Scale is going down but not inches

newbies
#1

Hi,

I’m 4 days into keto and my scale is down by 2 kgs already. But I don’t notice any difference in my body. Not even an inch. Although I’ve not measured to be fair, but by the looks of it it’s the same. Any idea what could be happening?

(Eric) #2

It’s usually water weight in the first days of Keto. If I recall correctly a gram of glycogen bonds with 3 or 4 grams of water. So, as you burn off your glycogen reserves it can result in a release of water and for some people a not insignificant amount of water weight lost. My first week of Keto I lost 18 lbs, but also had a lot of weight to lose as well

#3

That’s because you’re dumping water. Nothing happens in 4 days that you’re going to measure. Stay the course. If you’re dumping water that fast you’re doing it right.

(Robin) #4

What has happened is you are only four days in.
My goodness… patience.
You got this!

(Allie) #5

Then you really don’t know… but it’s very early days, so I wouldn’t expect massive changes yet anyway.

(MC) #6

2kg is excellent. Doesn’t matter if it’s water (most likely) or fat at this initial stage, it’s 2kg you’re not carrying on your frame. Well done, keep going!

(B Creighton) #7

Just FYI, our bodies are preferential carb burners. Until that glycogen is used up, you won’t start burning any stored fat. Your body will also have extra water in a 2:1 ratio to glycogen. From an evolution standpoint, fat is the emergency energy supply. If we are eating carbs and insulin is higher, the body assumes food is in plentiful supply, and won’t resort to burning the backup energy supply of fat. The good thing about understanding the ketogenic diet is that you don’t have to go hungry to lose the fat. I tried NOT to cut calories, and lost about four inches in the waist, but in my chin and face I lost fat as well.
One thing to watch out for when starting keto is the “keto flu.” Losing the water sometimes takes electrolytes and minerals with it, so I used minerals supps at night, and had no noticeable symptoms besides becoming more regular and slimmer!.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #8

If you don’t mind a bit of nuance, I’d like to point out that this isn’t strictly true. Excess glucose in the blood stream is a problem, since hyperglycaemia can kill. So insulin is secreted to drive it out of the blood. It goes both into muscle to be metabolised and into adipose tissue to be stored as fat. So it is true that when insulin is high (because serum glucose is high), we won’t be burning any fat. The glucose gets priority, so that we can get rid of it.

But when insulin is low, the skeletal muscles actually prefer to metabolise fatty acids and will pass up ketones and glucose. The heart muscle and the brain also prefer ketones to glucose, when they can get them. Glucose metabolism in the brain requires insulin (muscles can take in glucose without insulin, when it is necessary to do so), which is why an insulin-resistant brain develops problems that ketones can solve, since ketones enter brain cells by a different transporter.

So yes, the body prioritises getting excess glucose out of the blood, but that’s because it needs to get rid of a toxin. (And yes, we need glucose for certain purposes, but we don’t need more than about a U.S. teaspoon—5 mL, if I remember correctly—circulating in the blood at any given time.)

(Allie) #9

You know @PaulL when I read this comment first thing, I actually smiled and thought to myself, “Paul will be along to correct this soon” :grin:

(JK) #10

Too early, it’s only been 4 days.Give it time ,you will see changes.The body needs to adapt. I have been on keto/low carb way of eating 3+ years.For me took 3 months to see changes.

(Veronica) #11

As everyone else here have already stated, it’s highly likely to be water loss. I lost 3kg myself the first week of keto and I’ve only done it for a couple weeks, no further changes but wouldn’t expect there to be any as it’s far too soon. The ketogenic diet helps to lower insulin and insulin is said to make the body retain water, so this is probably what causes the water loss, and perhaps this also helps reducing inflammation. 4 days in I wouldn’t expect much. However I understand how easy it is to start looking prematurely for any kind of improvement. I could have sworn my skin is firming up and that my shape is improving, but I am only 2 weeks in and there is no change on the scale, so this could just be wishful thinking. I would worry less about the scale and take measurements instead and weekly photos so you have a better sense over time of the improvement. Best of luck to you!