This is what where I'm at Help


#1

I have been doing keto for 5 1/2 weeks and I weighed myself the other day and gained a pound. I had lost 8 to 10 pounds depending on the scale and that was the first couple of weeks. Nothing since. I had been really busy making keto cookies and really enjoying them too much. So much that is all I wanted. Then I noticed my protein wasn’t getting enough protein in really focusing on my macros. Then the carbs the last few days had been around 9 or 10 % instead of the 5. I was waking up really hungry in the middle of the night and was not getting enough sleep. I was so busy trying to get my fat bombs in along with my cookie that it was getting a bit out of control. Is this kind of normal from someone that has had an issue with sugar for decades. Getting somewhat frustrated and needing help. Thanks in advance.


#2

After you go throw your scale in the dumpster can you come back inside and take a few blood ketone readings for us and post your results? Try bacon and eggs and none of the weird crap for a few days and see how your nighttime hunger is.


#3

I have stayed in ketosis the last few times I have checked and I just added that my BC numbers had all went down significantely along with tryglycerides so not is all lost but just wanting more weightloss and have a big fear of going on a fast at this point. Sorry about the spelling that went long ago…lol.


#4

I don’t really lose weight just by being in ketosis, I have to fast. What’s your fear about fasting? If you stay in ketosis your body composition will change, just don’t hinder that progress by stressing about the scale. Friendly advice, if you are hungry at odd times something is throwing you off. Artificial sweeteners comes to mind as does excess carbs.


(Mark Rhodes) #5

I had far more success when I gave snacking up. Deserts come immediately with my meal if I have them these days. The reason why is the insulin response. Food brings about an insulin response which shuts down the other side of the equation- the fat burning and other positive metabolic changes. And being full from dinner, for us the desserts began to fall away especially as my sweet tooth decreased.

Since I interpret your question as being really about sugar and sweets, my wife who is an admitted sugar addict asked me to stop making her desserts. The first week without treats was hard for her, the second not so bad but then her results started to manifest far more quickly. We eliminated almost all sweeteners except for stevia leaves in sauces and Zevia soda.


#6

Agreed! If I finish dinner at say 6pm but then have a piece of chocolate at 8pm I have effectively ruined 2 hours of IF. Do that kind of thing a few times a day and it’s easy to see how insulin is up and down all day which is precisely what we are trying to avoid.


#7

Your body may be craving real food nutrition and lots of healthy fat. I am guilty of falling into the favorite-food rut too. If you track your food, or if you haven’t been, start - and keep track of the variety of meals you are eating.

Also, if I didn’t make a rule for myself not to snack, and to set a target for eating two meals a day, 8-hour window, 90 minutes max per meal, then I would be snacking all day. I have to make sure I eat to satiety, I am so used to limiting portions, but then eating lots of little portions all day long. Fasting has helped me get my “full” signal back, and I honestly don’t need more when I’ve eaten a good keto meal with lots of healthy fat.

There are people that are sugar-addicted that can’t control artificial sweets either. There is a video about it on the Diet Doctor website.


(Anja Kern) #8

I’m new here, so don’t take my answer too seriously. Personally I have the feeling that I lose best (fat/weight) if I have longer periods without any food. So the question is not really what can I eat on this diet, it is more like what can I eat that helps me feel full for the longest period of time. So just because you can eat something, doesn’t mean that you should. High fat low carb really make you feel satisfied for a long time. I’m trying to steer clear of artificial sweeteners.


(f856486f1e68a5d16ee7) #9

Thank you…I knew it had a lot to do with my keto sweets which I hated to admit but will have to come to that reality also. I’m just so surprised I’ve staye with and for that I’m so happy. I will work more toward fasting…I’m sure I’m making it way more than it is. At least I’ve include some exercise this week 3 times so far


(KetoCowboy) #10

If you’re exercising for general health benefits, great. But if you’re doing it for weight loss (as seems more likely), then it might not be a great idea to go overboard with exercise just as you are trying to curb a snacking habit. Exercise will only make you feel hungry–and entitled to a fat bomb, since you now deserve a reward for having moved around. My recommendation (worth exactly what you paid for it) is that you focus on quelling the snack habit first (possibly by licking salt off your palm when hungry, as Megan Ramos suggests), and focus on exercising once the snacking is under control–so you’ll be less inclined to snack in response to exercise.


(Doug) #11

I second this. Fasting is what really made for me losing weight.


(f856486f1e68a5d16ee7) #12

I hear you on the reward…that’s totally me


#13

I third this.


(Mike Glasbrener) #14

If you’re already mostly Keto clamp down on the rest… 1st cut artificial sweeteners which really also means cut fat bombs. Minimize carbs. They’re hidden everywhere. If you don’t know an ingredient on a label it’s not a good thing (likely processed). Do this for a couple of weeks and the craving and snacking will go away. You should be able to ease into fasting this way… baby steps for confidence.


