Is a fat fast right for me?
Rei1988
Posts: 412 Member
So I've been in ketosis for a while (strong breath & urine) & my weight has plateaued for the past 2-3 weeks. I feel a bit bloated probably water weight. My macros are 5% carb 30% Protein & 65% fat. Yes I drink plenty of water.
Would a fat fast be appropriate for me to get my weight loss going again? What would you suggest.
Would a fat fast be appropriate for me to get my weight loss going again? What would you suggest.
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How long have you been on keto? How much have you lost?
What are your keto habits? Are you strict? Moderate? Do you have an occasional break?
What's your typical calorie consumption? TDEE-20%? Below BMR?
Are you exercising a lot?
So the two biggies for plateau busting that I see are Free Day and Fat Fast. Here's my opinion on these:
If you've been super strict, with lower calories (possibly too low), and are in ketosis, I don't think I'd go Fat Fast - I'd go Free Day. In this case, you may just be seeing your metabolism drop and you need to do some recovery (quick easy read - Susan Campbell's "Low Carb Strategies You Don't Know About")
If you've been fairly moderate, with higher calories (higher meaning, sufficiently above BMR that you aren't whacking out your metabolism) then I would lean toward Fat Fast. And definitely, if you struggle getting into and staying in ketosis. But, I'd probably wait a solid month of plateau before going down this path.
Other factors. Had you lost a LOT in a short period? Give your body a chance to re-stabilize.
Are you drinking enough water? Try a couple of days with 14-16 8 oz glasses.
Sore muscles also retain water, so if you're doing a lot of exercise, this can also impact.
Another option might be to just try upping your normal macros. Many of the ladies find they lose better at 70-25-5 or 75-20-5.
Hope that helps! Good luck!0 -
I think there are several things you can do.
1) Increase fat % and decrease protein % - this may be enough.
2) Have you tried a carb refeed day to reset your leptin levels? That may work. There are several threads on here about it.
3) You could do a fat fast. I have done a few and they always help me break through a stall. There are also several threads on here about that. Most of us like the Dana Carpender Fat Fast Cookbook from Amazon. It is ~ $5.00 - well worth it.
4) Intermittent Fast
5) Start Bulletproof Coffee (if you have not already)
6) Increase or decrease your calories
I have been here almost 1 year and I have always followed the rule of "switching things up" if I stall 3 weeks or >. That could mean I do any of the above or that I change my exercise, etc. Just something to confuse my body.
I am happy to discuss the fat fast more if you want. Let me know.
Good luck!0 -
Another thought. Now's also a good time to look at things that are YMMV like Dairy, Nuts, Processed Meats. Also things like Atkins bars, low carb tortillas (I don't know if any of these apply). But these are a few that are sometimes YMMV for folks.
Here's what I'd do.
1) up your water. Give it a week. Any change?
2) increase your fat macro Give it a week. Any change?
3) see if there are any YMMV items that should be reduced / cut. Give it a week. Any change?
4) If STILL in plateau, then go down the Fat Fast or Free Day route.0 -
I like Kira's plan. Slow and steady wins the race!0
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I am with you on the Free Day,,, often times a day off and eating all those foods you have been unable to eat has often busted me off a stall, and the weight loss continues, plus you get to eat some of the food that are the "Desserts" of the world,, lol, I only use the fat fast when constant 20 gram induction days are doing nothing, and a carb up doesnt work also,, I am pretty sure atkins even reccomends a day off before doing the FF, hope this helps0
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I'm in awe at how knowledgeable you two ladies are, it looks like you have given the OP some amazing advice and I'm happy I have become a part of this group!0
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Wow I am overwhelmed with information! You ladies sure know your stuff
How long have you been on keto? I've been on keto for about 2 months
How much have you lost? 14lbs
What are your keto habits? In the beginning I had a little more carbs but for a month I'd say pretty strict
What's your typical calorie consumption? usual under 2000, average is about 1500 I suppose, but I'm usually under that too.
Are you exercising a lot? I rarely exercise due to my stamina (as I explain in my profile). The most I do is walking & resistance training.
So from what I gathered I need to take a good look at my food log, I think I could drink more water & eat less dairy (though it's tough to get enough fat without it). I don't eat "low carb" products like Atkins bars etc, nor processed meat very often and I just started incorporating nuts into my diet. I'm scared of doing a "free day" & gaining it all back :frown: and what the heck would I eat on a free day anyway?
