You guys. I know, I know the answer is KCKO. But I am insanely frustrated.
I started keto almost 3 months ago now and have not lost a single pound (I think I’m actually UP 1-2 lbs), nor do my clothes fit any looser. In fact, some of them fit TIGHTER.
Am I fat adapted? Yes, I feel strongly that I am, based on my workouts/not having to fuel on my bike. I’m also monitoring ketones (some days via blood, some days via cheap breathalyzer) and I’m generally between 0.6 and 0.8. I get up higher (1.5-2.5) if I do extended fasts or long, strenuous endurance rides.
Since starting keto, things have been a bit of a calamity for me…a comedy of errors if you will.
- Two weeks in, I burned myself with near-boiling water and got severe 2nd degree burns. It took 3 weeks to heal (just for the wounds to close) and I had to take that time off the gym as well.
- Four weeks after that, I was traveling out of state and caught a bad cold.
- 2 days after that, I had to get an emergency root canal (actually they had to re-do a root canal from 10 years ago, but that’s besides the point).
I can’t tell if I’m not losing weight because a.) I’m doing something wrong, b.)there’s something inherently wrong with me in general, or if c.) it’s because my body has had to deal with all these weird things that it’s not used to (healing burns, dealing with a cold, and recovering from a root canal).
I’m also frustrated because I’m not experiencing all these great side effects that everyone talks about…
I have always had great, consistent energy throughout the day (before keto), and I haven’t noticed anything different.
I haven’t noticed any surprising mental clarity.
I have never experienced keto breath (except I when I did HCG many many moons ago)…thought this is not a side effect I’m hoping for. Ha.
But TBH - I don’t care about any of that stuff…I just want to LOSE SOME FRIGGIN’ WEIGHT. Or inches. SOMETHING. My boyfriend started keto a month or so after me and has lost 8 pounds + a couple of inches in his waist and chest. I KNOW, I know that men lose faster, but Jesus H Christ…when will it happen?!
Because I don’t like to complain without taking action, here’s what I’m going to do differently:
- I charted my glucose curve for Stevia and it seemed not to have an effect, but I’ll cut that out anyway.
- I’ll also cut out all dairy for the next 2 weeks and see if there’s any improvement there.
- If that doesn’t work, I’ll take eggs out and see if that’s the issue. (LeAnn Vogel says they can be a culprit.)
The only carbs I eat now are from green vegetables, avocado, and dairy. I don’t indulge in any fruits, I eat nuts rarely and in small portions. I have only tried “keto-fying” a few things - cauliflower pizza, a couple of Brenda’s desserts, but that’s not the usual. Either way, I won’t do any of that stuff either anymore.
Based on everything I’ve read, it seems like a good option is going as close to zero carb as possible, and then increase from there to see what your tolerance is. I just ordered a bunch of grassfed beef and natural bacon (no sugar) from a local farm, so I plan to pretty much live off that for the next few weeks and see if there’s any improvement.
Please, Keto Gods, I beg you. Show me some results.
Answers to questions you may have:
I weigh 147-150
I’m 5’ 3"
I think my BF is 25.5 - 26%, but not sure…which equals about 50 kg of LBM. I eat 50-75g protein.
I keep carbs under 50g total, 20g NET, but try very hard to keep them under 25 TOTAL most days (avocados and salads make this difficult, which is why I’m going to go nearly zero carb).
I eat plenty of fat - that’s definitely not the issue.
I try to do IF daily with only 2 meals a day - either lunch and dinner or breakfast and dinner.
I have done 2 extended fasts.