Breakthrough!
Retrofit55
Posts: 68 Member
So excited here -- I've been doing keto for exactly two months now and this morning woke up to find the needle on the scales had finally moved...I lost 5# "overnight." (!) I am pleased beyond measure! I think I am dealing with a pretty fierce insulin resistance and that the addition of frequent (though not daily) 16:8 intermittent fasting is what finally kick-started the weight loss. Limiting the feeding window to 8 hours makes it a whole lot easier to keep my macros in line and the calorie count reasonable. And with the consistently increased water intake throughout this time, I doubt the 5# I just said goodbye to was only water loss. Plus, I've lost an inch in my waist, which makes me think I can trust the weight loss I saw on the scales today. Thanks to all of you who shared your stories and tips in this forum. You've certainly made it easier for me to remain constant with this new WOE and bide my time for the results of all of this vastly improved nutrition to be reflected on the scales. Joy!
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The scale is complicated. It is wise I think to track inches as well for those days when the scale is not giving good feedback.3
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That's super news! I lose weight verrrry slowly with many upticks from the scale along the way & it takes so much patience to try to be ok with it. But like you, I feel so much better anyway so I'm Keto for life. But still, nice to see that number move down
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That's so awesome!! Keep up the great work!2
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Great patience! Not everyone is willing to wait it out.
Congrats on that inch lost! 1 -
The scale is complicated. It is wise I think to track inches as well for those days when the scale is not giving good feedback.
Yes, 2t9nty, with a powerful drive to DENY the damage I've done to this body with decades of (in all senses of the word) SAD nutritional mis-management, I had to force myself to take my measurements but am certainly glad I did. Now to muster up the courage for full body "before" shots! (*cringe*)2 -
Retrofit55 wrote: »So excited here -- I've been doing keto for exactly two months now and this morning woke up to find the needle on the scales had finally moved...I lost 5# "overnight." (!) I am pleased beyond measure! I think I am dealing with a pretty fierce insulin resistance and that the addition of frequent (though not daily) 16:8 intermittent fasting is what finally kick-started the weight loss. Limiting the feeding window to 8 hours makes it a whole lot easier to keep my macros in line and the calorie count reasonable. And with the consistently increased water intake throughout this time, I doubt the 5# I just said goodbye to was only water loss. Plus, I've lost an inch in my waist, which makes me think I can trust the weight loss I saw on the scales today. Thanks to all of you who shared your stories and tips in this forum. You've certainly made it easier for me to remain constant with this new WOE and bide my time for the results of all of this vastly improved nutrition to be reflected on the scales. Joy!
Congrats on your loss!
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In all honesty, Folks, after two months of seeing the number on the scales solidly locked in place, there was a part of me that feared yesterday's abrupt 5# weight loss was just a fluke. But this morning I was surprised and delighted to see another 3 pounds gone, for a total of 8! It's exactly what I've been working for (while envying the stories of rapid weight loss so many others have reported with keto & intermittent fasting), but now that it's here, it seems a little surreal. But, oh yeah, I worked hard for it and you can bet I'll claim it!! Yay!!18
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I'm very excited you are finally getting scale results!!
I took my own cringe-y before pics because I really appreciated everyone who took & posted theirs. It was liberating to see the before pics that reminded me of my own overweight body, so rare to see, right? Somehow it eased my embarrassment to see all those overweight bodies & I felt so much compassion for myself & others. We are all just humans trying our best.8 -
This is great!!Retrofit55 wrote: »In all honesty, Folks, after two months of seeing the number on the scales solidly locked in place, there was a part of me that feared yesterday's abrupt 5# weight loss was just a fluke. But this morning I was surprised and delighted to see another 3 pounds gone, for a total of 8! It's exactly what I've been working for (while envying the stories of rapid weight loss so many others have reported with keto & intermittent fasting), but now that it's here, it seems a little surreal. But, oh yeah, I worked hard for it and you can bet I'll claim it!! Yay!!
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This post is so encouraging - thank you and congratulations!!3
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Retrofit55 wrote: »In all honesty, Folks, after two months of seeing the number on the scales solidly locked in place, there was a part of me that feared yesterday's abrupt 5# weight loss was just a fluke. But this morning I was surprised and delighted to see another 3 pounds gone, for a total of 8! It's exactly what I've been working for (while envying the stories of rapid weight loss so many others have reported with keto & intermittent fasting), but now that it's here, it seems a little surreal. But, oh yeah, I worked hard for it and you can bet I'll claim it!! Yay!!