Kira do you suggest I do all 3 of those things at once?
Thanks for everyone's input, you guys are awesome :bigsmile:0 -
also not sure I understand what to do with the BMR number? Mines is 1468.350
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Awesome answers here!! When I was deciding to fat fast, I used this calculator:
http://www.phlaunt.com/lowcarb/DietMakeupCalc.php I LOVE macros!! That helped me to see in my own food journal where my protein had been higher. Yes, I had been in mild ketosis for a couple of weeks, but this helped me with numbers.
I love numbers and things that are tangible!!
Now for me, with the type of diabetes I have Glycogenesis sucks me out of ketosis, so I have to watch protein (so much learning I am doing!!)
So the link tells me this:
To lose 1 lb a week safely decrease your daily intake to 1,360 calories.
You have decided to eat 2 grams of carbohydrate a day. This is 0.6% of your total diet caloric intake.
Required Protein Intake: 101 grams of high quality protein.
This would be supplied by: 16.8 ounces or 471 grams of a high quality protein food like meat, fish, eggs, or cheese, which typically contain 6 grams of protein.
These recommendations are based on the fact that you are eating a ketogenic diet with an intake of 2 grams of carbohydrate a day. As you are not eating enough glucose to supply the needs of your brain, the amount of protein recommended by this calculator includes an extra 31 grams of protein. This extra protein will be used to synthesize glucose needed by your brain.
Maximum Fat Intake: 105 grams
HOWEVER... I take the protein that they slot for glucogenesis and use that as fat, so I do 135 g of fat. I NEED more fat.
My macros now are 80% fat, 20% protein and just about 0% carbs.
Good luck!! I hope you look at your food logs, make the changes suggested, and have wonderful results!0 -
I'd start with increasing the water and fat and see if that works. They can be pretty immediate, so try to go right away. Bulletproof Coffee (if you can or are willing to try) is an easy way to up those fats.
As to what you eat on Free Day? Anything and Everything :-) Some say to still keep calories below your maintenance levels. I've done moderate, and I've gone all out. Some just do a free meal, some do a full day.
For the BMR question. Some people start to severely restrict calories, and are eating below their BMR. If those folks hit a stall, the issue is likely related to leptin and problems with metabolism. Free Day is the best approach here. Those folks have gone long enough that their bodies think they are in a famine. The hormone leptin drops its levels, and that impacts their metabolic rate. Basically, their body recognizes that it isn't getting enough energy, and it starts to conserve and slow down systems. That's the idea of the free day, that you need to let your body know that its not in a famine, and it's ok to increase the metabolism again.
This is a GROSS oversimplification of course, but that's the idea. Yes, you WILL add weight, but it's water weight. Don't freak out about that. It's short term and comes right back off. And you are acting in your body's long-term interest by getting that metabolic rate increased. ("Low Carb Strategies You Don't Know About" by Susan Campbell does a nice job explaining / introducing this). Plus it can help your mental commitment by letting you have something you've felt deprived about eating, or enjoying a social activity that you otherwise would have had problems with.0 -
I'd start with increasing the water and fat and see if that works. They can be pretty immediate, so try to go right away. Bulletproof Coffee (if you can or are willing to try) is an easy way to up those fats.
As to what you eat on Free Day? Anything and Everything :-) Some say to still keep calories below your maintenance levels. I've done moderate, and I've gone all out. Some just do a free meal, some do a full day.
For the BMR question. Some people start to severely restrict calories, and are eating below their BMR. If those folks hit a stall, the issue is likely related to leptin and problems with metabolism. Free Day is the best approach here. Those folks have gone long enough that their bodies think they are in a famine. The hormone leptin drops its levels, and that impacts their metabolic rate. Basically, their body recognizes that it isn't getting enough energy, and it starts to conserve and slow down systems. That's the idea of the free day, that you need to let your body know that its not in a famine, and it's ok to increase the metabolism again.
This is a GROSS oversimplification of course, but that's the idea. Yes, you WILL add weight, but it's water weight. Don't freak out about that. It's short term and comes right back off. And you are acting in your body's long-term interest by getting that metabolic rate increased. ("Low Carb Strategies You Don't Know About" by Susan Campbell does a nice job explaining / introducing this). Plus it can help your mental commitment by letting you have something you've felt deprived about eating, or enjoying a social activity that you otherwise would have had problems with.
