Plateau or stall
FANCY1977
Posts: 31 Member
I have been keto since January 1st, down almost 20 lbs have another 40 to go before June ( that’s my goal) but my loss has slowed, I have started to track again because I am getting discouraged 
. I work out 30 minutes per day. Any suggestions ? Any or all comments are welcome 🤨
. I work out 30 minutes per day. Any suggestions ? Any or all comments are welcome 🤨 1
Replies
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Fat loss can happen even when scale weight loss doesn’t.
If you are staying on plan and not eating when you’re not hungry, just stay the course.
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When you say "started to track again", I think that's the key. I don't lose any weight (keto or not) if I don't track what I'm doing - calories and macros.
In addition, most of us women find that our weight loss isn't linear in keto. I know that I stall for 2 weeks around my period and then drop after that.4 -
Jan 1 to now is about 10 weeks.
20 pounds in 10 weeks is an average of 2 pounds per week, which is a very good (and arguably a bit fast) rate.
You're doing fine. Just keep going. Weight loss isn't linear.4 -
1) If you have lost 20 lbs it may be time to recheck your macro and calories and make sure you do not need to adjust for your "now" weight.
2) Say this 20 times "Track everything I eat, no excuses! "
3) Take measurements and have a box of your skinny clothes and try them every week. My measurements have gone down and I'm wearing my skinny clothes but the scale is moving slowly. You will be wearing smaller clothes in June not your weight on your forehead so switch your thinking to the measurements and how your clothes fit.
4) Trust the process and keep going. Get up do keto, repeat. Or as Dory says "Just keep swimming!"
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Also an odd thing that happened to me about a month or two in. I actually had to start eating more calories. I bumped my daily limit up a hundred calories just to see what would happen and "boom" I started losing again. So you can definitely adjust things to your fit you personally.2
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I agree with swezeytba, try upping your calories for a couple days.
Failing that, try fasting! I find if bumping up calories, almost to "cheating" levels doesn't work, then a 2 day fast is my next go to. (or if 2 days sounds just too long, try 1 and see what happens, just don't "binge" after your fast!!). I also try to fit in a nice lengthy walk or more vigorous exercise those days, with stretching before bed.
You can also try 16:8 Intermittent Fasting (essentially just skip breakfast!) and see how that works for you.
If you are eating nuts, peanut butter, or anything with sugar alcohols in it, that can also sometimes slow down the loss. PB is my weakness, I try to not use it unless I am just scavenging through the cupboards like a starving rat so as not to give in to far worse temptations.
As a side note, there are sometimes just "times of the month", that vary for us ladies. I usually have at least a solid 2-2.5 weeks where I just don't lose. Sometimes I even gain as much as 8 pounds! I find that I can lessen that time frame and lower the effects if I keep up on my salt intake and drink water like a fish.
So I usually don't start pulling the extra cal's or major fasting out of my bag of tricks until I have gone a SOLID 3 weeks with no budge in the scale.
FWIW, I also slowed way down after the first 15-20 pounds. Just keep with it and don't get discouraged. It will stall and jump forward just like all weight loss does as your body adjusts.2 -
I am wondering if I am eating too many carbs. Example today I ate 34 total carbs (16 net I think). Is this a problem ?0
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You indicated that you workout 30 minutes a day. You could easily be replacing fat mass with lean mass. This is where the home scale is not a good guide. If you lose a pound of fat and gain a pound of lean mass that is a big 0 on the scale but it cannot hide in clothing that magically starts fitting regardless of what the scale says. 16 net carbs are perfect keto carbs.0
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Ok thanks everyone. I am not quitting. 3
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Periodically, and especially after you've just lost a bunch of weight, your body will pause. It's job is to maintain homeostasis. It doesn't want things to change. When the scale slows, start watching your measurements, too. Often when nothing is happening on the scale, our measurements are changing. So check those and clothes fit.
Your carbs are fine.
Another subject nobody likes to talk about is self-sabotage. It's not intentional, but sometimes after doing a diet for a long time, we fatigue on our vigilance.We get tired of it. We don't measure as accurately as we used to. Calorie creep and carb creep happen as a result. We have a cheat meal. We let BLT (bites, licks, and tastes) creep in. We eyeball things a little too often. And we think, "Hey! I'm still doing everything right! What's going on here?" But are we really? Sometimes we need to reevaluate bad habits. This may or may not be you, OP.
And exercise makes me have a more robust appetite. I think I'm not the only one who experiences this. So if you're just going off hunger and not tracking, that can cause calorie creep. I personally can pack away a lot of food before I feel full, which is usually too much.
I lost fabulously just counting carbs for 3 months. Then I stopped losing at all. I had to come here to MFP to start counting calories, too. I really loved keto food. A little too much.
So counting calories was essential. I went on to lose the rest. The last 20lb were a slow, nightmare, but I finally did it in Dec 2015. Maintenance was a learning curve too. It's hard learning your "lazy limit" with tracking (as in "how much half-stepping can I get away with" 
). I think I've found the sweet spot, but strict calorie tracking is involved 5 days a week. As long as I enjoy eating, then this will be the case. My satiety cues are untrustworthy.
HTH.9 -
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I lost nothing for about a month, then dropped 3 lbs in the last week...the scale is a witch with a capital B, it is capricious and evil...measurements and photos are my saving grace!!!3
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good to know! Thanks!
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