LCRF & Ketosis help.

You need to eat more, carbs or no carbs or low carbs. <1200 is never recommended.

How much do you have to lose? 2lbs per week may be too aggressive a deficit for you.

Dr. Berg (i forget his 1st name but he is from Virginia) says that if you are fat burning than if you over exercise for your own body's state of health - fat burning shuts off until your body is healed from the stress of the exercise & there is a fine line where exercising doesn't help but hinder. He has videos on YouTube that explain quite a bit. Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt from DietDoctor.com also says no exercising for the first two weeks.

PS, there are a few keto boards on this site you may find helpful. Post keto stuff on the main board and you're inviting the anti-keto trolls.

If you know you are in a deficit and your calorie is accurate, then keep plugging away! Weight loss is not linear, it kind of bounces up and down. You are looking for a downward trend. You've got this!!

rhjsgal354 wrote: »

Lol, yes I've really gained. Approximately 30 in 3 yrs with no change in eating habits. I hate menopause. It's lasted over 2 yrs. I am on a estrogen patch for about 3 months and it's calmed the horrific hot flashes, thank God. The only trigger that I know of was a failed adoption three years ago, which cause a lot of depression and stress. We have a successful adoption and we are so happy now. I however, am still depressed a little, not sure of the cause. Thank you for the encouragement. I will stay the course. No bread, chocolate, flour.......etc. I am glad for all I have given up.

I meant in the last week. Super hard to tell with menopause!

Join this group as well, if you haven't.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/506-near-or-post-menopausal-group

How are you testing for ketosis? Is it with keto stix? Those just show if you are spilling ketones in your urine and not everyone does that at high levels. Blood and breath tests are more accurate, but more expensive.

I very rarely get above small ketones and am often in trace ketones. I only get moderate ketones if I fast for a day or two... and I don't do that often. It's been like that for close to a year now. Some of us just don't spill many ketones.

Sometimes my liver goes a bit overboard with gluconeogenesis in the mornings (dawn phenomenon). When that occurs, my keton readings are negative even if I had way below 20g of total carbs in a day.

You are in ketosis at the carb intake you have. The lower calories would push you in that direction too.

Next week will be lower. It is amost a sure thing at your caloric intake (which is pretty low). Just keep at it. You are losing just under 2lbs per week on average. That's really good so far!

LauraCoth wrote: »

OP, you mentioned that you're now taking estrogen. Estrogen HRT can make you gain weight. You might want to check your progesterone levels as well, as progesterone can shut off the estrogen receptors.

If she's menopausal, she's likely quite deficient in progesterone.

Have you had your thyroid function tested? Hypothyroidism can cause weight gain and depression.

rhjsgal354 wrote: »

Thyroid has always been good, although my mother and my two children have thyroid issues. My mother had hashimotos disease, my son over active and my daughter has under active. Just this last week I asked a different dr about my previous test and he said it did show a slight problem and should be followed up on. I don't understand how it would skip me. I also have markers for Lupus, another of my mothers 8 connective tissue diseases I thank you all so very much.

Be careful with doctors telling you that your thyroid (usually from a near-useless TSH-only test) is "fine or "normal. Accepted lab ranges for what is "normal" vary, but even worse, the ranges go up to TSH levels that are unacceptably high. For example, a TSH of 5.0 falls into the "normal" range, but most hypothyroid patients fel their best when TSH is between 0.5 and 1.5. Most doctors have no clue about this and simply rely on the lab test for guidance, ignoring the patient's symptoms -- some of which can be life-destroying.

The more important tests are Free T4 and Free T3, and anti-TPO.

If you do go in to discuss your lab results, get a copy. Always get a copy. And if you have concerns about what any doctor tells you (the all-in-your-head/anxiety/hysterical female diagnosis is common) find a reputable forum where thyroid issues are discussed.

rhjsgal354 wrote: »

Thank you so much for your help I appreciate all your answers. Realistically I would love to lose 40 to 50 pounds. I weighed 135 pounds in my picture I now weigh 192. In the last two years I have been struggling with peri-Menopause, menopause, all the mood swings, the stress and now I am on a patch it seems to be helping that, but the pound just keep adding on no matter what I do. I am 50 years old so time is not on my side. My husband and I adopted a infant son two years ago. I need to do this for him and myself.

Congratulations on the adoption of your little boy My brother was adopted and he was such a bright spot in our family. I'm Jennifer Panicacci, age 52, weigh 169. Also confused about keto questions.

Babies are a blessing!

rhjsgal354 wrote: »

Thank you so much for your help I appreciate all your answers. Realistically I would love to lose 40 to 50 pounds. I weighed 135 pounds in my picture I now weigh 192. In the last two years I have been struggling with peri-Menopause, menopause, all the mood swings, the stress and now I am on a patch it seems to be helping that, but the pound just keep adding on no matter what I do. I am 50 years old so time is not on my side. My husband and I adopted a infant son two years ago. I need to do this for him and myself.

You can do this. Friend me. My friends are very supportive.