My fiance can't lose weight unless she does keto
daveavemian
Posts: 4 Member
And keto totally messes up her stomach to where she has bouts of severe constipation- like she will be on bathroom for 2 hours without being able to poop and her belly feels like it's about to explode. She never has these problem outside of doing keto
What the hell can I do?? She works out very very hardcore with me with weights 5 days a week and she eats healthy and low calories- around 1200-1500 cals a day. She's 5'10 196
How can she lose 30 lbs without doing keto? Is there a reason why keto is only thing that works and how can she not have this severe constipation with keto? She was taking fiber supplements every day and eating lots of veggies and some fruits and drinking tons of water. She still had the severe constipation. Is there a way to prevent constipation on keto?
She keeps asking me for help and I feel so helpless because nothing I tell her seems to work. I should mention she has a good amount of muscle now. Last week she tracked all of her calories, worked out like a monster with me multiple times and still gained 2 lbs when she should have lost 2 lbs
[Post edited by MFP mod]
What the hell can I do?? She works out very very hardcore with me with weights 5 days a week and she eats healthy and low calories- around 1200-1500 cals a day. She's 5'10 196
How can she lose 30 lbs without doing keto? Is there a reason why keto is only thing that works and how can she not have this severe constipation with keto? She was taking fiber supplements every day and eating lots of veggies and some fruits and drinking tons of water. She still had the severe constipation. Is there a way to prevent constipation on keto?
She keeps asking me for help and I feel so helpless because nothing I tell her seems to work. I should mention she has a good amount of muscle now. Last week she tracked all of her calories, worked out like a monster with me multiple times and still gained 2 lbs when she should have lost 2 lbs
[Post edited by MFP mod]
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Replies
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A have a few questions
What period of time are we talking about? When you start a carbohydrate restricted diet you first lose a potentially big amount of water weight as glycogen binds water. Less glycogen, less stored water. That's the weightloss that people who do keto experience first, even if they're not in a calorie deficit.
Is your partner eating enough fiber and drinking enough? Keto can be constipating, especially if fiber is lacking.
Is your partner weighing all her food on a food scale and is in a calorie deficit? Keto does not lead to weightloss if not in a calorie deficit. See the waterweight comment above.
Why does keto work for her? Satiety or any of the reasons above?
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A have a few questions
What period of time are we talking about? When you start a carbohydrate restricted diet you first lose a potentially big amount of water weight as glycogen binds water. Less glycogen, less stored water. That's the weightloss that people who do keto experience first, even if they're not in a calorie deficit.
Is your partner eating enough fiber and drinking enough? Keto can be constipating, especially if fiber is lacking.
Is your partner weighing all her food on a food scale and is in a calorie deficit? Keto does not lead to weightloss if not in a calorie deficit. See the waterweight comment above.
Why does keto work for her? Satiety or any of the reasons above?
she drank a lot of water, ate plenty of veggies and some fruit on keto, took fiber supplements...still had horrible constipation
Is there any reason why keto would be so much more successful than a regular diet?
Why would she work out so hard with me all of last week, watch all her calories and still gain 2 lbs?0 -
Exercising hard is a very frequent cause of water weight gain. Her menstrual cycle could also be the cause of water weight gain.11
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Exercising hard is a very frequent cause of water weight gain. Her menstrual cycle could also be the cause of water weight gain.
that makes sense. She had her period last week
Is there any reason keto would be so much more effective than a regular diet at the same calorie level or is she just doing a sh*tty job tracking her calories?
is there a way to avoid constipation when she is doing keto? She did everything she's supposed to - drink a lot of water, take fiber supplements, eat veggies and fruits0 -
daveavemian wrote: »Exercising hard is a very frequent cause of water weight gain. Her menstrual cycle could also be the cause of water weight gain.
that makes sense. She had her period last week
Is there any reason keto would be so much more effective than a regular diet at the same calorie level or is she just doing a sh*tty job tracking her calories?
is there a way to avoid constipation when she is doing keto? She did everything she's supposed to - drink a lot of water, take fiber supplements, eat veggies and fruits
Keto is not more effective than any other diet for weightloss. Keto has no magic properties that makes bodyfat melt away. A calorie is a calorie is a measure of energy and nothing more. Eating a different kind of food doesn't make your body to use more energy.
