I hear you, and applaud your effort to get some clarity. I too have struggled and completed a Ketogains Bootcamp, because I was convinced that I must be doing something wrong (18 months Keto at this point). Nope. Didn’t lose a single pound. However, soon after I finished the bootcamp, I read Dr. Satchin Panda’s “The Circadian Code” - which I highly recommend. I had done fasts as long as 7 days, many 3 days, and weeks of ADF - what I had never done was make my eating window early in the day. I made this switch (8 am - 2 pm), and for six weeks, almost every morning I woke up and weighed less than the day before (even though I was eating the exact same calories and macros - same meals… Eventually this stopped, but not before I had lost about 10 pounds. I’ve also worked really hard on my sleep hygiene and doing Mindful Based Meditation. I’m about 5 lbs from my goal, and what I’m starting to believe is that switching it up is the key for me. That being said, we’re all “unique snowflakes” and I think we need to find what works best for us as individuals.
What if Keto Just Doesn't Work for Everyone?
Keto worked great for me, I lost nearly 150LBS but for my wife who has much less to loose than me, it did not help much. I am pretty sure she does not cheat on the diet but she never got that fast weight loss that I did. I lost about 120LBS in 1 year, She ate right along with me and probably exercised more than I did and lost about 20LBS.
I dont think Keto is for every one.
yayhowfun, I hope you’ll forgive me if you’ve already answered this, I got a little bogged down reading through the posts and might have missed it…
Have you tried the other extreme? HCLF? There are a few people that I’ve met who seem to really do well with it. I can think of two ladies that are vegan/vegetarian that fit into that high carb low fat category very well and seem to be about as healthy as any I’ve known. (Interestingly, their husbands did not thrive on the same diet, one being deceased and the other not doing so well.)
The group here tends to be focused upon the 70%-80% of the population that will show some kind of metabolic derangement over their lifetimes and I suspect those are the people who do best with the keto lifestyle. As Paul said, maybe those who are not a part of that group may have problems with keto like you have.
Wish I had something good to offer. Certainly have no ill will in my heart and don’t think any less of you because you’re different than me. I do wish you much success and hope you find just the right place where you can be in the best of health that you can be!
You seen this ?.
“Too much protein is better than too little”. Ted Naiman.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/273508045
Yes, Go Ted!
And another thing, everyone thinks that their metabolism is broken, but it’s very, very rare. Even people with anorexia recover from their past abuse. I am not saying that a metabolism doesn’t slow a bit down as a result of weight loss, just saying that research shows that they are not permanently damaged. Check out Lyle McDonald for more if anyone is interested. He also has just written a book about “women” and weight loss and training, can’t wait to get it.
PS: I am not trying to be a wench about this, I just believe the truth will set you free!
Besides rats, it’s working great for me too!
According to the Protein Leverage Hypothesis the ideal rate of proteins for humans is 15% of total caloric intake. If you go a little up, say 18%, your appetite will drop and you will lose weight.
I think we’re far from the quantities advocated by Naiman, unless your daily caloric intake is phenomenal. I typically eat around 1500 cal a day (I am sedentary and not a big eater) and typically 50gr of proteins will keep me around my target 16-18%. Hardly hyperproteic.
But that could really be a good hint for Andrea.
I had to leave strict keto and fasting because I was eating way too little for my own good, I still keep to complex carbs most of the time and not more than 80-100 g a day, so doing some sort of lazy low carb.
I think the PLH could be used in keto too, although I don’t really think there’s ever the problem of diluting proteins too much while in keto. But you never know, fats have high calories so they are a great factor of dilution.
At the moment, past the first 10days of getting back some water weight, I am losing as much as I was losing in keto at 800cal every other day, which wasn’t sustainable.
I need to check this out with a Kraft test I have been planning for myself, but my impression is that I don’t react to carbs like many people here, so there may be no need for me to be extra-strict, while still keeping some caution. It may be the same for you too!
Btw, my metabolism is also definitely accelerating with the PLH, 2 weeks ago I couldn’t eat more than 800 cal a day and now 1500cal are beginning to feel too few. And I haven’t moved more than usual. Now that’s another thing I.really desired, not because I was hungry and had to hold back, but because with food sitting in my stomach forever, I got so so bored.
