Keto diet - strange doubts creeping in?
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StarshipFighter23
Posts: 73 Member
I was just wondering if other people have found the same as me - that a ketogenic diet works really well, but that you find yourself wondering whether it's working a bit too well..?
I tend to be quite sceptical about most things, and I'm the first person to decry 'miracle diets' as the nonsense that they generally are, but my weight loss on keto has been not just unexpectedly large (47lb in just over 9 weeks - or 0.7lb per day) but a lot more rapid than I could have ever dreamed - my target weight is only 11lb away and I'm going to hit that (at current rates of loss) almost 2 months earlier than expected.
I think I might just be starting with the maintenance jitters as I get closer to that but I can't help thinking that this WOE is too good to be true; and yet the scales, the tape and the mirror all show that it isn't... Can't help thinking that it is though and almost find myself worrying that I'm going to wake up one morning and have suddenly whooshed all the fat that I've lost back on! I'm finding this to be an extremely odd state of mind... Can anyone else relate?
I tend to be quite sceptical about most things, and I'm the first person to decry 'miracle diets' as the nonsense that they generally are, but my weight loss on keto has been not just unexpectedly large (47lb in just over 9 weeks - or 0.7lb per day) but a lot more rapid than I could have ever dreamed - my target weight is only 11lb away and I'm going to hit that (at current rates of loss) almost 2 months earlier than expected.
I think I might just be starting with the maintenance jitters as I get closer to that but I can't help thinking that this WOE is too good to be true; and yet the scales, the tape and the mirror all show that it isn't... Can't help thinking that it is though and almost find myself worrying that I'm going to wake up one morning and have suddenly whooshed all the fat that I've lost back on! I'm finding this to be an extremely odd state of mind... Can anyone else relate?
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Isn't that a great problem to have?
I personally have hit a point where I am struggling to lose the last of the bodyfat I hoped I would, but there have been other members that I recall reaching their goal and trying to figure out how to get the weight loss to stop. lol Isn't that thought just mind blowing? If you were in a general weight loss forum sharing concern about reaching goal so fast or wondering how to stop losing weight, can you imagine the questions you'd get?!?! Everyone would be asking how you did it, what you ate exactky every single day!
There is something that seems magical about it either with the better than expected weight loss or just overall unexpected health improvements. Let's face it, not everyone actually has the great weight loss. But, it seems like that usually happens when overall health is more fragile or has at least been challenging for a long time. So, it's a matter of perspective to recognize the gifts of the keto gods.
You've done really well though! Congrats on that! I can understand the maintenance jitters, though I am not experiencing them since I still feel too far away. lol Just think of it this way though, now you know how your body needs to be fed to reach a lower bodyfat and best health in general. Just continue to eat mostly this same way from now on and it really should just naturally maintain.
I believe keeping a healthy stable bodyweight shouldn't be that hard to do. I seems like you've found out exactly how to eat to do that for yourself.2 -
A couple thoughts - keep or toss.
Believe in why you're following a ketogenic diet in the first place - this requires learning as much as reasonably possible about it;
Monitor yourself to make sure it's working as intended in your case; and
Give it the benefits of time and consistency to improve your health over the long haul.3 -
Conratulations on such exceptional weight loss. That is truly amazing! I wish I could say that I agree, however this WOE does not seem to be working well for me. It's week 4, and I have only lost 2.5 pounds (I lost 4, but gained some back). I have not cheated, not even once! I've stayed very close to my macros, and have recently upped my sodium. I cannot figure out why my body will not take to this.
You are fortunate. I wish you much more success!1 -
If you don't want it all to whoosh back on, remember you can't go back to what got you into that shape to begin with.
I would also caution about an arbitrary number on the scale. I know as I was losing, I ended up getting about 10 lbs lower than I thought I would and then thought 10 lbs below that might be even better. Turns out my body resisted that extra 10 I took off and naturally is kind of staying at that 10 lb below my original goal. My wife is happy about that since she thought when I did go a bit lower, I looked too thin.
All that is just to say listen to your body. Eat what makes you feel your best - keto is what works for me in that regard. Don't starve yourself or gorge yourself, and you will likely find your body will end up where it should be1 -
aprilsun66 wrote: »Conratulations on such exceptional weight loss. That is truly amazing! I wish I could say that I agree, however this WOE does not seem to be working well for me. It's week 4, and I have only lost 2.5 pounds (I lost 4, but gained some back). I have not cheated, not even once! I've stayed very close to my macros, and have recently upped my sodium. I cannot figure out why my body will not take to this.
You are fortunate. I wish you much more success!