(Anja Kern) #15

The fasting kinda happens by itself if you steer clear from things that increase your insulin level too much. Basically everything that makes you eat uncontrollably after (if you’re anything like me)


(Brian) #16

Fasting doesn’t have to be a huge thing right from the beginning. Start out by doing some intermittent fasting where you basically skip breakfast and eat lunch and supper or, skip breakfast and lunch and only eat supper. Once your body gets accustomed to it, it’s not hard at all. There are times when I eat a decent supper that I really just am not hungry by breakfast time so I’ll just not eat breakfast that day. When you get to the point where you can handle that, you can try going for maybe a 36 hour fast. It’s not huge but it’s a step. Then you can try maybe 48 hours.

Making small steps, and having a bit of time in between, it’s not such a big deal to do a week long fast if you’ve already done 2 or 3 or 4 days before. If you’ve never done a 3 or 4 day fast, a week long fast, it’s huge.

Also, if you start a fast and realize that something just doesn’t feel right, you can end it at any time. You’re not locked in. And there is no shame in recognizing that maybe a fast at that particular time or with whatever particular condition you were in when you started might not have been where you should have been to begin a fast. Roll with it and try again sometime when you think it’s time.

If all you ever do in fasting is a day or so every now and then, it’s still better than nothing.

Good luck!


(Deb) #17

I agree with 1. Stop the exercise for now. You burn most of your calories just staying alive (bmr) and 2. Intermittent fasting/fasting. 16:8 for example, is pretty easy to do, and, the important thing FOR ME was to have broth/bouillon for breakfast with my coffee…actually, it is on my desk at work right next to my coffee all day! The saltiness and fluids keep me from getting that fasting headache and I chew sugarless gum as well. Sometimes it is so easy, it morphs into a lunch-skipping 23:1, which is even better. This from a person who couldn’t even fast for bloodwork!


#18

Taking the lower of the two and factoring in the pound gain, that means you have lost 7 lbs (at least) in 5.5 weeks. So that is over a pond a week. None too shabby. Going up or down by such a small amount is completely normal. Focus on the big picture rather than zooming in on a tiny assumed negative. When you pull back and look at your weight loss over year I guarantee it will not be a straight line. It will have plenty of plateaus and some blips upward. What you are looking for is the overall trend. Your overall trend so far is downwards. Is that not a great thing?

Using % is way too variable. I assume the % is a % of daily caloric intake? Well that can mean a huge variance in how many grams you are eating of each macro. Switch to grams.

CARBS should be at a maximum of 20g but feel free to go under this level! Most people do net and that is where I would probably start if I were you. You can drill down to total later if you want to or need to.
PROTEIN is scaled to LBM (lean body mass) and for most people a comfortable range is 1-1.5 (possibly 2 if you are more active and do not have insulin resistance issues) grams per kg of LBM.
FAT you eat to feel satisfied. The best way to do this is to eat fatty proteins, full fat dairy, nuts and seeds, etc. Be generous with oily dressings and butter on your veggies. You get the idea!

Keto treats can be a bit overwhelming, especially in the early days. They are simply too delicious and too like the foods we have left behind. It may be easier to cut them out for a while and go down to some basic meals that are easy to repeat and just get into the solid swing of things at the right macro balance for you. This is a long game, you can come back to them later.

How are you checking this?

I wouldn’t even think about fasting yet - one step at a time. You mentioned having a snack habit. This is something to work on. Have a solid 3 meals a day that leave you satisfied. If you are craving snacks the maybe that last meal was not sufficient. You may also just be getting into head hunger snacking mode. Either way, try to get out of the habit as it is self-perpetuating and does nothing at all for your metabolism. You want to spike your insulin less and less often. This will do the opposite. Also, eating late at night will severely impact your sleep.

Exercise? Do what feels right. Don’t feel the need to suddenly go mad at the gym if you weer sedentary before. If you weer active then continue with what you enjoy but take it a bit easier of necessary. Look at exercise as a great way to boost your health and wellbeing and get some fresh air. Further down the track you can start looking at things that will impact blood sugar and insulin, like impact training for example.

One step at a time.
Get to grips with your eating - both what you are eating and when.
Move for pleasure.
Forget fasting for now.
Weigh as often as you want to but use the same scales and look at it simply as a data gathering exercise not a judgement call.

I would also recommend keeping a journal with everything written down so that you can see what is working and what isn’t later on. You can track food, weight and measurements. Take regular photos. But track also all the other things like sleep, mood, stress, snacking habits - anything and everything!


(f856486f1e68a5d16ee7) #19

Thanks everyone you have all been so helpful. I have been charting the foods I eat even when painful…lol. I have been having some issues sleeping from meds I have been talking so that is another issue all together(depression meds). I have added another r med to help me sleep but I wake up in a big fog like feeling… So that is where these fat bombs are looking even more attractive. But they are not helping to keep things where they should b other than they have a lot of fiber. I said 51/2 half weeks but it is 61/2 weeks if that makes any difference lol.


(Linda Culbreth) #20

Totally agree.