I haven’t seen anyone post about Gabor’s ideas. Gabor Erdosi, MSc, MBA is a Molecular Biologist from Debrecen, Hungary who is employed in the Food Industry but whose hobby is reading scientific publications and analyzing the available information. He’s been on Fat Emperor once or twice and has the FB group Lower Insulin. He has some interesting competing theories with Keto that suggest restricted eating and whole carbohydrates ( and less of them).
So glad this issue was raised. To my enormous disappointment, Keto hasn’t worked for me either, even when combined with IF. I am a post menopausal, pre-diabetic woman and I have tried keto 3x and not lost a pound. So glad it works for some people but not for me.
Just my experience, but I am 5 months in and dropped the fat three months ago. I am at 50 percent of my fat ratios. Carbs are 25 and protein is sometimes over. I have been at maintenance for two months. Still in ketosis.
I’m starting to think I’m in the same boat too. I have absolutely, without a doubt, seen many of the benefits that people report with keto… Stable blood sugar and good (great!) lab numbers. I dropped a few dozen or more pounds in under the first year. It was enough that most people noticed. But I’ve been effectively stalled for 18 months now. I’ve IF’d, EF’d, got worried my metabolism was slowing, so then gorged on fat and dialed it back over many months and although the scale has gone down on a few occasions, it’s always crept back up to about my stalled weight. Lately the scale had been slowly going back up and I’m at an utter loss as to why.
Two months ago I threw caution to the wind and went back to a carby diet for six weeks. That was a mistake! I put on 21 pounds in 4 weeks, but lost 12 in two weeks after going back to keto.
So it KC and KO for now. I’m still better than when I was a carboholic.
All good points! All forms of eating, (diets) do not work for everyone. The human body adapts to what we put it through. I am a fitness professional and have been on Keto for 22 weeks and dropped around 10 lbs of which is mostly bodyfat. I know if I want to drop more I need to cut calories. I do not recommend Keto to clients that are young. I am in my 60’s and wanted to know about Keto myself so I had first hand knowledge. It is difficult on Keto to have access to what you need in a normal working environment. I have had many female clients tell me Keto did not work for me. Initially water weight alone should happen no matter who you are. When some tell me they did not lose a pound, I have to assume thy did not do it correctly. Even if one does not stick with Keto there are benefits such as cleaning up the use of sugar and using products like Organic Stevia. Or getting away from soda and learning how to keep carbs in moderation. Everyones body is different and some may not adapt as well as others. Even though this is a keto forum I don’t think you should be afraid to speak up and question keto. I also have broken the keto diet just a few times and did not have a problem eating the carbs. I do believe if one decides to go off keto not to load up on carbs or go back to heavy carb eating. I have always believed in very moderate carbohydrate intake. Even without being in ketosis we do not need nearly the amount of carbs most people take in.
From my limited understanding of the mechanisms of weight loss via a ketogenic diet, weight loss happens when people (who have a high average level of insulin) manage to lower their average insulin levels by drastically reducing carbs. If you don’t have hyperinsulinaemia then you won’t be able to achieve weight loss through carb reduction bringing it down. Also if you do have hyperinsulinaemia for a reason other than carb intake, (eg too much stress, not enough sleep), then you may not be able to bring your insulin levels down via carb reduction.
So how could you find out whether you have hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance? Cos if you haven’t got this, then ketogenic diets probably aren’t going to achieve anything for you. The advice I have received on this from Catherine Crofts (NZ researcher following in Dr Joseph Kraft’s footsteps) is to take a blood test 2 hrs after doing an OGTT.
Isn’t it enough to just ingest glucose (75g) 2H beforea fasting insulin test? maybe in NZ they don’t sell glucose in the pharmacy. I actually need to check that out too, in France, because I don’t know if they do.
Something important to remind, is that one has to eat normal 2 weeks before the test. Otherwise keto would distort the result (give a possibly false negative, because insulin tends to stay low).
Leann from Healthful Pursuit have a special plan for woman like you who struggle with strict keto. She add some carb every now and then and it seems to help. I recommand that you go see her site and YouTube videos.
