Need some advice

I will try and make this as short as possible. I have had 5 children. They are now 9, 8, 6, 3, and 5 weeks old. With my last baby I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. It was quite a blow. I kind of expected it though, as I have gained a lot of weight over the coarse of having children. I kinda just piled weight on top of weight. I would never lose all that I had gained.

Anyhow, I went to a nutritionist and learned how to eat low carb to maintain a healthy blood glucose level. I stuck to my diet faithfully, and only gained 20 pounds total, and some of that was due to water retension (I also had pre-eclampsia). Since having her 5 weeks ago, I have lost 36 pounds. I weighed 329 when I went into labor, and now weigh 293.8 putting me at a lower weight than when I got pregnant (I was 309 at the time).

I have stuck to the diet I was put on for diabetes. It worked well for me, and I adjusted to it completely. I have now decided to try Keto which is pretty much the same thing, just slightly more strict. I tested with a keto stick today and it showed "small" on the stick, so I am in Ketosis. HOWEVER, my weight loss has completely stalled in the last couple weeks. I was at 296 a couple weeks ago, and have lost a few, but now it seems to not want to budge. I am yo yo-ing between 292, and 293.

I am not eating any differently, am in ketosis, and have been getting in around 8 cups of water a day. Why am I stalling at this point? I thought since I have over 100 to lose that it would actually come off faster at this point? Can anyone that does Keto give me some advice on what I might be doing wrong?

Also want to add that I have not been back yet to take the Glucose Tolerance Test to see if I still have diabetes. I am supposed to go next week to have it done, although I am toying with the idea of not taking the test just yet as drinking pure glucose will kick me right out of ketosis and would be counter productive for me. Whether I now have Type 2 or not, I will be sticking to the diet regardless. Would having Type 2 or being insulin resistant cause me to NOT lose weight, even on the Keto diet?

I take in around 1250 cals a day which also gives me a caloric deficit of 300-400 cals. I don't get in as much exercise as I would like because my 5 week old was delivered by c-section and I haven't been cleared by my DR to start yet, but I do chase around 5 kids all day. I do not drink, and I haven't been cheating at all.

Thanks for any help you guys can give me!

Replies

  • KayNowayJose
    KayNowayJose Posts: 138 Member
    Would you open your diary? That may give some more insight.
  • KayNowayJose
    KayNowayJose Posts: 138 Member
    Oh, and by the way, your baby is PRECIOUS!
  • Oh, and by the way, your baby is PRECIOUS!

    Thank you!

    Just opened my diary. I recently joined so I am sorry I don't have a lot of info in there just yet. I also didn't do Christmas Eve and Christmas Day because I wasn't home. I didn't cheat though because I knew it would mess up ketosis. Any insight is appreciated!
  • KayNowayJose
    KayNowayJose Posts: 138 Member
    From what I see you're off to a great start. I would recommend changing up a few things though. First thing I noticed was that on most days your fat intake is = your protein, or less than your protein. It's important to be getting MORE fat than protein. I'm always checking labels for this. Coconut/Coconut oil is a big and easy help. I know its a weird concept to adjust to, eat more fat? It was the biggest one for me.

    I currently have my macros set to 65% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs and I STILL struggle with that.

    I'd recommend this site, http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    It's a good place to start and will help you figure out the best macros for YOU.

    I also saw a few days where you were receiving your fiber from fiber bread if I remember?(...already forgot what it was) :-P
    I'd keep in mind you can still have veggies and fruits, its all about NET carbs, so the carbs in something - the fiber. So it's just important to find vegetables that are high in fiber. This helps me a lot...because I hate giving up my veggies (plus...it keeps things running regularly ;-P)...

    Some of my favorites are cauliflower, broccoli, chia seeds, and spinach. I use a little pamphlet that was in my grocery store as a reference for veggie/fruit nutritional info (one in car, one in purse, one on fridge...obsessed much?)


    But here is a helpful resource as well.

    http://www.metamucil.com/fiber-guide-veggies.php

    The other tabs show fruits, and bran. So you can look it up on MFP, find the carbs, and see which is more beneficial for you. I prefer going with vegetables because then I'm getting MORE water and things are still...running as designed.
  • LatinaGordita
    LatinaGordita Posts: 377 Member
    I'm only 2 months in so no expert on this but echo what Kay is saying. Maybe also sub the kraft singles for some full fat cheddar. Do you feel you have to have the bread or is it something you can cut to maybe 1 slice a day to half a slice a day? Slowly reducing the carbs.

