Keto HFLC - Despondent

Trae41
Trae41 Posts: 15
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi fellow low-carbers.

I've been in ketosis (using ketosticks) for a month now. I'm obviously not "adapted". I've not suffered any "keto symptoms" apart from hardly any energy. I did not have that initial water loss either. Drinking lots of water, and still pee'ing A LOT. I'm not diabetic nor have any other health issues (apart from being obese) age 41, fat at 50%, weight at 100kg. My macros are 20 carbs (green veg derived), 68 protein, and fats to make up to 1,200 cal/day. I do use mayo, and stevia. I've cut out dairy. Sedentary.

I'm so despondent now as am not losing fat % nor kgs. I was just expecting to lose a lot of weight fast. For those in the know of Keto, please would you share any ideas you have that may help me to speed things up, and what things you may think I could be doing wrong. Thanks a bunch.

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    open diary ?
  • Trae41
    Trae41 Posts: 15
    I've opened my diary, thanks Yarwell. My height is 1.66cm btw.
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    1k/week is about normal. Keto gets talked up as being some gimmicky miracle, but it's just a different way to manage your hunger and health while you reduce your intake. Not everyone has a huge loss up front. There are also other issues to contend with. A lot of women find their cycle changes the first few months, which includes retaining more water than normal and, in some cases, lasting longer.

    It's also not normal to have keto flu, so that's not a sign of adapting. You only get sick if you're not doing it correctly, and your electrolytes are off. Ketostix are also unreliable. You should be noticing a change in the smell of your breath, urine and perspiration.

    The energy may be the lack of calories - if I've calculated this right you're at a 50% deficit? 1650 would be more reasonable, and even that's on the drastic side of healthy. Is the dairy a medical thing? Adding it would increase your options for adding fat.
  • Trae41
    Trae41 Posts: 15
    Thanks JPW.

    I've not noticed a change in smell at all (have been waiting for that too) and asking friends if they can smell something odd about me lol and they haven't.

    When will I not pee so much? Its awful, like every half hour or so. Huge bladder-fulls. Hardly finished a cup of coffee & got to go. Up every 2hrs at night. Does this go away eventually? (since I've started this, feels like diabetic symptoms, dry mouth, drinking lots, pee'ing lots!)

    Will up my cals (more fat) as you say (dairy's back in too) & hope I still drop 1kg/week but more importantly, to gain more energy. Thank you for de-mystifying the myth that low carb means faster weight loss. That will help calm my impatient "bug".

    Dairy isn't a medical thing, just thought its why I've not "adapted" (by adapted I mean burning fat). I'm very new to keto and only going by what I've read up on the internet.
    Apparently, (I may not have understood this properly - please correct me) once adapted (+/- 4 weeks) I should be in fat burning mode... but... I'm not losing much fat% though. (I use my digital bathroom scale, same time (mornings, after toilet & before drink/food), wearing same clothes, on same spot on hard floor once a week to measure weight & fat%).

    I did join a gym, have been just twice, (their fat monitor says the same as my scale) but honestly I just do not have the energy for the walk there let alone back (30mins) and gyming (I'm brand new to exercise too).
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    As long as you're at a deficit you're in fat burning mode. The issue lies in water, and like I mentioned, a lot of that is up to hormones. Have you had a physical lately? There are a lot of other things that could influence that, and also contribute to how many bathroom trips you're having to take.
  • Trae41
    Trae41 Posts: 15
    You know, I mentioned low-carb diet and ketogenic diet to my GP and he has no knowledge of it. I asked him to send me for blood tests so that we can now monitor my journey and he sent me for a blood glucose test. I mean, I need to be a GP to try figure out all what tests I should be having, because my actual GP has no clue. So to answer, no, not had a physical lately. I would have to know whats needed in order to instruct the GP! Seriously scary but true.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    I am no expert and may be wrong in this as well but I believe that when people say fat burning mode it means you burn dietary fats as your energy source and doesn't mean that you suddenly start burning large quantities of body fat
  • Trae41
    Trae41 Posts: 15
    I guess that's where the daily calorie deficit comes in then, so long as I'm under I'll lose. But that's just the thing. I've been under for a month now... and no body fat loss despite constant ketosis.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
    edited February 2015
    I have been back through your diary and need to ask if you are using a kitchen scale to weigh all of the foods that have a weight against them?

