ketosis but no weight loss

l3long

I have been in ketosis for 3 weeks and walking 30-50 min most days. I have not lost a thing. Granted, I only have about 15-20 to lose. My hubby who has about double that to lose has lost 5 lbs.

I am thinking about adding in some weight lifting but starting off easy. Any advice?

KnitOrMiss

The walking is actually what probably is slowing your results. Most folks who get into nutritional ketosis find that whenever exercise is introduced or included that it can delay results by 4-12 weeks before increasing gains in productivity and allowing weight loss.

When you are in ketosis, the DNA in your mitochondria actually have to be converted to fat burning, and this takes time and by walking, you're slowing the conversion. Just saying.

I would not start weight lifting until 12 full weeks in ketosis.


After all of that, I would also say look at your diary. Are your fats high enough? Carbs low enough? Calories high enough (that can be a problem with folks used to extreme calorie restricting). Do you eat a lot of dairy? This can stall some people. Do you consume artificial sweeteners? This can stall some people or cause gain. Are you tracking closely? Weighing/measuring everything?

Did you take pictures and measurements of yourself when you started? For me, when the scale does not move, the inches or disbursal of fat (aka recomposition) changes... So there are a ton of factors. Give more info.

Oh, and here's a good calculator if you haven't checked your numbers lately.

http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

ncprice1

Hiya,

You may be getting too much exercise. Also, check your protein intake - it's very easy to have too much (the body will convert excess protein to sugar).

Lastly, with LCHF/Keto, many of us get thinner long before the scale shows that we are lighter.

Hope this helps,
NC

kirkor

I think the walking is fine and lifting would be fine as well. What is your caloric deficit, and how are you measuring ketosis?

ettaterrell

I would have to agree with knit and ncprice.. Working out stalled me when I first started (don't understand why I just thought it was my muscles retaining water). If that's it I'm sure it will work itself out.. I'm lazy so I just stopped the work out.
Also make sure your getting high fat and low carb and Protien... (To much Protien will stall me quick!!) I don't have much more to loose but I try keep my fat at least at 75% carbs 5% Protien 20%. At 1400 cals 152 lbs and I'm 5'2" still loosing pretty steady (give or take a few stalls from obvious higher Protien /carbs Good luck!!!

JodehFoster

Yeah, ketosis does not automatically equal loss, only that you are adapted for fat loss. You still have to watch calories, over on anything will result in not losing, or even possible gains. Anything in excess will get stored as fat.

If you've been at walking for 3 weeks, your body should be well adapted to it by now & I wouldn't think retaining much water from it...unless you find your muscles are extremely sore. Beginning lifting would cause temporary retention as well. I honestly wouldn't fear the retention from exercise...the benefits will far out weigh the few pounds you may hold on to. Really, though it's water not fat, so no big deal.

DAM5412

I don't think walking is having a negative impact on your weight loss, more so the fact that you have very little to lose, compared to many others who post about significant drops in their first few weeks. I'd take a closer look at your nutrition, before making any changes to a current walking routine. Also I wonder how you are measuring your ketosis?

In any case, we know that weight loss is not linear. That on a Keto WOE, you may not actually lose weight, but your body may be recomposing (if that's a word), which is why people will tell you to take measurements and BEFORE pictures. Our gradual changes are hard for us to see/accept, unless our clothes start fitting poorly. You can't compare yourself to anyone else, even your hubby who maybe is following the same protocols, but seeing different results, because...every body is different. Please also consider how you feel while following this WOE. For many those benefits alleviate the anxiety while waiting for the scale to show some love. You'll get there, just trust the process and stay focused.

Christine_72

I walk around 10 miles most days, it hasn't affected my weight loss at all.

macchiatto

The others have given some good suggestions and possible things to look at.
FWIW, I started keto with about 18 lbs to lose. I did stall but not initially; I lost about 8 lbs in the first two weeks, then plateaued for about 4 weeks, and ended up losing the 18 lbs in about 10 weeks. I was eating 1350 cals/day, 65% fat, 25% protein, 10% carbs, and I was 3 weeks from a 5K when I started, so I was running 3x/wk. Of course everyone's different and like the others said, I'd look at carb and protein levels and consider dairy, nuts and artificial sweeteners as possible causes of stalls.