Please just let me get out of the 200s!

Scochrane86
Scochrane86 Posts: 374 Member
edited November 16 in Social Groups
I have been hovering around 203-204 since Feb 1st and I am losing my mind! I cannot budge - like my body does not want to get to 199. I made it as low as 201 but that was almost a cruel joke and my body took it back instantly.
I know, just keep moving forward.... but something is in my way and I need to get past it. I have tried IF, longer fasting, increasing protein, increasing water, any other ideas?

Replies

  • KetoKris
    KetoKris Posts: 78 Member
    I had a wicked Plato a few weeks ago and I believe it's because I was limiting my carbs too much. I added about 15 more carbs a day and within two days I had lost another four pounds. I think sometimes our bodies go into starvation mode and start storing rather than shedding the weight.
  • ginamisa
    ginamisa Posts: 20 Member
    Totally understand I've been kinda stuck too... well just broke it myself... this week... but it's bouncing between 198 to 199.9 .... I did find that when I increased my fat intake and did only 7% carbs that was the day I went under 200.... I tend to try to hit 10% carbs 60% Fat 30% Protein.... Right now I'm trying a rite aid probiotic to see if that will help.
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
    Your ticker shows you've lost 74 pounds. Kudos on that for sure! How did you do it? Any chance it might work again since what you are currently doing isn't working?
  • Violet_Flux
    Violet_Flux Posts: 481 Member
    I know what it's like. I spent almost the entire month of January just above 300. Like I hit that and instead of going below, I bounced off and went up a bit. Super frustrating.

    But, what you've been doing so far has obviously been working for you, you've already lost a lot of weight. Sometimes I think our bodies just sort of pause and recalibrate or something. Keep doing what you've done to get this far, and things should pick up again once your body is ready for it.

    Alternatively, re-examine what you're eating, and make sure you haven't had any carbs or excess calories slip in.

    Good luck, and don't get discouraged.
  • RedSquadronLeader
    RedSquadronLeader Posts: 84 Member
    When I find I hit a plateau, I actually up my carbs a little for a day or two - nothing crazy, I'm usually in the 30-50g range, and I'll go to maybe 80 g. I'll gain a little with water, but when I drop my carbs again I lose the water and some extra.

    I've seen other anecdotal evidence for this effect, but I'm not sure what the mechanism responsible might be. Might be sort of the opposite of adaptation to fat metabolism: after a long time of low carb, glucose metabolism becomes less efficient because hormones and enzymes and things, and so you take a little extra energy to digest the change. But I'm just guessing, haven't seen any research into this.
  • Mandamanda93
    Mandamanda93 Posts: 213 Member
    My mom had this issue, said "Forget it," went to a Chinese buffet with a friend, stepped on the scale the next morning to see the damage- and had lost 4 pounds.
    Sometimes shocking your body a bit can be a great help ;) Good luck! I hope you get below 200 soon, you can do it!
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    Some great sanity from Amy Berger regarding fasting of all types.
    It makes a lot of good points. Especially this one in my opinion, regarding the way we women typically approach eating for weight loss in general. And how when trying 'IF', we don't do enough of the feasting to balance out our famine.
    "They’ll fast and do a hard workout, and then “refuel” with three ounces of skinless chicken breast, a slice of avocado, and four cherry tomatoes. For all intents and purposes, they are already fasting. Compared to the demands they are placing on their bodies, they are already not eating anywhere near enough food. If we’re wired for feast and famine, then we’re wired for feast and famine, not famine and famine, or famine and eat a tiny bit of food, which, in the case of the women I’m talking about, are basically the same thing."

    http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2016/09/not-so-fast.html?m=1
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    Kris03451 wrote: »
    I had a wicked Plato a few weeks ago and I believe it's because I was limiting my carbs too much. I added about 15 more carbs a day and within two days I had lost another four pounds. I think sometimes our bodies go into starvation mode and start storing rather than shedding the weight.

