Keto Lifestyle but Can't Get Into Ketosis
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Rathiain
Posts: 24 Member
I started following the Keto diet on Dec 22nd, 2019. I have been good with following this and maintaining carbs below 22g per day, exercising (cycling, elliptical, walking) about 3 times per week @ 40 minutes each time, and managed to lose 22 lbs in the first 3 weeks, but haven't lost any in the last 2 1/2 weeks. I have a total of 100 more lbs to lose, so I would not expect to plateau this soon. I never felt like I had gotten into ketosis (no typical side effects aside from energy boost which I am certain is a result of not eating so many carbs daily) so I got the Ketostyx to test but apparently I am only showing trace amounts of ketones. I am tracking calories as well.
On a side note, before I started on this, I was consuming easily over 2500 cal/day and maintaining but when I started on this track, I set the goal at 1700 calories daily as was recommended to me, and I recently dropped it to 1500 for the past 5 days with no change.
What am I doing wrong?
On a side note, before I started on this, I was consuming easily over 2500 cal/day and maintaining but when I started on this track, I set the goal at 1700 calories daily as was recommended to me, and I recently dropped it to 1500 for the past 5 days with no change.
What am I doing wrong?
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Replies
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_MovesLikeJabba_ wrote: »I don't really like the pee sticks and prefer the ketone blood monitor. I think it sounds like you're on the right track though. Are you eating a lot of keto sweets? I find that depending on the ingredients, they'll really mess up my ketones even though they're "low carb".
I know the blood monitor would be better, but they are also quite expensive and are not overly accurate either, from what I have read. I just needed to get a general idea if I was on the right track because I had had zero keto side effects since starting this path.
I try to avoid the sweets, although I have had a keto bomb made with peanut butter (ingredients are peanuts only), philadelphia cream cheese, small amount of erythritol and 90% cocoa chocolate and of that, I only had one on any given day when my fats were a bit low.0 -
I thought of that too, so did my measurements today and sadly, no loss in neck, waste or hips however I suspect I may be increasing muscle (at least I hope so, lol) and mostly in the legs because of cycling. Because of an injured knee, walking is out for now until I lose some more, but I do elliptical as well._MovesLikeJabba_ wrote: »You could also try doing measurements, often the scale won't move how you want but measurements will.
I think I just need to be patient and stick with it
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If you are eating 22g of carbs per day, you are most certainly in ketosis, but since you are active it just isn't likely showing on the sticks - if you are getting ANY kind of a reading on the sticks then you are in ketosis, the color on the stick is pretty meaningless. It's just whatever ketones your body doesn't use, so when you are active, many of those will be used for fuel and not having an excess is to be expected.
It's not really a plateau until it has been more than 3 weeks without any progress, so you aren't quite there yet. Also, particularly with exercise added to fat loss, the scale is not necessarily the best indicator...I like to do 3 belly measurements (natural waist, belly button, and 3" below the belly button) as wells as chest, hips, forearm, bicep, thigh, calf - using the widest parts of each. It's quite common to see a loss in some areas and not others, so if you aren't measuring a bit of everywhere, you are likely to miss capturing the progress you are making.
You didn't include your stats, but if you were making good progress at 1700/day, then there's no reason to reduce that at this time. In fact, if you are retaining water because of stress (weight loss is stressful even if it's good for your overall health) then cutting calories lower can increase the cortisol levels and cause even more water retention and hide any progress.
The biggest things to think about when encountering a stall - are you being accurate with your food tracking, you can really add several hundred calories easily simply with sloppy tracking, so for me the first thing to do is really make sure every bite is tracked accurately.5 -
tcunbeliever wrote: »If you are eating 22g of carbs per day, you are most certainly in ketosis, but since you are active it just isn't likely showing on the sticks - if you are getting ANY kind of a reading on the sticks then you are in ketosis, the color on the stick is pretty meaningless. It's just whatever ketones your body doesn't use, so when you are active, many of those will be used for fuel and not having an excess is to be expected.
It's not really a plateau until it has been more than 3 weeks without any progress, so you aren't quite there yet. Also, particularly with exercise added to fat loss, the scale is not necessarily the best indicator...I like to do 3 belly measurements (natural waist, belly button, and 3" below the belly button) as wells as chest, hips, forearm, bicep, thigh, calf - using the widest parts of each. It's quite common to see a loss in some areas and not others, so if you aren't measuring a bit of everywhere, you are likely to miss capturing the progress you are making.
You didn't include your stats, but if you were making good progress at 1700/day, then there's no reason to reduce that at this time. In fact, if you are retaining water because of stress (weight loss is stressful even if it's good for your overall health) then cutting calories lower can increase the cortisol levels and cause even more water retention and hide any progress.
The biggest things to think about when encountering a stall - are you being accurate with your food tracking, you can really add several hundred calories easily simply with sloppy tracking, so for me the first thing to do is really make sure every bite is tracked accurately.
This really hits the nail on the head. FWIW, I have never checked ketones. I have been doing keto since 2016. I typically have <10 net carbs a day. I am confident I am in ketosis.
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I started following the Keto diet on Dec 22nd, 2019. I have been good with following this and maintaining carbs below 22g per day, exercising (cycling, elliptical, walking) about 3 times per week @ 40 minutes each time, and managed to lose 22 lbs in the first 3 weeks, but haven't lost any in the last 2 1/2 weeks. I have a total of 100 more lbs to lose, so I would not expect to plateau this soon. I never felt like I had gotten into ketosis (no typical side effects aside from energy boost which I am certain is a result of not eating so many carbs daily) so I got the Ketostyx to test but apparently I am only showing trace amounts of ketones. I am tracking calories as well.
On a side note, before I started on this, I was consuming easily over 2500 cal/day and maintaining but when I started on this track, I set the goal at 1700 calories daily as was recommended to me, and I recently dropped it to 1500 for the past 5 days with no change.
What am I doing wrong?
How's it going now?0 -
Better but still not great. I reset my numbers and map recalculated me at 1200 calories. With spring also comes more activity so that helps but these last few days I have been feeling a bit lethargic. I noticed my iron was not close to the goals. I'll have to fix that.0
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I'd argue that 1200 is too low. Unless you are completely sedentary, close to goal weight, and
under 5 feet tall. That's probably why you are feeling lethargic. You said you "reset" your numbers? What did you input to end up with 1200 cals?
Don't be off put by my directness. I'm just trying to get some clarification to help you out.
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Also remember as this is a keto group, getting into and staying in a ketogenic state is the high priority if you intend to lose via keto!
If you are ketogenic you may need to up your fat intake to provide energy for exercise, as starving your body of carbs AND fats will mean you'll lack energy for exercise!0 -
When switching from a primarily glucose based metabolism to a ketone based metabolism it does take about 6 months for new mitochondria to be fully generated.
However, for me I find that my energy typically lags when electrolytes are off and having a gatorage zero or some other kind of electrolyte drink helps immensely in the short term energy arena.1 -
I turned to keto in 2017 to defeat cardiovascular issues and diabetes, and I did. My primary care physician looked after me for the first three months (costs covered by Medicare) and succeeded in making the big switch from glucose to ketone-based metabolism. All of the responses to date are right on target, from what you've written you're on the right track... For me, I must log everything to stay clear of carbs and sugars, no guesswork, no assuming anything, stick to the data and drink at least 64 oz of water every day (log that too). My meals are simple, regular foods bought from standard grocery stores, nothing special, no snacks.
Keeping your calorie intake at a level to support your activity and staying within your nutrient macros should almost guarantee success... Discuss with your Dr, most are accepting of keto, at least where I live.
Good luck.
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