Newbie- no weight loss HELP! I’m ready to quit!

[Gingerfam17]

My husband and I have been keto for almost 3 weeks now and have only lost BARELY 5 lbs! We are less than 20 carbs per day. I need an “expert” to help before we call it quits.

[Anniegirl9]

5 pounds in 3 weeks isn’t nothing. Even low fat diets advise 2 pounds per week loss. You’re only slightly off from that.

But let me ask you this:
Would you rather lose weight faster on a low fat diet that is unsustainable and end up gaining it all back and then some, or would you rather adopt a way of eating that you can maintain long term, taking weight off slowly and gradually and keeping it off?

[Gingerfam17]

I completely understand the logic behind the snow weight loss. But I am extremely frustrated with the 4 lb loss. Although it’s 4 lbs, it doesn’t seem like enough after cutting carbs so drastically. If you, or anyone has help tips on how to accelerate the weight loss that would be greatly appreciated.

[In2steam]

I would recommend you give us your macros, age, height weight body fat% if you know it etc, we can take a look. Also barely is not nothing some people gain weight the first few weeks. This is not an instant weight loss program, its a way of eating which promotes your body’s ability to heal and use energy wisely. You may need to do a lot of the first before the second burns some fat off.

If a mod sees this move it to the newbies forum.

[sboychuck]

Maybe try some Intermittent Fasting? I was stalled out and am now doing a 16/8 schedule and have lost 2 pound in four days. I eat between 11:30am and 7:30pm, drinking only water while fasting for 16-hours. It was pretty easy to get acclimated to it. Just a thought.

[Anjeunbener]

We’re definitely gonna need lots of info from you to possibly identify any issues. The most important thing we need is your daily meal plan, so feel free to share it with us so we can help. Giving up is only going to push you backwards so it won’t do you any good.

[J_A-M]

We need more information like age, height, weight, average daily calories, average daily macros (preferably in grams), a day of food or two, and your goals. I’m going to share my general information for newbies below and if you have questions, please ask.

We have a few sayings here, “keep calm, keto on” and “trust the process.” Keto isn’t a quick weight loss diet. It’s a health gaining way of eating with fat loss as a side effect. If the scale is an unhealthy obsession, put it away for a couple of months or give it to a neighbor you don’t like. People like the idea of numbers because it feels like control. That’s an illusion. The only number that can potentially provide actionable information for most people is a blood glucose reading. While numbers might be interesting data to track, they aren’t something to chase. Everyone’s numbers are different, everyone changes in different ways.

There are two phases to ketosis and a ketogenic lifestyle.

Nutritional ketosis is phase one. Your body begins to produce and uptake some ketones while dumping the rest. It will still search for glucose to use as fuel. In this phase it’s not an efficient process. It has to work actively to get rid of stored glycogen, clean up excess blood sugar, and turn on the ability to use ketones.

Fat adaptation is phase two. Your body is efficiently producing ketones from intake and stored body fat and is also using them efficiently for energy. It takes around 6-8 weeks of strict keto to achieve for many but not all.

The basic “rules” I go by and many others can agree with especially for beginners are:

*20g net carbs max (you might tolerate more but, starting out, 20g net carbs or less will get you into ketosis.)

*Moderate protein (Moderate means eating different meats and eggs. Preferably meats with their own fat or meats you will add fat to. We aren’t trying to eat protein to be full, we want to add enough fat to our meals to be full with. If you are searching for a number, 1g-1.5g per kg of lean bodyweight is a good goal based on the 2 Dudes recommendations.)

*Fat to satiety (add fat to every meal and, if you are hungry, eat more fat. Don’t be afraid of fat. It is energy.)

*Do not restrict calories

*Do not exercise excessively in an effort to lose weight

*Drink plenty of water

*Get plenty of sodium and other electrolytes (Try homemade ketoaide)

[Anniegirl9]

I’m going to make a guess here before you share all your stats, but based on so many newbies complaints about the same thing, almost all of them are under eating.
If you’re coming to Keto with the same diet mentality of low fat diets, you’re going to hit a wall very soon into it. This isn’t a starvation diet and CICO are not going to get you anywhere.

I will happily retract if your stats prove me wrong.
Please let us know weight, height, age and a sample meal plan and these guys here are wiz’s with spotting areas you can change to help you on your Keto journey.

[lfod14]

One person only loosing 5lbs in 3 weeks is weird especially given the amount of water you dump at first, TWO people doing that means you guys are doing something wrong. As the others said, need as much of a meal plan as you can give us. How active are you, working out, medications that could be screwing with you etc. The answer is there. Giving up is stupid, just find and fix the problem and away you go!

[Anniegirl9]

Was that 5 pounds lost for just you or for both you and your husband combined?

[Chance]

Sorry you are feeling frustration. There is so much positivity around keto and weight loss that when it doesn’t come quickly is understandable to feel negative. It’s worth checking the other advice in this thread to make sure there isn’t one thing you could be doing that’s undermining progress.