Some people thrive on keto because it makes them feel full quicker. On the other hand, other people would chew wallpapers off on a keto diet. What makes someone feel full is total individual. Maybe your wife is a person that thrives on keto and finds it easier to stay within her calorie deficit.11 -
She might be going too hard (not eating enough), stressing her body so hard it's retaining water, masking fat loss on the scale.
1200-1500 sounds low to me, for someone weighing just under 200lbs and exercising. I lost all of my weight eating 1700 calories plus exercise calories, and I'm a 5ft5 woman.
Or she might be logging inaccurately. It's she weighing her food? Checking that she's using accurate database entries?7 -
If she's in a calorie deficit, she'll lose weight. The choice of which foods to eat and how much exercise to do will affect how the body feels and looks.
If keto isn't ideal for her, then try eating as usual. But accurate logging is crucial and you need to do it for 4-6 weeks to get any kind of meaningful information. Water weight, hormonal changes, muscle increase all affect the scale on a daily basis so you need enough data to see the trend over weeks, not days.9 -
daveavemian wrote: »Exercising hard is a very frequent cause of water weight gain. Her menstrual cycle could also be the cause of water weight gain.
that makes sense. She had her period last week
Is there any reason keto would be so much more effective than a regular diet at the same calorie level or is she just doing a sh*tty job tracking her calories?
is there a way to avoid constipation when she is doing keto? She did everything she's supposed to - drink a lot of water, take fiber supplements, eat veggies and fruits
Studies show over the long term keto is NOT more effective than any other way of eating. The initial water weight loss makes it seem more effective in the beginning.
It is very easy to make mistakes in food logging that make it seem like we are eating less than we actually are. If she logged on MFP we could evaluate that time period if you provide that plus her username.
At 5'10", the only explanations for no weight loss on 1200-1500 calories are 1. temporary water weight gains that mask fat loss on the scale (for example if the weight lifting was new) and 2. she's actually eating more than 1200-1500 calories.
She shouldn't take #2 as an attack - it is actually very common and also fixable
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So basically she's doing a *kitten* job of tracking her calories is the widespread belief
Any other possibilities?0 -
Working out can make her retain water. It will flush away when her body gets used to the workouts.
But truthfully, she does NOT have to do keto to lose weight. Track calories and be nice to your body. There’s no need to suffer.
Buy a good food scale, weigh everything and use accurate database entries.
She will not lose weight in a downward spiral. Weight will go up and down, up and down, hopefully with a trend of a little more down than up.
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daveavemian wrote: »So basically she's doing a *kitten* job of tracking her calories is the widespread belief
Any other possibilities?
There's not enough data. Do I understand she's been doing this for a week? With lots of exercise? Water weight and body adjustments along with Aunt Flo are going to mess with the scale. Try eating regularly at a calorie deficit for 4-6 weeks and report back.9 -
How long has she been on Keto? If not very long try it a bit more, however constipation can cause long term problems if it goes on too long. Keto may not be for her. She can lose weight just fine eating in a calorie deficit and staying within her daily calorie goal. She could switch to low carb and see if things come out better (sorry, couldn't resist).
