Keto Plateau


(Joey Diaz) #1

Hello everyone !

I have recently started a keto diet , and the results have been … interesting. I was doing a low carb diet with balanced fats and proteins for about 4 weeks before I started keto eating 1500 calories a day. Now on Keto , I lost a few pounds , however I have hit a wall and idk what to do. I have the keto blood test strips and the reading has been a steady 4.5mml for the past 3 weeks. I have been watching to make sure I’m not over eating ( no more then 1800 calorie ) and have been tracking all my food to ensure my macros are 5% carb , 20% protein an 75% fat each day. I have been at 171.6 lbs for about a week now. I bike about 6 miles in the weekday mornings ( 35 min ) I lift weights on Monday , Wednesday , Friday , and I run every night on the treadmill doing the 30 min “ fat burner “ routine that estimates I’m burning 300 calories . ( it gives me varying speed and elevation , I’m covered in sweat by the time it’s over ) . I’m a 28 year old male. Looking to see if anyone has some advice or insight ?


(MooBoom) #2

Hi and welcome Joey!

What you’re describing is normal when you first go keto. If you’ve lost scale weight in the past 2 months you aren’t technically stalled. Weight loss is a side effect of a ketogenic way of eating, the function of which is to reduce insulin, and heal metabolic disregulation.

Don’t fall into a CICO trap and sweat calories/macros- eat enough to satisfy your hunger (carbs below 20g, enough protein to maintain LBM, fat to satiety). It’s that simple.

Scales aside, how are you feeling?

Have a read of the following- don’t sweat the scales just KCKO.



(Khara) #3

What she :point_up_2: said. Also, you are male and 171 lbs… How tall are you? It sounds like you could be close to goal weight, and that is just a slow period, especially considering your body already gave up a little bit of weight. The 1500-1800 calorie range makes me wonder if you are eating enough. Be sure you are not feeling like you are going hungry. This shouldn’t feel like a diet. If so, your body will think you are starving and stubbornly hang on to every ounce.


(Joey Diaz) #4

Hi Monique !

Thank you for the information , I’m reading over it now.
Overall I feel good , I don’t feel sleepy at 3pm which is huge for me. It’s a learning process that is for sure. I’m struggling trying to find a bearing to measure my progress. I bought a new scale and was all excited that it was really testing my BMI and I was going to use that as my new “ how am I doing “ . Then I realized it’s just using the math equation on my weight and height ( not really testing my body fat my electrical impedance ).


(Joey Diaz) #5

I’m 5”6 , I don’t feel starving and it seems smooth. Im starting to think I might be at the weight my body wants ? I’m down from 190lbs about 7 weeks ago .


(MooBoom) #6

A great measure to go by is how your clothes fit, that’s something you can feel and others can see. A lot of folk (myself included) notice our scale weight stays the same for extended periods of time, but we fit into smaller and smaller clothes. Keto magic!

Another measure is NSV’s exactly like the one you just mentioned- not feeling tired at 3pm. Perhaps you will find your mood is more even, you are less a slave to your hunger, you sleep better, you heal faster, your immune system improves…the list goes on (all those things I just mentioned have happened to me).

It is not unusual for people to come to keto for weight loss, and stay for all the other unexpected benefits.

I look forward to following your progress!


(Joey Diaz) #7

Thanks for the tips , you hit the nail on the head with clothing. I have noticed I’m sliding into shorts I have not worn in longer than I can remember. I originally came to keto for weight loss and the more and more information I absorb leads me to view this as a lifestyle change rather than a “ diet “. I’m am excited for the various health benefits and the food is amazing. I’m glad we could have this quick chat tonight , it wiped my slight hesitation right off the map.


(Khara) #8

Wow. That’s great progress. Ya, I’d bet the scale losses will be slower from this point, but I’d also bet you continue to get healthier and feel better. Best wishes!


(Joey Diaz) #9

Thanks !


(Khara) #10

You could check into DEXA scans in your area. Search this forum for it, there’s some recent threads and also examples of the output. I found one is coming to my area (it’s a van that travels around to gyms) tomorrow! And so I’ll be getting my first one. The price is quite reasonable, $45. Not an every day thing like a home scale but way more accurate results for over time progress.

Edit:


(Todd Batitis) #11

The pricing on the places that have BodySpec vans for DEXA scans are largely in part due to the limited overhead and cost outside of the machine and the van. Dexafit is another company that had wider reach but the prices are typically double to triple the $45 I (and you) mention and often require funky packages to do them rather than simply pay X amount and show up for a single scan.

That said, it is indeed a good way to measure your progress in ways you can’t see and for me it was all about verification of what was actually happening when I started 20:4 intermittent fasting and I KNEW that there would be those who would just say “Yeah, but you have probably lost a lot of muscle mass too, not just the fat.” You saw the 4 scans I have had done. Do YOU think I lost a lot of lean muscle mass? :slight_smile:


(Khara) #12

Your results are awesome. I never found Dexafit in my searches. I’m really pleased I found BodySpec when I did. My appointment is in 2 hours.:smiley::nerd_face: I am looking forward to seeing my progress. I like geeky stuff like this.


