STILL no results after almost 13 weeks! Can anyone help?!?!?

(Loraine Hansen) #1

I have been Keto since Jan 14, 2017. I have been living Primal since Jan. 2013. It was an easy transition to Keto from Primal, but I had a lag in energy and strength at first, so I didn’t exercise for about a month. I was strict, not hungry, eating less than 20 carbs. In my 7th week of keto, I bloated up so bad, I could hardly believe it. Dr. Berg suggested that if you eat too MUCH fat, it can cause bloating, so I cut back. The bloating went away temporarily, but came back, as did the hunger. So, I’m again eating more fat, but cautiously. Bloating has returned, (abdomen, legs, fingers, face).

I’ve been diagnosed with SLE (systemic lupus), but I take meds for that and haven’t ever had bloating from it. Energy and strength are still sporadic and difficult to predict. I’ve been working on “righting my health” for over 4 years now, and I was hoping that Keto would be the final hurdle to get me where I want to be. I’ve studied the Schwarzbein Principle (at least 10 years ago), follow The Primal Blueprint (4 years) and now Keto. Primal and Keto are similar in many ways.

So . . . I’m looking for NSV’s, i.e., energy, strength, better mood, motivation, losing inches, reducing meds, etc., but am not finding any. I’ve been researching the forum to see if anything will give me an idea what I need to do differently, or if I just need to keep waiting.

I exercise moderately, (as per the Primal Blueprint Fitness), take supplements, sleep pretty well and generally think I’m doing everything “right”. I don’t have any issues eating Keto/Primal. I love the food and don’t get cravings or “cheat”. I’ve done IF, changed things up (per the podcast), eliminated dairy for a week, carbonation for a week, eliminated berries altogether, and nothing has changed. I’m 54, female, relatively healthy, would like to lose another 20 lbs., that would put me at 175 lbs for a 5’10" frame. So, I really don’t think my goals are unrealistic.

Someone told me that I need to eliminate some of the coconut oil I use in my BPC, but I don’t see it. Or that I need to count calories. Don’t see that either.

One incentive for me is that I kickbox with a 40 yr old woman who has lost a lot of weight with CICO, and working out like a maniac. She looks great, but a couple weeks ago told me that she has to work harder, to burn the same number of calories. I would like to tell her about keto but I can’t very well DO that, until it works for me.

So . . . Ideas, Suggestions, Advice? Anyone? There is no other way to live, but this way. But I would like to tweak/fix/change whatever it is that is keeping me down. I really want to be a success story too. Thanks in advance.

#2

That does sound confusing and frustrating. Would you mind sharing exactly what you eat on an average day? Might help us come up with some thoughts.

#3

@Daisy is asking a very important question. To help you better, we need to understand what your typical daily food is in your meals and snacks. Also be helpful to know which meals you eat or skip, and when do you snack during the day.

#4

I am revisiting this an think it is very important that you start journalling what is going on. You don’t need to track your food meticulously re macros and all that jazz but do…

write down everything you eat and when
how you are feeling and when you get the symptoms you describe
sleep, stress and any other factors that you can think of

It might be that you would be well served doing an exclusion/elimination diet for a while and seeing if things improve. Hopefully they would. You could then start testing foods and see if there is a culprit lurking that is affecting you this way that you hadn’t thought of. Just removing random things doesn’t really work that well. You need to clear your system and give it a rest and then see what is going on. It’s an idea. It is what I did - at least half heartedly - to check out dairy which did turn out to be a lactose sensitivity.

Journalling though will at least potentially reveal some patterns now that you could investigate.

(Loraine Hansen) #5

Thanks @Daisy. I’m feeling more motivated again. I will track everything and get back to you.

(David) #6

I would say post it here, the accountability may help you.

Also, mix it up. If your calories have been low(ish), or consistent. Have a feast for a day or two, then fast. See the recent podcast about that.

(jketoscribe) #7

As SLE is an autoimmune disease, you are dealing with a lot more than the run of the mill metabolic challenges.

Are you on steroids or immunosuppressing drugs? Has your thyroid been thoroughly checked out (more than just the standard TSH test)? Are you eating sufficient calories to keep your metabolism from slowing down?

It might benefit you to try a paleo autoimmune protocol or the Wahl’s protocol to see if any foods are triggering an inflammatory response. Unfortunately, a lot of typically keto foods are common autoimmune culprits–dairy, eggs, nuts. So that may explain why it’s not working for you and even causing you more inflammatory markers in the form of edema.

(Loraine Hansen) #8

I have been on Plaquenil (immuno-suppressant) for 3 years. I lost 40 lbs. all at once 6 months ago (after eating Primal off and on for 3 years), so I don’t think the meds are a problem with weight loss. NO steroids. Yes, my thyroid has been thoroughly checked and I am on a thyroid supplement. I have been on HRT for 3 years, tweaking and changing things as needed. I have a really great hormone specialist who takes blood work and saliva tests to keep me on track with hormones and other markers. I am scheduled to do another round of tests in a month which will be 4 months on keto, so I get to see where I currently am with that.

