I'm getting discouraged

(Lorena) #1

Hi, I’ve been doing Keto since Jan 20, 2019. So far the scale hasn’t changed much and my clothes definitely are not looser. I don’t care what the scale says but I am expecting to see more benefits than not being bloated and feeling in a better mood. I’m 59, had a total hysterectomy but on HRT, 5’4, 146 lbs. I’m going to post my last 4 days in hopes that someone can tell me what I can change. I know my total calories will seem low on some days but I truly cannot eat much more, volume-wise, than I am eating. I’m wondering if I’m eating too much fat? Ever since I’ve started eating Keto I have been trying to find the right mix of fat to protein while keeping to 20g or fewer carbs. I feel like a whiner but the fact that I haven’t gained (and my flat stomach) is keeping me going.

Thanks

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(Little Miss Scare-All) #2

Could try dropping some of the dairy and replacing the fats in them with olive oil, coconut oil etc. I know I was leaning hard on dairy and as soon as I cut some out, my clothes started getting noticeably looser.

(Karim Wassef) #3

every body is different.
For me, I had to stop dairy, all nuts (except a very small portion of macadamia), and all fruits (except avocado) to see real acceleration. I got even more when I stopped charcuterie (processed meats)

Some things were surprisingly impacting to me - tomatoes, soy, most cheese (except Parmesan).

I also had to boost my fats more - mayo, ghee, olive oil, egg yolk, fatty meats like ham, lamb, bacon, duck, goose liver, sausages (frankfurter, brotwurst), and fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines)

Best of luck - don’t give up. This isn’t just about weight. Weight and fat are symptoms. The real goal is health for longevity and reduce the chance for disease.

(Lorena) #4

Thank you both for the suggestions.

Last week I seem to have had a lot of cheese and I don’t normally except in the morning with eggs but I will try what you suggest. No cheese and no nuts. I tried high protein and high fat for a couple of days early on and I felt horrible. So I’m seriously confused right now. I just don’t know if I should try for lower grams of fat than I have been and up the protein. Maybe over 70 grams isn’t good for me personally? I keep waiting for something to click.

About the only processed meat I am eating is bacon. I like chicken and eat that the most but throw in some steak and eat eggs almost every day, admittedly egg whites cause I have a mostly hate relationship with yolks but I’m trying.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. Another week/another Keto. I’m not giving up!

(Karim Wassef) #5

bacon is good…

if you go high protein, that’s more Atkins than Keto and is not what worked for me.

your gut bacteria need to adjust to the higher fat and that takes months of persistence.

(Lorena) #6

@ Karim_Wassef
How does this look?

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(Karim Wassef) #7

It would work for me, but you have to discover what works best for you

For me, I’d make sure that I eat the chicken skin when I eat chicken (grilled or seared skin) and focus on red meats.
I’d also avoid lean cuts like filet and focus on ribeye.
I’d incorporate more mayo and extra virgin olive oil.
Also, I like to incorporate fish.

Again - that’s just what worked for me… There’s no one combo that will work for everyone.

Another neat trick is to eat during fewer hours of the day, so eat the same things, but in a narrow window. For me, I started by skipping breakfast… then delaying lunch till it was only a couple of hours from dinner… then skipping lunch… so basically, I eat all the food I want in the day for dinner. That kicked it up a notch for me, but take it slow.

(Andi loves space, bacon and fasting. ) #8

Have you tried a short fast? I find that surprises my body and starts up weight loss when I am stalled.

(Khara) #9

Hi. Your stats are what strike me more than your food log. Age 59… once we hit 40, losing weight is just harder and slower. Hysterectomy… stress on your body(?) and possibly higher stress hormone cortisol which impedes fat loss. 5’-4 and 146 lbs… this doesn’t sound too far off from an ideal weight. What do you think a realistic goal weight is? If you are close to goal, again it’s just going to be slow going.
I’d be patient. It’s been less than 2 months. Enjoy your small non-scale victories. Your body is healing behind the scenes. KCKO and good luck.

(Alec) #10

THIS. Don’t expect immediate weight loss. Your body is healing itself. This can take days, weeks, months depending on the damage you’ve done in the past 59 years.

(Kay) #11

Your overall calories are quite low some days 900-1000 I know it seems contradictory but you might need to eat a bit more?

(Trudy Cash) #12

I agree dairy including cheese I dropped them out then started loosing more at that point.

(Ben F) #13

As many here have correctly stated it works a little differently for everyone. Given that I think it is beneficial to test ketones and blood glucose to better understand how your body reacts to what you are eating. Taking some postprandial blood glucose readings can be incredibly informative to how your body is reacting to what you are eating. I know a lot of people don’t like pricking their fingers but it doesn’t hurt that much once you get used to it and is definitely worth it for the knowledge you will gain.

(Dawn Michelle) #14

I’m at a similar point. 56, post-menopausal, light HRT. 5’8”. I started at 155 in December. I’m at 151 today. It’s coming off very slowly, but I see other changes that keep me eating this way.