(Bunny) #13

This is just conjecture but I wonder, if it takes 8 hours to replenish glycogen stores from the food you eat keto or not and maybe 3 hours of exercise to burn up all your glycogen compared to fasting. Depleting glycogen stores makes the body burn real fat?

This is not for the faint of heart (if you don’t like hardcore weight loss?):

I like to take real cold showers or ice baths (use caution; amount ice tolerable levels; does not take very much) after cooling down from a HIIT work out (15 to 20 min.) with a higher extra virgin omega 3 intake and a little drinking water with bitter melon extract in it does the trick for me. Cold Thermogenesis CT exposure depletes glycogen stores very rapidly. You can literally eat anything you want and still be in ketosis. Caveat for CT cold adaption: I usually start out dunking face in ice water just to get my body use to the idea of a cold shower or ice baths (hormesis).

References:

[1] “…Well, the body simply pulls energy out of the ‘fridge’. Since you have enough glycogen stored up to last over 24 hours on a regular day, you would need to do some serious exercise for a long time before you could exhaust those stores. Endurance athletes occasionally do hit this ‘wall’, where glycogen stores run out. …” …More

[2] Glycogen shortage during fasting triggers liver–brain–adipose neurocircuitry to facilitate fat utilization

[3] “…Fasting, low-carb diets, high intensity exercise, and cold thermogenesis can all use up and burn off glycogen in the muscles. Once depleted, the muscle is primed for glycogen supercompensation. If one eats carbs during this time, they can refill, to higher-than-normal levels, their glycogen stores. This results in higher muscle protein synthesis rates and fuller, stronger muscles that perform at peak capacity.
The Cool Fat Burner has been shown able to burn off glycogen at a rate comparable to exercise, and to accelerate acquiring the ketogenic state. In the “Body Recomp” experiment, Eric G. was able to eat hoagies, bowls of cereal, and other large amounts of simple carbs, yet stay in ketosis. This demonstrates the massive potential to set up a huge glycogen supercompensation. As shown in the “Body Recomp” experiment, this not only allows for glycogen supercompensation and thus boosted muscular growth and performance, but in practical terms, it allows for much more frequent carb refeeds and cheat meals! …” …More


(Alec) #14

Joey
I think you are undereating and overexercising, I think your body is feeling threatened and is veering into starvation mode. My advice is to drop all ideas of how many calories you are eating, simply follow the key keto advice of less than 20g of carbs per day, and then eat fat and protein to satiety. If you do not feel hungry, don’t eat. But I sense you are trying to hit a calorie target here to lose weight and this is not how keto works.

Right now, on your current exercise routine, your body needs more energy. If you are not losing weight on your current regime it means your body is holding onto its fat stores, and it will be reducing your BMR instead. You don’t want this. Eat more if hungry.


(Full Metal KETO AF) #15

The problem with macro % calculations in tracking apps is that if you try to meet them exactly you’re likely over or under eating trying to hit those numbers. Actual gram targets are better. But here’s what happens. When things look close and you’re a little under on fat and protein and say you’ve had 18 carbs that day and it is called 7% carbs instead of just recognizing that you’re under 20. If you eat more meat and fat the carb % drops. Do you see what I am getting at? Just focus on carb limits and eat protein and fat so you’re satisfied and don’t feel low energy or hungry. Use your instincts as a guide to how much you need to eat rather than chasing what a calculator tells you you need. We’re all so different even if we’re the same height, weight and age our needs will vary. We all start with different states of metabolism, health and varying activity levels. Keto will enable you to listen to your body’s needs and respond appropriately. :cowboy_hat_face:


(Joey Diaz) #16

Thank you for the input , sorry for the late reply. I have followed your advice and quit with the calorie counting and I now just make sure I’m at 20g of carbs per day , usually from broccoli or almonds.


(Joey Diaz) #17

Thank you for the input , I have changed up and now I’m only really tracking the carbs each day to be at 20g. How do you plan meals and have food “ ready “ for this eat when hungry approach. Also , to go on that , how would intermittent fasting work with a 4 hour window ? I feel like I could eat my 600 call breakfast at 11am , my eating window is over at 3pm and I’m not hungry till after , then the next day the same thing happens. Any thoughts ?


(Joey Diaz) #18

Thank you for the info , I am going to give cold showers a whirl. I have done some reading on this as well.


(Full Metal KETO AF) #19

I think a 20/4 IF plan is awesome if you’re not getting hungry during the 20 hour no eating window.

You can do stuff like pot roast, pulled pork, chicken thighs/legs or whatever in a largish batch and just reheat a serving and steam a little broccoli or something when you’re going to eat. Easy 10 minute meal.


(Joey Diaz) #20

Great idea , funny you say that. I’ve been doing chicken thighs and broccoli prepped in little containers as my go to.