I'll try your first suggestion with the water & fat and see how it goes in a week. If no change I suppose a "free day", still so scary lol but I trust you know better than I.
I never tried to count calories on keto, from what I read you don't really need to (except extreme cases), but from what my log says I'm surprised at how low my cals are.0 -
ohhhhh... just looked at your diary. Yes, you have been undereating for an extended period of time. Need to work on that. You do not want to damage your metabolism. A few days here or there may not be an issue, but an extended period can start to impact you. Counter intuitive, I know that you might need to eat more.0
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Is a fat fast a good way to get into Keto? I've been trying fit awhile but m my ketosticks still are reading negative. I know I messed up a couple of times, but I don't think it was enough to keep me out of ketosis. I chances my macros a few days ago from 65/30/5 to 75/20/50
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Is a fat fast a good way to get into Keto? I've been trying fit awhile but m my ketosticks still are reading negative. I know I messed up a couple of times, but I don't think it was enough to keep me out of ketosis. I chances my macros a few days ago from 65/30/5 to 75/20/5
It can be. But also look for things like a single meal where you have high protein and not much fat. That can also disrupt ketosis (excess protein converts to glucose). Could also be hidden carbs. But if everything is clean on your diet, it's what Dr. Atkins recommended for someone who is resistant in going into ketosis.0 -
ohhhhh... just looked at your diary. Yes, you have been undereating for an extended period of time. Need to work on that. You do not want to damage your metabolism. A few days here or there may not be an issue, but an extended period can start to impact you. Counter intuitive, I know that you might need to eat more.
how many calories do you suggest?0 -
I use this TDEE calculator: http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure. Basically, you find your TDEE, and then eat at a 20% deficit. That's a good, safe level for weight loss.
For activity I enter data for sedentary (even though I work out 3-5 x per week) and then I eat back calories on days that I exercise. Currently, this means I target 1500 calories a day, and on days I exercise, I get an additional 300-400 calories to eat.
Once you know your TDEE, take 80% of that number.
My TDEE - 20% is really lose to my BMR, so that's pretty much my base. ALWAYS eat above your BMR. Eating below BMR is bad.0 -
this keto calculator is also pretty awesome. it includes TDEE info.
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/0 -
ok thank you Kira!
So many numbers lol!0 -
I use this TDEE calculator: http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
TDEE is Total Daily Energy Expenditure. Basically, you find your TDEE, and then eat at a 20% deficit. That's a good, safe level for weight loss.
For activity I enter data for sedentary (even though I work out 3-5 x per week) and then I eat back calories on days that I exercise. Currently, this means I target 1500 calories a day, and on days I exercise, I get an additional 300-400 calories to eat.
Once you know your TDEE, take 80% of that number.
My TDEE - 20% is really lose to my BMR, so that's pretty much my base. ALWAYS eat above your BMR. Eating below BMR is bad.
which formula do you use on the TDEE ?0 -
nvm I used the first ones. My results are
1306 kcal Daily Calorie Intake
19 g Carbohydrates (6%)
71 g Protein (22%)
105 g Fat (72%)
too bad you can't customize MFP to have those EXACT numbers
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Don't stress getting things exactly right (foods just never work out that way anyway). Try to figure out the window that you try to hit. I always try to keep the carbs below 30 net carbs. For fat, anything better than 70% fat is good. And protein, I try to hit 70-90 g per day.0
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Don't stress getting things exactly right (foods just never work out that way anyway). Try to figure out the window that you try to hit. I always try to keep the carbs below 30 net carbs. For fat, anything better than 70% fat is good. And protein, I try to hit 70-90 g per day.
ah yes indeed. Thanks for answering all my newbie questions, I really appreciate it 0 -
I'm in the middle of my first fat fast now. (You can read about it on my blog: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Jasmine_James.) So far it's going really well -- but before this, I had really fallen off the keto wagon, so this is more of a reset button for me. That said, I think it's something I might experiment with if/when I plateau in the future -- but before doing that, I would cut out cheese for week or do some of the other experimenting discussed above.0