My initial thoughts:

  • Try IF (for me that means I never eat breakfast) 16:8 works fine. Others do shorter windows.
  • Try some short fasts (ADF). I do 2x24 and 1x48 each week. That translates to (in addition to no breakfast ever): no lunch on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat and no dinner on Fri. Dr. Jason Fung’s book on fasting is great.
  • Make sure you are getting enough salt. I find that I need to add 1-1.5 tsp per day. I take salt capsules periodically through the day. Big help for me and many others. Mostly helps with keto and fasting symptoms.
  • Check out the Intensive Dietary Management program. I bought a package of coaching sessions and it has made all the difference for me. My coach suggests little tweaks here and there.

IF and ADF are surprisingly freeing. Less shopping, less cooking and less thinking about food. And when you do eat, it’s a celebration! I’m 36 hours into my 48 hour fast for this week. I’m feeling great. I’ve had nothing but black coffee. I’m heading over to an exercise class in a few hours and I plan to crush it.

Just hang in there and keep trying new things. Everyone is different. You will get to a point of feeling comfortable with the progress.

(Karim Wassef) #15

I agree. We still tend to think of calories, but the ramp to healthy ketosis is fat adaptation and that really means eating enough fat, for long enough, without carbs and with controlled protein, so that your body is “comfortable” with burning fat.

I compare it to launching a kite… you sometimes have to run with it to get enough wind under it so it catches and starts to take off… if you’re walking with a kite & no wind … it just doesn’t “take”.

This seems counter intuitive but our bodies are complex and dynamic feedback systems… eating more fat will make it adapt to using more fat, including your own. Over time, you will be able to consume less because you’ll be satiated, but that comes later. CICO is still valid, but it’s not how you get the fire burning.

I ran on 80% fat for a couple of months. egg-bacon-mayo-veggies … I consumed 3000 calories and got my metabolic rate very high. Now, I can fast for a couple of weeks. Our bodies are not simple machines. They’re amazing complex wonderful systems.

(Lorena) #16

Hi, To clarify, I had my hysterectomy in 2008 so I’m healed. I know not having my own hormones can be somehow affecting my progress. My weight now is close to a goal weight although my goal is to have my clothes fit me. Over the past 2-3 years my weight and subsequently my size has crept up so clothes are fitting tightly. I don’t care what the scale reads (never said that IN MY LIFE before haha) but I don’t want to go up in size pants etc.

That said, I will try not to freak out.
Thanks!

(Lorena) #17

To Everyone:
Thank you! I’m going to cut the dairy this week and see how it goes. Also, not going to take the fat down. This is SUCH a learning process. Very glad you all are experienced and can help.
:blush:

(Jill F.) #18

Hi @1Lorena1 I also am 5 ft 4 and had a hysterectomy 8 years as go. My goal weight is 150 and I started in the 180s in December so my weight has been coming off. I am sure the closer I get to my goal weight it will peel off a lot slower.
I started IF around 5 to 6 weeks in and it is a game changer. I only lost 4 pounds in about a month when I 1st started and once I started IF I lose every week now. I have lost far more inches than pounds but the fact that I am seeing those non scale victories helps so much!
I would try to just drink coffee in the am, skip breakfast, eat lunch and dinner and no snacking in between. I would also consider no fruit and no higher carb veggies like brussle sprouts. Try asparagus or broccoli instead.
Be sure to look for those non scale victories like is my stomach flatter? Do I have more energy? Mental clarity? All of those things are even better most days to me than losing the weight.

(Lorena) #19

@MommyJill2005
I want to try the IF. Some days I have been able to successfully do it and other not. I can get shaky in the AM and if I don’t eat the weird feeling follows me all day so I do IF if I am just not hungry in the morning. Is having the HWC OK with coffee for IF? I usually hold out until at least 9 am after eating dinner at 6-6:30 so that’s a 12 hr fast. I don’t snack but is this considered snacking if I have some HWC in an iced coffee in the afternoon? I really enjoy that.

I agree, I am enjoying the little things. Definitely not bloated anymore and I feel happier.

I had strawberries (only 78g) with some HWC and this was my first fruit since I started! I missed that. I won’t have them all the time but it was a nice and refreshing treat. Do you think that even if the food fits into the daily carb limit that I should look at it (thinking of the brussels sprouts here) by how much sugar is in it? That old joke people use “fits in the macros” while showing a picture of a huge dessert applies here?

Thanks for your suggestions!

(Jill F.) #20

I use a dash of HWC in my coffee too and I seem to do ok with including that in my IF period in the am. I usually eat from noon until about 730 or 8PM due to my schedule it just works better. I know some people eat alot in am and stop eating early in the day but I enjoy eating dinner so that rarely works for me.
For me I am just in general avoiding things higher in carbs like fruit, spaghetti squash, nuts, cabbage, onions, brussle sprouts, tomatoes, and carrots as examples. If u have had a particularly low carb day I will eat some but not often at all. Funny for me a splurge now is a side salad with ranch, tomatoes, and carrots. Boy have things changed!
Another thing to try is limit carbs and try to eat carnivore. I see a lot of people doing that on here where you eat eggs, bacon, steak, etc, and just eat very little carbs. There is even a thread on here about a bacon fast! All you eat is bacon and eggs to lose weight!
I say keep it up, keep trying different things and see what works for you. Everyone is different.