Kudos! You have a couple valuable qualities: 1) persistence 2) patience. Takes both to lose weight and improve health.7 -
Retrofit55 wrote: »In all honesty, Folks, after two months of seeing the number on the scales solidly locked in place, there was a part of me that feared yesterday's abrupt 5# weight loss was just a fluke. But this morning I was surprised and delighted to see another 3 pounds gone, for a total of 8! It's exactly what I've been working for (while envying the stories of rapid weight loss so many others have reported with keto & intermittent fasting), but now that it's here, it seems a little surreal. But, oh yeah, I worked hard for it and you can bet I'll claim it!! Yay!!
Congrats! It's nice when the scale decides to play our game 4 -
I keep rereading this thread as I struggle with a frustrating stall that's not actually long enough to be considered a stall but just long enough to drive me nuts lol (11 days). I'm picturing my body rearranging its furniture & eventually it will decide to have a yard sale & let things go
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LizinLowell wrote: »I'm picturing my body rearranging its furniture & eventually it will decide to have a yard sale & let things go
I will remember this one. LOVE IT!!!
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@Momma_Raucks Ha! I really hope it helps, I need to tell myself something so I don't lose my mind while I'm waiting for weight to drop off.1
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LizinLowell wrote: »I keep rereading this thread as I struggle with a frustrating stall that's not actually long enough to be considered a stall but just long enough to drive me nuts lol (11 days). I'm picturing my body rearranging its furniture & eventually it will decide to have a yard sale & let things go
Haha!, LizinLowell!
You know, I've been wondering if troubling mid-keto stalls, whether brief or extended, are due, at least in part, to insulin resistance (IR). Perhaps our bodies actually "conquer" IR in stages. First, during the initial breakthrough sometime after we first begin eating sanely on keto, then later, when (in the presence of a constant nutritional keto intake) some unknown variable in our personal physiology newly encounters a (perhaps natural/normal) change in biochemistry resulting from the nutritional HEALING process (that takes away and mends again), ultimately triggering the body to "raise the defense" of insulin resistance, because it makes sense to our body at the time. Then, since continued keto can resolve the stall, and since the body continues to get the nutrients it needs with keto, perhaps the body eventually learns (again) that it needs no defense against the new biochemical parameters, that it can thrive with them. So it reduces/adjusts the insulin (or other component?) accordingly and fat loss resumes.
Alternatively, considering the amount of sheer destruction that must be involved in continuous fat loss -- the body losing a part of itself (and fast) and trying to sort out all of that dismantled material (do triage) while identifying and getting rid of various types of LOTS of waste generated during the extended fat loss process -- it could be that the body eventually depletes itself of some factor(s) essential to the fat burning process and uses the stall, actually CREATES the stall, so it can shift gears entirely and be free to devote itself to restoring those depleted factors (conveniently ignoring our own priority of immediate fat loss). In this case, the stall would be as important and useful as the active fat burning process itself.
Well, it's just some thoughts, as I try to prepare myself for the inevitable stalls in my future keto journey.
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I just think of it as time to heal. Helps me put up with a lot when it comes to my body.
IR does seem to take its time healing. Healing involves a lot of adjustments. The important thing is that eventually and we start to lose again.5 -
@Retrofit55 Thanks so much for sharing your interesting thoughts! It makes sense, as @retirehappy says as well, that the body is healing and gearing up to lose again. I can read over and over again how weight loss isn't linear but these stalls fray my nerves as I wonder endlessly if I'm doing something wrong. I'm keto for life so there's no going back for me, I just don't want to screw up the details and sabotage my progress if I'm getting the science slightly wrong. I'm going to keep on keeping on and wait it out. It's so helpful to have these forums to come to in these moments. I figure if I gripe enough about a stall on the message boards my scale will move down just to spite me LOL5
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@baconslave - there are some amazing way of looking at stalls, putting them in perspective here, and I think there is pretty much "something for everyone" in the various messages. Please add to the sticky post when you can. Thanks!4
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »@baconslave - there are some amazing way of looking at stalls, putting them in perspective here, and I think there is pretty much "something for everyone" in the various messages. Please add to the sticky post when you can. Thanks!
Um, what's a sticky post?0 -
Those are the permanent posts at the top of the forum, the resource library of this group, if you will.1
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@Retrofit55
We have two great one now... They are just the main threads at the top of the group when you get into the forum here. These two are the ones everyone should read...as relates to them. The first one is kind of a subject index type thing, and the second one listed here is the "encyclopedia" on low carbing basics!
