I'm frustrated 😢

[Manson]

Thank you, Todd

[Manson]

Sounds good!

[KetoLikeaLady]

This is the easiest weight loss I have ever had and I have easily maintained it for 6 months.

Not everyone has this experience (me me me), but I agree it’s easy for most people.

[RedThain]

Assuming your already fat adapted. So let’s say your macros calls for 100g of fat 20g carbs and 50g of protein. You would keep the carbs and protein the same and cut back of the fat grams until you hit your goal weight loss. Your ratios will look off but the extra fat will come from your body.
Eating to satiety means to me not being overly full, eating just enough. Never force feed to reach your macros.

[FatMan]

I have and that is where, in addition to not being hungry often times when I eat, is what got me to thinking about more fasting.
I am in a program now and I highly respect the gal that has put it together. I think it’s really wonderful but I do believe I’m fully fat adapted also taking some great supplements.
I had my hormones tested and they aren’t “that bad” according to her
I’m feeling it may be time to be able to do more fasting without causing greater damage.
…

Fasting does not cause “damage”, fasting heals. It allows the body to recycle damaged or unused proteins (autophagy), down regulates IGF1 and mTOR, and can even result in an increase in your basal metabolic rate. For those of us with metabolic syndrome, the extended time at lower levels of insulin helps improve insulin sensitivity.

Perhaps the best source of information on fasting, IF and EF, is Dr. Jason Fung.

Warmest Regards,
Richard

[Manson]

Thank you, Richard. I did start to listen to Dr Fungs YouTube teachings. VERY interesting. I think I’ll buy his fasting book off Amazon today.
What’s got me kind of stuck is a fear that if I don’t get in my “quota” of fats (per the program I have signed up for) that I will no longer be in ketosis. AND that fasting will further damage my hormones.
AND also that too low of calories will damage my metabolism.
There is definitely something keeping me from loosing weight so far.

[FatMan]

Thank you, Richard. I did start to listen to Dr Fungs YouTube teachings. VERY interesting. I think I’ll buy his fasting book off Amazon today.
What’s got me kind of stuck is a fear that if I don’t get in my “quota” of fats (per the program I have signed up for) that I will no longer be in ketosis. AND that fasting will further damage my hormones.
AND also that too low of calories will damage my metabolism.
There is definitely something keeping me from loosing weight so far.

I can understand that fear, and it is a valid fear if you are eating HC/LF as your body is utilizing glucose for fuel while the massive energy stored in your fat deposits are locked away by high levels of insulin in the blood. In such circumstances your body, your cells, are starving and your metabolism declines in an attempt to conserve energy. Once you are keto adapted, eating LC/HF, and your insulin levels are low, your stored fat deposits are mobilized and available to fuel your body and your cells are no longer starved. The fats you are metabolizing come from two sources, exogenous (your diet) and endogenous (from within). You body will use as much fat as it needs, either from your diet or from your visceral and subcutaneous fat deposits.

You are meeting your fat macro even if your dietary numbers would indicate otherwise and all the fat that is dammed up behind a wall of insulin constitutes a massive store of energy that will happily fuel your metabolism. Your keto adapted state has opened the spillways of your fat deposits. If you eat less fat, the exogenous source, your body will still metabolize the same total energy making up the difference from within, the endogenous source.

You are in ketosis, not because you are eating fat, but because you are not eating carbs or excessive protein which lowers your serum insulin levels. Consider this thought experiment: if you eat nothing at all, including fat, if you engage in an extended fast, your body will be in ketosis as the only other option is to perish. Do you need to eat fat to be in ketosis?

Warmest Regards,
Richard

I love to go backpacking and I have quite a bit of high end light weight gear. Backpackers have a saying … “you pack your fears”. The fastest way to reduce the weight in your pack, the weight on your back, is not to spend a fortune on high end gear, it is to abandon your fears.

Manson, abandon your fears!!!

[PaulL]

Lately my instincts have been telling my that eating a lot when I’m not hungry can’t be right.

You’re right about that; the idea is to eat to satiety, not force-feed yourself.

A question: How’s your dress size doing? How are you feeling? Is it just the scale weight that is troubling you? If so, it is known that women who have restricted calories for a long time often put on lean weight as they burn off body fat, so the scale may not move, but the body composition is nevertheless changing in a healthy way. If this is the case, your serum glucose and insulin should be improving, your HDL should be going up, and your triglycerides coming down. If these things are happening, you’re fine, regardless of what the scale is telling you.

But if you’re not seeing an improvement in your glucose and insulin numbers, your HDL is going down, your triglycerides are going up, and your LDL is getting smaller and denser, that’s a whole different situation.

[Manson]

I have been testing ketone but not insulin
I need to get me some strips and start testing
my clothes are snug and I feel puffy
but one thing different but it’s kind of hard to know absolutely for sure but it seems like I feel “firmer” which is kind of strange because I’ve not been exercising as much as I used to.

