Can anyone help
bibbob300
Posts: 48 Member
Hi,
I hope someone can shed some insight into what's going on.
I have happily maintained over the last 3 years on keto now, I luckily go on holiday every couple of months, I do eat some carbs so I don't get a bad keto hangover but once back home the weight has always dropped off again within a week or so.
But since last July when I've returned from holiday, I drop a couple of pounds but the rest isn't going back off, although my inches seem to back to my " normal "
So I maintained at 7st 4/6
Came back from holiday and couldn't get lower than 7st 9
Next holiday 7st 12
So every holiday it's slowly creeping up, I've even gone back through my diary to see if I've changed anything but nothing stands out although I am really trying to hit my protein as I wasn't doing that as much as I should.
For info I'm 5'1, female and 48
Any advice would be welcome
Only thing different is I've been put on calcium tablets for ostepenia as I've had an early menopause.
I hope someone can shed some insight into what's going on.
I have happily maintained over the last 3 years on keto now, I luckily go on holiday every couple of months, I do eat some carbs so I don't get a bad keto hangover but once back home the weight has always dropped off again within a week or so.
But since last July when I've returned from holiday, I drop a couple of pounds but the rest isn't going back off, although my inches seem to back to my " normal "
So I maintained at 7st 4/6
Came back from holiday and couldn't get lower than 7st 9
Next holiday 7st 12
So every holiday it's slowly creeping up, I've even gone back through my diary to see if I've changed anything but nothing stands out although I am really trying to hit my protein as I wasn't doing that as much as I should.
For info I'm 5'1, female and 48
Any advice would be welcome
Only thing different is I've been put on calcium tablets for ostepenia as I've had an early menopause.
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Replies
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Are you tracking calories too or just carbs?0
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Calories at around 1000 and carbs under 20 0
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Sorry just to be clear, cals approx 1115, carbs 20g or less protein 80-90g and fats 50-60g.
I try and stay around these levels but have upped cals dropped them down, and IF 16:8 but nothing shifts the scale.0 -
It sounds like the change is that you're trying to hit that protein number. I've read that a good portion (I don't know the percent off the top of my head) of protein is metabolized into glucose when digested. Maybe the extra protein is too much?
I've been on Keto for two weeks and I can't get anywhere near the recommended protein grams - it's just too much food. I recently read in the 30 day Keto Cleanse that should be okay (I'm hitting around 50 g/day). I'm not fanatical about my macros and I eat when I'm hungry and try not to go over them for the most part, though sometimes I go over the allotted fat grams.
If anyone's read anything about if it's problematic if you don't eat the full amount of recommended protein, I'd love to check it out.3 -
I'll pose the same question as @2t9nty: are you tracking calories too or just carbs?
My year of weight loss and 4 years of maintenance have been in the low carb arena of low carb for weight loss, keto as a trial in maintenance and now carbs of ~50 or less most of the time with a few higher carb flex days thrown in here and there (probably like you do on vacations but less frequent).
When I've been hovering around the top end of my range for too long, I have to do what I did to lose weight: reduce my calories a bit and get more active to burn more.
I hate to be Miss CICO but suggest closer attention to how much you're eating on vacation so you don't gain or more/longer attention to a calorie reduction/exercise increase when you get home. Too much of any macro over an extended period of time causes me to gain weight.
I suppose at your age there could be a hormonal shift coming into play but if that's the case, it is what it is and it's not going away until you reach the joy of being old like me. What worked for you before in maintenance is not working now.
We're you over weight before and what did you do to lose the excess regardless of how much or little you had to lose?0 -
Hi @kpk54 yes in answer to your first question I do track all macros and calorie count as being a shortie calories matter a lot.
I'm usually around 9-15g carbs per day so definitely keto rather than low carb as I'm a bottomless pit unless I stay keto, so maybe the holiday splurge is actually putting weight back on rather than just " water weight" it's just that until 9 months ago it worked fine, I'd just drop the weight like magic.
Not sure if it's hormones as I had early menopause 10 yes ago so probably just old age lol !!
I've never actually ate at "maintenance" as I eat at a deficit then go on holiday gain a few pounds, it drops off then I seem to stay around the 7st4/5 then go away again, gain and then it dropped off again. It sounds a crazy way to do it but it worked until now...
And re your last question, I'd been overweight by around 4-5 stone all my life and finding keto was a light bulb moment as I just always thought I was just plain greedy until I realised it was a carb filled diet that caused the cravings. So my weight loss has been all done by the keto woe.
Funnily enough I now weigh less than I did at age 8!! Which is such a buzz to be finally be able to wear tiny clothes and that's why I'm worried about the weight creep as I don't want to be adding a few pounds every time I come back from holiday.
It's a really bad winter in the UK at the moment so once the weather improves I shall try doing a bit of exercise, thanks ever so much for your input 1 -
I went out of ketosis on protein levels that high. I won't go there again because it was a major pain for me to get my body back to its happy keto ways. Some folks can handle more protein. I can't. That might be something for you to look at.
