Insight? Advice?

(Mike) #4

Thanks for the info. I’m not a frequent forum user…any forum…Lol, so I’ll try to find those things you mention. I refuse to quit, but my body just won’t cooperate. Hopefully, I can get some much needed answers here. It can be frustrating beyond belief.

(Liz ) #5

I started in March 2017, slowly lost 40 pounds then stalled Nov 1st. My body composition changed though, and clothes fit looser. Still, I have 20-30 pounds to lose so I’m not done.

What I assume has happened is my basal insulin level is too high to release any more body fat, and my fat cells have become super efficient at holding onto fat now that they work better and aren’t spilling lipids everywhere.

So the only way I know to lower basal insulin rate is regular extended fasting over time. I do a 70 hour fast every month, and this month I started a weekly 46 hour fast. This isn’t to lose weight during the fast, though that would be nice, it’s to drive my insulin rate down over time. Now to be patient & hope the science applies to me.

Also, I intermittent fast the rest of the week and I try to keep an irregular schedule with that so as not to fall into homeostasis.

Meanwhile I’m so relieved to be eating healthy and healing my body from years of disregulation. Hang in there.

(Mike) #6

I wish you luck as you try to shake things up. It seems to be a pattern I’m seeing quite a bit: do “this” for a while until it’s stops working, and then do “that”. It seems as though I’m always needing to trick my body.
I wonder about insulin levels…insulin resistance…and fat cells clinging to their stores. I’ll try to learn more about that. Perhaps that’s the root of my problem…Perhaps not.
I’ve often wondered if my protein was too high, or my dietary fat was too high. I track everything religiously and my macros are consistently: fat 75, protein 20ish, and carbs less than 5%. Protein grams usually under 80…and I weigh 225.
I keep trying to tweak things this way and that, but the old things that used to work no longer do…and the new stuff doesn’t seem to make a dent.
I’ll tell you the truth though (and I’m certain others feel the same way sometimes), I sometimes resent that I may have to deprive myself of yet ANOTHER “something” …or fast even longer…or Lord knows what else. Will it ever be enough? Sometimes it’s seems as if one day I’ll wake up, eat a pat of butter, and be done eating for the whole day.
Yes, I know the benefits and I’m proud of the fact that I have had ZERO sugar since 03/17, and ZERO artificial (except for one night of a stevia try) for just as long. No bread…no cake…no icecream…NOTHING processed (except cheese and butter) for almost a year!
I’m CERTAIN that I’m better and healthier for it. But I REALLY want to see the last 40 pounds start to fall off.

(Candy Lind) #7

Maybe go up a little on fat & down on protein to see if it makes a difference? Have you tried an egg or fat fast? Have you adjusted your macros lately? There are so many variables - how active are you? Are you still IR or getting more IS? I’m just kinda brainstorming here.

(Mike) #8

I’ll have to look at those different fasts.
I’ve adjusted macros this way and that, but I’ll keep at it.
What is IR and IS?
(Some of us aren’t up on the lingo)
Thanks for the ideas

#9

Same story here. I have been gaining and losing the same 7 lbs since September and my clothes got looser until November but then that stalled too. I am less inclined to fast these days and have more trouble with fasts. I like eating at night, have very little interest during the day and have been craving carbs in the last two weeks. I try to switch it up as others have said. Sometimes I eat early, sometimes I eat late. Thinking about an egg fast to see what happens

(Candy Lind) #10

Insulin resistant / sensitive

This will be handy:
Wiki-Acronyms

(Mike) #11

Lol… thanks for clearing that up.
I honestly have no clue if I am IR or IS. Once, I looked up IR…but it didn’t really seem to fit. I will look up the IS.
BTW… Thanks for the egg and fat fasting ideas. Those hold promise…

(Mike) #12

I know how difficult it can be to maintain focus and dicipline when the results arent there. My first plateau was cured by intermittent fasting. 18/6 every…single…day. Lol
Thankfully, my job made that easy. Unfortunately, my body seems to have adapted to that. Although, I have been doing a 16/8 lately. Mostly because I got lazy from lack of progress.
Just keep plugging along. I’m certain you’ll find the magic bullet for your particular stall.