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10423197/open-threads-member-threads-on-low-carb-topics#latest
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest0 -
retirehappy wrote: »I just think of it as time to heal. Helps me put up with a lot when it comes to my body.
IR does seem to take its time healing. Healing involves a lot of adjustments. The important thing is that eventually and we start to lose again.
I figure it took a long time for IR to develop and build in my body so it will take it a long time to heal or reverse itself.
I check my fbs each morning and track that rather than my weight. In fact, after several discussions with my counselor, I donated my scale to a charity. Believe me, that was HARD to do, but it has really freed me. I track my macros and have watched my fbs come down to normal ranges in the a.m. I wasn't diabetic (officially) but unofficially I was. IR and keto kept that horrible dx off my medical chart.
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retirehappy wrote: »I just think of it as time to heal. Helps me put up with a lot when it comes to my body.
IR does seem to take its time healing. Healing involves a lot of adjustments. The important thing is that eventually and we start to lose again.
I figure it took a long time for IR to develop and build in my body so it will take it a long time to heal or reverse itself.
I check my fbs each morning and track that rather than my weight. In fact, after several discussions with my counselor, I donated my scale to a charity. Believe me, that was HARD to do, but it has really freed me. I track my macros and have watched my fbs come down to normal ranges in the a.m. I wasn't diabetic (officially) but unofficially I was. IR and keto kept that horrible dx off my medical chart.
You officially had IR instead of diabetes?
(I know, don't look gift horses in the, uh... hmm... )0 -
LizinLowell wrote: »I keep rereading this thread as I struggle with a frustrating stall that's not actually long enough to be considered a stall but just long enough to drive me nuts lol (11 days). I'm picturing my body rearranging its furniture & eventually it will decide to have a yard sale & let things go
Hahaha!
"Downsizing - Old chest & drawers, free to good home."0 -
@Retrofit55 Really well done for sticking it out that long to achieve these results! Im stuck 9 days into a plateau and its a nightmare, large calorie deficit, macros exactly perfect every day, loads of water etc etc no reason not to be loosing but nothing scale just stuck! Suppose its just the way it is for some of us. . . Your story has given me some needed encouragement to carry on forward so thanks and well done again 3
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You are a Wonder Woman!I figure it took a long time for IR to develop and build in my body so it will take it a long time to heal or reverse itself.
I check my fbs each morning and track that rather than my weight. In fact, after several discussions with my counselor, I donated my scale to a charity. Believe me, that was HARD to do, but it has really freed me. I track my macros and have watched my fbs come down to normal ranges in the a.m. I wasn't diabetic (officially) but unofficially I was. IR and keto kept that horrible dx off my medical chart.
Personally, I need the scales' feedback, I know it lies all the darned time, but it does keep me from straying too far from my path. I'd love to say I could toss mine, but that isn't going to happen anytime soon. One of the Fasting Talk podcasts mentions one of the clients at IDM tossed hers in the trash went out, stepped on it again, then took it and placed it in her driveway and ran over it.0 -
LizinLowell wrote: »Those are the permanent posts at the top of the forum, the resource library of this group, if you will.
Thanks!0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »@Retrofit55
We have two great one now... They are just the main threads at the top of the group when you get into the forum here. These two are the ones everyone should read...as relates to them. The first one is kind of a subject index type thing, and the second one listed here is the "encyclopedia" on low carbing basics!
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10423197/open-threads-member-threads-on-low-carb-topics#latest
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest
Thanks, will check them out!0 -
retirehappy wrote: »I just think of it as time to heal. Helps me put up with a lot when it comes to my body.
IR does seem to take its time healing. Healing involves a lot of adjustments. The important thing is that eventually and we start to lose again.
I figure it took a long time for IR to develop and build in my body so it will take it a long time to heal or reverse itself.
I check my fbs each morning and track that rather than my weight. In fact, after several discussions with my counselor, I donated my scale to a charity. Believe me, that was HARD to do, but it has really freed me. I track my macros and have watched my fbs come down to normal ranges in the a.m. I wasn't diabetic (officially) but unofficially I was. IR and keto kept that horrible dx off my medical chart.
The scale can be such a fickle thing. Did you find it easier to more finely tune your WOE using fbs's instead of the scale as your guide...? For me, for now, I want the delight of seeing those hateful inflated numbers on the scales disappear one by one. But, it's nice to think that someday I might be free enough from the tyranny of the scale to give the dang thing away as you did! How daring! I know it took courage!0
