Hello everyone! I am newbie from Finland and I would need some help with weight loss slowing down. I am 30 years old female. I’ve been on a ketogenic diet little bit over a month now (I have been loving it). In first month I lost about 6,3 kg (13,89 lbs), but now my weight loss has been stopped. My starting weight was 161 lbs. I have been testing my ketones with KetoStick and they have been high. I count everything I eat and keep carbohydrates always below 5 % (usually about 3 %), proteins are always below 20 % (usually about 18 %) and fats are at least 75 % (usually about 78 %). I drink 4 liter water a day and use salt in food and take magnesium. My calories are about 1340 per day. I also do fasting which mean I only eat between 12 pm and 6 pm (2 meals + coffee and cream). I have been exercising 6 days per week (30 minutes at time). Now I wonder what I am doing wrong? Is there something wrong with my eating? Do I exercise too much? Are my calories too low? Thank you for all the help!
Weight loss slowed down after a month
I believe that you are doing everything right. It’s been my experience and understanding that the initial rapid weight loss is greatly water from glycogen stores. After the glycogen has been consumed, or depleted, the weight loss will slow significantly or may even stall. This is referred to as Post Induction Stall Syndrome (PISS) and is common. Your body is now learning to consume fat as its primary fuel; this may take several weeks during which your weight loss may stall/plateau. Given time, once you become “fat adapted”, the weight loss usually resumes.
Some people add intermittent fasting (IF) or even extended fasting to ‘jump start’ their body onto consuming its own bodyfat for fuel and weight loss continues. It seems to me that you are in a plateau; since you are already practicing intermittent fasting your plateau may be brief. Again, I see no issues in what you are doing - be patient and continue - in other words, Keep Calm and Keto On (KCKO)!
Regards,
Rick
Nelli, great job in month one. You have managed to reduce body weight by 8% in one month, which is wonderful. Rick gave you great advice in managing expectations. I see you doing everything right as well. One tweak you could try is making sure that your exercise occurs during your IF fasting window. I found that broke my first plateau for several months of continuous loss.
Throughout my first 8 months I lived by the tape measure more than the scale. Tape measure showed almost constant change over time. I measure waist at navel, thighs, upper arms all weekly. It’s a great motivator beyond the wonderful feeling of increased energy and mental clarity.
Thank you for your reply and great advice! I got too much of expectations for myself after reading a lot of great weight loss stories with ketogenic diet. I knew that weight loss will slow down or stall, but I just thought it would come little bit later (maybe after 3 months) and that made me think maybe I might be doing something wrong since I am new to this. You gave me a lot of new information and hope to trust the process… Thank you for that! I will Keep Calm and Keto On as you said!
Regards,
Nelli
Thank you! It is nice to hear that I am doing everything right. I will try to exercise during my fasting window… I think it could help. I think I need to use the tape more than the scale too. In beginning of my ketogenic diet I promised to scale myself only once a week, but when my weight loss started to slow down I find myself using the scale way too much. Wonderful feeling and mental clarity that comes with the ketogenic diet should be also big motivator to me. Thank you for the advice!
Hi Nelii,
I think it is important to remember that there are a very wide range of weight loss results experienced by different people, even people who are in the same basic demographic group, starting at the same weight, and eating very similar food content. For some people the fat just melts away, almost effortlessly, and for others this is simply not going to happen. This has nothing at all to do with character or willpower, it is not a question of morality, it is a function of individual metabolic function.
It sounds like you are doing all the right things and all that is now needed is patience, persistence. This might be a great time to work on making your new eating behaviors a habit for life.
I am grilling steaks tonight, Mrs. Hanson is making her loaded cauliflower casserole, and I, for the very first time, I am going to try and make a Béarnaise Sauce. There is so much joy to be found in the foods we can eat even while understanding that these most decadent and delicious foods are exactly what our bodies require to achieve our ketogenic health goals.
Keto for Life.
Warmest Regards,
Richard
I see this was posted in November…can you please tell me how you’re doing today?? I feel like you were speaking exactly for me in your post! I’ve been keto and in ketosis since Easter, and weigh has gone down like 22 pounds then up 2…now stopped! All of a sudden I’m craving carbs again! I am trying to be more aware of my emotional part of this, I feel I’m failing so I want to binge! WTH??? IM A GROWN WOMAN! I should be able to control myself! Tell me this gets better!
I really want NOT to weigh!! Uugghh