#13

Again I would switch it. If you are fasting 18/6 daily, then switch it and one day a week have 2 or 3 meals in a day

(Mike) #14

:+1::+1::+1:Thanks. I’ll give it a shot.

(Liz ) #15

Have you read The Obesity Code? It explains how insulin is truly the key to fat loss.

#16

@JoeBuck Sometimes in reading really long-term success stories, you’ll see something like “and then I stalled for 3 [or 6, or 10] months. It drove me nuts but during that time I noticed other things happening (skin improving, sleeping better, etc), then something shifted and I started losing again.” Rarely is weight loss totally linear.

It might be something like this: we drop a lot of weight, and then there’s a readjustment period. I’m sure that you can explain it in terms of insulin (see @LizinLowell’s post above) but I think it’s also more general: your whole system has to adjust to the new weight, to the new hormonal signals and pathways, and just to being smaller. It’s a new situation for your body (and mind), and for whatever reason you need to stay there to get used to it - let it become the new normal - before moving on. In the meantime, there’s all sorts of nice stuff happening under the hood.

Re your worry about cutting out more and more stuff: I think that when you look at keto folks who have reached their goal size and are maintaining, you don’t see a lot of resentment - they seem to be happy with occasional fasting and with the amazing foods they get to eat. You could take a peek at the various maintaining threads; you won’t see much struggle or sacrifice.

(Mike) #17

I downloaded a sample on kindle last night. May purchase at some point if it seems like it will help

(Liz ) #18

If knowing the science behind weight loss is helpful to you then I do recommend this book.

And for what it’s worth (FWIW) I have been some form of low carb since 2003 and it does get easier and feels less and less like deprivation. It becomes the new normal and your brain and body adjust. I will always be addicted to the foods I don’t eat anymore, but I no longer miss them, if one person’s long view helps at all.

(Mike) #19

Thanks for the input Madeleine. I’m considering the book.
I understand the adjustments you refer to. Most of us who have struggled with weight-loss and weight gain our whole lives have experienced stalls, plateaus, etc. Many times they are just temporary. That’s why I haven’t given up. :wink: Sometimes it seems as though my body has a "fat set-point " that it simply refuses to fall below.

(Mike) #20

Thank you Liz. Of course every little bit of insight and encouragement helps. I’ve just been having my own little personal pity party…and I was getting lonely in my misery and wanted to share. Lol
Even though I’ve been doing this for almost a year, I’m still a newb. I’m sure I’ll find what I need…eventually.
I can say the this forum has been a wonderful resource this far, and I haven’t even scratched the surface.
It’s sad that we didn’t have this info years ago.

#21

There are many, many people on here who lose weight and then seem to settle at one set point for a few months and then break through. Sometimes it’s a shift in fasting patterns, a change in hunger signals, a change in exercise or sleep…but sometimes it’s just time. And they find a new low set point, a new low weight that’s easy and natural for them.

Good luck! And, yes, look around this forum and listen a ton to the podcast. You’ll get so much info an encouragement.

#22

@JoeBuck Jason Fung also wrote a book: The Complete Guide to Intermittent Fasting that you might be interested in. Possibly jump onto his blog at IDM (Intensive Dietary Management) and read the fasting blogs. I think you will find alot of validation and inspiration from how Jason Fung frames things. He strongly suggests that the body adapts to routines of fasting and suggests EF (extended fasts) to break through. Or just making any change in a routine.

I find that this works out the mind just as much as the body. Losing a fat mind is just as challenging:)

(Mike) #23

Thanks Elaine! I’ll check out more of Dr Fung’s writings. It’s encouraging to know that plateaus are common. I’ve had a few over the last year, but this has been my longest. I’m glad to know it’s not time to panic. :grin: