Help Ketoers, LCHF, help!
Lisokinha
Posts: 21 Member
Hello all, sorry if I sound desperate, but I have been on keto for almost a year now, on and off after dec/2105. Since may 2015 till December, I was perfectly doing every thing right and so I dropped from 80kg to 64kg (176lb to 140lb) then I had a new years trip to colombia and allowed myself to get completely off the diet, after coming back home in Jan/2016 and kept on living off of it until about a week and a half ago (beginning of march) where I was back to 147lb or 67kg. Since then, Ive been very restrictive and my ketostix is for the very first time showing purple, but no other symptoms like I used to have (dry mouth and constipation mostly). Through my diary I count everything, carbs and fat. And with all the macro calcularions I have done I and under protein, 20g of carbs and about 100g of fat. Still not losing weight. Forgot to mention, that since I started the diet, I completely changed from train and subways to and back from work to riding my bike, which is 20k a day (10 to go and 10 to come back). Plus this week I add some 30 min of workout on my lunch time to speed up my heartbeat along the day, my BPM for the bike is usually about 150-167BMP and for the training at the gym I do peaks of 175 down to 120 (back and forth almost as hiit). I ride my bike on an empty stomach at 7:15 am(because I really can't eat before it, not hungry), when I get to work I have a shake of no Isopure protein no carb, zero sugar low carb PB, water, cream of milk (a heavy or mild whipped cream?) and a tablespoon of coconut oil, which comes about 380-400 cal at around 8am. Then I go to the gym at 1:30pm with a couple of salami slices and workout for 30min, come back for a salad of lettuce, tomato, hearts of palm, and champignons, with a 1g of carb and 59cal ceasar dressing, where I calculate 350-400 cals for the salada which I am completely unsure, as it also does have shredded chicken. Then I go home at 5pm with some other salami and brie cheese slices and when I get home, this past two days, I had a quarterpounder from mcdonalds, with no catchup, no onions and no BuN! Which gives me about 330kcal, 5carbs at around 7pm and that is my last meal before going to bed. What am I doing wrong and Why am I not losing weight????? Too much fat? Too few of it? Stalled on 67kg/147lb. My total cal a day range from 1200 to 1400. Fat 99g to 110, protein 100g or less and carb under 20g everyday.
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I'm betting on stress.
Too much exercise and too low calorie. You're probably in mass cortisol production and probably some water retention from all the exercise.
How is your sleep? Do you get 8 hours? Is it good sleep? If not, that's only adding to it.
Besides that, progress of fat loss can be made without the scale reflecting it. How are your clothes fitting? Have you taken measurements? In more places than just your waist and hips? How about photos to compare against? You're more likely to see results in those than on a scale.
I'm very familiar with wanting the scale to move. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10353600/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-stall#latest0 -
You've had a phenomenal weight loss. Have you adjusted your calories to account for that. You may be eating at maintenance for your new LOWER weight.0
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Have you calculated your new macros?
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
As @mjscherr mentioned, you may be eating at maintenance for your new lower weight. As you lose weight, your body becomes more efficient at using energy so you need less.
As for activity level, I would suggest putting it as sedentary and then using it as a baseline. Obviously, you need to fuel your body for exercise but you don't need to eat all the calories you burn from exercise back. Especially since MFP and some activity trackers give you an overestimated burn.
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samanthaluangphixay wrote: »Have you calculated your new macros?
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/
As @mjscherr mentioned, you may be eating at maintenance for your new lower weight. As you lose weight, your body becomes more efficient at using energy so you need less.
As for activity level, I would suggest putting it as sedentary and then using it as a baseline. Obviously, you need to fuel your body for exercise but you don't need to eat all the calories you burn from exercise back. Especially since MFP and some activity trackers give you an overestimated burn.
I agree with @samanthaluangphixay and would recomended using the same calculator and methodology. If you choose to stick with keto then set carbs to 20g and protein to 0.8grams per lean lb of body weight. Use fat grams to set your deficit.
Another issue that could be arsing is estimations of food, if it doesn't come pre packaged or portioned. If you don't have one, I would purchase a food scale. I don't know all of your stats, but smaller women tend to have less calories available. Thus the calories in a 20% deficit are smaller and more easily erased by a missed food estimation.0 -
I really don't think you're eating too much.