    As far as the GD, you do not have to do that liquid test again. You could just have your A1C checked to see your level of diabetes. This is done with a simple blood draw, no need to drink that nasty stuff that is full of sugar. Also are you still monitoring your blood glucose daily? Are your fasting levels in "normal range for you"?

    Its only been 5 weeks since the birth of your baby, maybe your body is still adjusting it self? Hormones etc. Not sure -- but I know my body did not feel like mine till a few months after my c-section. I also had GD and high BP during my pregnancy.

    Great job on the loss! And congrats on your beautiful baby!
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
    You need to calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). You're off by >1,000 calories. This may actually be your problem. I, and many people, lose better on a smaller deficit. Yours is way more than you think it is.
  • From what I see you're off to a great start. I would recommend changing up a few things though. First thing I noticed was that on most days your fat intake is = your protein, or less than your protein. It's important to be getting MORE fat than protein. I'm always checking labels for this. Coconut/Coconut oil is a big and easy help. I know its a weird concept to adjust to, eat more fat? It was the biggest one for me.

    I currently have my macros set to 65% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs and I STILL struggle with that.

    I'd recommend this site, http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    It's a good place to start and will help you figure out the best macros for YOU.

    I also saw a few days where you were receiving your fiber from fiber bread if I remember?(...already forgot what it was) :-P
    I'd keep in mind you can still have veggies and fruits, its all about NET carbs, so the carbs in something - the fiber. So it's just important to find vegetables that are high in fiber. This helps me a lot...because I hate giving up my veggies (plus...it keeps things running regularly ;-P)...

    Some of my favorites are cauliflower, broccoli, chia seeds, and spinach. I use a little pamphlet that was in my grocery store as a reference for veggie/fruit nutritional info (one in car, one in purse, one on fridge...obsessed much?)


    But here is a helpful resource as well.

    http://www.metamucil.com/fiber-guide-veggies.php

    The other tabs show fruits, and bran. So you can look it up on MFP, find the carbs, and see which is more beneficial for you. I prefer going with vegetables because then I'm getting MORE water and things are still...running as designed.

    Thank you so much for this. I am going to the store tomorrow so I will pick up some coconut oil. I have never used it before, so what are some easy ways to incorporate it into my diet? I have heard of people putting it in their coffee, and truth to that? Also, what are some other good places to look to for attaining more fat in my diet?
  • I'm only 2 months in so no expert on this but echo what Kay is saying. Maybe also sub the kraft singles for some full fat cheddar. Do you feel you have to have the bread or is it something you can cut to maybe 1 slice a day to half a slice a day? Slowly reducing the carbs.

    As far as the GD, you do not have to do that liquid test again. You could just have your A1C checked to see your level of diabetes. This is done with a simple blood draw, no need to drink that nasty stuff that is full of sugar. Also are you still monitoring your blood glucose daily? Are your fasting levels in "normal range for you"?

    Its only been 5 weeks since the birth of your baby, maybe your body is still adjusting it self? Hormones etc. Not sure -- but I know my body did not feel like mine till a few months after my c-section. I also had GD and high BP during my pregnancy.

    Great job on the loss! And congrats on your beautiful baby!

    I am no longer monitoring my bgl, but I will start again. Good point about the A1C, I will ask my dr to do that instead of the GTT. I will pick up full fat cheddar tomorrow! I have no issue with that :P
  • You need to calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). You're off by >1,000 calories. This may actually be your problem. I, and many people, lose better on a smaller deficit. Yours is way more than you think it is.

    Does 2419 as my TDEE sound about right? I used a TDEE calculator. Can you explain to me what I should learn from this number, and where to go from here to use it to my advantage?
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
    You need to calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). You're off by >1,000 calories. This may actually be your problem. I, and many people, lose better on a smaller deficit. Yours is way more than you think it is.

    Does 2419 as my TDEE sound about right? I used a TDEE calculator. Can you explain to me what I should learn from this number, and where to go from here to use it to my advantage?

