Very slow results / confusion


(Rhys Duncan ) #1

Hi I am a 52 year old diabetic man type 1, 5ft 10ins and weigh 247 lbs . I started keto 2 weeks ago and although I am very early in process I am slightly confused . According to my scales I had lost 5lbs which was great I weighed myself 5 days later and the scales said I had gained 6lbs !! I haven’t eaten anything different then I had the first week and have not increased carb intake at all . I am in ketosis as the strips show and have done for over a week . I exercise 3 times a week and feel very deflated the scales show I have gained weight any ideas or tips would be much appreciated . I have also not needed any fast acting insulin for 2 weeks as my blood sugar levels have been perfect from day one of doing keto . Thanks in advance .


(Allie) #2

A simple tape measure and body measurements are a much better guide than the scales, and it’s very early days, go easy on yourself.

If you want to share more about exactly what you’re eating we would be better able to advise.


(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #3

Welcome to the forums, and congratulations on your progress so far.

Weight loss is not a linear process. Ups and downs are normal. The ketogenic diet is about metabolic re-regulation, as you are discovering, and fat loss is merely a pleasant side effect. People who need to gain weight can certainly do so on a ketogenic diet.

One possible explanation for your increase in weight is that you have added some lean mass, even while shedding excess fat mass. Don’t rely entirely on the scale as a measure of progress; use the fit of your clothing as an additional indicator.

P.S.—Are you aware of the Type I Grit group on Facebook? You might find it a very helpful community.


(Rhys Duncan ) #4

Thank you for your response . Foods I’m eating are chicken , red meat , fish or seafood , butter , olive oil , plain Greek yogurt, strawberrys , nuts , salads and lots of veg , cheese and olives .


(Rhys Duncan ) #5

Hi
Thank you for replying . I haven’t heard of that group jo but I’m going to have a look into that now .


(Rhys Duncan ) #6

Great advice also I am beginning to think the scales are not the best way to track progress as I feel like Ive taken one step forwards and 2 steps back since I got on the scales


(Rhys Duncan ) #7

Hi
Thank you for replying . Types of foods I’m eating are fish , chicken , red meat , seafood , eggs, salads and vegetables, cheese and nuts , plain Greek yogurt and strawberrys . Thanks


(Allie) #8

Are you tracking to be sure that your carb intake is low enough? There are many things that could be coming into play here, like exercise - is what you’re doing a new thing to you?


(Robin) #9

Agree with all input so far…. figure out how many carbs you are eating in a day. Everything you listed after the meat, eggs, and oil can add up in carbs pretty darn fast. Also don’t add exercise if it wasn’t already a staple. One thing at a time.
And for sure, stay away from the scale for a while. The mind games they play in your head can be destructive to motivation.
So… stick to the plan. Aim for 20-ish carb g daily.
Glad you’re here. You got this.


#10

gonna ask something very stupid here but how OLD is that scale and does it have new batteries and believe me, those things can wonky off real fast.

first know truths about a good scale to start and then it is all about your clothes like ShortStuff said and how ya feel and more but ‘your lots of veg’ can hold ‘alot of carbs’ so?

focus on great meat/fat proteins and let the other stuff ‘be a small side’ item to that meat/seafood fish and fowl ya love…do that a bigger changes happen.

don’t eat big ol’ bowls of veg carbs LOL but put them in a ‘side dish’ realm in your life and I think ya might be ok.

hope ya do ok but in the end, truth of what ya eat shows all and sometimes coming into Keto we unbalance and just kinda don’t get how we should be portioning our meat/seafood fish and fowl and focus on other stuff which is not what to do :slight_smile:

hope all is ok!


(Marianne) #11

This is precisely why I don’t weigh myself, except when I go to the doctor’s. I can tell by my appearance and the way my clothes fit whether I am losing weight. The scale can really mess with your head, when you notice your clothes looser and you can tell you look thinner. My suggestion is to just follow your program, eat clean food, and keep the carbs as low under 20g/day as you can, and you will lose weight. Also, I’d ditch the pee strips as you will be in ketosis is you are under 20g carbs per day. You don’t need another thing to worry about. Good luck!


(Rhys Duncan ) #12

Hi
Exercise was a part of my life before so I wanted to continue with it .
I am definitely staying away from the scales for a while I agree mess with my mind .


#13

It’s just flucuations in water weight. Do you track what you eat or just count carbs?


(Alec) #14

Rhys
Don’t be in a rush here… 2 weeks is nothing! It can take a while for your body to get used to fat burning, and in the meantime, it can be doing lots of stuff.

Some additional thoughts to the above:

  1. Salt intake can make a big difference to weight. But don’t cut salt, embrace it, eat it, enjoy it. You need a good strong salt intake.
  2. Don’t undereat… make sure you are eating enough to be satisfied. If you are hungry, eat. If you aren’t, don’t. But don’t get stuck in the diet trap of thinking you have to eat less. Let the process work on its own… it knows better than you do.
  3. As someone said above, be diligent in counting the carbs. There are some people (and you may be one of them) that react very badly to carbs, and you may need to be super strict. BTW, I am carnivore (ie zero carb), it makes life easier!

Agree with the others about the scales. I used to be a scale jockey, but not any more. Use them either very sparingly or not at all.
Cheers
Alec


(Joey) #15

Agreed. Your body doesn’t lose/gain tissue or fat that quickly… water weight comes and goes on an intraday basis for all kinds of reasons.

You’ve gotten good advice above. Stay the course, you’re off to a fantastic start.

Congratulations on heading off into this brighter, healthier future for yourself. Your diligence and efforts will be greatly rewarded. :vulcan_salute:


(Rhys Duncan ) #16

Thank you so much for all your advice it’s appreciated . I’m going to stick with it and keep going .


(Rhys Duncan ) #17

That’s really great advice thank you very much . I’m going to also ditch the scales and not bother weighing myself I feel better already after 2 weeks of Keto so I’m going to just keep going


(Rhys Duncan ) #18

Thank you my girlfriend is hiding the scales away as we speak they just mess with my brain I already feel so much better so I’m going to stick at it . My sugar levels have never been so good 100% in target just from cutting out carbs !! Very happy with it so far :crossed_fingers:


(Marianne) #19

Honestly, it is so liberating when you give yourself permission not to weigh yourself. Totally meaningless value (to me), when you are working your program and are happy with your way of eating. The scale is the devil. We’ve been brainwashed that we need to weigh ourselves.

I’m so glad that you are taking to keto! I loved the keto way of eating from the start and never had difficulty trading sweets/carbage to the delicious, rich foods we can eat.

Best to you!


(Marianne) #20

You may want to add pork - I think that is our favorite protein and it is also one of the most economical meats. Some other foods to consider are bacon, cream cheese (I might ditch the yogurt if it is too high in carbs), chicken wings, home made blue cheese dressing, heavy whipping cream, sour cream, home made alfredo sauce (I just throw stuff in; I don’t follow a recipe), ghee, eggs, chicken/beef broth. You can do a lot with these foods alone or in making sauces/soups to enhance your proteins/vegetables. The possibilities/combinations are endless and very delicious.