Keto for 4 years maintaining now stall after vacation/injury

(Lisa) #1

Hi, I have been reading for a long time but never felt the need to put anything out there.

I am a 4 year keto success - I have a very small frame and on keto had an initial loss of 17# but then with maintenance floated back up to minus 12# which I was okay with .
I would occasionally have an off diet day and on vacation was very loose with my eating when away but would go on strict keto and be able to go back to my “okay” weight. I have been working out with both cardio and weights for the last 2 years – it did not make any difference on the scale but did tone me up so I looked better. This spring I went to Tuscany (yes I had pasta but not everyday and lot of wine ). When I came back I had in succession a series of three joint issues that made it impossible to work out at the gym. I have since had a steroid shot into my elbow and am working on PT (Egoscue) with slow but steady results. I have not, however resumed going to the gym. I have also in the last 2-3 months went into definite menopause (hot flashes, last cycle = 2 months + ago).
When I got back from Tuscany I was at my pre-keto weight. Despite going on my version of strict keto: no nuts/alcohol, only salad with greens/radish/cucumber as veggie. no keto deserts. Just basically eggs, meat, fats, a bit of heavy cream and the salads. 2months in there was no change. Then I did an egg fast x 3 days and lost 3# which came back a week after I had been on my normal “strict” keto.
Then I tried a one meal a day stint (BP coffee in am, broth midday and a generous dinner at around 5pm). I have been doing that for about 2 months. I have lost weight but only about 5 pounds. I have had 2 cauliflower pizza days, but other than that carbs have not been above 20.
I have reached a stall and am trying to find out what is the reason, I do add sweetner (sucralose) to drinks but that has never stalled me in the past.

I have read on the forums and am considering the following
–a long fast (though am studying for a major exam this month and I do not handle fasts well)
–stop the sucralose (though I justify it because it helps me to drink more fluids)
–eat more --> sometimes it is hard to get in a lot in OMAD
–wondering if I am fighting my lack of hormones due to the menopause – is there anything else I could do?
–should I push myself to begin exercise again?
–check my ketones?

Here are some cronometer days to show representative efforts-- most days very similar
8/20 TMAD kcal 2390, 121 prot, 10.6carb, 203 fat
9/26 OMAD but pushing up amount to see if that made a difference: 1761 Kcal, 98 prot, 12.1 carb, 146 fat
10/7 OMAD 1289.9 kcal, 95.5 prot, 12.3 carb, 103 fat
11/5 OMAD 1541.5 cal, prot 56.7, carb 8.2, fat 145.9

In general I am frustrated that what use to take me a few days to get rid of the gained weight after a vacation, has taken me 6 months and I am only half way there. Is my body so used to keto that it no longer works?

Thanks for your input esp on the effect of menopause on causing stalls

(Susan) #2

Hi Lisa =). Sometimes eliminating all Dairy and/or the sweeteners can help break stalls. Our bodies can change, and I personally stopped the dairy Oct 18th (however I am still using Butter, as it breaks down differently, @David_Stilley knows more about this, he told me about it) so I am still using that. I had to get rid of sweeteners myself in June, as they were actually causing me to gain weight then. It might just be one or the other, so you could experiment, and try to stop both and see? I am 55 and post menopausal. That is what I would try - I am doing no dairy myself since Oct 18 until November 30 to see if that helps me as well, so good luck to both of us =).

(Full Metal KETO AF) #3

I’ll take a stab,

First the injury has reduced your activity level some. Steroids! could be an issue, I take them and it jacks your BG levels.

Second, menopause, nuff said.

Third, OMAD isn’t always the best approach to weight loss as some have experienced. When you say OMAD can I assume you aren’t drinking coffee with HWC or something outside meal times? And bone broth isn’t good outside meal time for OMAD.

The amount of food looks good judging by the macros and what you listed as typical foods. I would try TMAD with IF 18/6 or less. Outside the meal times no BPC, cream or Bone Broth. No snacks as you probably already know. I feel a little funny offering advice to a four year vet but there it is. Good luck. :cowboy_hat_face:

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #5

I agree that steroids could be your current problem. I was offered a steroid injection for my back once, thinking it wouldn’t be as bad as taking orals and asked if it stays in the spot injected and the doc said no, it’s going to be systemic like if you took orals, it’s just more convenient and works quickly.

I can personally attest that steroids, no matter the dose, causes water retention and weight gain and it seems to be harder to take off. Stick it out, though. It will eventually happen!

(Lisa) #6

Thanks for your suggestions.
I will try going back to TMAD. I can also cut out all dairy other than butter (I really only have about a tablespoon a day anyway - HWC)
Here is where I will struggle: I really don’t want to give up my BP coffee in the morning, but in past I have also meats thought it better for me to eat lunch and dinner as my TMAD.

I’ve never been a breakfast eater but maybe it will work better to eat only Breakfast and lunch and have my fast from 1pm to 5am?
That would certainly be a change up — maybe will shock my system into dropping weight…

I’ll let y’all know my progress : :):thinking:

(Lisa) #7

Okay here is my update
I have weighed 2 times since I started TMAD (trying keep to 6 hours and fasting 18 but sometimes it is a 17/7…)
I have only used dairy during the 7 hours and cut my sucralose by about 2/3.
so after 3 days I was minus 2#, when weighed again on day 10-- stable at minus 2#.

so that is good, I’ll take it.
my goal to to get back to my “comfort weight” so 5 more pounds to go.

Here are the macros:
for several of the days
kcal: 1563 1275 1725 940
prot: 129 92 131 65
carb: 6 6 6 4
fat: 110 100 129 73

I’ll check in next week…

(Susan) #8

That is great, Lisa, keep up the good progress =).