Returning after 1 Year and feeling like a failure

#1

I feel like a failure.

I was keto for 2 years and saw very little weight loss benefits. Its hard not feeling a bit demoralized because it was so much work! I tracked my calories/macros, I was in a mild caloric deficit, I train every summer for my yearly triathlon, I work out regularly, and I practiced intermittent fasting. Why didnt I lose more than 15lbs over 2 years? (the weight loss was all in the first 2-3 months and then after that)

I considering trying to again but I need some positive inspiration from you all. I put in so much effort both physically and mentally to maintain a positive outlook through the whole thing my mind is exhausted just thinking about trying again. Its put me in a depression so getting back on the horse and trying again has been almost impossible.

Im also trying some new things and focusing on muscle building in my workouts instead of straight cardio. Does anyone have links to recommended macros for muscle building on keto? Maybe a slightly higher protein intake?

(Mary Ann) #2

Hi there, my heart really ached when I read this because I see someone trying so hard. Have you considered that heavy training and intermittent fasting AND changing diet is too much all at once? I’m not making a judgement on your workouts but a triathlon sounds strenuous. IF could be affecting your cortisol. Just getting back to more protein and fat (and lowering carbs) could be a good first step. Go for more whole foods (not keto treats or packaged keto items) and see if your body finds it’s hunger and satiety without forcing IF right away. I’m a fan of more protein for satiety (but everyone is different).

Edited to add: One other thing about motivation-- did you have any non-scale victories with keto before? For me the improvement on my mental health (depression and anxiety), migraines, and inflammation motivate me in any day-to-day high carb trigger (few as they seem to be nowadays).
Lots of luck to you. :slight_smile:

(Marianne) #3

I’m sorry that you are feeling discouraged.

I can’t speak to the fitness goals you want to accomplish while on keto, but the reason this is sustainable to me is because I don’t find eating this way a sacrifice. I’d say find as many HF/LC foods you love and incorporate your meals around those. Confine your intake to meals and eat to satiety. Keep the carbs low.

How much weight are you looking to lose? If it isn’t much, I think it may take longer than if you had a lot to lose to begin with.

#4

@MissSimon
Losing 9 kilos in one year is good, if it is effortless. I spoke to another gal I didnt even know was on keto and she told me that she lost 10 kilos in one year. Of course we have some real heroes here who have lost 30 - 50 kilos in one year, but they might have had a much larger starting weight. But I dontdo sports and neither does the other gal I spoke to. She works in an office and sits most of the day. One can also gain muscle which weighs more than fat- did you know? And intermittent fasting plays a large role in weight loss as well. IF becomes possible in a natural way once we are fat adapted which can take up to 3-4 months of very low carb nutrition.
But what I see most of all is that you are not enjoying life? It seems to me you are pushing yourself so hard and life becomes an uphill climb the whole way. The reason keto works so well for so many people is because it is sustainable. We cook wonderful delicious meals for ourselves and dont suffer. But if everything is suffering- then no wonder you would get depressed at the thought of starting again. I think you are doing something wrong. And it might be in the fact that you are not enjoying what you eat.

#5

As a hedonist, I find it alarming you feel you struggle, put effort and not enjoy keto with being a tad careful. Tracking isn’t nice, I do it since ages with breaks (0 fat loss :smiley: but I have interesting data and a huge patience now. and a simple diet so I don’t need to measure 50 different things a day. actually, tracking is for curiosity, my diet ensures my success if I stick to it, I am very sure of it now. I am a huge optimist but I have a reason now, really)… But the food is good, I have fun (and if I don’t, I go off keto and come back later and tweak something to find an enjoyable, sustainable one). I do IF because it comes naturally. I am not nearly as active as you but I am to some extent because I need it to feel better… Even not losing on keto, it wasn’t in vain… So I never got really disappointed. It shouldn’t be just a struggle…
Sometimes keto (the style we do at the moment) isn’t enough, sometimes we need a lot of time to find our individual way.
You definitely need to change something but I can’t possibly know what is that, we may need very different approaches. Some people use total carbs, skip sweeteners… I minimize net carbs and added fat but it’s to lower my calories (and feeling better).
You probably don’t have much to lose, that often makes things harder. Maybe your metabolism is a tad slower than you think or maybe your body considers this weight right on your actual diet… I can just guess.

(Susan) #6

Hello MissSimon, welcome back to the forum.

Firstly, you are not a failure!! You just need to figure out how you can get Keto to work for you, and hopefully we can give you some ideas that might help to get that nasty annoying scale moving downwards for you!

Since you do a lot of exercise, I am wondering if you have built up a lot of muscle (that is heavier in weight to the fat) and that might be why you are not showing a significant weight loss on the scales?

To give you an example, I have been on Keto a little over a year now, and I lost 63 pounds, with basically no exercise. In the past couple of months I have begun doing an exercise video daily that is low impact for 44 minutes and when all the snow melts I will start to do walking as well. I know others on the forum that have lost over 100 pounds without doing any exercise at all, so that is why I am wondering if you have just been building up a lot of muscles, but reaping other Keto benefits.

