. Yesterday was 0.1.

So even if under 0.5 is that still in ketosis I keep reading it needs to be higher than that.
Thanks


#6

Yeah I guess I should be greatful, I just feel like it is so slow and has been since end first month (water weight no doubt). I have so much more weight to loose and feel like I must be doing something wrong as it’s so slow, plus still not convinced I’m feeling these other keto benifits of energy, sharp mind and such. Well I’ll KCKO And keep my fingers crossed. Thanks


#7

Ah yeah that is net carbs, I’ll keep eye on those total.
I decreased my fat and increased protein recently because thought maybe was eating to much fat and just burning that. It’s so hard to know. :man_facepalming:
Thanks


#8

0.5 mmol/l is where Phinney and Volek report nutritional ketosis starts, which is a fine goal.
They also have indicated around 1.0 mmol/l - 3.0 mmol/l is where the better benefits seem to be, but benefits start at 0.5.

There’s some talk about that number decreasing depending on the measurement system with adaptation for various reasons, but hard to say whether that’s a factor here.

Above suggestions are very valid and good advice to start with. Sounds like things are going about as expected though.


#9

Well that would explain why not feeling those effects. Thank you. Do ketone numbers usually increase over time so in two months likely to be much higher?

Thanks


#10

I don’t know for certain on that one.

Over a short period of time, I think so, but after a bit, I thought it largely stabilizes unless other things change (or unless you are a type 1 diabetic, in which case it may become a problem). But, it also depends on the measurement system. Many report the keto stix or whatever reducing in showing ketones after adaptation, because that’s largely measuring ketones in the wrong place. Blood and breath measurements though? Not sure how that fluctuates over time, other than when I did breath measurements it was usually pretty high anyway.


#11

Do you have an idea of your lean body mass?

That protein number seems pretty high unless you only have 20% bodyfat (around “Atheletes” percentage for women, as far as I can tell), and even then would be on the higher end of recommendations.


#12

I believe it has just dropped to 30% started at 42% I think new just top end of average. Defo not an athlete. I try to go by 1g per kilo of body weight but do often find myself at 1.2g per kilos.


(Bunny) #13

You don’t want higher ketones, why would you want acidic blood that stresses out your respiratory oxygen intake?

I would really start to worry if I was seeing consistently high ketones.

Ketone chasers never cease to amaze me!


#14

209 lb is 94.8 kg

94.6kg x 0.7 = 66.46kg (lean body mass)

115g protein / 66.46 kg lean body mass = 1.7 g protein / kg lean body mass.

You’re doing 1.7 right now. That’s pretty high.


#15

Omg I thought was total body mass!!!
:man_facepalming:
Thank you


#16

1.0 - 3.0 mmol/l is considered optimal range for performance and other benefits according to Phinney and Volek’s research. above 5 mmol/l last I heard they weren’t convinced held any extra benefit.

Typically, once adapted people in this range seem to need less oxygen for whatever reason (possibly because the oxygen is heavier in use for use with glucose).


#17

I thought higher ketones were what you needed to show you are in ketosis!! So confused :confounded:


#18

Yea, that can be pretty confusing. Years ago, a lot of places would also say it was 1g per pound too, which was very misleading too.


(Bunny) #19

The answer I would follow:

Nice answer!


(bulkbiker) #20

Personally I’d say if you are registering ketones you are in ketosis period.