I am currently cycling to the university (5 kilometres) and walking around 2-4 kilometres. This is my way of not being my older self. Although I used to walk around 8-14 kilometres when I was in my first few months if keto, I am basically a lazy person. Tell me to sit in the sun in my garden all day sipping a cuppa, I’ll give you my heart. Nobody tells me that by the way. Even the voice in my head keeps shouting “look at karlie kloss! She’s running a marathon!”
So here’s the deal. I’m 23, 5’2.5", 45-48 KGS (it oscillates back and forth) and have been on keto for 9 months. I’m having a hard time losing the last ten pounds. Literally. My body fat percentage is 18.6%, I have 5 KGS of fat tucked in my pooch, my back and my hips. I need that gone. I have come a long way from 67 kilos to 45 kilos (and trust me, I was down to 42 before the holidays and the sweets and chocolates and cakes and the December of cheating) but that seems like another life now.
I don’t want to walk 10 kilometres and am not feeling like doing hiit. Can I lose the last 10 pounds without working out?
Also, how slow would weight loss be henceforth? I feel frustrated.
No exercise
Decide on whether you want to do (even a bit of) HIIT after you’ve watched this. There are so many ways, no equipment necessary, some don’t even require any space apart from where you are standing and it takes very little time. You could even incorporate it into your cycling (push hard up the hill, maybe a couple of times?).
You know according to the BMI (I know I know) you are underweight. Also you are exercising and that builds lean body mass so you may be actually putting weight on. According to the The American Council on Exercise you are within the body fat range of an atheletic woman.
Wahaaaa… You just made me feel like wonderwoman!!! I’ll give it a go. Ohk, challenge accepted. Let me do this for a week starting today …alright?
Hi Shromona!
My 2 cents about weight loss plateau:
If your weight has stalled and it’s not moving to either way and if your goal is to burn more fat, then I would suggest you one of the three:
- Increase your caloric deficit by 100-200 calories for starters, and see how your body responds to it.
- Increase your daily activity - Either walk more, do some jogging, HIIT, gym or whatever makes your heart pump.
- The combination of the 2 previous ones: Cut 100 calories from your daily macros and walk an extra mile daily.
This is the simplest and effective way to start testing how your body responds.
Hi! My problem is that the scale is oscillating between 45 and 47 KGS on a daily basis. But yes, it’s not getting below 45 either.
Have you tried any sort of fasting? Intermittent fasting either for a day or two a week, or restricting food to between 12pm and 8pm may help. You can then exercise in a fasted state every morning during your cycling/waliking to university.
That said, I agree with the comment above that 18.6% bf puts you well and truly in the athletic category for women, so it may be that you just need to build muscle and put on a small amount of weight rather than lose much more fat.
Try to add some weight training in, even if its just a couple of times a week at home. Your body burns fat far more efficiently after lifting weights.
Good luck!
I also eat between 1000-1200 calories a day (unless I’m going crazy over the fat bombs. Which is why I’ve stopped making them)
The last 10% are the hardest, especially as you are looking to get down to a fairly low body fat%.
If OMAD isn’t moving it, you might try 3MAD or EF. Something to create a bit of turbulence. I second the idea of HIIT. You’re riding a bike already, just ride some hills with a steady pace in a fixed gear.
Your 18% BF is right on for health for a woman. Congrats. Good luck.
Sounds like you have starved yourself and lowered your metabolism 
When I researched Keto I found the most successful men and women did not calorie restrict and no to little exercise 
Women no exercise 1500 to 2000 kcals
Women with little exercise 2000 to 3000 kcals
Men no exercise 2000 to 2500 kcals
Men with little exercise 2500 to 3500 kcals
The Key was to become fat adapted and accurately judge satiety
(Dr Phinney says it takes 6 months before you can accurately judge satiety. Tim Noakes says some 10% of people (often women) never get to that point.)
Two of the most successful tools was IF/EF ( Autophagy, Resetting Metabolism and many other Health Benefits) 
One of the most important things to understand is that IF/EF Keto is a Way to Eat (Fuel your Body and Brain) 
Another important thing is that Calories In Calories Out does not apply to Keto WOE
KCKO (Keep Calm Keto On)
“May the Force (fat adaption) be with you”
IF/EF Keto WOE is Self-Discovery 
Good luck and much success in your journey in IF/EF Keto WOE
Hey ! I have really been obsessing over calories lately… See, I didn’t even own a food scale before. I didn’t weight everything before eating. I didn’t exercise much. I lost 25 KGS in 9 months.
But this is my last ten pounds and nothing seems to be right. Nothing moves (the scale or my body measurements). Actually, it’s not true. My measurements change everyday as does the scale. I will stop weighting myself every morning. I’ll weight once a week.
