Weight loss stall at week 2 and still in week 3?

sbryanthc

I just want to verify that what I’m experiencing is normal and/or others have gone through it.

First, I’ve done keto before with great fast success losing 20 lbs. But have since gained it all back.

This time around I’m not having cheat days or cheat snacks, I haven’t even done keto substitute desserts and I’m doing it as healthy as I can to include no bacon, no sausage, no pork.

I’ve been interment fasting since end of week 1, it’s easy for me I’m not struggling or feeling famished at all by the time I break the fast.

There has been a lot of days that I’ve been under 1,000 calories (not done purposely, I’m just not hungry anymore). I have read that under-eating can slow weight loss so I know that’s a possibility.

I do feel better and I know I’m losing inches even though I didn’t take measurements on day one of keto.

It’s just this whole last week (week 2 on keto) I’ve been in the same weight bracket, I’ve even gained weight! Saturday (1/25 I was 175 then the next day I went up to 177 then to 176 and now my scale is saying 179).

Not sure if it’s a scale problem since the same is happening to my husband and he is eating way less than before and hasn’t lost anything according to the scale not even water weight but his stomach has gone down significantly.

I have not been working out so it can’t be muscle gain. Today is day one of my workout routine, so I guess we’ll see what happens. I’m not worried about the lack of weight loss, I’m just baffled since the last few times I’ve done keto I lost weight fast (not including water weight).

I’m still motivated to push through and stick with keto. Going back to my initial question, is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this? Thank you!

Sorry for the long read. Day one on keto was January 19. I opened my diary to the public if anyone wants to check it out.

I didn’t experience keto flu this time around (that I know of). I do know I’m in ketosis because of the bad breath (that’s always been my sign in my past keto attempts). And I know I should drink a lot more water.

cgcrutch

You can try an egg fast or water fast. You can try a higher carb day then fast day to trick your body into letting go of more weight

baconslave

If your logging is accurate, and there are not sneaky hidden carbs, then it's just part of that PISS (Post Induction Stall Syndrome.) Yes, it's common enough for an acronym. If your calories and carbs are on-point, then it's just water retention masking loss. Look for measurement changes or changes in clothes fit. Your body is just decluttering and reorganizing. Just wait it out. I didn't experience that until further on in my journey, a couple months out, but it was just as annoying. I have a friend that literally loses NOTHING all month, even though she is perfectly on plan, and then finally gets a whoosh. Rinse and repeat.

sbryanthc

Thanks @baconslave
I’ll wait it out. And yes, I log in everything so it’s really accurate. I guess I’ll keep pushing and stay off the scale for a while. I will research that term to make me feel better haha.

@cgcrutch — I will wait it out for 21 days since that’s how long my workout routine is for. If I see no changes I’ll try the high (healthy) carb then low carb or the water fast. I like eggs, but don’t think I would last more than one day eating just eggs haha.

Thank you both! I just wanted to make sure it was somewhat common for that to happen and I’m glad it is.

Shannonigans84

I experienced the same this go around. I hardly lost anything the first 4 weeks, and finally now weight is starting to come off. Hang in there, I know it's frustrating!!

sbryanthc

@Shannonigans84

Thank you for that!! I’ll stick with it then. I was already telling myself that at the end of this month I was calling it quits.

I did have two cheat days (Tuesday and Wednesday) but I’m back to strict Keto and have been doing well. Implementing working out is helping me distract myself from not weighing in and focusing more on my measurements.

adortiz1990

If your started a workout routine it’s water weight. You’ll stall the first week or so of a new routine. Your muscles hold on to water to heal. I’m pretty good with the workout stuff and answers. I love my workouts. My eating sucks because I also love my food. Hahaha! Thats why I can’t lose weight. I was successful with keto before so here’s to trying it again. 🙌🏻

cheryldumais

Often times when dieting the first week or two you will see a huge drop. This is usually water weight with a little fat loss. Keto is known for water loss upfront. What then happens is the body adjusts and returns the water but fat is still being lost. The water coming back masks the fat loss. You likely are losing fat but it isn't showing up on the scale. Hang in there and try to focus on other things like inches or clothes getting looser.

sljohnson1207

Depending on how carby those cheat days were, just the restored glycogen to your muscles will attract extra water and hold it. It's too early for cheat days on a keto WOE in my opinion. It will take most of us 3 days of strict keto to get back into ketosis after a cheat day that knocks you out of ketosis.

rmac18

My experience after 8 months on Keto is that weight loss isn’t linear. It’s more like lose a pound, gain a pound, gain another pound and then lose 4 or 5 pounds... I also find that often eating too few calories stalls weight loss and sometimes I see bigger losses after a higher calorie day. I can’t do cheat days personally and I weigh myself daily but seeing progress requires me to zoom out and look at scale results over the past month or two. I just try not to let it stress me out and make sure I don’t let calories get too high or too low for days in a row. I have a daily goal of 1,500 calories and 20 net grams of carbs and some days I am under 1,200 calories and I usually have one or two days a week over 2,000 calories but try to never let carbs get over 30 net grams. My weight chart looks like a saw blade but over time I’ve seen good progress. My sense is this is normal for others too. Good luck!!!

ketoandweim

I stalled at week 4. I dropped 12 lbs fast then struggled all February to lose 3! Now 6 days into March I have lost more than I did all February. It was frustrating but I stuck with it and now am seeing results. Like rmac18 said, its not linear! Just keep swimming like Dori says and you'll do great!

angelexperiment

I’ve also seen at a stall that your body is adjusting to its new weight and holds onto it like feast or famine and then a whoosh happens. I like the whoosh. I know by how squishy I feel before sounds weird but true.

PattiBE

This is my second time using keto to lose weight. The first time my loss was very linear. This time it was more up and down with a stall in week 3-4. But the whoosh came this week and I lost 3.7lbs! Be consistent and the results will come. Good luck! I’m now thinking about keto as my WOE and making changes that feel good (few cravings, consistent energy and moods).