Stalling

(Ashley) #1

I did really well since March 23rd. I’ve lost around 16 pounds. Problem is for the last week and a half I been going up and down a few pounds. I cut back my protein some ( I was eating too much) I’ve upped my fats making sure I cook stuff in bacon fat, cooking in butter, olive oil, cheeses. Just wondering if maybe I’m doing something wrong, I stay under 20g net carbs.

(Karen) #2

Sound good. Sometimes we get stuck a bit.

Sweetners?
Dairy?
IF ??

K

(Ashley) #3

I don’t use any sweeteners, I cut all of that out because I was drinking low carb energy drinks before keto and wanted to avoid that. I’ve done one fast so far but thinking I may do another. I do have a lot of cheese. But other than that nothing. So could be a bit overkill with it.

(Jay AM) #4

We don’t have quite enough info to hack into your stats. Are you calorie restricting? Getting enough electrolytes? What have you been eating? What macros are you hitting in grams? Those questions asked, you’re not in a stall. Weight loss is not linear and it’s different for everyone. You’re also extremely new to this. Your initial weight loss is water weight. Most experienced here do not recommend fasting to new people. We have a few sayings here, “keep calm, keto on” and “trust the process.” Keto isn’t a quick weight loss diet. It’s a health gaining way of eating with fat loss as a side effect. If the scale is an unhealthy obsession, put it away for a couple of months or give it to a neighbor you don’t like.

There are two phases to ketosis and a ketogenic lifestyle.

Nutritional ketosis is phase one. Your body begins to produce and uptake some ketones while dumping the rest. It will still search for glucose to use as fuel. In this phase it’s not an efficient process. It has to work actively to get rid of stored glycogen, clean up excess blood sugar, and turn on the ability to use ketones.

Fat adaptation is phase two. Your body is efficiently producing ketones from intake and stored body fat and is also using them efficiently for energy. It takes around 6-8 weeks of strict keto to achieve for many but not all.

The basic “rules” I go by and many others can agree with especially for beginners are:

*20g net carbs max (you might tolerate more but, starting out, 20g net carbs or less will get you into ketosis.)

*Moderate protein (1g-1.5g per kg of lean bodyweight is a good goal based on the 2 Dudes recommendations.)

*Fat to satiety (add fat to every meal and, if you are hungry, eat more fat. Don’t be afraid of fat. It is energy.)

*Do not restrict calories

*Drink plenty of water

*Get plenty of sodium and other electrolytes

(Ashley) #5

Not new to keto, I’ve just been doing stricter keto since March 23rd, I had been doing it previously before that starting in February. I’m not calorie restricting atm. I’m aiming for around 60-80g protein, I allow myself a little wiggle room with protein but don’t exceed 80. And I have been shooting for over 100g fat. I’m not 100% new to fasting. I have done it a lot in the past so I am used to that, I just normally did 18 hour fasts so just have been upping it some. I drink around a gallon of water a day, sometimes slightly under. Also I do a little higher sodium than everyone else because I have pots disease and I need to extra sodium for that.

(Jay AM) #6

I stand by most of what my original post said. Except, you should be close to fat adaptation (the golden phase of ketosis!) If you’ve been strict keto for 6-8 weeks. This is the average time for someone to reach fat adaptation though, not everyone hits it in that time. Most people say a stall is months of no weight loss. And, it seems like what you are doing is probably fine unless you happen to be particularly tall or otherwise large or especially active. In which cases, you may need to increase fat. With the extra sodium, you’re also getting potassium and magnesium and not experiencing any other side effects?

If all of that checks out, just KCKO. Your body does not care what you think when you look at a scale and, you’re still fairly newly fat adapted if you’ve hit that point. Your body is actively repairing previous damage and changing to new pathways of fat usage. You may see sudden weight loss fairly soon (it’s called a woosh or the woosh effect) or, you may not.

(Ashley) #7

No other side effects, getting my potassium fine! I am on the larger side I weigh 236. Last time I did keto I dropped weight a lot faster so this is all new to me. I also I’m short lol. 5’2. Thanks for reassuring me. I want this to not just be a diet but a lifestyle especially because it does well with pots disease with the low carb and Higher sodium.

(Joel) #8

Just stick with it. Sometimes we stall and it makes us take a look at what we are eating. Make sure you know what ingredients to avoid like maltodextrin. That crap is in everything. There are several ingredients out there that have a higher GI than sugar but somehow are allowed to be put into foods and marketed as sugar free. READ THE LABELS. Also Try to maybe throw in a fast or something. If you have your macros figured out and you are sticking to 20G carbs a day you are fine.

(Ashley) #9

Thanks Joel, I avoid that stuff. I could be missing things though your totally right. I’m going to eat well today and do a fast tomorrow. Thank you!!

(Vladaar Malane) #10

@monsterjuice

Exactly same scenario as you. I think the closer we get to our body set point, it becomes very hard to lose. I lose a few during the week, gain them back on the weekend. I’m looking at trying the Feast on Keto foods one day, then water fast 2 days after, to see if I can confuse my body Dr. Fung’s co-worker suggested.

(Ashley) #11

Problem is for my height I still have about 100lbs to lose. So I really shouldn’t be stalling much. Last time I did keto I lost very quickly. But that’s okay my health is most important!

(Diane) #12

Here’s a quote from another thread that really helped me

“There’s no such thing as a stall. Ok the scale might not be moving, but other things are happening. It’s my experience that the body doesn’t like to do more than one thing at a time unless it absolutely has to. It’s losing fat on your waistline, it’s gaining muscle in your legs, it’s fixing your organ damage, it’s regulating your hormones. Take measurements, take photographs, and weigh yourself last.”

Here’s the whole post. I find most of what he says very helpful.

(Ashley) #13

Thank you I really needed this!!

(Rob) #14

Real long-term stalling has nothing to do with how much weight you’ve lost or have left to lose, unfortunately. Your body reaches set points based on your sustained insulin levels and insulin resistance. If it’s one of these stalls, it will take time and diligence to break through. Luckily your couple of weeks doesn’t count as one of these, yet and you are just taking baby steps right now. KCKO.

(Ashley) #15

I was watching dr Berg about this and realizing that it could be that. Makes a lot of sense really with all the crap and garbage I’ve eating throughout my life! Just going to keep upping my fats and enjoying it for now! Thank you everyone it’s reassuring it’s more just health I’m fixing rather than weight itself! <3