I think @AliciaWarren is onto something with Catherine Crofts. You would have to eat carbs for 2 weeks I think (?).
What did Dr. Berry say about the lack of weight loss? Can he refer you to someone else?
I’m also womdering about the break from tracking or dieting. I recently gave up weighing or measuring (still keto) and I statted losing weight again. BUT if that makes you anxious and spikes cortisol it would be counterproductive.
Thank you for bringing this up!!!
I did this. I changed to a whole “real” food diet and i’m losing weight and feel so much better! Eggs (free range), vegetables, apples, pork shoulder, berries, tomatoes, vegetable soups (homemade), greek yogurt (in Quebec I buy the brand “Cult”) meat (pasture raised lean or not), fish (responsible wild caught, fat or not), arugula, shrimps (wild caught), butter, etc etc! I go for variety now more than anything else. I don’t eat bread and pasta, i don’t eat “very transformed” food. No stevia, sweeteners etc. I put berries in my yogurt (or not!), I eat an apple sometimes (organic paula red, they are a little tart!). I try to eat “in season” produces mainly. When I started keto, at first I was eating lots of bacon, putting coconut oil, butter, after a while when it got out: exogenous ketones etc in my coffee. I was eating Swerve, making the keto recipes and it did not seem like stuff a human would do or need…And I bought a lot of supplements sigh. I did a lot of things I heard I needed to do! I prefer now to eat “all whole real food” and get the vitamins at the source!
When I stopped strict keto I did ate little oatmeal and rice at first but now I don’t want it! I upped my protein, cut the fat a little (still eating fat), and losing weight! I have a physically active job and I never use a car, I walk 3 hours per day go to work on week days: 1.5 hour to go, 1.5 hour to come back home… (not a big fan of pollution ;)).I’m a 40 years old woman. My first language is french so pardon my errors, thanks!
I forgot to say that I don’t have any metabolic damages or diabetes or anything. I’m healthy but over the years I had gain weight and wanted to lose it…
I started on keto and changed over time for something that works better for me it seems…(Also, I craved carbs when I was pms’ing it made me think that, maybe, I needed more of those. I have less pain now than on full keto during my period!
This is super helpful, thank you!!
@Alicia_Warren My fasting insulin is ultra low (<2) but I think I’ll go get the OGTT with insulin tested at every interval as well. My BG is super stable though.
I sleep like a baby for 7-9 hours a night and the only thing that stresses me out is not losing this friggin’ weight.
My hormones (progesterone and testosterone) are low, recently started taking DIM and DHEA, but looking into bioidenticals.
I love your post
So I am doing an unusual form of keto, vegan keto. (Yes it can be done, yes I can hit all my macros, and do every day.) Today is day 15. I lost 10lbs in 2 weeks and last week about 1. I know it was all water and now the real fat burning is just beginning. I am noticing NSV ( sleeping better - but felt good before as a regular vegan, feel good now)
I am still in the very early stages, so my scales victories have yet to happen ( or not) but I can tell I am not going to be one of those people that loses 38lbs in 7 weeks. My body HOARDS weight like a starving man with a duffel bag at a buffet. I have lots of muscle, but according to DEXA 42% body fat. I am a size 10/12 and 5’6". Not small framed, look slightly thick, but not overweight. I feel you pain!!!
I have heard Dr’s who are pro keto talk about having to get “healthy” in order to release weight. You seem up to date on various tests etc…just wondering if you have had you liver enzymes tested, your cortisol, your insulin. (probably yes) I know from experience that raised AST and ALT liver enzymes make it REALLY hard to drop weight, and keto can sometimes raise those levels (apparently eating 7 - 10 cups of leafy greens a day in keto will fix that). If you haven’t looked into that, you might want to.
Other than that, I say keep going. The NSV are the ones that will save your life and improve your quality of life. I am with you on the frustration of not dropping weight - it has haunted me for the past 20 years. ( I was a whole food plant based eater with ZERO sugar for the past 6 years. Initially I lost about 30lbs in 6 months, but after that have been battling with gaining and losing the same 20lbs…and all i eat are PLANTS!! - Hence adding keto because I thing insulin resistance was a player) Anyway, you are not alone.