I have found that I really need to keep my carbs as low as possible, always under 20 grams a day, and often times way lower then that. I have also found that I cannot eat cheese, or much dairy, so I keep that to minimum (I use butter and a bit of HWC in coffee or tea and that is generally all the dairy I eat). I cannot have any sugar substitutes as they also trigger a reaction of insulin for me. We are all different, of course, so the dairy and sweeteners might not cause any trouble for you. They do for me and some other people on the forum; however, so I felt that it was perhaps helpful to mention that to you.

Sometimes we just have to experiment with different foods, to see what may or not work for us. I really hope that you can figure out what is making your body not cooperate and shed the weight. I wish you all the best this time around. You can do this! We will all be here to cheer you on =)).

#7

Hello!
I am just getting started so I apologize that I won’t be able to offer much more than moral support, but I definitely wanted to offer what I could! I looked back on some of your posts from your last big push with keto and I wanted to say, I don’t blame you for feeling disheartened! You have really worked at this and it’s discouraging to put in all that effort to eat right and track everything, suffer through the weird transition period and endure the heartburn and keep pounding away with exercise and reduced calories, only to stall out and come away with what seems like no results! (HUG)

When weight loss plateaus despite all efforts, I interpret it as a survival response. The body has established this body mass as “normal” for you. To lose that mass might endanger your life in a crisis and a high stress level will tell your body that this possible crisis could be right around the corner. I remember reading about the statistics of people who lose a lot of weight, especially quickly… 90% or more gain it back. This is because the body reacts as if the “diet” that caused said weight loss was a period of famine and the body works fast to return to it’s old definition of “normal” mass. Women’s bodies work harder at this return than men’s too, just to add insult to injury, lol.

This means that to make weight loss last, it needs to be slow. In fact, the slower, the better. This way your body has time to adjust to your new “normal”. That’s not going to make you happy, but I hope it reinforces that what you have done is absolutely NOT a failure.

So do your best to relax and define a new goal! Stop thinking about weight loss and work toward getting back on your keto horse. Remember the things you loved about keto and focus on creating a new “normal” for yourself where you are healthy, happy and enjoying your time on this here rock. :wink:

(Mg ) #8

I’m 53 and it gets worse as you age.
I don’t have to worry about Micros anymore. I don’t have to worry about going above 20-25 carbs a day.
I intermittent fast. 20-4.
I eat one keto meal a day and one snack. I don’t crave anymore. I am not famished anymore. I am an obsessor. I obsess over the scale and numbers etc… I had to stop it. It mentally messed me up.
Only way for me to stop was to start fasting.
I LOVE it.

I never top out over my carbs and if my Micros are off, believe me, my body will let me know within 24 hours.
I’m so sure of keto lifestyle choice I pretty much automatically know where I’m lacking based on how I feel. That comes with time.

I highly reccomend this.
It just lifted a huge load off my shoulders. Don’t have to cook all day, don’t have to wonder and count and worry.

I’m solidly in since November 23-2019. Straight through. Only lost 12-13 pounds but dropped two full sizes. The areas where I was at my worse at… Stomach, hips, back fat, shoulders… Shrinking.
It’s amazing where the fat is, is where keto seems to work magic.

I lost 50 plus sounds six years ago or so and regained 25.
I cheated… it crept up on me. Jumped right back in before the holidays.
It made me want it, more.
The scale SUCKS but my clothes and how I took, are motivating.

You’ll be OK. Desire to stop the madness is all you need to get started.
The fact you’re here and thinking about it, just reinforces it. Some people don’t even care. You do!
That’s the difference between success and failure!

(Vic) #9

Check list of Possible culprits

Some not all have issues with
Artificial Sweeteners
Keto Treats or Fat bombs
Nuts
Cheese
Hidden Carbs

Also I had to find out there are carbs in things listed as 0 on the label like with cheeses, Heavy cream, Spices and such

Are you keeping under 20 carbs
Are you counting total or net carbs

(Vic) #11

Another thing is be careful what you eat at restaurants not all things are what they seem

for instance I found out that Ihop uses pancake batter in their scrambled eggs,

Starbucks americano black,has 2 carbs for the small

ALso I went to a greek restaurant found out there was more carbs then I thought in some of the meats then it would be If I made it myself

(Kristen Ann) #12

@MissSimon – I may hav some motivation for you.

I started keto 17 months ago. I had 40 lbs to lose, lost 14 lbs in the first couple months… then nothing… then gained 6-8 lbs while still on keto (but had some cheats). Got strict again and lost ~ 5 lbs. Then after being keto for 1 year, I went off the diet back to SAD in order to trigger my symptoms for medical testing. I went off keto for 8 weeks. I gained 22 lbs in this 8 weeks. When I was done testing, I went back to keto. I have been back on keto now for 15 weeks. I have lost 23 lbs and am still losing. My weekly average weight has gone down 13 of these 15 weeks. ANd while it’s slowed, I’m actually losing more inches around my waist than when it was rapid weight loss. The weight loss I’m experiencing now is extremely different than in the first year. For one I’m consistently losing, I’ve lost more in 15 weeks than I did in my entire first year, I have whooshes and my pants fit more like I’ve lost ~ 30 lbs (not 23). I only have 25 lbs to go. I think everyone’s journey is different and something in mine just clicked in terms of weight loss.

So stick with. Also, I will add, that not overdoing protein has definitely helped with my fat loss.