[PaulL]

Unless someone here has an idea that helps, I hate to say this, but it might be time to consult a doctor. It may not be that you’re doing keto wrong, it might just be that some other problem has cropped up that is interfering and needs to be seen to.

[PugsDigMusic]

How about you post a regular daily food and beverage intake for us? Maybe there’s something we can help you tweak.

[Manson]

I actually just saw my doctor on Monday for a physical but you know how that goes… She did test thyroid and will do a hormone saliva test. Blood work and exam all normal.
I test at 1.8 keto this morning.
Hopefully it’s just that I’m eating too much…way too much per a recommendation of a program I had been following. I had my hormones checked through that program as well and I was told they were “not too bad”. I’m taking some adaptive herbs, DHEA and supplements.
I hope starting some intermittent fasting along with reducing the amount that I’ve been eating will help me loose weight.
You could be right though but I hope not!
Thank you for all the support it’s been super helpful.
I did order Jason Jung fasting book on Amazon too today.
I am an RN so I will be on the lookout for any other symptoms but usually if you have something there’s more than one symptom…I just can’t get the weight to budge.
Also I do feel kind of puffy like I’m not losing water like other people do but yet I have to take salt and mineral tabs to feel good. I go through times where I really feel quite good but when I stop taking the salt I didn’t feel quite as good.
Thanks Paul

[Manson]

Will do!
I tested at 1.8 Kito this morning on the meter.
I bought Jason Fung’s fasting book.
I’m going to cut back of food that feels comfortable to me and see how it goes.
I do feel a little puffy at times.
I never did lose the initial water weight like other people do. I’ve been taking more salt and mineral tablets the last couple days but I usually feel somewhat retaining water even if my energy is better. I have gone through periods of times where I felt quite good and having much more energy than before I started the diet so I’m hopeful there!
Thank you sooo much

[Daisy]

Trouble is they don’t work for everyone and people freak out thinking it’s them when it isn’t necessarily. Good tip though if you do like them - cut them in half to get 2 for the price of 1. I know, genius!

[Emerymemories]

Best things that help me when I want to cheat are:

1. Lilly’s Chocolate bar
2. bai drinks sweetened with stevia and erythritol
3. One! serving of Halo top ice cream. Halo top uses stevia but there is still some sugar. It tastes exactly like regular icecream
4. peanut butter
5. plain yogurt with stevia and vanilla extracts

[SlowBurnMary]

Two things - and not sure if any above already covered them:

1. Ketone levels are highest late at night. Because I’m a night person, my midnight testing with ketonix sticks was always encouraging because it was always high - unlike during the day.

2. Lots of folks need to stop with the weighing and scale values - apart from possibly quarterly curiosity checks. Keto invokes body recomposition - the increase of lean muscle mass and the burning of old stored fat and the detox of that fat. It’s not a small matter, it’s major transformation! A person can maintain the same weight yet have extremely different measurements at that weight! For the non-morbidly obese, this is frequently the case, esp when doing weekly strength-training. This is what we here call “non-scale victory”.

Rock On!

[Manson]

I do have some non scale victories for sure…thanks for re-reminding me. I’m trying to put the scale away too. One thing that has me boggled is I often feel puffy. I still will use commercial salad dressing (bad fats…) and dairy. I thought I would try eliminating both by either using homemade dressing (yummy!!!) and omit all dairy for a month. I never thought of my self as ever having a issue with dairy but something is making me feel puffy so I think it’s worth a try.
Anyone have non dairy substitute suggestions?

[Annapet]

@Manson I have thought of easing up on the dairy, too, since pre-keto I hardly had any, and now I am consuming copious amounts.

Here’s a link to a Dump Ranch dressing. https://www.whole-sisters.com/dump-ranch/

Just in case you feel like trying .

[Robert_Johnson]

Most of what I could say has been answered already. Don’t eat if you arent hungry. I went 3 days once because I forgot to eat. Then one day I thought, ITS BEEN 3 DAYS I BETTER EAT! I think I would have done better just letting the fast go naturally on its own. Don’t force yourself to eat. If you eat only a small portion, count it as a blessing, saving food and money. Put it in the fridge. Eat it tomorrow.

Now, as for sleep…

I think you are gonna find this fascinating! Dont forget to browse around his site a little. He has some awesome research on Vitamin D3 and Keto too!

https://www.grc.com/health/sleep/healthy_sleep_formula.htm

[Manson]

Yummy ranch dressing recipe. So funny I was just checking out a recipe of keto buffalo chicken tots! Perfect!!!

Also thanks for the sleep suggestions. Sleep is a biggie!
I read it later today. I did just have my vitamin D levels checked…waiting for the results.