Unrealistic weight loss expectations

#1

Hardly a day goes by without a new thread with someone being unhappy with the rate of their weight loss. There are many stories of people losing great amounts of weight in a short period of time. (Often men, often young). Yet there seems to be more people who lose at much lower rates. Or not at all. Or think a pound a week is not enough. Or think something is wrong with them. Or are in the midst of long stalls. Or even gain. This way of eating can be very discouraging if you are expecting a miracle.

Certainly the health benefits are many, and far more important than the numbers on the scale. But many people do keto for the weight loss, perhaps in part because they think it will be fast and easy. It’s not for many/most, and it would be good if they knew that.

I don’t know if there is any solution for people getting discouraged after just a few weeks or a couple months. Unfortunately I suspect many people at this point just wander away.

I suppose this was a rant of sorts, or perhaps a lamentation. So I say, keep expectations realistic. It will take some of us a very long time to get there. KCKO.

(Karen) #2

At 30 lbs down I shouldn’t complain, but it’s been really slow with complete dedication. So frustating!! I currently see a new cavity in my fat belly so, movement, but not on the scale.

K

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #3

You can’t really fix people’s preconceived notions ahead of time.

My mother believes that LCHF, uniquely, works better for men than for women. My experience suggests that men have certain advantages (T, more LBM, larger weight to lose) in the weight loss game, so tend to do better regardless of the diet. My belief is from talking to hundreds of people on line. My mom is based on a half assed attempt at lazy Atkins once upon a time.

My mother is also dismissive of all the other lifestyle choices and improvements that come from LCHF, focusing on the weight to the exclusion of the reduction in inflammation and stress.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #4

Ah, if only it came off as fast as it can be packed on. I think this is true of any type of diet though. I’m guilty of it for sure, especially in periods of plataues. But ultimately I still stand by the idea that it’s easier to keep off if it’s a slow, steady loss vs a quick jump.
That is my primary reason for switching to LCHF after doing the LF thing my whole life. I could never maintain it, no matter how much I tried to make it a lifestyle change. The cravings for carbs eventually overwhelms all willpower.

The biggest benefit I’ve experienced so far isn’t the weight loss, but the decrease in cravings. I finally don’t have to rely on willpower to stay on a WOE. My willpower is rock solid for a while, but it only last about 3 months. Then the cravings have always overcome any willpower I have. So far it hasn’t even been an issue. I don’t even feel tempted when I see sweets or savory carbs.

I’ll take a slow weight loss if it means I can maintain it.

#5

A slow weight loss for me is fine- this doesn’t feel like a diet- to be able to eat cheese, fried breakfasts, double cream in coffee, nuts- what’s hard about that? (I’m veggie, would imagine for a meateater it’s even less hard!) I missed bread, cakes etc. for the first week or two, then the cravings went, & occasionally I’ll make a keto version for a treat… I’ve done some really tough diets to try to lose weight, this doesn’t seem too tough for me now! I’m just starting to get lots more energy, very happy with that!

#6

When I started nursing school, I gained 20# in the first 3 months. During my 2.5 week break I was determined to take that weight off. I lost ten and wow! I didn’t remember it being so hard to lose a few pounds. After all, I had maintained my weight for about 9 years. Mostly with binging followed by long hungry restriction

(Ethan) #7

I’ve lost weight faster many times by doing extreme calorie restriction. I may be in a stall with keto after losing around 45-50 pounds, but my clothes are still getting looser, and I feel better than I have for a long time. I know I could calorie restrict for 6 months and lose the other 60 pounds I want to lose, but I’d lose all that muscle mass in gaining now. I figure I can do what I am doing, and in a few years time, I’ll found that I’ve lost some of that 60 pounds anyway.

#8

Cole a guy who has a diet called the Snake Diet says “not losing weight Fast More Eat less.”

#9

I’ve been losing almost 5lb a week following a keto and intermittent fasting regimen. With at least 1-2 non keto feast days a week.The funny thing is that I’m feeling great and not suffering very much.

According to Dr Fung Both Keto Diets and Calorie Restrictive Diets work in the short run. But when the populations are studied over the long run both don’t work.

He believes the only thing that works is some sort of a Fasting Regimen. Everyone is different and can go from short ones to long ones. He combines the fasting with a keto diet and it’s a real recipe for weight loss.

I suggest that anyone interested look Dr Fung up on the Internet. He’s a MD and neprhologist with an active practice and found that he could reverse Diabetes through a tailored Fasting and diet regemin (Different For Everyone) and consequently stop damage done to the kidneys.

#10

I’m shocked at how much weight I’ve lost, way more than I expected. If it were happening slower for me I’d be discouraged too, it’s only natural.

(Jay AM) #11

I know where he mentions calorie restricting only works in the short term but, I haven’t heard him say that about keto.

#12

This is absolutely great… but as an example, it’s also the sort of statement that gives many people the unrealistic belief that they will be as lucky as you. Ca. 5 pounds a week for 10 weeks = 50 pounds lost in 3 months. Unfortunately from what I’ve observed, this is a totally atypical result for most people - especially those who might have started in relatively good shape, or not have many, many pounds to lose.

I don’t think however that there is any way around wanting to lose weight really fast. There are exceptions, but most of us would like to wake up tomorrow at our goal weight. Also, there is a natural desire to proclaim one’s own good results. Unfortunately these two things coupled - wanting it fast, and seeing others achieving just that - can set some people up for disappointment when it isnt’ happening for them.

#13

At 30 lbs down I shouldn’t complain, but it’s been really slow with complete dedication. So frustating!! I currently see a new cavity in my fat belly so, movement, but not on the scale.