I tried AIP last year and it was a huge waste of my time. I was hungry all the time, no positive changes, and nobody on the forums that had SLE had experienced ANY positive changes by eating that way, even though some had been eating AIP for years. They ALL were staying on Plaquenil indefinitely. I ate AIP for 4 months and will never do it again. Very unhealthy way of eating.

Since my first post, I decided to eliminate some foods for 2 weeks. Nuts and nut butters, dairy (except butter). I’m also going to ask my hormone specialist if any of my supplements are contributing to my issues.

Thanks for all your ideas and suggestions.

(Loraine Hansen) #9

Here is an example of what I was eating in Jan-February

B: Keto Pancakes (2)
Coconut Cream/maple syrup
Berries
Keto tuna melt
Diet Coke
Aussie Burger

Another day:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp honey
berries
Salami / mozzarella
Chicken garam marsala

One day:
bulletproof coffee / w butter 3 cups
2 eggs scrambled in bacon grease with cheese
5 pcs bacon
1 slice Fathead pizza 2:15 PM
1 cup LCHF cheese cake 2:15 PM
diet 7-up 2 cups
Fat head crackers and guacamole - 4:15 PM

Another Day:
10:00 AM Bulletproof coffee / butter
Scrambled eggs / cheese
Bacon
12:00 Pancake (LCHF)
5:45 PM - Low Carb Bread / butter / mayo Meat and Cheese (sandwich)
10:00 PM - Keto Nougat

Another Day:
bulletproof coffee / w butter 3 cups
salami and cheese w/ mustard
tuna melts (using 3 cheese biscuits recipe from @carl)
hamburger w/ cheese sauce
green beans with butter

That should give a pretty good idea of what I ate then. Since I posted this new topic a couple days ago, I have, as I said in the previous reply, eliminated dairy (possible bloating response), nuts and nut butters and dark chocolate (on account of their higher carb count).

I wake up late (9:00 AM), get a BPC, then go until around 2:00 PM to eat my “breakfast”, which has consisted mainly of a large green salad with protein and a high fat dressing. For dinner, I am focusing on protein and fat, with a possible very low carb veggie on the side, i.e., spinach, zucchini squash, broccoli.

Here is an example of my current diet for the past couple of days.

9:45 AM - BPC / 1T butter, coconut oil, Torani syrup (sugarfree)
4:00 PM - BPC instant / 1T butter, coconut oil, Torani syrup sugarfree
4:30 PM - 1/2 steak with bacon grease (size of my palm)
6:00 PM - Salmon (palm size piece), with oil and herb dressing, mixed veggies 1.5 cups
10:30 PM - 2 salami, 2 slices of cheese (to take meds with)

9:45 AM - BPC / 1T butter, coconut oil, Torani syrup (sugarfree)
2:00 PM - Steak cooked in bacon grease
2:00 PM - BPC / 1T butter, coconut oil, Torani syrup (sugarfree)
8:00 PM - Steak cooked in bacon grease, zucchini squash with butter and salt
10:00 PM - Smoothie/Avocado, lemon juice, blueberries, water, sweetener.
10:00 PM - Bacon, 3 slices
(I ate at 10:00 because I was still really hungry and can’t sleep when I’m hungry.)

Today:
9:45 AM - BPC / 1T butter, coconut oil, Torani syrup (sugarfree)
3:00 PM - Big Greek salad: Chicken (1 med), kalamata olives, lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, homemade dressings with olive oil, spices, Apple cider vinegar.
3:00 PM - BPC / 1T butter, coconut oil, Torani syrup (sugarfree)

#10

Thanks for posting this. From what I experienced with my body, these are the foods on your list that I avoid, because they will cause digestive distress and/or bloating for me:
1- coconut oil
2- Torani syrup
3- Vegetables exceeding 1 cup in one meal
4- Artificial sweeteners
5-Coconut cream
6-maple syrup
7-Diet coke, diet soda any kind
8-honey
9-fruit exceeding 1/4 cup
10-candy or chocolate made with artificial sweeteners

(Loraine Hansen) #11

Really?!?!? How do I get along without coconut oil, coconut cream or artificial sweeteners? I haven’t eaten maple syrup or honey for weeks (that was in Feb), and have eliminated diet sodas (1 week ago). I’ve also eliminated all fruit for now. So my biggest issues will be with coconut oil, coconut cream, artificial sweeteners. I’m guessing you listed Torani syrup on account of the artificial sweeteners in it?

What about dairy? have you noticed any issues with eating dairy? I’ve cut that out for 2 weeks, too, to see if it will help.

#12

I’m ok with dairy. Doesn’t affect me. I can put heavy whipping cream in coffee and tea and get no issues.

Coconut stuff turns my gut inside out. On rare occasion, I will make myself something like Thai coconut soup…but, knowing that I will be paying for it. But, eliminating it from my diet doesn’t bother me. There are SO many other foods available to me and I’m a pretty good cook. So, no worries there.

Anything with artificial sweetener will hurt me…Torani, candies, soda, etc.

Sugars affect me too…like honey and maple syrup, and I need to limit fruit to 1/4 cup for same reason.

