I'm losing weight again after a 1.5 year stall

(Central Florida Bob ) #68

I’m going to update this - I posted back in April. I finally broke my 1-1/2 year stall by going to alternate day fasting. I started back in June, and now am in week 12 of fasting 3 days/week and eating 4. My fasts are usually 42 hours.

Back on April 1, I had said, “I’m 6’ and 210, +/- 2. (64yo male) I’d really like to push that under 200. I think the least I’ve weighed in my adult life was around 190-195.”

OMAD didn’t do it. I never tried eating nothing but pork belly like @carl did, but it’s the first time I’ve seen the scale move in the right direction since 2016. Now my weight is staying around 200. It has slowed, so I’m naturally trying to figure what I can do to speed it up and get to maybe 190.

I have two measurements of % body fat. I have reasons not to trust either of them, but haven’t found a place that does a DEXA scan locally. The average of the two I have is 26% BF, which tells me 190 ought to be pretty doable. My body doesn’t seem to believe that.

(Janelle) #69

Good for you! Do you feel like you were doing actual keto when you were stalled? I doesn’t sound like one can loosen up and then just fix it with IF.

(Jane Reed) #70

I’m in the middle of a 1 1/2 year stall as well. I recently did a 2 1/2 day fast and of course dropped a few pounds. I suspect the occasional fast will do me some good, but I don’t like to fast, as I enjoy my food too much. (Reader thinks ""what is she, 5 years old?)

I admitted it, I’m a baby. But I think a 24 hour fast a couple times a month is doable.

#71

It is so weird but I was stalling and actually gained 7 pounds since I started keto .
so I upped my protein and lowered my fat since I’m so close to my goal weight, Not a lot of body fat extra…not a skinny skinny either. I just wasn’t losing weight on the higher fat. I’m doing a higher protein about 90 g A-day and it’s knocking the weight off the …5 pounds( took off 5 lbs in 5 days) I had to lose.
I know it’s healthier to do the macro ratio that you all recommend however like I said I was on a plateau with that so wonder what’s up with my body? I will be done with this high protein as soon as I lose 2 more pounds and then back on a regular keto plan, because I feel so good on it. I’m actually feeling really good with what I’m doing as well. For thin women that want to stay thin what are you guys all recommend?
Don’t judge me I’m not a diabetic, That as far as health goes… I like to feel good and stay fit and Keto seems to really add to that program.
The high protein no carb no sugar low fat that I’m doing is not sustainable because I’m gonna be craving way more variety like cheese and cream that have fat in them and the science of it is so much more reasonable.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #72

As long as you are eating an equal weight of protein and fat, Dr. Naiman will be happy with you. And Prof. Bikman would like to see you eating 2 grams of protein a day per kilo of lean body mass. So there’s plenty of room for what you are doing.

By the way, equal protein and fat by weight is 30% of calories as protein and 70% as fat.

#73

However that is not what I’m doing I’m actually eating like 10% fat and 70% protein because I’m not losing weight doing high fat since I’m already pretty lean as a person. Maybe I’m just not giving it enough time.

Excuse my pile of dead fairies
#74

If you’re already pretty lean, 10% seems waaaaay too low for a leaner person as your body needs to be fueled by fat in order to draw on the body’s own fat stores! Many leaner folks around here eat closer to 30-50% fat with steady results (rather than the typical 60-70% fat). I think variability - a degree of randomness - may be the critical thing to look at to keep the metabolism agile. Have days where you eat fat in your morning tea/coffee + 2-3 meals and get to the 30-50% place, and days where you have a small eating window time and no added fat beyond the fat in the morning beverage and in food and in cooking. Megan Ramos of IDM talks often of the importance of following any fasting with feasting to the point of stabilizing the body so it’s ready to change again.

Fat-wise, the medium chain triglycerides (such as found in coconut oil) boost the metabolism and fuel fat burning, ironically.

If you check out the work of keto-paleo nutritionist Nora Gelgaudus, the book Primal Body Primal Mind, she explains how fat is critical for fueling the mitochondrial metabolic power and digestive nutrient assimilation that builds muscle and bone. Not enough fat can create a bunch of problems on a cellular level.

90grams of protein isn’t high protein per se, and it may be needed for even small stature/lean folks who were protein deficient for years and/or are strength training (for more on that, see the book by LCHF/keto physicians the Drs Eades, called Protein Power!) Personally my first nine months of keto I aimed for 25-30g protein per meal at three meals a day and less on IF days. Now that I’ve had so much keto restoration of my brain & body and I’m not currently strength training, I do well with eating less protein, more like 45-60g day at my age of 52.

(mags) #75

I couldn’t agree more with this. I’ve had significant improvements with weight loss when I feast and fast. It really is important to keep changing it up as Megan Ramos says. Maybe once a week I will have a really fatty food day and pack in 4000 + calories. Other times I will fast for 2 or 3 days. Sometimes I will OMAD. Keep changing what you do to keep your metabolism high. Today is a feast day :grin:

#76

Thank you this was really informative I appreciate it!

#77

You’re very welcome TeeCee!

(carl) #78

Update. Using my CGM I learned that either cheese and cream or green leafy veggies were the real culprit. I don’t have to eat pork belly every day to lose weight. I have cut both of those out and the scale is moving again. Oh, and I’m scarfing down liver pate. Life is good.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #79

I vote for the veggies’ being the culprit. Just 'cause. :grin:

(carl) #80

I actually think it’s the cheese. I have been doing no veggies with cheese and cream for enough time to know that veggies aren’t as much of a problem…

Everyone is different. The key is you have to do your own n=1 experiments.

(Karen) #81

I keep eliminating things from my diet. And while fatty meat is delicious, it seems like variety is disappearing. I’m thinking I’m going to have to let go of cheese too now. Do we all eventually drift into carnivore? Do you think will ever be able to add back in more vegetables or dairy? Just a bit depressing

(carl) #82

I have a feeling that after a while I’ll be able to eat cheese again in moderation. I will also be able to test specific types.

@richard thinks it’s the whey, which is wicked insunilnogenic. That makes sense to me. I tell ya, I feel like I did when I started keto in 2016. Sugar low. Ketones high. Weight coming off. It’s awesome.

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #83

Hi Carl. What were you eating whey in, keto type breads and stuff? I don’t think there’s whey in my life, but would like to be sure.

(Hyperbole- best thing in the universe!) #84

Most of the whey is removed in making cheese, but not all of it. Especially ricotta.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #85

And that’s just the whey it is . . . :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

(Jay Patten) #86

@carl you are the man. My biggest takeaway from the podcast and the forum in this: I used to think that this diet was unhealthy for long term use. Now I know better and for the first time in my life I have stayed on Keto for almost 15 months now. I have lost almost 110 pounds and my cholesterol and blood pressure are both perfect.

I too went through a long stall that I have recently busted through by making some slight changes. I was exactly 180 pounds this morning… very close to my goal of getting “into the 170’s” (wherever that may be, lol).

No matter what people say, there will always be times when we get cravings or we slip. We are only human after all!

(carl) #87

I was eating Brie, cheddar, bleu cheese, gouda, and the like. Only keto bread I eat is Fox Hill http://bread.2keto.com and I still eat it with no issues.

I should also say full caf coffee is back in my life. No issues.

I also had heavy cream in my coffee.