Started again and not the same results

Hi there

I have been on the keto eating plan before and had great results. My stomach flattened within 3 days and the weight just dropped off. I was previously drinking on weekends (wine - which I know has carbs) and then cheating due to drunken munchies. This time round I started 2 and a half weeks ago, haven't drank once, no cheating what so ever and the scale says I haven't lost any weight??? why??? so annoying!! my Stomach doesn't seem to have dropped as much before. What gives? I thought the success would have better this time round as I have been so good and really stuck with it. I also started intermittent fasting this week, since Monday. I also bought keto stix and they have been showing purple since I got them - indicating that I am dehydrated, although I drink loads of water prob 1.5 litres water and then 2 massive cups of green tea and then 2 massive cups of peppermint tea. Today I have stopped with the green tea it makes me feel ill, all of a sudden strangely. I also did a week and a half of bullet proof coffee (coconut oil, butter and cream). Great I think that's all the info of what I have been doing.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Replies

  • Ketostix don't indicate if you are dehydrated. I can be dark purple and be perfectly hydrated. What are your macros set to ?
  • I am for 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs I have checked on my fitness pal as I log everyday that over the last week I have been at 77% fat, 20% Protein and 3% carbs. Fluctuating on 1200 calories with one day being over but it was all on fats and I have minimised my calories by a few hundred to make up for it.

    Could it be that my body is just taking longer longer to adjust this time or maybe I am just not patient enough.

    Oh I read on a site that if it's in the purple it's a sign of dehydration, as yo uonly require a trace of ketones to be in ketosis.

    I am hoping the scale was lying to me this morning - I was 52.9kgs on Tuesday after taking some magnesium sulphate and then this morning I was 55.1kgs. So disheartening that's right back up to where i was when I started back 2 and a half weeks ago.
  • aleehagen
    aleehagen Posts: 41 Member
    1200 calories is pretty low, did you figure your daily needs with this - http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

    Your stats aren't posted, but unless you are pretty tiny, that seems like a low daily intake, you could be at or near your starvation threshold and causing your body to say, "whoa, let's conserve a bit here since we aren't getting much in." It's that darn evolution! Of course, I don't know, just throwing darts at a dart board here...
  • thecarbmonster
    thecarbmonster Posts: 411 Member
    I have seen a trend from reading other keto/low carb forums that it usually takes longer to get rolling the second, third, etc time.

    I have also seen a lot of women on these forums talk about having more success with higher fat ratios, closer to 80%. It's something worth trying!

    Good job sticking with it though! I have always seen in the past that I'll have a two week "delay" (won't call it a plateau) after my first two weeks. You are definitely on the right track! Men can usually lose more consistently because they don't have much water or hormone fluctuations as women. I know if you stick with it the weight loss will catch up!
  • dcristo213
    dcristo213 Posts: 117 Member
    It takes time for your body to adjust. I just went thru couple of weeks of gaining on scale, but finally it started moving in the right direction. Don't quit and keep going. I try not to weight myself too often because there is a lot fluctuation due to water retention in you body.
  • Hey! Thanks for your post - I am pretty tiny 1.56m tall but yeah I have heard that eating more can make you lose more but I guess I am quite scared to try this in case of the damage done - weight picked up. My BMR is showing to be 1223 calories and my total daily expenditure is 1681 calories. so I am not even 500 calories below for a good weight loss. should I drop it to 1100 calories to bump the weightloss that way I will be at least 500 calories under and will be able to lose atleast 0.5kg a week.
  • I have seen a trend from reading other keto/low carb forums that it usually takes longer to get rolling the second, third, etc time.

    I have also seen a lot of women on these forums talk about having more success with higher fat ratios, closer to 80%. It's something worth trying!

    Good job sticking with it though! I have always seen in the past that I'll have a two week "delay" (won't call it a plateau) after my first two weeks. You are definitely on the right track! Men can usually lose more consistently because they don't have much water or hormone fluctuations as women. I know if you stick with it the weight loss will catch up!


    Thank you very much - very helpful makes sense then :) I will try upping my fat to 80% will i not have a large amount of muscle loss if i drop my protein to about 15%?

    Thanks for the encouragement
  • Keep your protein above 50g-60g. Human body doesn't lose muscle that easily even when starving with out food.
  • CarlaEsther5
    CarlaEsther5 Posts: 2 Member
    I am also coming back to Very Low Carb it has always worked for me in the past and I know it will again. Started Monday and already feeling soooo much better.
  • SOOZIE429
    SOOZIE429 Posts: 638 Member
    Hey! Thanks for your post - I am pretty tiny 1.56m tall but yeah I have heard that eating more can make you lose more but I guess I am quite scared to try this in case of the damage done - weight picked up. My BMR is showing to be 1223 calories and my total daily expenditure is 1681 calories. so I am not even 500 calories below for a good weight loss. should I drop it to 1100 calories to bump the weightloss that way I will be at least 500 calories under and will be able to lose atleast 0.5kg a week.

    You really should be eating more than your BMR. You're barely eating enough for your organs to function eating only 1200. Try 1400 for the next week and see how things go. If that's scares you a bit, try 1300, then go up another 100 each week until you find your sweet spot.
  • At 156 cm tall, a good rule of thumb for your ideal weight is to subtract 100cm - so 56 kg is spot on for you. Maybe you aren't losing because you don't have any excess weight?
  • MikeEnRegalia
    MikeEnRegalia Posts: 110 Member
    You really should be eating more than your BMR. You're barely eating enough for your organs to function eating only 1200. Try 1400 for the next week and see how things go. If that's scares you a bit, try 1300, then go up another 100 each week until you find your sweet spot.

    Your calculation assumes that dietary calories is all the body can use for energy. But especially on a ketogenic diet, the body can access its body fat stores for energy, which is what we want it to do. So there's actually nothing wrong with eating very few calories on a well formulated ketogenic diet, as long as the body actually can and does access those stores. A good indicator is your perceived level of energy - if it drops and you feel sluggish and lethargic, that's a good sign that you're either eating too few calories, or that for some reason the body has problems accessing its fat stores. A good rule of thumb for maximum deficit is 50% of your estimated caloric expenditure.