Have you kept track of anything other than what the lying liar pants scale reports? For instance, many here started this for reasons other than weight - or at least for other reasons in addition to weight - T2, HBP, neurological issues, PCOS, fibromyalgia, etc.
Four weeks is not very long. If you have been poisoning your body with junk your whole life, it may take some time for your body to adjust. There are a number of things to check like measurements of waist, hips, etc.
When you first change over, it is common for your yellow (sometimes called white) fat to be replaced with brown fat. This is a good thing. Brown fat has more mitochondria and burns fat/ketones more effectively. It is also denser, so even though you may weigh the same, you could be getting smaller.
If you have added exercise to your plan, it is common to gain muscle mass with this WOE which is also denser than fat. So again, you could be getting smaller but not lighter.
Fat is also where your body stores toxins, and trust me that much of what our society now calls "food" is filled with toxins. Just look at the ingredient lists on most products now and it is clear many of them were made in factories and never intended by nature to be ingested. As you change over to burning fat, these toxins get released into your blood to be flushed out and can slow down weight loss.
Hang in there. There are many in this group like @GaleHawkins who took longer than this to lose ANY weight. Please remember, this is not about changing everything over night. It took your whole life to get where you are now. If you can reverse it in 1/20 of that time, that seems like a success to me (i.e. if you are 40 and can be healthy in 2 years at goal weight with the proper BG, BP and other health markers).4 -
Because after 30 days of LCHF (<50 grams of carbs daily) my 40 years of high pain levels (7-8 range) dropped to 2-3 levels and the pain levels starts ticking up if I get more into carbs this WOE is a no brainer in my case. Taking my BMI level from 35 to just under 30 was important to me initially. This year it is my intent to get my BMI down to 24.9 as a side effect of working my C-Reactive Protein levels down to as near ZERO as possible.
Between the Bob Beck Protocol (electromedicine) and the Poly MVA/Artemisinin protocol that I just started two weeks ago I can for the first time remove the cap off of a bottle of water justing my thumb and index finger for the first time in decades.
That my age I prefer losing weight slowly because losing at fast rates seems to often results in 100%+ regains based on my past experiences over the past 40 years of yo-yoing weight.2 -
@cstehansen
I began this journey to lose weight, however a huge benefit I have gained is an improvement in pain levels (fibromyalgia, and severe back pain), so that it and of itself is the main reason that I will continue with this WOE. My clothes are fitting a bit looser, thats another benefit. I'll admit that I'm too addicted to my scale. When it decides whether or not I'm in a good mood or a bad mood, that's when I know it needs to go!2 -
aprilsun66 wrote: »@cstehansen
I began this journey to lose weight, however a huge benefit I have gained is an improvement in pain levels (fibromyalgia, and severe back pain), so that it and of itself is the main reason that I will continue with this WOE. My clothes are fitting a bit looser, thats another benefit. I'll admit that I'm too addicted to my scale. When it decides whether or not I'm in a good mood or a bad mood, that's when I know it needs to go!
Check out these threads:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10108792/nsvs#latest
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10415166/scale-why-should-i-dump-thee-let-me-count-the-ways
The first is more inspirational.
The second is one that should put a smile on your face for another reason.
I am glad to hear about the reduced pain. I hate pain. I find it hurts. If I can avoid it, it is generally worth it. 2 -
One thing that I actually noticed just the other day is that the skin tags under my arms appear to be shrinking. I haven't been monitoring it closely at all, but I know I definitely remember them being quite a bit bigger before.2
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motorcyclekopp wrote: »One thing that I actually noticed just the other day is that the skin tags under my arms appear to be shrinking. I haven't been monitoring it closely at all, but I know I definitely remember them being quite a bit bigger before.
That's great news. Did you that having skin tags is a sign of insulin resistance? Having them go away is telling you a lot about your health improvement. 4 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »motorcyclekopp wrote: »One thing that I actually noticed just the other day is that the skin tags under my arms appear to be shrinking. I haven't been monitoring it closely at all, but I know I definitely remember them being quite a bit bigger before.
That's great news. Did you that having skin tags is a sign of insulin resistance? Having them go away is telling you a lot about your health improvement.
Yeah.... 3 days ago I learned that lol. Actually the only reason why I checked was because Dr. Eric Berg uploaded a video on YouTube 3 days ago about skin tags. I was very surprised to see that they have shrunk in size. I didn't even know that they could get smaller once they formed. I've thought about removing them before but never did. I wonder if they will continue to shrink??
Now I'm also kind of wondering if this will have any effect at all on polyps?? I get an ultrasound done once a year to monitor the size of polyps in my gallbladder. I'll find out in a couple months, when I go in for it next.3