Please don't stress over calories.
With all the activity you mentioned and the calorie range you noted... How could anyone be thinking overeating is the issue?
I eat about 1325 a day at 5'4" 40 years old with practically no exercise and only average 6000 steps a day on my tracker. I'm losing.
You're not overeating.
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I really don't think you're eating too much.
Please don't stress over calories.
With all the activity you mentioned and the calorie range you noted... How could anyone be thinking overeating is the issue?
I eat about 1325 a day at 5'4" 40 years old with practically no exercise and only average 6000 steps a day on my tracker. I'm losing.
You're not overeating.
THIS!
I don't know how tall you are or the age unless I missed it but 12-1400 kcal with that much exercise is impossible to be your maintenance level. Have you taken measurements or photos? Read the thread sunny linked I think you'll find it helpful.0 -
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I really don't think you need to lower your calories either. I agree with SunnyBunny though making sure you're weighing your food is never a bad idea.0
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I just need to understand that besides not be losing weight, why Am I not having the sensation of being full? Before I used to be nauseated just to think of food... Now I have to be extremely aware of my anxiety in order to not overeat.0
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I just need to understand that besides not be losing weight, why Am I not having the sensation of being full? Before I used to be nauseated just to think of food... Now I have to be extremely aware of my anxiety in order to not overeat.
Overeat by what definition? Go to the keto calculator and figure out your TDEE. Alternatively, get a wearable tracker with a heart rate monitor, like a Fitbit.
Your issue is not overeating, but undereating. You don't feel full, because you're starving yourself. In other words eat more food.
Just in the last two days, with exercise, you're coming up an extra 500 calories shy, each day, of your calorie goal, according to MFP. If your calorie goal reflects a 500 calorie per day deficit, then you're depriving yourself of over 1,000 calories of fuel. Is it really any wonder why you're feeling starved? You basically are starving yourself.
Try this for a month -- follow your hunger and eat back your exercise calories (in other words, if you're hungry and you have extra calories, eat). See where you are at the end of April.0 -
I just need to understand that besides not be losing weight, why Am I not having the sensation of being full? Before I used to be nauseated just to think of food... Now I have to be extremely aware of my anxiety in order to not overeat.
Mentioning the hunger and anxiety is another clue that points to stress.
You're body is telling you exactly what it needs. You're just trying to forcefully override it.
You're only going to succeed in losing muscle and wrecking your metabolism.
Do you want to lose body fat and have healthy hormone production or is the only goal to weigh less on the scale? Working out to the degree that you are, while eating as little as you are, is offering up your lean muscle to the scale weight gods. Is that a sacrifice you're looking to make?0 -
@Dragonwolf you know I forgot to mention i'm 5'3" and 65.5 kg now, but I'm afraid of being losing only muscle! Because I feel more tired, and I have to give extra 100% in order to ride my bike to and back from work, as it seems that my legs don't have the strength anymore. Besides, i feel my arms and legs weak instead of stronger, and my hair is not yet as it was before falling constantly, but is getting there once again. Did a bunch of exams to see if I had deficit of something, nothing! Everything was right. Glad you took a look at my diary, yes, I've been eating a lot less than I should, but it drives me insane just to think of eating back the calories I burnt while exercising. Really, I'm so lost and frustrated at this point.0
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@Sunny_Bunny_ I know, you are right, I really don't want to lose weight just for the scale, neither lose muscle, I don't want to be only leaner but I want to be healthier. I have set that 1200 was my goal for the beginning, when I had more to lose, maybe now is a little too little of food, and I need to high up my numbers... But if I eat back the cals that I've been working out, the math does not adds up to me...0
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@Christine_72 I do! I log everything and always log even a little oversized portion just so I don't go over my goals of the day, so it might be that I am eating a little less than that, as a matter of faxt.0
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I'm betting on stress.
Too much exercise and too low calorie. You're probably in mass cortisol production and probably some water retention from all the exercise.
How is your sleep? Do you get 8 hours? Is it good sleep? If not, that's only adding to it.
Besides that, progress of fat loss can be made without the scale reflecting it. How are your clothes fitting? Have you taken measurements? In more places than just your waist and hips? How about photos to compare against? You're more likely to see results in those than on a scale.