I feel satiated with one meal. I have never been a big eater, though I’m a food addict. So I keep cooking whatever that I crave, recipes excite me. But I’ve started eating the same thing recently. With a side of wow of course: 2 oz of keto peanutbutter fudge, or a wheatgrass vanilla pudding.
I will go on the one hour walk from tomorrow though.
Would I ever be fat adapted?
What are the signs?
Part of Fat Adaption is not Obsessing over Calories or Exercise, Satiety isn’t just about hunger it’s also peace of mind
I have found if things are not working is because I’m wrong and need to rethink things 
Your thinking weight loss when you need to think body re-composition
KCKO (Keep Calm Keto On)
Reading your various posts has seen me experience multiple reactions - sadness, worry, mild envy…
I am about your height 5’2". I’m 55 I have never been 45-48kg other than when I was a child. I have been 104kg and am currently 81kg (so I am almost two of you). I will be ecstatic when I reach 70kgs which is the weight you started from. At that weight I will still be overweight most likely but in a much better position healthwise. I too have been fat shamed by people in my life (one of those being a parent when I was a teenager).
What makes me sad is how you see your body. You seem almost obsessed with losing more weight, yet to do so might compromise your physical and mental health. I wish your wiser, older self could give you advice that you would hear - forget about losing weight for now. Focus on maintenance and remaining and increasing your health (which may involve becoming more fit). You’ve lost over a third of your body weight. Celebrate that achievement and take both a physical rest (from losing weight) and a mental rest.
You may have places where fat is stored yet that is not un-natural for many women who are of child bearing age. In addition losing more and more weight could lead to an interference in hormone production and cessation of menstruation.
I would love to be in your position where I have lost 25kg in 9 months and end at a weight considered normal. Yet realistically I might not get there - only time will tell. In the meantime I am celebrating the small improvements I see especially in my fitness. While weight loss was my first motivation for shifting to keto I really appreciate the NSV (climbing a steep hill for 2 hours and having to walk back down again over another 80 minutes all while in a fasted state and then the next day not being stiff and sore).
Don’t allow the nasty, critical people who have shamed you to rule your life. They need to be evicted from your mind/headspace because they don’t deserve to have any space in there. Sometimes we have to find the grace to live with some things we cannot change and learn to love what we have.
Bibi, I’m another one who’s reading your posts with concern. [For those of us who are used to pounds and might not be realizing: she’s 5’ 2.5" and fluctuating between 99 and 103 pounds.]
I know that you’re seeing heaviness in your belly and legs that you don’t like, but… your height and 100 pounds is really small. If you want to shift your proportions a bit through exercise, you can probably do that, but I wouldn’t rely on the scale number staying the same because your body will likely happily put on some muscle, so you’ll weigh more.
Paging @Emacfarland - have you seen these threads? any suggestions?
@Madeleine you are right that she is small for her height and has a low body fat percentage. It would not be advisable to lose additional body fat. It would be possible to change the distribution of weight, but that would definitely involve weight lifting, I’d also suggest upping protein a bit. Since she is a self described “lazy person” focusing on a few well designed weight lifting protocols per week wouldn’t require a ton of time. But trying to lose more weight could lead to other health problems.
Hi! I won’t just thank you for your emails. I have a lot of things to write. I don’t know why but I felt like hearing from long lost friends.
Your emails made me think a lot. When I was at my heaviest, I was happy. I did not choose to shed weight because I was unhappy with the way I looked. As a feminist I have always been body positive. I didn’t even lose weight much after I found out that I have polycystic ovary. It’s only when I started having recurrent UTI that I decided to lose weight.
I believe, and thank you for making me think, that I have unrealistically fussy about my weight and fatloss ever since I actually started losing weight. Infact the initial phase was fun. I didn’t have any pressure. I was doing hiit. I was in my happy place. But only after I lost twenty five KGS, that is, for the last two months, that I’ve been completely obsessed with an unrealistic body image. When did I become this person? This cynical delusional woman who believes that she has to have a “revenge” body? I feel sooooo ashamed. I feel ashamed as a feminist.
Fun fact: I actually started thinking about this last night. I decided that I should think of toning and strengthening my body. As a survivor of childhood rape, I have always felt, secretly, unsecured and wished I had more power. Well, I should. I spoke to someone this evening who’ll give me preliminary karate lessons and another amazing yoga trainer.
Receiving your emails have been an indescribable experience. I’m touched. Wish me luck. I also read an amazing book called Fat is a Feminist Issue recently.
Thank you.
I wish all of you all the best. I’ll keep you guys posted.
You have a powerful spirit. You should have no trouble with the power to strengthen your body, too.
Lord! My email us full of typos. Hate my cellphone- it types things before I do. 