Hoping that this problem gets resolved ASAP.4 -
Yes, you've not answered the question yet for how long she's been trying on one diet consistently. On keto everything within probably 2 weeks can be related to waterweight loss. Also, a new workout routine, menstrial cycle and other things can mask weightloss. She needs consistency and time. And yeah, just switching to a different type of eating can cause constipation as your body might need to get used to that.7
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You might try asking at the Low Carber Daily group, lots of keto folks there who could help with the consitipation question, they’re less likely to be on the general forums. Her doctor might have some suggestions, too. Don’t give her a hard time about not tracking well— ketosis decreases hunger drive and affects hormonal hunger balance more than other diet methods, so it can be easier to stay within the calorie deficit, if the keto restrictions work for you. Be glad she’s found something that works, but see if she can find a way through this bump in the road.2
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Years ago I went on a Keto diet for 3 months and did not have a fun time. Despite having reliable weight loss and improved cognitive function, it did not agree with me in pretty much every other way: I was hungry, had frequent stomach aches, and constantly resentful that a slice of buttered toast was off the table. I've come to understand that the most successful diet, is the one that works best for you, both physically and psychologically, and Keto was not for me.
I would recommend she give 16:8 intermittent fasting a try. I've found that it has many of the benefits of a Keto diet (weight loss and improved cognitive function) but none of the detractions (I'm much less hungry and I can eat my slice of buttered toast). I will say that the first 4 days might be a bit rough as the body adapts to the new eating rhythm, but after that it becomes normal and hunger pretty much vanishes. While doing so, continuing the calorie tracking to ensure a deficit is maintained and keeping an eye on reaching normal fat and protein macro goals.4 -
Years ago I went on a Keto diet for 3 months and did not have a fun time. Despite having reliable weight loss and improved cognitive function, it did not agree with me in pretty much every other way: I was hungry, had frequent stomach aches, and constantly resentful that a slice of buttered toast was off the table. I've come to understand that the most successful diet, is the one that works best for you, both physically and psychologically, and Keto was not for me.
I would recommend she give 16:8 intermittent fasting a try. I've found that it has many of the benefits of a Keto diet (weight loss and improved cognitive function) but none of the detractions (I'm much less hungry and I can eat my slice of buttered toast). I will say that the first 4 days might be a bit rough as the body adapts to the new eating rhythm, but after that it becomes normal and hunger pretty much vanishes. While doing so, continuing the calorie tracking to ensure a deficit is maintained and keeping an eye on reaching normal fat and protein macro goals.
I'd like to add that your experience is not universal. I skipped breakfast for a year at least, my stomach would still growl - loudly - throughout the morning. Not hard to be hungry (for me) during the fasting window, but the hunger never went away and was awkward at times at work, during quiet moments at meetings and such 🤪
I'm not saying it's not worth a try, but it's not guaranteed to work as well for everyone.9 -
daveavemian wrote: »So basically she's doing a *kitten* job of tracking her calories is the widespread belief
Any other possibilities?
Being impatient and having unrealistic expectations springs to mind.16 -
daveavemian wrote: »So basically she's doing a *kitten* job of tracking her calories is the widespread belief
Any other possibilities?
overly high expectations and too little patience? I may have missed it, but I don't think you have answered the question about what time period we're talking about. As mentioned, a new exercise regime can cause water retention. Hormonal fluctuations can cause water retention. It takes time for fat loss to show up on the scale.8 -
daveavemian wrote: »So basically she's doing a *kitten* job of tracking her calories is the widespread belief
Any other possibilities?
I think someone already mentioned, Keto dieters experience an initial loss of weight that's water weight, not fat loss. This can last at two-three weeks (or even more). So, depending on how long she's Keto-ing, she may think she's losing fat on this diet when she's not. If Keto is wreaking havoc on her body, it's not sustainable for her.
Food scale (not measuring cups) and double checking all diary entries for accuracy (even when scanning with a bar code or using a "verified" entry) are really key to success. If she's that height and weight, eating 1200-1500 cal/day, and exercising that intensely, she'd be losing weight.
It's really easy to underestimate the "calories in" part of the equation and overestimate the "calories out" part as well. Weight-lifting is great for fitness and over time, increasing muscle mass helps burn more calories overall throughout the day, but that takes time, especially in women. And weight-lifting doesn't burn a lot of calories as a workout in and of itself. In our world of instant gratification, it's not a winner. But it has sooooo many benefits, mentally and physically.