I'm very familiar with wanting the scale to move. https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10353600/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-stall#latest
I do get 8hrs of sleep, most nights its a perfect night of sleep. My clothes do feel a little better, but my measurements have not changed since my last doctor'/s appointment... My photos are a huge change, but I still see so much fat in me, my belly is the one that drives me insane! Really, and yes, stress my be taking a toll on me and my goals0 -
I think we will always see the fat we still have, ya know. It's so darn stubborn! We are so convinced that we should look a certain way at a certain weight. It's disappointing when we lose weight but still don't see what we want. I know it's a mental thing that almost all of will never get past. I've been feeling pretty great about my progress. I've only got about 10 pounds more to lose... My BMI is a low 23/high 22. But, I have about 30% body fat, so I don't look like I think someone looks at this weight and height. I had to buy a new swim suit last week and didn't leave feeling as confident as when I arrived. In my head I am thinking about a pool party I will be attending for July 4th and I am unintentionally setting a deadline to look "better" by then. I'm hardly even giving myself credit for the progress I've already made because I'm so obsessed with the image I have in my head of how I want to look in that suit.
This part of the journey is a million times more challenging than figuring out what food to eat or resisting temptation. But it's arguably the most important factor to long term success.0 -
Oh gosh, you are just SOOOOO RIGHT! Its like i dis not lose 13kg. But i still want to go 7kg more. Today Im feeling so crappy, all I wanted was some sushi and chocolate
but oretty sure that if I do go there, I will feel terrible, as I had put everything to waste. Do you ever allow yourself to some trash food/day?
It takes so long to get back to keto. But I cant stand not having some cheat meal when I am feeling like this. @Sunny_Bunny_0 -
Oh gosh, you are just SOOOOO RIGHT! Its like i dis not lose 13kg. But i still want to go 7kg more. Today Im feeling so crappy, all I wanted was some sushi and chocolate but oretty sure that if I do go there, I will feel terrible, as I had put everything to waste. Do you ever allow yourself to some trash food/day?
It takes so long to get back to keto. But I cant stand not having some cheat meal when I am feeling like this. @Sunny_Bunny_
Because I approached my dietary changes like an addict, I have not ever had any cheats. I have worked to cultivate a way of thinking about foods that I know are harmful for me that has helped me to not even want them anymore. I basically just don't even see them as food anymore. I see them as a drug that I was addicted to or like a poison that will harm me. This has helped me to not even desire any of it anymore. I don't want to binge on a box of candy (like I used to) anymore than I want to eat dog food. It's just not food for me.
Any times I have been plagued with cravings, I realized my use of artificial sweeteners and/or Keto deserts was higher than usual. Sweet tasting food, even if sugar free, makes me just want more of it. It never helped me to have some.
When I do get a little desire for something sweet these days, it's not insatiable. I want something, but I could also just go without and it would pass soon enough. When I do choose to indulge, I seem to be able to have 85% or higher dark chocolate or coconut flakes or I have also made coffee and added cocoa powder and coconut almond milk for a kind of mocha.... As long as I don't make it a routine that becomes a habit where every night after dinner I have something sweet like clockwork, I am able to control my "need" for that stuff.
I have never tried a cheat meal or day or even just a cheat snack because if sugar free foods can make me feel like eating the entire thing, I'm not going to risk a real insulin reaction.
Some people can do it without the lingering cravings. I don't believe I could. It really shouldn't be that hard to get back into ketosis. If carbs are low enough, ketosis happens. You couldn't prevent it if you tried. Quicker way back would be to do vigorous exercise and burn through the glucose. So the real potential harm in trying a cheat isn't being out of ketosis temporarily, it's the cheat causing you to have trouble recommitting.0 -
How long have you been LCHF? Also, what are your macros? What are your goals/ and weight, height? @Sunny_Bunny_0
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Even though your diary isn't recording sugars, there are a lot of things in your diary that I am sure have AS. For example, start by removing the following: Chocolate Mug Cake, Atkins Caramel bars, Protein shake (Banana Flavored), low carb PB, Caesar dressing. I would start with removing those items and replacing them with real food. Meats, fish, veggies, berries.