    That certainly sounds a lot closer. What did you enter for your activity level, though? That still sounds a little low. Taking care of children burns more calories than you'd think. I'd go with the activity level that says is appropriate to someone who works as a nurse. (Might be moderate, but I'm not certain.)

    What it can tell you is the approximate number of calories you burn in a day. Subtracting your desired deficit from that number will help you lose weight best. If you want to lose 1 pound per week, subtract 500 calories per day.
  • Messed with my TDEE. I now have 2772 as my TDEE, 2016 as my BMR, and after subtracting 20% I got 2218 as my goal caloric intake. Does that sound okay?


    Also, on my diary it has my caloric goal automatically set at 1520. If I go over that is shows red, and once I complete the day it says I will weigh MORE in 5 weeks than it told me yesterday. Is this normal? And if so, is there any way to change it?
  • Athena98501
    Athena98501 Posts: 716 Member
    Messed with my TDEE. I now have 2772 as my TDEE, 2016 as my BMR, and after subtracting 20% I got 2218 as my goal caloric intake. Does that sound okay?


    Also, on my diary it has my caloric goal automatically set at 1520. If I go over that is shows red, and once I complete the day it says I will weigh MORE in 5 weeks than it told me yesterday. Is this normal? And if so, is there any way to change it?

    That is probably approximately accurate. I would have MFP recalculate your calories with that activity level with a one pound per week loss as your goal. From there you can adjust again with custom values as you see fit (best to do this for keto anyway, so you can figure your own macros). You may also want to raise calories gradually, though whatever speed you're comfortable with is fine.
  • KayNowayJose
    KayNowayJose Posts: 138 Member
    From what I see you're off to a great start. I would recommend changing up a few things though. First thing I noticed was that on most days your fat intake is = your protein, or less than your protein. It's important to be getting MORE fat than protein. I'm always checking labels for this. Coconut/Coconut oil is a big and easy help. I know its a weird concept to adjust to, eat more fat? It was the biggest one for me.

    I currently have my macros set to 65% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs and I STILL struggle with that.

    I'd recommend this site, http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    It's a good place to start and will help you figure out the best macros for YOU.

    I also saw a few days where you were receiving your fiber from fiber bread if I remember?(...already forgot what it was) :-P
    I'd keep in mind you can still have veggies and fruits, its all about NET carbs, so the carbs in something - the fiber. So it's just important to find vegetables that are high in fiber. This helps me a lot...because I hate giving up my veggies (plus...it keeps things running regularly ;-P)...

    Some of my favorites are cauliflower, broccoli, chia seeds, and spinach. I use a little pamphlet that was in my grocery store as a reference for veggie/fruit nutritional info (one in car, one in purse, one on fridge...obsessed much?)


    But here is a helpful resource as well.

    http://www.metamucil.com/fiber-guide-veggies.php

    The other tabs show fruits, and bran. So you can look it up on MFP, find the carbs, and see which is more beneficial for you. I prefer going with vegetables because then I'm getting MORE water and things are still...running as designed.

    Thank you so much for this. I am going to the store tomorrow so I will pick up some coconut oil. I have never used it before, so what are some easy ways to incorporate it into my diet? I have heard of people putting it in their coffee, and truth to that? Also, what are some other good places to look to for attaining more fat in my diet?

    There are tons of ways. Yep, some people do put it in their coffee, I have a friend on here who does that every morning. I use mine in replacement of any oil whenever I fry anything. It can also be used for 'fat bombs', which is great when you need fat in your diet (there is a current post on these right now :-). Some people just eat a quick spoonful of it. I'm obsessed with Chia seeds at this moment so I often sprinlkle my Chia seeds with it. Since you're a mom, you may find this page useful :-P

    http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/

    Besides coconut oil I'm a big fan of pumpkin seeds, cream cheese in moderation, unsweetened flaked coconut for smoothies, almonds in moderation, olive oil in, dark chocolate in moderation, Those are things I've used as replacements of previous favorites.
  • From what I see you're off to a great start. I would recommend changing up a few things though. First thing I noticed was that on most days your fat intake is = your protein, or less than your protein. It's important to be getting MORE fat than protein. I'm always checking labels for this. Coconut/Coconut oil is a big and easy help. I know its a weird concept to adjust to, eat more fat? It was the biggest one for me.

