Weird stall... thoughts?

stall
#1

My wife and I have been doing keto since the first week of January 2018. I’ve lost over 27 pounds. She’s lost around 20. I continually lose weight, almost every week, even though some weeks are only 0.5 pound.

Unfortunately, my wife’s been stalled at 20 pounds lost for about 6 weeks. Most of her loss was very quick. She’s tracking her food intake and hitting her macros (which she got from 2 or 3 similar websites as well as in the app she’s tracking with–Carb Manager).

Here’s what’s weird: Her ketones are very high. We use urine test strips and although I’m usually down in the 1.5-4.0 range, she’s usually up in the dark purple 8+ range. Always.

So she doesn’t have carb creep (clearly), she’s eating around 1000-1100 calories trying to get the weight loss moving again, fat and protein are right on the money, she’s drinking plenty of water, but all-in-all, no dice.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!
Kent

#2

https://www.ketogenicforums.com/search?context=topic&context_id=35368&q=Stall&skip_context=true

#3

I’m hoping someone can comment on this particular, high-ketone stall.

We’ve searched, and read, and searched, and read hundreds of other posts that don’t represent what we’re seeing (high ketones, no carb creep, low calories, etc.)

Anyone else?

#4

If you’ve read a lot of posts about others who have stalled, then you must have seen many conversations about eating low calories contributing to stalled metabolisms.

Listen to http://2ketodudes.com/show.aspx?episode=58 to learn more about feasting/fasting cycles to boost your metabolisms.

(Stacy) #5

Hi there - I cannot comment on the ketones/stall issue but I am also in a lengthy stall right now - 6 months on keto and the last three months of that is an up down of 2-3lbs. I am not cheating, eating less than 20g carbs a day, tracking religiously. I have tried reducing calories, eliminating dairy, working out, eating at maintenance, a four day fat fast, intermittent fasting and longer 2-3 day fasts. All of this has resulted in a minor loss then a regain.

I am trying something new - increasing my fats as per 2KetoDudes podcast on stalls. It’s the only thing I can think of that I have not tried, and goes against what I thought I knew …hehe. I hope you/your wife get some answers - it’s so frustrating to be doing what you need to do and see no change.

#6

Another concept that is talked about a lot is that stalls are natural and sometimes last for long periods. Some think this is the body healing other areas. Remember, nutritional ketosis is not a “weight loss diet” it is a way of eating, a way life that is restorative and healing. Weight gain is most likely a result not of “eating too many calories” that is too simplistic, but of metabolic derangement. So when we stop losing weight, we get frustrated, but how else are you feeling? Any Non-Scale Victories? If you are in a rush to lose weight you are missing the point, I think. As your body heals and you develop a healthy way of interacting with food, you will slowly lose weight. If you are stuggling to trust that keto is truly beneficial, that is understandable. I would suggest listening to the 2 keto dudes podcast. http://2ketodudes.com/archives.aspx
Carl himself recently broke through an 18 month stall. 18 months of keeping calm and keto-ing on because he has experienced so much benefit from eating keto that is unrelated to weight loss.
Carl has the benefit of the podcast and his renown within the community to keep him motivated to continue on, and it’s not surprising so many feel like giving up and giving in to carbs when they reach a stall.

There’s lots of different techniques you can try to break a stall. I can’t help you to stop feeling frustrated, I totally understand that feeling. All I can say is that what would happen if you were to stop doing keto? Go back to eating 1/3 c of plain oatmeal and low-calorie bread sandwiches hold the mayo, and plain chicken breast with plain steamed broccoli? The Calories-In-Calories-Out lifestyle is torture if you ask me. And unless you have hours a day to dedicate to extreme atheltic training, it is questionable how sustainable CICO is. But keto keep me feeling satiated, it reduces my hunger levels and I personally have many non-scale benefits. I’m a slow loser and one might say I’m in a stall as I hover up and down around the same scale number. But I’m not going to stop because the alternative seems much less enjoyable and much more work.