Swap the brie out for a hard cheese. Swap out the tomato, for broccoli, spinach, cauliflower.
Try to wean yourself of sweets. I removed artificial sugars and noticed a significant improvement in my hunger/satiety and improved weight loss. Also rather than a burger from McDs or Burger King, buy real ground beef and cook up a bunch of burgers, freeze them so you can grab one, then microwave it for quick eats.
Swap those things out for a week. I think you will see a difference. Good luck.0 -
The lack of energy can be from a lack of sodium too! I was LCHF for months before I finally gave in and increased the sodium to a daily 4000mg of sodium everyday. I've felt better ever since. If I slack off for a day I will pay for it! Your success has been amazing so far! I hope you can find what helps you feel better, but I can guarantee that carbs aren't the answer! They will make you feel better for a bit, then you're back on the sugar/insulin rollercoaster that leads to increased cravings for more. I am one who hasn't had a high carb cheat anything (except last week while in Jamaica on vacation) since beginning almost a year ago. I don't even see them as food options anymore, just like @Sunny_Bunny_ does! Good luck!0
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How long have you been LCHF? Also, what are your macros? What are your goals/ and weight, height? @Sunny_Bunny_
I have been Keto for 11 months. I aim for 20g total carbs (I don't do net), some days I have 5g, some days I have 25g, but my average is about 15...
Average fat is about 95g and protein around 60g.
There is variation within 10g on everything from day to day. I just stopped logging food this week though in preparation for the April challenge.
I started in May at 165lbs, I'm 5'4" and my current trend weight is about 136. My goal weight is 126, but at this point, I'm really just wanting the rest of my belly and inner thigh fat to hit the road. Don't care what the scale says. If those get better and the scale stays or even goes up, I don't care.0 -
Wooowwww @Sunny_Bunny_ you have had major AchievementS! Thats so awesome! Do you exercise?0
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@slimzandra thank u so much for your answer! You know, you are right, I should stop trying the work around foods, however, I have been having such a hard time cooking the foods for keto, because all of them seem to me to be filled with carbs and hidden stuff. Those recipes I got from keto website (the mug cake keto), the Pb I use is just for my shake after riding my bike to work as I don't eat anything prior to it. It says on the label zero sugar, and trust me it tastes terrible by itself.. Definetely I've been lacking good real food as said I am lost on the cooking side... Any tips?
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@Karlottap, thank you. I know I've made a lot of progress, but the problem is I'm not doing any right now, I just seem tired, stressed and hopeless. For instance, I am having a bunch of friends over for easter lunch (I'm living in Brazil now,therefore the "lunch") and I'm cooking things I won't eat, but here we have the giant chocolate easter eggs, which everyone gives to everyone, plus they will be bringing lots of drinks... If I drink I will probably trow down the drain all the effort I have been putting the last few weeks since I got back into keto, but since I NEvEr drink, I feel like a miserable life not being able to have some fun every now and then with them you know? I don't even go out anymore in order to not have drinks or bad food... But NEver seems so much...0
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I am horribly inconsistent with exercise. I start something and quit within a few weeks at best. But I've done that off and on since May. My most consistent effort was walking. But, even while doing that, I was only averaging 6000 steps a day on my tracker. I'm back to that average right now just by making an effort to sit less often when I'm not busy.
Ive never found a form of exercise that I actually look forward to for very long. I enjoyed my morning walks pretty well until it started to get chilly.
I don't use any of those sites for recipes and I honestly think they just make things more complicated.
I simply choose a meat, cook some veggies in butter or other good fat and that's about it.
I might have a salad with pepperoni and cheese in it, or ham or whatever. I like olives in them too.
Today, I'm working and didn't bring my usual avocado, cheese and pepperoni for lunch, so I got a salad at subway. Mostly spinach with Tina salad, black olives, a little olive oil and provolone cheese.
I also like to make crestless pizza. You just put cheese on parchment, top with garlic powder or Italian seasoning and whatever meat or veggies you want and broil it til the cheese is golden on top and usually brown on the edges.
When it cools a bit you can just tear off pieces to eat. You can also drop a little pizza sauce on it before cooking. Or dip it in sauce. Or just skip it and save the carbs.0
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