You mentioned early menopause though........have you had a 'real' series of tests done on your thyroid since then? Dr. Bernstein (The Diabetes Solution book) says that when a patient of his has been doing LCHF for quite a while doing fine and then they start to see problems it is almost always a thyroid issue.
You'll get it figured out.
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Hi, @RAC57 thanks, funny you should mention the thyroid issue, had some general blood tests and thyroid came back borderline, doc said I'd need another test, which is due this month so yes I never thought of that it could be a factor
I'll have a read of Dr Bernstein, thanks once again
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Definitely hit your protein. Especially if you are apparently taking calcium I assume for bone density???
It could simply be that you are gaining bone density. I don’t know how many pounds what you are saying equates to.. could improved bone density make sense?
Are you the same size as before?1 -
Hiya Sunny_Bunny, yes the calcuims for bone density, I went up another 2lbs today !
I have tried googling if you weigh more when bone gets dense but can't find much about it but yes my measurements are the same I just hate weighing more
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Congrats on the improved bone density, if that is what it is! Most women end up losing bone as they age, so you may just be fine. Take a holiday from that pesky scale?0
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Have you considered adding some intermittent fasting into the mix. I have been stuck at a weight for some time and this is the only thing that is budging it for me.
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Thanks Camtosh, let's hope it's bone density.
rjan91, I already do IF as only having 1100 cals to work with a day I like to store them up for 2 decent sized meals a day
it did used to help but nothing is working at the moment. 1 -
I understand how that can feel, but don't look at the scale, look at the measurements. If you are the same size - who cares if the number says 100 lbs or 150 lbs. If you are taking calcium, make sure you are getting your D & K or it won't be going into bone density....1
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Thanks @canadjineh I know your right about the measurements, I guess I've got into a cycle of losing as much as possible before my holidays so I can put some back on ( weird way of maintaining I know lol) it just gets me that it's not working that way anymore
But yes my calcium tablets contain vitamin D as they're on prescription 1 -
Thanks @canadjineh I know your right about the measurements, I guess I've got into a cycle of losing as much as possible before my holidays so I can put some back on ( weird way of maintaining I know lol) it just gets me that it's not working that way anymore
But yes my calcium tablets contain vitamin D as they're on prescription
@bibbob300 The necessity of K2, M7 form is just now becoming accepted in mainstream medicine, so it is not in prescriptions yet. The D3 is necessary to help absorb the Calcium, but the K2 (M7 form) is REQUIRED to mobilize that calcium to get out of the arteries and into the bones and muscles where it belongs. Sufficient magnesium and potassium are kind of like the GPS to get there, and Zinc and Boron keep these essential minerals and vitamins IN the bones and muscles once they are there. Vitamin A is taken 12 hours after vitamin D3 to prevent toxicity (and do many other things)...
The entire SYSTEM is required...without the K2, that essential calcium will just sit around, wherever it lands, often cluttering up the veins and arteries...
Here is one of many excellent resources on the importantance of K2. https://chrismasterjohnphd.com/2016/12/09/the-ultimate-vitamin-k2-resource/
Good luck on continuing to strengthen those bones!0 -
Thanks @KnitOrMiss, I will have a read, I've got a doc appt next week so I'll discuss with him then, I don't need it all swilling about in my arteries they were clogged in my legs due to them being ultra narrow!!1
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It could be possible that you are consuming too much protein and not enough fat. People don’t really need as much protein as what was believed to be the recommended value. Over consumption of protein also spikes insulin, not just carbs.
If you are already on low carbs(in ketosis), I suggest you can also try adding a one day water fast per week and see if it helps with the weight loss. If you body measurements are good, don’t worry too much about the scale, you could be gaining lean body mass which is a good thing, otherwise, give water fast a try. Hope it helps.2 -
Thanks @KnitOrMiss, I will have a read, I've got a doc appt next week so I'll discuss with him then, I don't need it all swilling about in my arteries they were clogged in my legs due to them being ultra narrow!!
@bibbob300
Definitely worth the conversation... Just keep in mind that it's fairly new to functional medicine, and conventional doctors don't like buying in to new things right off, so it may be more of an education, discussion, and follow up conversation...
EDITED TO ADD: If you have the option to email your doctor, it might be worth doing that now, before your appointment, to give him time to read and research himself before then!0 -
Hi @KnitOrMiss unfortunately my surgery just randomly allocates you a doctor on the day so it's pot luck but I'm going armed with info, although the bit I've read about this afternoon is that Vitamin K2 is not good for people who need to keep their blood thin, I have to take an aspirin every day because of my arterial blockages.
But I'll have the conversation
@kevinmacpa I'll certainly consider a full day water fast if things don't move soon, I'm a bit loathe to lower my protein as I'm only having 80g at the most, if I increase fat I gain ( been there done that lol ) and for me protein keeps me fuller than fat 1