It took me time to find foods and combos of foods that kept me within my calories and helped me feel full. It might help her to think of what foods she really enjoys and what foods she finds satisfying and then tweak them to fit within her daily calorie goal, if they don't already. There are lots of healthy/nutritionally sound food swaps out there. I adore these high-fiber, low calorie tortillas. And this pasta that tastes just like egg noodles, but with more fiber and protein. I switched out my yogurt to icelandic skyr, my regular skim milk to Fairlife, and lots of other swaps. I bought an airfryer and an Instapot to help me with healthy prep.
There's no one way to lose weight and keep it off. Keto works great for some folks, and it's not for everyone. And it really sounds like it's not good for her. It's regrettable she's struggling so much on Keto. I hope she's able to find a way-of-eating that works for her goals soon!
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daveavemian wrote: »Exercising hard is a very frequent cause of water weight gain. Her menstrual cycle could also be the cause of water weight gain.
that makes sense. She had her period last week
Is there any reason keto would be so much more effective than a regular diet at the same calorie level or is she just doing a sh*tty job tracking her calories?
is there a way to avoid constipation when she is doing keto? She did everything she's supposed to - drink a lot of water, take fiber supplements, eat veggies and fruits
Does she have any symptoms of or has ever been diagnosed with PCOS? that may be the answer to
why low carb or KETO helps where nothing else does.2 -
Constipation may be masking the weight loss in addition to water weight. Speaking as a former dialysis patient, have her take some Miralax. It will help her body pull fluid to ease the constipation. For overnight relief, take dulcolax. Also make sure that she is getting enough fat with the fiber to sort of grease the wheels. Too much fiber and not enough fat and fluid can lead to constipation. She may be sweating so heavily that she needs to increase fluid intake more. Hope this helps. As a dialysis patient I was limited to 4 cups fluid a day from food and drink so constipation was a very common issue.7
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Perhaps it would be better for the fiance to join MFP herself and we can answer her questions first hand.
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paperpudding wrote: »Perhaps it would be better for the fiance to join MFP herself and we can answer her questions first hand.
That's the right answer. Does SHE want to lose weight or do you want this?10 -
she drank a lot of water, ate plenty of veggies and some fruit on keto, took fiber supplements...still had horrible constipation
Is there any reason why keto would be so much more successful than a regular diet?
Why would she work out so hard with me all of last week, watch all her calories and still gain 2 lbs?
Not sure if it counts as "successful" but if she gets constipated and stomach aches, it might reduce her appetite, so she doesn't feel hungry. I know that my appetite dropped when I was suffering from heavy constipation years ago
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Keto done correctly is very hard to follow....but it's not a magic weight loss diet beyond what others here have already mentioned (water weight, initial losses), and it sounds unsustainable for your fiance.
IF she has been on it long enough (now or in the past) to know that she loses better on that diet than a traditional calorie counting diet, perhaps she should try low(er) carb rather than full keto.
For me personally, that has been the ideal diet. I do MUCH better from a satiation standpoint, which also means the "calorie creeps" are far less likely to happen. A carb heavy diet does not work for me as I get downright hangry, and little calories sneak in here and there, and unfortunately for us women, we don't generally get as much leeway as a guy would.
If she's working out the way you make it sound, and at her weight, even with a desk job, I would question if her expectations are a bit too high as well, since those calorie levels are really low for someone as tall as she is, especially if that includes her workout calories. I would expect that number more in the 1700-1900 kcal range to lose at a reasonable rate (including her workout - but that's just a guesstimate based on my own needs as someone several inches shorter and about 45 pounds lighter - I did not calculate her numbers at all).1 -
Some times. the lack of micronutrient like Magnesium causes this effect. Try to take 800-1400 mkg of this element before night. Choose Mg Citrate, Mg Oxalate, Mg Oxide, Mg malate, Mg taurate.2
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