Help! Keto 4 months, 6lbs loss, long Stall! Advice?

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kokonani
kokonani Posts: 507 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi. I really need some help/advice. I am female, 40 years old, 5' 4" with 3 kids. Started at 122lbs. I run/jog 4-6 days for 30min and do light weights. I wanted to lose a little and get leaner so I started keto 4 months ago. First week, lost 5lbs, then another 1-2 pounds following week. Since then, I've stalled completely! So I've tried carb ups, cheat days, once a week, still no results, only water gain 2-3 lbs up and down. I've tried intermittent fasting with keto for a week, went down to 114.5lbs, but came right back when I stopped. My body percentage has stayed exactly the same at 22%. I track my macros and calories (1400 , 75/20/5). I am currently 116lbs, and the scale won't budge! Why is it so hard for me to lose weight or body fat? Do I need to increase my calories? I'm confused about eating at deficit and or increasing calories- all say different things.. anyone out there with any advice, surely would appreciate!

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    How are you measuring your intake? You obviously don't have much to lose so it's going to be a slow process and your logging has to be precise.

    Personally I would go for a body recomp rather than lose.
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
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    You're 5'4 and 116lbs, and you're trying to lose more??
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    Probably because you're already on the low end of healthy weight for your height and you dropped a ton of water the first week or so. What is your goal?
  • mkpandja
    mkpandja Posts: 7 Member
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    Probably if you dropped some pictures we could help you more. Our bodies are smart, if it doesn't let you lose any more maybe you don't even need to?
  • Richie_Deponeo
    Richie_Deponeo Posts: 2 Member
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    If your goal is fat loss, stop worrying about the number on the scale and monitor your body fat %. Try mixing up your weight training from light to heavy every couple of sessions and increase your calories on these days also you are probably doing too much cardio with 4 to 6 runs per week (probably losing lean muscle rather that body fat) try reducing this down to 2 to 3 times per week alongside the weight training. The greater lean muscle you have the less body fat you will have. take body measurements to record your progress week to week.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    mkpandja wrote: »
    Probably if you dropped some pictures we could help you more. Our bodies are smart, if it doesn't let you lose any more maybe you don't even need to?

    If our bodies didn't let us lose past a certain point, how do some anorexics get severely underweight?
  • kokonani
    kokonani Posts: 507 Member
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    My main goal is to lose a bit more body fat % so I can look leaner. I tend to have more fat on my upper body such as my arms, back and shoulders. I know I am on the lower end, but is it that much harder to do because of it?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Muscle and a low to healthy body fat level are what make people look lean. At your stats if you don't look lean it is because you are lacking muscle. Continuing to focus on fat loss is not going to move you toward your goal.
  • kokonani
    kokonani Posts: 507 Member
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    So lift heavier weights? Is that what you are saying? Increase muscle, not lose fat? Don't understand..
  • vespiquenn
    vespiquenn Posts: 1,455 Member
    edited July 2017
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    kokonani wrote: »
    So lift heavier weights? Is that what you are saying? Increase muscle, not lose fat? Don't understand..

    You might benefit more from a recomposition plan at this point. By getting on a progressive overload lifting program while eating at maintenance, you can very slowly add muscle. Otherwise there are bulk/cut cycles where you add muscle while eating in a surplus and lift heavy, then lose the excess fat away in a cut by eating in a deficit. The latter is typically a quicker way to achieve muscle and obtain a "toned" look, but some folks prefer recomping.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited July 2017
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    kokonani wrote: »
    So lift heavier weights? Is that what you are saying? Increase muscle, not lose fat? Don't understand..

    Get on a progressive lifting plan and eat at least at maintenance. Considering your low weight I'd actually eat a bit over maintenance, probably by about 150 calories to start. I'm generally a big fan of recomping but you just don't have much there to recomp.
  • kokonani
    kokonani Posts: 507 Member
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    Thank u! I will look into lifting vs. trying to "lose". I've just been frustrated and confused about how to achieve my specific goal of getting leaner, particularly my upper body.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    kokonani wrote: »
    Thank u! I will look into lifting vs. trying to "lose". I've just been frustrated and confused about how to achieve my specific goal of getting leaner, particularly my upper body.

    You are welcome. Here is a good thread that lists a bunch of programs for various needs/goals:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

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