At the same time, are you enjoying feelings of freedom from cravings and the absence of blood sugar roller coasters?

I haven’t been losing weight quickly either, but since I hope and intend to eat this way for the long term, I can stand a slower weight loss and believe that I will look back in a years time and wonder what I thought the hurry was.

Maybe you could review your expectations and if it turns out the are no simple corrections to make, view this as a journey at a sedate sustainable pace rather than a charge to the destination.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[rhltechie]

I’m day 21 on keto. I’ve barely lost 3 pounds. Meaning I have been losing and gaining the same 3 pounds since the start. I didn’t lose 10 pounds of water the first week or the second for that matter. I’m living proof, people do not react the same to this change in diet. With that said, my clothes are looser, my belly is smaller, my mind is clear, my mood swings are less and I feel so much better. If you are going into this only counting success as pounds lost, I’m afraid you might be disappointed. You should probably share your macros to make sure there are no glaring issues as well.

[Gingerfam17]

Thank you to everyone who has responded. I think I’m looking for encouragement and reassurance. We have been following the net carbs/ modified Atkins 20 plan. My husband has lost 5 pounds total, I have lost 4 pounds total. I am 32 years old, 5 foot tall and weigh 161 pounds. I will try to get my macros and daily diet info added in as well. Honestly I have not even cheated one time. Meaning I have not ate any high carb foods, I haven’t even shoot a piece of gum , Trying to avoid any hidden carbs. My clothes do not feel much looser on top of the fact that I’m not losing the weight as quickly as I assumed. I’ve had a few friends that have been on keto for a while and lost a significant amount of water weight in the beginning. Of course I want to lose the fat not just water weight because the fat is what counts. But I was really hoping for a little bit more encouragement from the scale. Has anyone tried the Keytone supplements that are out there and if so do you have a recommendation of one?

[Camille_Yeager]

Hang in there! The scale will move, don’t forget too, we ladies have hormones that effect our journey too, while they are working into their equalibrium point the scale may not move much. It took me about 4 months before it started moving for me, my clothes didn’t fit any better either, and I didn’t lose any inches during those 4 months. and I only cheated 1 time in those 4 months. Then I started intermittent fasting more in my 5th month, and the scale began to move slowly. It’s been worth it though, even if my weight loss hasn’t been as dramatic as other’s has been. I’m now down 22 lbs total. Plus, us short people, I swear we lose weight slower in general. (I’m 5 ft tall too) Also, at 161, you’re much closer to your ideal weight than a 300lb person proportionally, so it’s going to take your body more time to get there.

[Gingerfam17]

22 lbs is great in 4 months! I would love that! I have about 30 lbs I want to lose. I thought I would have lost at least 10 by now.

[Camille_Yeager]

closer to six months, and I’d say 15 of that 22 was water weight, right at the start. and then the scale froze for months, until i added fasting in. I’m guessing that your body didn’t have much water weight to lose, and so you’re weight loss so far is likely mostly fat. I wish my loss was faster, but I’ll take it little by little. 3 weeks in your body is definitely still getting used to the idea of burning fat, so its still got some ways to go. There are lots of people who don’t start losing weight until they do more IF or other longer forms of fasting. I haven’t tried a fast longer than 24 hours yet, but the scale has moved each time i’ve done a 24 hour fast. good luck!

[Alecmcq]

Tori
We need a day or 2 of your typical diet to troubleshoot. Can you let us know so the very keto experienced folks on here can identify possible issues.

My overall view is that 1lb per week is just fine. If someone had a pill that would mean you would be at your ideal weight in 6 months time, would you take it?
Cheers
Alec

[Gingerfam17]

Alec, That’s a tough question. I think it would depend on what was in it. I have a sensitivity to a lot of medications and supplements so I tend not to take anything unless absolutely necessary. I’m going to see if I can add a screenshot of my intake for a few days.

[RADA]

Ginger,

Please don’t give up.

As others have said, we need much more information other than “20 grams of carbs per day.”

Keto isn’t a diet, its a body reprogramming. You need to teach your body to burn fat vs. glycogen. This reprogramming can take time. If you’re starving your body for Fats and Protein, then you will not lose weight. Also, if your Protein consumption is too high you could be stalling your weight loss.

This is why knowing your numbers is so important. Winging it won’t work with Ketogenics.

For us to help you be successful, we need to know how close to you daily intake you are on Fats & Protein as well as your Carb Limitations.

If you are supposed to have (I’m guessing here.) 100 grams of fat, and 95 grams of Protein per day, but you’re only hitting 85 grams of Fat and 75 grams of Protein, then you’re not going to see the results you want.

Keto is math. Find your daily requirements (with a Ketogenics Calculator) and try to get as close as you can to your numbers.

[Gingerfam17]

This is a typical day for me. It doesn’t vary too much.