    I notice that you are also using tablespoon and cup measurements for some high calorie items such as butter and avocado, I would suggest you weigh these on a scale as well because of the inaccuracies associated with volume measurements of solids.

    If your avocado is cubed smaller than the one used to calculate the calories on MFP then you will be eating more etc
  • squirrlt
    squirrlt Posts: 106 Member
    When you say you are not losing body fat, are you using some method to measure you body fat percentage? If you are using bioelectrical impedance device (handheld or scale), the initial water flush from keto can throw them off a bit so I wouldn't worry about that too much right now. Just double check your caloric intake is accurate and wait. Do your clothes feel any looser?

    One more thing, this is counterintuitive, but I had to force myself to eat at or above my BMR on keto, I lost more. Don't know why, but I had to keep it around 1500-1800 or I stalled. I really had to shove some cheese down or eat globs of peanut butter at the end of the day to get there sometimes, and it was rather unpleasant. If you are truly only eating only 1200 and you have given it a solid month, you might want to try to bump up your calories by a couple hundred and see if it breaks your stall.
  • RockstarWilson
    RockstarWilson Posts: 836 Member
    edited February 2015
    Trae41 wrote: »
    I guess that's where the daily calorie deficit comes in then, so long as I'm under I'll lose. But that's just the thing. I've been under for a month now... and no body fat loss despite constant ketosis.

    Burning body fat takes time. And ketostix dont work to measure ketones in the blood, any knowledgable doctor will tell you that. Ketosis is not going to make the fat just melt off each day...it does, but not at a rate that you can see everyday. It takes weeks to see a drastic difference on the scale, and months for some other benefits, especially in bodyfat %. You have to do what everyone else is doing to lose weight and change composition, and that is be in an adequate deficit and keep a close eye on nutrition. Have patience, as Rome was not built in a day.

    This diet is not a trick to losing weight. It simply is a diet to help with overeating, and has multiple health benefits. Please dont treat it like it is a trick. Getting into ketosis is hard, and staying in it even harder. You will have to work for it. You will have to research. You will need to eat when you are hungry, and not force yourself to go hungry. Starving yourself actually hinders your progress.

    Might lay off the water a bit though. You dont need to make yourself pee all the time. Once an hour, maybe once at night is a good measuring stick.

    Buy a blood ketone meter, and blood test strips. They are expensive, but a lot more accurate. You may find that you are actually not in ketosis, even though the sticks say you are. There are a bunch of reasons why the urine tests are an inaccurate measurement of ketosis state, which you should figure out for yourself. But I use my glucose/ketone meter to test when I need to check ketone level, usually in a fasted state (right after waking up), along with my blood glucose. That gives me an acurate measurement.

    Lastly, I recommend you read "Keto Clarity" by Jimmy Moore and Dr. Eric Westman. It is on Amazon for $20 US (about 13 £?). That book has a lot of your answers.

  • Trae41
    Trae41 Posts: 15
    edited February 2015
    Hi Chris, yes, am using a kitchen scale and measuring spoons, but I do note your point re using cup/spoon measurements as they're not as accurate as weight. Thanks.

    Hi DJ, thanks, will do this, up the cals & hope for the best. Love this 'diet' as don't feel hungry at all so 1200 is easy. Its the only diet I've stuck to without cheating once so far!! No cravings either. Amazing.

    Fantastic Rockstar, I'll look into finding that book. I'm honestly not starving at all, not even hungry but force myself to eat to meet my daily's.

    Thanks everyone. I'll be sure to keep you posted xT
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Some find that dairy stalls them - not sure if its the lactose in milk or the insulin response to the whey protein. Carrots are a bit carby too - couple of things to consider dropping for a week or so as a test.

    Is the two meals a day for a reason ? Have a look at caloriesproper.com for info on circadian rhythms and meal timing.
  • Trae41
    Trae41 Posts: 15
    Thanks Yarwell for that site, a very interesting read. I just don't feel hungry in mornings. Usually, have 2 or 3 coffees (with coconut milk) & water throughout the day, then would eat round 4pm, then again around 10pm & in bed around 1am. But having read the meal timing studies on that site, I'm gonna see what I can eat first thing (or within an hour of waking) and aim for higher cals during first half of day rather than last half. This has got to help :)
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