Eating too much veg (like exceeding 1 cup) affects me too.

This is how my body reacts. Best thing to do us test, test, test and see what works for you.

(Loraine Hansen) #13

Ok, thank you so much @Fiorella. I do appreciate your feedback. I will eliminate the things you suggest and the other things I think might be contributing, and figure it out. You’ve given me hope again and motivation that this WILL work out for me. I don’t even care very much what the scale says.

I just want to be strong, have great energy, skin, mobility, be pain free, clear thinking . . . :smiley::boom:

#14

Yeah, I wish we all came with operators manual. Wouldn’t that be great?

You have the right attitude for this. Test one variable at a time and see what works and doesn’t work. You got this! :+1:

(Loraine Hansen) #15

Just for those of you out there who are in the same boat as I. This WOE does NOT work for everyone. I have been eating and tweaking and changing things up and IF’ing, recording my food, drinking water, moderately exercising, cutting out foods, artificial sweeteners and implementing all the other advice I’ve read about, listened to and researched and STILL no results.

I have lost not one pound, one inch, increased my energy/stamina/motivation at all in the over 17 weeks I have been eating keto. I simply want to share my (non) results so that others, if there is anyone that is (it doesn’t appear that anyone else has this problem, thus there is no solution), who is having the same experience, knows they’re not alone.

(What The Fast?!) #16

Hi Lorraine - looks like this post was about a month ago. Any luck??

(What The Fast?!) #17

Hi Lorraine - out of curiosity, do you have a history dieting, using CICO, undereating, etc?

I ask because I do. I also have not really had any results (only about 4-5 weeks in) and yes, I am very frustrated…but I know my body has a lot of healing to do to repair itself from the years of abuse - the diets, the fads, the overtraining, the metabolic derangement. I know it might take a long time to get to fat to adaptation and I know that my journey may not be as easy as others’, the weight may not melt off like butter, but based on other people’s stories and results, from reading about keto athletes, people reversing T2D, and the fact that I have tried literally everything else, I think there’s hope.

I’ve heard several say it took them many months to get healed and to get fat adapted. All I know is that I’ve had this body for more than 30 years and I can’t expect to turn it all around in just a couple months.

If this isn’t the case for you, maybe it’s different. Either way - I’m sorry you’re so frustrated.

(Loraine Hansen) #18

Thanks, @KetoLikeaLady for your post. My original post was about a month ago. The one I just wrote was today.

I have not done CICO much during my 54 years of living, perhaps a couple of times at most (I do not like to be hungry). I have always been an avid exerciser, but not to excess (I’ve never liked pushing myself overly hard, and now I’m finding that it’s not a good idea to do that anyway, hmmm). 4.5 years ago I started eating and living the Primal Blueprint. For the first 3 years, I wasn’t as strict about sugar as I have been for the past year, but I cut way back. After the first 3 years on Primal, not having seen any results, all of a sudden I dropped 40 lbs. in about 2 months. That was about a year ago.

It’s just so hard to be eating and living this as well as I do, for as long as I have, and not see results. My husband is having great results, so I know it works for some people, as well as all the many others on this forum and elsewhere that are singing Keto’s praises.

Part of the problem I’m having is that I know a couple of people who do CICO, over exercising and starving themselves, and they are thin and energized and happy. For now. I really, really want to get results, so that people will start asking me what I’m doing and I can tell them about my WOE, but that will never happen, if my body doesn’t change in some way. And so I keep my mouth shut and don’t talk to anyone about what I’m doing, knowing that they will think, or even say to me, that the reason I’m still fat, is because I’m eating fat. I would LOVE to be able to reach my goals and THEN have them ask me, and be able to tell them the truths I’ve been learning for 10 years.

I can’t imagine eating any other way, but Primal and Keto, but I’m tired of trying to figure out why it’s not working for me. And though I’m happy for everyone who is dropping lbs like melting butter (as you put it), I’m tired of reading about them, too. I think I need to take a break from podcasts and forums and researching.

I really appreciate you reaching out. It almost made me cry, you are so caring. Thanks again.

(eat more) #19

that might be a good approach…
i know i’ve tried to “fix” things because of other ppl’s success/experiences…

all of our bodies are different, need different levels of healing/correction, and will experience keto uniquely.

comparing ourselves to others is useless and is a form of self-abuse. it’s not your “fault” that other ppl are melting and you aren’t…

the scale hasn’t changed really in 4+ months of keto but i know things have changed internally and i see/notice some external changes that the scale knows nothing about.

so weeks/months versus years…you continued eating primally.
maybe your body is just a slow learner :blush:
(i’ve read of ppl that were keto for years before seeing any changes)

this is your adventure …you don’t have to catch up to anyone else…just keep swimming :blush:

(What The Fast?!) #20

Out of curiosity, did you text ketones at all? I’m not saying you need to, I’m just curious. It’s one of the things that is keeping me motivated. I tend to have very low ketone readings (0.6 - 1.1).

Speaking of which - @mikki - any thoughts on how to get those higher? I haven’t done much fasting yet, because I haven’t “felt it” yet but I was going to try this week.