High fat day...then weight gain!

(Ellen ) #1

Yesterday I ate an exceptionally high fat diet. Cheese and bacon omelet with lots bacon grease. Then bone broth for lunch and a large fatty short rib for dinner. My blood ketones were 1.4, blood glucose 79 before bed. I thought "this is great ". I wasn’t hungry after 5:30pm. Then the worst night sleep occurred. Stomach pain that was unbelievable. TMI: This morning my poop was white and I gained 3lbs. What’s going on??? Keto has me so frustrated. 4 and 1/2 months in and I just don’t know what I’m doing!! Can someone please help me? So frustrated and exhausted.

(Marianne) #2

Please hang in there. Looking at what you ate, I don’t see anything wrong with it whatsoever. Not sure why you had a bad night’s sleep and upset stomach (?). I find that I won’t go for 2-3 days, and then whenever I do go, I may have mild diahreaha. It doesn’t concern me.

How much weight have you lost? How often do you weigh? Are you eating enough, or are you at the point where you naturally don’t have to? What do you normally eat in a day?

I would imagine at 4.5 months in, you must have a plan that is workable to you (?). What worked for me is I don’t weigh myself and I don’t measure my ketones, glucose or anything else. I realize that this is difficult for a lot of people because they use these things to determine whether what they are doing is working or not. I know I am losing weight by my clothes and how I look. I detest the scale. It can be so discouraging. In fact, I would bet that the three pounds you gained are temporary and will disappear as quickly as they appeared. If you are eating less than 20 g carbs a day (or even less if you can), and getting enough fat, then you are in ketosis. For me, like the scale, measuring ketones or blood glucose can be unduly discouraging, too - if your numbers aren’t where you think they should be. Can you try to do without both for a few weeks?

Good luck.

#3

Most short-term weight fluctuation is a simple change in water retention and digestive tract contents. It takes time to lose (or gain) pounds of fat (or muscle).

Unless your portions were huge, it really doesn’t sound like that much food. Or really all that much calories or fat?

I have trouble believing the results of one day out of over 4 months is what is getting you frustrated. But without vital stats, macros, and so forth, it would be hard for anyone to help. An electrolyte imbalance can cause me pains and discomfort.

Have you computed your macros and tracked them? That would probably be more helpful than measuring and tracking ketones.

(Ellen ) #4

Thanks for the quick reply Marianne. My weight last May when I started Keto was 176lbs. As of last Monday I was 161.8lbs. This morning 165lbs. I do weigh daily to keep myself in check and motivated. I haven’t cheated in 2.5 months and then it was a couple of beers, but no more alchohol in my like thanks to Keto. Weight loss is slow so I thought I’d through something different into my eating schedule, ie: very high fat. Most days I eat a cheese, asparagus, and bacon omelet. Meat lunch and early dinner of prime rib and cauliflower. Lately I’ve been able to do just lunch and dinner. Today I still feel like I’ll never eat again and it’s close to noon. Maybe it’s water…who knows. Just feeling frustrated. I need to lose 25lbs to be <25% BMI.

(Ellen ) #5

Thanks Ogre. I haven’t calculated Macros. I think that would make me bonkers. I just make sure my daily eating carb content is low. I eat basically the same things every day. So I’m sure Macros are in the proper range.

(Marianne) #6

Hmmm; seems like you are eating appropriately. Again, I don’t know why your high fat meal would have caused your upset stomach. Maybe I’m wrong, but I would look at this (stomach issues and weight gain ) as an anomaly. Part of the weight gain could be where you are in your cycle.

I do think you were wise to incorporate something different into your plan (eating very high fat one day - actually, are you eating enough fat every day?) You want to avoid homeostatis by not eating the same or similar every day (type, quantity and/or frequency).

I’ve never tried it, but others here have mentioned doing an egg fast for like three days to speed up their weight loss or break a stall.

I am going to Aruba in December and sure would like to lose at least ten pounds - should be very doable, but I haven’t been losing as much lately (probably because of too much champagne). Not going to sweat it, though. After fifty years of dieting, I just don’t want to worry about what I’m eating, how much I’m losing or how fast (or slow), if I’m doing it “right,” etc. It’s working.

(Ellen ) #7

:blush: I hear you Marianne. Worrying isn’t going to get me anywhere. I’ll see what tomorrow brings.

('Jackie P') #8

White poop isn’t normal and is due to a lack of bile. It would be my guess that you have a blocked bile duct, maybe due to a gallstone. This would explain the pain as the gallbladder contracts when we eat fat in order to express bile. Go easy on the fat until you know whats wrong with you.
I would advise you to go and see your Dr for a scan and blood tests.
Good luck I wish you well.

(Ellen ) #9

Thank you Jackie. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow to review labs and my CAC scan. I’m definitely going to ease up on my fat intake. Yesterday was way too much! I’m not in pain today. I think I just over did the fat yesterday although my satiety was great with yesterday’s plan. I could definitely do longer IF if my high fat diet had worked. I can’t seem to go long periods without eating like so many successful people here are able to do. Very jealous. :blush:

('Jackie P') #10

I’m glad you are seeing the Dr. Mention the white poop, it doesn’t mean the end of keto, but it does need investigating.
Please let us know how you get on.:blush:

(Ellen ) #11

All is well again @CrackerJax, @OgreZed, @gingersmommy. BM are normal. Liver enzymes good. Thank you all for such good advice and concern.

(Marianne) #12

That is a relief - I am glad for you. Back to eating full fat!!!

:grin:

(Ellen ) #13

Lol…yes ma’am!