    My dog Phaedo can get pretty nasty if I limit his carbs...
  • Scochrane86
    Scochrane86 Posts: 374 Member
    My question would be about how often you're eating. I know you've tried a lot of things, but how long did you consistently do the same thing before trying something else? Gotta give things time to work. Changing things up every few days might be too much. If for no other reason, maybe just the stress of being so focused on it day after day is a hinderance.
    I personally believe that we can be significantly slowed down by eating too often. We need to spend time in a fasted state and then go back to a fed state. When we are in the fed state, we really need to feed. Sometimes people try to eat such small amounts of food when it's time to eat. If you're doing fast/feast, you need the feast part. Otherwise it's just severe calorie restriction. Fill your belly up. Don't bother with lean meats. They will take up too much room without providing enough fat. Don't bother with fat bombs and faux keto foods. Eat good fatty meat as primary. Then if you want to have some veggies just make sure to load them with butter or coconut or olive oil. Make sure your olive oil is real if you're using that. Then don't eat again for 16-24 hours. No fat in coffee, no nibbles here or there. You don't want to enter the fed state again before it's time.
    Get plenty of salt for sure and water whenever you're thirsty.
    Then every few days, have a day when you eat more meals if you want. I tend to eat 2 meals on weekends and 1 during the week. Occasionally if I'm truly hungry, I respect that and have a second meal if I really feel like it's best. This honestly happens about once during the weekdays each week.
    Maybe this would help. Maybe not. But if you decide to give it a go. Stick with it for a solid month before trying to change anything else. And respect real hunger signals. If you're pretty sure they aren't boredom or a need for sodium, listen to them.

    I am strict keto and make sure everything is coated in butter or oil. I eat 2 meals a day, sometimes more like 1 meal and 1 small snack. I was starting my morning with a coffee with HWC but thought that was what was hurting things and technically I wasn't fasting for that time. So I cut out the morning coffee and did a 18/6 schedule. Usually let things ride out for 2 weeks before changing it up.

    I don't like the idea of increasing my carbs because I'm pretty strict on keto, but might have to give it a try and see what happens
  • Scochrane86
    Scochrane86 Posts: 374 Member
    Maybe I'm not getting enough food. Half of the week I don't make it past 1000 cal.
    I only eat when I'm hungry
  • blissfulbabe
    blissfulbabe Posts: 4 Member
    I was plateaued for 6 weeks (just bouncing around the same 5lbs), using macros for speedy weight loss (about 1300 calories). Last week I changed up my macros using this calculator: http://mariamindbodyhealth.com/keto-calculator/.

    Am now on 1750 cals pd, 25gm carbs, 98gm protein and 138gm fat - these are quite high but I weigh over 250lbs (down from 320 in March last year). I have dropped 10lbs in 10 days but, more importantly, I have loads more energy. I realised I have still been struggling with the high fat part of this way of eating, despite trying to follow a keto way of eating for nearly 12 months. What I've really been doing is low carb, not keto.

    So...after making a commitment to eat my fats I can already see the benefits in a very short space of time - maybe it's a case of more is less?
  • Lois_1989
    Lois_1989 Posts: 6,410 Member
    My mom had this issue, said "Forget it," went to a Chinese buffet with a friend, stepped on the scale the next morning to see the damage- and had lost 4 pounds.
    Sometimes shocking your body a bit can be a great help ;) Good luck! I hope you get below 200 soon, you can do it!

    I was going to say, I hit a 3 week plateau and last Friday I went for a drink with my DH, had 3 large glasses of wine, the next morning I dropped 2.5lbs. I took some of it with a pinch of salt, but it stayed down all week.
  • elize7
    elize7 Posts: 1,088 Member
    When i first got down to where you are, i had been gung ho amd steadily losing for months. I had a serious sabotage reaction about getting below 200. Up and down, so close then back up...went on for awhile.
    I guess what im saying is stick with it, do what you know works and once you do get into Onderland! the pressure and resistance might lessen up.
    Trust the process. I really think certain landmarks and numbers trigger the fears that cause our food issues.
    Steady as she goes, you ll get there.
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