Keto HFLC - despondent

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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. I'm so despondent now as am not losing fat % nor kgs. I was just expecting to lose a lot of weight fast. 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.

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  • sugaraddict4321
    sugaraddict4321 Posts: 15,801 MFP Moderator
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    If you open your diary we can take a look and see what the issues might be. Also how tall are you? Hard to calculate your stats without that info. ;)
  • Trae41
    Trae41 Posts: 15
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    I've opened my diary. Height is 1.66cm. Thanks Sugaraddict.
  • joannab44
    joannab44 Posts: 15 Member
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    You only eat 1200kcals a day? That's your problem right there, you're probably in starvation mode, bump up your calorie intake to at least 1600-1800 and you should drop weight no problem :)
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
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    1200 is very low for someone of your weight. Bump it up, baby!!
  • wingsandgills
    wingsandgills Posts: 48 Member
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    Not everyone starts dropping weight immediately on keto. Then, some who do will stall for weeks and weeks after that initial drop.

    My tips are thus: start tracking your food on MFP. Measure and weigh that food before you eat it. You don't have to do this forever, but do it long enough that you know what you're really eating.

    Keep Calm and Keto On (KCKO) for a few months before you start to get anxious. I can go a whole month without losing anything and then suddenly lose 3-5 lb a week for a few weeks in a row. Fat loss is not linear, hormone cycles (in men and women), mineral and water intake, nutrition of diet, and so much more can impact the number on the scale.

    Low energy could be a result of an absence of minerals that get flushed out when you pee a lot. IANAD but I commonly see people solve this problem with sodium, potassium, and magnesium supplementation in the diet. Do some reading online about that; maybe it will help.

    The less you have to lose, the slower your losses will be. I don't have science to back that up, but doesn't it make sense? So if you are pretty close to being a healthy weight, you may have to really master the art of patience.

    In the end, if you find yourself getting despondent every time you look at the scale, maybe cut back to only weighing once a month. Keto gets a lot of praise for being miraculous and magical, but it's still a long-term lifestyle change. It requires commitment and permanent alteration of habits and perspectives.

    Good luck! And if you'd like to add me as a friend, you're welcome to. I track my food practically every day!