(Donna ) #7

Her body is healing, working on different things. Keep the faith and KCKO.

If she wanted to try some significantly higher fat days, that’s all I can suggest. Deep fry some brussels sprouts and eat them dipped in butter. Make some homemade ranch (starting with homemade mayo) and eat a lot of that with some broccoli, or just eat it with a spoon. That’s what got me off my 5 week stall. I really thought I was eating enough fat, guess I wasn’t.

(Stacy) #8

The NSV’s are what is keeping me keto. I LOVE the way I feel, the energy, the good (although shorter) sleep, waking rested, lower dose of Synthroid, elimination of daily pain meds and reflux med. So many amazing NSV’s - and I don’t miss the bloat that I felt daily with SAD.

(What The Fast?!) #9

Did you continue to eat higher fat after the stall broke, or did you just do that for a few days?

(Donna ) #10

I am kinda up and down on fats and my weight hasn’t gone back up, so that’s good. I find it hard to eat that much fat every day. I didn’t track it, but it was a LOT of fats, avocado oil in the ranch and garlic butter and also some lard deep fried stuff.

I can’t deep fry stuff more than once a week. I love the homemade ranch, but we eat it up so fast because it’s so yummy. I keep running out. I’ve never done fat bombs, but maybe I should consider them.

I’m 2 lbs from goal weight, so my weight loss has slowed considerably.

(Jessica) #11

How much weight does she have left to lose?

(Jan) #12

@LindsaySue, Well said. Awesome post. I am in the same situation, as are so many others. Even though it’s the weight that’s the most obvious part of our metabolic derangement, it’s just a symptom. The real benefits of the Keto woe are less visible, but so much more important.

(Tessy M.) #13

Calorie restriction is going to cause a problem. Slower metabolism, slower/no loss. Unless your wife is already a very small human, 1000-1100 calories a day is going to do more harm than good if she isn’t IF at minimum.
I would really suggest she up her calories or limit that amount to one meal a day.

(Karen) #14

I’m just tossing this out ,as it seemed to help me. I fasted every other day for three days before I headed on vacation. I was stalled for a month going up and down the same 1-2 pounds. On the feast days I kept protein lowish. 34–50g, fat high, carbs <20g. The fast days were fat fasts. Anyhoo it broke it loose. I’ll have to see what damage I have from my vacation. Calories are high, but pretty keto. Good luck! I love the support for your wife.

K

#15

Each body is dealing with different things at different times, the body needs time to heal.

  • ensure you recalculated the macros after a big weight shift.

I follow a simple rule “when in doubt, add more fat”.

Changing things up is really good to trick the body, fasting is fantastic even 24hours can trigger the body to do things differently.

#16

We’re worried about her fasting because her ketones are so high.

In fact, that’s what makes this all so weird…her ketones, at least her “peetones,” seem out of the park. Mine are so low in comparison.

(Rob) #17

High peetones suggest she ISN’T efficiently using ketones and not fat adapted, further suggesting that the stall is probably due to calorie restriction. You actually want low/no peetones to show you are using them efficiently (like you).

Sounds like she should up the fat and calories and focus on fat adaptation.

#18

Thanks everyone! Looks like it was a case of not enough fat/calories. She bumped both the past week and is down 4 lbs! Yay!

I’ve bumped mine too, and I’ve beaten a sort of mini-stall, too.

(Jay AM) #19

Capnbob said it but, I’ll go into a bit more detail.

Urine strips do not measure efficient use of ketones. They only measure ketones wasted in urine. You want to use ketones, not waste them. The real goal if you want to use them to measure anything is for them to be the lightest color or close to it but only worth measuring if you know you are at 20g or less of net carbs. Without the factor of being at 20g or less of net carbs, the number that will put every one into ketosis, the readings aren’t useful.

#20

Did it work??? I am in the same 2-3 lb bounce boat.