I’m 52, lost 85 lbs several years ago on Keto. Finally convinced my 28 yo son to try it last summer. He started at 311 lbs and lost 15 pounds in the first six weeks. Now after five months he can’t break through 295. We eat the same things; used ketosis sticks, and he’s in ketosis. Bought a glucometer, he is consistently 80-95. I suspect insulin resistance but now sure of the next steps.
After promising him weight loss for years, we’re getting frustrated at the lack of progress. Any ideas?
Breakfast: eggs and sausage, or celery and pure peanut butter. Lunch: frozen pizza, pepperoni, birds get the crust, or lettuce wrap BLT. Dinner: steak, salmon, roast chicken, home roasted chicken wings with ranch.
Does he live with you? If not you are taking his word for it that he is eating the same foods and amounts. Just a thought.
Yes, he lives with me. We started the new diet a month after he moved in with me. He had to move in with me because he is severely depressed, much due to his being overweight. He recently started anti-depressants so for the first 4 months medication was not a factor.
Do you mean that he eats the cheese & toppings and had none of the bread?
Or, are you saying that he eats it all except for the tiny remnant of crust (the curved part)
He eats NO crust. The only possible source of any flour, is the dry rub wings at the pub we go to once a week. It’s hard for me to tell if it is dusted. I don’t dust home made wings, but we use Frank’s wing sauce which is zero carb, no sugar added.
Calories still matter. Being in ketosis doesn’t automatically cause weight loss.
Is your son eating because he’s hungry? Or to match some guesstimate of a macro? Once fat adapted, hunger should be the guide as to how much fat someone needs to eat, because the body is using stored body fat and won’t need as much to be eaten.
Hungry I’m sure, but I don’t know what you mean by macro. When I lost weight I paid no attention to calories. My favorite snack was broccoli and half a jar of blue cheese dressing.
But your question has me thinking maybe I should suggest to him to eat say half the pizza (toppings only!), wait ten minutes, then only eat the rest if you are hungry. I didn’t have to do such things when I lost weight.
I think I read that Dr. Davis suggests increasing fat intake, and reducing protein. It isn’t clear how to do that exactly, but maybe I need to research it.
Depression can stimulate cortisol (the stress hormone) and that could prevent weight loss. It’s kind of a catch 22 if he can’t lose the weight to improve his mental health and vice versa, so maybe coconut oil being included in his diet might improve his moods. CO has been known to improve brain diseases as well as brain function. From my personal experience, a tablespoon in my morning coffee seems to get my clarity and attitude up to speed in no time.
It would also not hurt to do a little research on whatever antidepressant he is using. Some antidepressants may affect blood glucose and insulin.
It seems you are kind of hoping for the stomach feeling a little full to turn off hunger. From what I read above, that might not work.
In this particular case you might think about going away from food (even keto versions) he likes. Pizza and hot wings are going to make one more hungry than (for example) simple bacon, spinach and eggs scramble (without cheese).
I would suggest he open up his palate and stay away from anything processed (like the pizza, even if he is just eating the toppings). How about tuna salad, fish with veg, quiche, salad, just cheese melted with pepperoni on top, etc.
Also what is he drinking throughout the day?
I’d eliminate the pizza – even without crust, it’s processed and probably full of MSG and starches to keep the shredded cheese from sticking together. Buy him a block of mozzarella and a huge stick of pepperoni to eat at lunch with a knife instead. And if you haven’t already, have a close look at the label on that ranch dressing.
Also – sorry – I’d stop the pub visits for a month and see what happens in the absence of those probably-breaded wings and alcohol. I assume you’re already avoiding beer, but all alcohol burdens the liver and inhibits weight loss, even if it doesn’t contain carbs.
If you aren’t drinking, then a good alternative pub order might be a double bacon cheeseburger without the bun.
Now that football season is over it’s as good a time as any to give it a try. Also, long walks (perhaps with books on tape) are great for stress.
Peanut butter can also hinder people, it’s easy to over indulge. The sauce on frozen pizzas are usually quite carby sugary. It’s best to do your own non frozen foods. A lot of cheeses have potatoe startches if pre shredded.
It sounds like you and your son have different health needs. Some people do great with no tracking, but others really need it. I’d say since mental health is also a concern this is especially true. There are apps like Carb Manager and Cronometer that are free and can help. I’d pay particular attention to carbs, keep an eyeball on the protein, and not worry about calories. Don’t worry about fat either until things get moving.
I know you aren’t a newbie yourself, but this guide might be helpful for working with your son.
Good health to you both!
A lot of good questions and suggestions. My son drinks home brewed tea in the morning with a splash of cream; I drink it too but without cream, just because I like it that way. Both of us drink carbonated water (the slightly flavored type, like lime, not the artificially sweetened types) but he squeezes half a lime or lemon into it. I regard those as low carb but maybe it adds up.
I don’t consider myself an alcoholic, but alcohol is a thing for me. 
And much of my initial weight gain years ago was from drinking high carb beer. To lose my weight I switched to vodka soda. A couple years ago I switched to drinking Miller Lite and found that I tolerate it well. I’ve lost a little more weight since then.
For much of the last 5 months he’s been doing keto, my son drank virtually no alcohol. Except at the pub he’d have 2 glasses of the lite beer, this is only on Wednesday when the wings are on special.
Besides the suggestions people have posted here, I’ll see if he’ll stop putting citrus in his water. But as I originally posted, the ketone strips showed he is very much in ketosis which I thought should mean his body is burning fat rather than carbs for energy.
This seems like a little game of chess.
Move this up, move that down, fail anyway.
I recommended previously to make meals boring but (I know you didn’t ask - just writing it anyway), I would move to a time-restricted-feeding-window.
Specifically one he did not like.
If he likes a big dinner with spicy wings or pizza at 8 PM - make breakfast and an early lunch his only meals (both not spice), take a long walk together mid-morning.
Get him away from any old habits - just seems like a good idea.