    I currently have my macros set to 65% fat, 35% protein and 5% carbs and I STILL struggle with that.

    I'd recommend this site, http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    It's a good place to start and will help you figure out the best macros for YOU.

    I also saw a few days where you were receiving your fiber from fiber bread if I remember?(...already forgot what it was) :-P
    I'd keep in mind you can still have veggies and fruits, its all about NET carbs, so the carbs in something - the fiber. So it's just important to find vegetables that are high in fiber. This helps me a lot...because I hate giving up my veggies (plus...it keeps things running regularly ;-P)...

    Some of my favorites are cauliflower, broccoli, chia seeds, and spinach. I use a little pamphlet that was in my grocery store as a reference for veggie/fruit nutritional info (one in car, one in purse, one on fridge...obsessed much?)


    But here is a helpful resource as well.

    http://www.metamucil.com/fiber-guide-veggies.php

    The other tabs show fruits, and bran. So you can look it up on MFP, find the carbs, and see which is more beneficial for you. I prefer going with vegetables because then I'm getting MORE water and things are still...running as designed.

    Thank you so much for this. I am going to the store tomorrow so I will pick up some coconut oil. I have never used it before, so what are some easy ways to incorporate it into my diet? I have heard of people putting it in their coffee, and truth to that? Also, what are some other good places to look to for attaining more fat in my diet?

    There are tons of ways. Yep, some people do put it in their coffee, I have a friend on here who does that every morning. I use mine in replacement of any oil whenever I fry anything. It can also be used for 'fat bombs', which is great when you need fat in your diet (there is a current post on these right now :-). Some people just eat a quick spoonful of it. I'm obsessed with Chia seeds at this moment so I often sprinlkle my Chia seeds with it. Since you're a mom, you may find this page useful :-P

    http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-uses-for-coconut-oil/

    Awesome! Thank you all so much for your help! I ate a bit more calories tonight than I have been, and even upped the fat as much as I could. Tomorrow is a new day and I will try all of your suggestions. Thanks again!
  • KayNowayJose
    KayNowayJose Posts: 138 Member
    No problem! Feel free to add me :-)
  • mamamudbug
    mamamudbug Posts: 572 Member
    You've given a lot of great advice. Your numbers (tdee and bmr) look better too. I just wanted to add that you may be experiencing Post Induction Stall Syndrome. http://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/x1ahg/the_what_should_be_added_to_the_rketo_faq_thread/c5ikek7 You've been through quite a bit in the past 5-6 weeks, you're body is more than likely adjusting.

    Congratulations on your new precious one. I have 5 children also.
  • You've given a lot of great advice. Your numbers (tdee and bmr) look better too. I just wanted to add that you may be experiencing Post Induction Stall Syndrome. http://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/x1ahg/the_what_should_be_added_to_the_rketo_faq_thread/c5ikek7 You've been through quite a bit in the past 5-6 weeks, you're body is more than likely adjusting.

    Congratulations on your new precious one. I have 5 children also.

    Thank you so much! This makes perfect sense!
    Ironically my scale broke last night LOL! I ordered a new one off amazon earlier, so hopefully once it gets here I will see a new and shinier number. Silver lining: I can't weigh myself every time I feel the need... which is often.
  • tastethis
    tastethis Posts: 68 Member
    The only think I've noticed is that you need to watch the service size you select and make sure it's actually what you ate! For example, on todays (12/29) you put that you ate 2 CUPS of eggs, instead of 2 eggs. 2 cups of eggs is roughly 12 eggs! I'd also advise maybe checking into natural peanut butter to reduce your carb and sugar levels!
  • mamamudbug
    mamamudbug Posts: 572 Member
    Well, I had typos all through that, didn't I? I used to weigh all the time too. Now it's just first thing in the morning after I use the bathroom.
  • Well, I had typos all through that, didn't I? I used to weigh all the time too. Now it's just first thing in the morning after I use the bathroom.

    I was doing the same thing, I think that is why the stall was so frustrating. At least now I will have to wait a week or so, so hopefully I will see a number that I haven't seen yet!