Plateau for months

(Donna ) #21

There’s a Zornfast here on the forums the 3rd week of the month. Maybe you’ll be ready for that in January or February?

KCKO (Keep calm and keto on)

(Jer Ba) #22

Thanks everyone

#23

Hi guys,

I have the same…or worse problem. I’m 163 cm (5’4") and weigh 65 (144). In the past few months I gained some new weight which I tried to lose but failed, then I started the ketogenic diet forty five days ago, and in the first week I lost four pounds!

I was overjoyed, only to learn they were only water weight I promptly added back and I’ve been stuck at 65 again ever since. I haven’t lost inches either, so no, there are no other signs of success. I’m also hungry most of the time, so not even getting the satiety factor. I tried intermittent fasting of 16/8 for a week, and it made no difference. Urine ketone strips always show moderate or high ketones. And I exercise 6 days a week, a moderate exertion of at least 30 minutes with a combination of free weights, body weight and cardio.

As for what I eat, Per MyFitnessPal, I’m supposed to eat 1320 calories per day, and I’m tracking and following the macros of 5% carbs, 20% protein and 75% fat. Most days I hit my carb and fat macros or below, but I find it hard to hit the protein one, since I don’t eat meat, and only eat chicken, eggs, (which I also don’t enjoy) and fish, like salmon and sardines.

I can’t bear substitute sweeteners in any form and find they all taste horrendous in anything, so I’m not causing any insulin spikes eating alleged no-calorie substitutes, and I take my drinks unsweetened, and have thrown away all attempts at keto desserts and commercial substitutes. I also found almond and coconut flour products terrible, so I don’t eat any bakeries using them. I occassionally eat an ounce each of cheese and salami for a snack or sometimes meal.

The only thing I eat regularly is heavy whipping cream, which I put in my tea and cocoa to make them palatable (2 tablespoons per drink up to three drinks a day, since most of the time I can’t find something I like to eat, so I use a drink instead) I also drink unsweetened almond milk in those drinks. I tried the bulletproof coffee in every possible way, and I had to force myself to drink it, and I can’t see myself every enjoying it, and that’s why I substituted it with the heavy whipping cream version which is at least marginally palatable to me. The only nuts I eat (very occassionally) is an ounce or two of almond or pecan. I use vegetables like spinach and broccoli and brussle sprouts occassionally, and lettuce, cherry tomatoes, onions, olives sparingly in salads or omelettes and stay within my macros using them. In those forty something days I ate a couple of handfuls of raspberries and blueberries, but that’s it.

I use ghee, unsalted butter and refined coconut oil in all my cooking, and sometimes take a tablespoon of coconut manna as a dessert.

I am getting very discouraged, especially since I’m not getting the satiety factor, which would have been enough for me to stick with the diet indefinitely. The things I find palatable are so limited and repetitive, since all the so called keto version of foods like pancakes and desserts totally gross me out, that I’d rather just not eat them. My goal weight is 58- 60 (around 130), which is the weight I was totally comfortable within my own skin, but I’m literally not budging, and I don’t seem to be getting any other benefits. Any ideas what could be going wrong???

(Leigh Thomas) #24

You’re not under any stress are you? could be your adrenal if you have any form of stress.

Could also be a mineral deficiency.

Have a look at this video it may give you some ideas to addressing the issue.

#25

I am under a lot of mental stress, that’s for sure, but I’ve been addressing it for long months now and I’ve greatly improved my physical symptoms and sleep. The one thing that doesn’t seem to be responding are my hunger levels and weight.

Thanks for the video!

(Leigh Thomas) #26

You should limit your tea and coffee intake to 1 in the morning if you drink it. You want to avoid anything that stimulates the adrenal glands. Over stimulation of the adrenal will cause a heap of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the blood which causes increased insulin which will hamper your efforts.

Have a look through Dr Berg’s channel he has plenty of good advice on how deal with these issues.

#27

I don’t drink coffee (tried it only so I’d try BPC…which I couldn’t drink). I also drink only weak black tea and cocoa as a vehicle for the almond milk and whipping cream. I have to keep researching what could be wrong with me that I’m not getting even a bit of the ketogenic diet benefits. And I’ll keep hoping someone passed through something like my experience and broke through and has words of wisdom for me.

(Jer Ba) #28

So l have tired restricting the window of eating about fasting 16/18 hrs eating 8/6 hrs ( been 2 week now since you mentioned it). Kcal increased to 1800-2000kcal. Unfortunately it has not shifted anything at all still same weight, and l weight myself 1 x a week.
I don’t know what to do, l am not expecting massive weight drop but be nice if it moved a bit.

(Jer Ba) #29

No, l actually left my job 2 month ago and have been rather stress-free

#30

I’m in the exact same boat. I’ve tried a IF again, and eliminated nuts and the only dairy I eat is heavy whipping cream…and I’m still stuck at the EXACT weight, and no inch loss either.
Did you have any progress in the last couple of weeks?

(Jer Ba) #31

Nothing Olivia, it’s been 2 weeks on IF

#32

It’s really disheartening for me, too, since I haven’t lost even ONE pound in over two months.

I lost four pounds in the first week only to discover it’s all water weight that came back promptly in the next week. The only time I lost a couple of pounds again was during the latest week of IF with calorie restriction (and excessive effort during two of these days) and those also came right back when I started earing a 1400-1500 calorie diet again on a 14/10 basis. I started at 144 and I’m still there, and my measurements are still the same (and if I breathe wrong…I add weight!)

(Jer Ba) #33

What l think l am going to try is some alternative 24hr fast. So day one eat 3 meals between 8 am and 6 pm, then the day 2 fast until 6 pm and have my evening meal. Then repeat again ! To see if that will change things up.

#34

The main problem with me in keto isn’t even not losing weight or inches, it’s not losing the hunger. That’s why fasting is so hard for me. I tried a fat supplemented fast during the last week of IF since I could think of nothing but the gnawing hunger pain all day, and it helped a bit, but not much. I’m wondering if I’m even in ketosis or fat adapted (still confused if there’s a difference between these two states) at all after all that time.

I hope your fasting routine kicks off a change for you!

(Jer Ba) #35

Olivia, if you are not testing how do you know you are in ketosis. I test via blood strips, in the first month l did every day to understand food and how my ketons fluctuations with food. Now l do it every 4 /7 days to keep an eye. It was not untill l did regular testing the until l was in actual ketosis

#36

I tested with urine strips…and I track everything I eat on MFP and never go above 30 carbs (which are total…so I know I’m eating less than 20 net) I also had the initial signs (the bad breath, the loss of water weight, the symptoms of keto flu until I upped my electrolytes…etc. And I’ve been strict with my diet ever since. I also test my blood glucose now and it’s been stable from fasting to PP from around 75 to 95 (which as I understand is a good indication of my insulin levels)

The ketometers are very expensive…especially their strips, so I don’t understand how everyone can afford to use so many of them regularly. I tried to rely on other signs to tell me I’m in ketosis (the most important being strictly LCHF) but if it’s the only way, I’ll bite the bullet and buy one.