I’m also going slowly. (I’d kill for that 30!) At first I was extremely disappointed every time I got on the scale and saw no change. (Better than last year on lazy keto when I gained 10 pounds!) Then I realized that’s just how it’s going to be for me. I have never had weight just ‘melt off’. Nope. Not me. And I even have lots of good muscle and for an old broad am quite physically active.

I realize now I did have expectations of wl that were not realistic. I saw threads of great successes. Really great successes! And heard stories of a friends relatives who lost 50 pounds and his wife 20… So why not me too? Only I am not them. And even though I believe myself to be following keto well, I had to come to grips that this is me, and that is them.

I know my body is getting smaller - I can tell by my clothes. But even that is going slower than I would wish. Where is that magic wand anyway???

#14

That is unfortunate. If I didn;'t feel as really good as I do now, I would be tempted to go back to lazy keto. On lazy keto my blood sugars were just fine, which was my goal last year. But I gained not lost weight, so that had to stop.

When I think of all the little things that have been of benefit to me following ‘strict’ keto (as opposed to lavish keto) from better tasting foods to spending less, to better sleep, enhanced physical abilities, etc, etc… I cannot imagine stopping keto. It’s where it’s at.

#15

Hi Alexia,

On the average fasting according to Dr Fung a person will lose between .50 to .75Lb per day. My results are inside this parameter.

I am in 100% agreement that a person who is not morbidly obese (Like Me) will lose less weight per day. Also fasting is not one size fits all. There are many different types of Fasts Ranging from 24 Hour, Alternate Day, and Extended.

I’m not in agreement that a person is stuck at not losing weight or only losing a little. If they are stalled or only losing a little then they have to look to change what they are doing. Fasting is the only method of weight loss (arguably) that works long term. Combining it with Keto supercharges it. I’ll talk about the failure of just Keto in another post.

I agree that expectations have to be reasonable but they also have to be based on what you are doing. For Example If I do extended Fast of 2-3 Days and only eat Keto then I can expect to lose major weight, but if I do the Alternate Day fast then I’ll lose at a slower rate.

Right action brings right result.

#16

So you are saying people who are not losing are not doing it right?

#17

Absolutely said by him. Please see his article/blog below.

https://idmprogram.com/all-diets-fail-how-to-lose-weight-xi/

#18

There is no right or wrong and everyone is different.

I went keto was successful in losing around 20 LBS but then gained it all back as I went off of it.

I tried to go Keto for the past 3 months and it didn’t work out for me, I’m a weak willed cheater. So I went on the internet and started researching and found Dr Fung and other information sources about Fasting.

So for the past month my intention was to do extended fasting and eat Keto. But the way it turned out is that most days I fasted through the day and then at night I’d cheat with mostly low carb stuff under 500 calories and on the weekends I would eat normally one or two days. Yeah, High Carb.

What I’m doing now is translating into a more or less Alternate Day Fast combined with Fasting and Feasting. And it’s working. If it wasn’t or stopped working then I have to evaluate what I’m doing and make changes or tweaks.

If one does the right action then they will lose weight the trick is to figure out what is the correct action. There is just too much misinformation about diet.

If you base your diet on the foundation espoused by Dr Fung t teachings of Dr Fung that the cause of weight gain is hormones and the amount of insulin in the body and you are committed to trying different ways of dietary regemin to lower Insulin than you will lose weight. There is no one size fits all solution, he’s said that what he’d recommend for a morbidly obese person like me is totally different for someone with 10% or 20 too much weight.

By the way this is a great serieshttps://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1108463/dr-jason-fung-on-why-diets-fail-in-the-long-run

Sometimes just a little tweak can have a major effect. Somewhere along the way the mainstream diet guys started recommending eating 5 or 6 small meals a day. Snacks etc… Well according to Dr Fung eating spikes insulin and by eating many meals you are keeping yourself in a constant state of elevated insulin.

He illustrates this with comparing our lifestyle to that of the 50s or 60s. We didn’t have so much obesity and it was accepted that you should eat 3 square meals a day with the last meal at around 6:00 PM. In the 50s-60s they didn’t have the obesity epidemic of today and they didn’t eat so healthy either.

So anyway, my suggestion is that if you aren’t losing weight investigate into hormonal causes and do what’s necessary to correct the hormonal issue.

But yes a person who is only a little overweight should not have the expectations of losing as much weight as a morbidly obese person. On the other hand if you are 25% + 50% overweight then if you aren’t losing weight at a rapid pace you are doing it wrong, or you should examine what you are doing and realize that unless you take more radical action you will not lose at a very fast rate.

(Troy) #19

Interesting
In the beginning, during , or towards the end or so called maintenance “ weight “
I understand how when asked or brought up…weight loss appears to be the goal for most
That’s awesome!

For me, it was just bcuz I was just eating like anything , at any time …Not severe as far as obesity
Just living the SAD LIFE😁
However, I was feeling horrible. Exhausted, bitter, anxiety and depression , not sleeping etc. too many to list

Once I slowly changed my WOE, gradually…
I cut out sugars first
It was like :thinking:
The above started to improve

Did I loose weight, yes.
Am I happy, yes.
Cloths ( bought smaller ) fit better, yes
New smaller belt, yes
Better muscle definition, yes

My point , I have no idea😂

I guess, just change in my WOE, the yes’s above were just a result
I never went in to this, “ hey I want too loose x amount of lbs “

To each their own :smiley:

#20

Indeed keep it real! A loss, is a loss no matter how minor. I mean, would you rather lose a pound, or gain one?
Takes years to make our bodies a mess, and takes years to cure them. Quick fixes don’t work, its why we’re here!