I NEED ADVICE. I’m trying to lose weight, but I’m stuck. From one n=1 keto-scientist to another, I need help figuring out what to do to break this long (>2 year) stall. If you like puzzles as complex as the human body, read on!
(LONG POST INCOMING)
I (6’1", ~30 y.o. male) started keto almost 4 years ago (7/2014), and went from 235lbs to ~195lbs in 6-7 months. After starting keto 4 years ago and losing that weight, my weight has climbed back to my starting point and beyond (the other day I weighed in at 241lbs, but woke up at 237lbs today). To the best of my knowledge, I’ve generally been somewhere between 230-235 for about 3 years.
Here are some important details:
-I’ve done my best to maintain a keto lifestyle over the past 4 years, and I know for certain over the past 3 months I’ve been keto-adapted, after regular testing with a blood ketone meter. I can’t say with 100% certainty about any other period than that.
-I’ve really cracked down over the past 5-6 months on foods and ingredients that are not good for keto (e.g. school cafeteria omelettes with fake eggs, granulated Splenda, cheeses that have starch as an ingredient, etc.). Before this 6 month window, all I can say was that I did my best to maintain LCHF, and it’s my belief most days were alright (i.e. no sugar crashes, avoiding obvious foods like breads and pastas).
-At no time during this period have I kept a food journal or anything, nor did I really kept track of macros during the initial 3.5 years after beginning (other than >20-25g carbs/day).
-Over the past 6 months, I’ve done my best to do IMF (16:8).
-I’ve been in and out of the gym for the better part of 8 years, as my schedule has allowed (I’ve largely been limited during this time by 5 years of graduate school, but I always get back in the groove during summers; I’m back at the gym again, and hope to maintain a rhythm now, as I’m done school forever).
-Suggested TL;DR: lazy keto over 3.5 years, more serious keto over last 1/2 a year; ranging from sedentary to moderately/highly active when possible, definitely more active recently. Regular effort for 16:8 IMF over the past 6 months.
Here is what I believe that led me to this point, in order of perceived importance:
- lazy macros (too high of a protein:fat ratio)
- overeating after I work out (combined with the macro ratio, it really compounds this issue)
- not paying attention to and researching ingredients as much as I should have
- possibly a poor sleep schedule because of graduate school
- sometimes uncertain workout schedule (i.e. not working out as much during school).
Possibly salient information
- I think I gained most of the weight (20-30lbs) within a year of losing it. I seem to remember going to a physician in 7/2016, weighing in at 227.
- I was depressed for ~6.5 years (fall 2007 to sometime in 2014) without recognizing or treating it. Feeling good, back at a new norm for the past ~3 years.
I started keto purely to lose weight with the intention of maintaining it for health reasons. Much to my dismay, I obviously didn’t maintain my initial weight loss, and right now I’m heavier than when I began this process. I know the weight I’ve got is different: I’m stronger (thus a bit denser) than I was in the past, and my belly is smaller, but the fat I’ve got is now in my lower back and sides.
Have any of you lifers had similar issues? Is there anything I’m missing, or potentially not controlling for? What advice do you have? I haven’t ruled out hormonal issues, but I haven’t had any other health problems to warrant getting that checked out. Once I get better insurance, I do intend to go see a LCHF-respecting physician, and do some of the diagnostic tests, like a DXA scan and a blood battery; but if I can figure some things out on my own (with the help of Richard and Carl, and you lovely people), that’d be great.
Thanks, folks. Looking forward to hearing from you. Sorry if this post is misplaced or too much for Ketogenic Forums, I really just need advice.