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In a nutshell

erincatherinet47
erincatherinet47 Posts: 11 Member
in Social Groups
Ok, so I’ve been ‘doing’ keto and 16/8 intermittent fasting for about 16 days so far. I’ve listened to a couple podcasts and this is what I’m gathering: when you start on keto, you will lose some weight at the beginning (water weight - different amount of pounds for each individual. Mine was only about 4 lbs). After that, you will be excreting ketones (keto stix will be dark) for 6-12 weeks without much weight loss (correct??). Then you will become fat adapted because your body is using the ketones in ways that your cells will utilized fat for energy. My question is, I should NOT be losing much weight at this point, right —only 16 days in? Because I’m not! So just be patient for fat adaptation and the magic happens then?

Replies

  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 7,018 Member
    My nutshell response to this question is to read through the Reddit FAQ for r/keto. https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq

    We also have some short info pieces in our Launch Pad (our info library): https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest

    My brief FAQ on low-carbing:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10039486/what-is-low-carb-an-overview-and-guide


    So the short and dirty is that calories matter. Fat adaptation is great for blood glucose control, it suppresses appetite and cravings of carbs for some, gives lots of energy for some, helps balances hormones, and etc. But as @psuLemon said in the Ketone Testing thread, weight loss comes down to the calories.

    1. Keep your calorie deficit goal.
    2. Carbs are a ceiling. Stay under it in grams (20-50g).
    3. Protein is a goal. Hit your minimum in grams. Make sure you eat enough for your height, weight, and activity level.
    4. Fill the rest of you calorie intake with fats.

    So if you're doing all that, then KCKO (Keep Calm and Keto On) and eventually your body will stop being a punk, and you'll lose weight. How much you lose depends on your calorie deficit and your personal biology. Some people ( usually those with a lot to lose) may lose more pounds a week. Some lose slowly but steadily. No matter whatever anyone else says, it's not realistic (or necessarily healthy) to lose more than 3lb a week. When I started keto, I lost an average of 3lb a week for a long time, but after 6 months, it slowed down to 2/wk and then when I got within 20-30lb, UGH, less than a lb. But come off it did eventually. There will be weeks where you retain water for some unknown reason. KCKO. You might have a breakdown in your food plan or food availability. Get back on-plan as soon as you can and KCKO. Whatever the question, KCKO is the answer. :smirk: Consistency + Persistence + Time.
    HTH
  • erincatherinet47
    erincatherinet47 Posts: 11 Member
    baconslave wrote: »
    My nutshell response to this question is to read through the Reddit FAQ for r/keto. https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq

    We also have some short info pieces in our Launch Pad (our info library): https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest

    My brief FAQ on low-carbing:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10039486/what-is-low-carb-an-overview-and-guide


    So the short and dirty is that calories matter. Fat adaptation is great for blood glucose control, it suppresses appetite and cravings of carbs for some, gives lots of energy for some, helps balances hormones, and etc. But as @psuLemon said in the Ketone Testing thread, weight loss comes down to the calories.

    1. Keep your calorie deficit goal.
    2. Carbs are a ceiling. Stay under it in grams (20-50g).
    3. Protein is a goal. Hit your minimum in grams. Make sure you eat enough for your height, weight, and activity level.
    4. Fill the rest of you calorie intake with fats.

    So if you're doing all that, then KCKO (Keep Calm and Keto On) and eventually your body will stop being a punk, and you'll lose weight. How much you lose depends on your calorie deficit and your personal biology. Some people ( usually those with a lot to lose) may lose more pounds a week. Some lose slowly but steadily. No matter whatever anyone else says, it's not realistic (or necessarily healthy) to lose more than 3lb a week. When I started keto, I lost an average of 3lb a week for a long time, but after 6 months, it slowed down to 2/wk and then when I got within 20-30lb, UGH, less than a lb. But come off it did eventually. There will be weeks where you retain water for some unknown reason. KCKO. You might have a breakdown in your food plan or food availability. Get back on-plan as soon as you can and KCKO. Whatever the question, KCKO is the answer. :smirk: Consistency + Persistence + Time.
    HTH

    Thank you thank you thank you!!! I so appreciate the in-depth response. I look forward to absorbing all this information!
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    erincatherinet47 wrote: »
    Ok, so I’ve been ‘doing’ keto and 16/8 intermittent fasting for about 16 days so far. I’ve listened to a couple podcasts and this is what I’m gathering: when you start on keto, you will lose some weight at the beginning (water weight - different amount of pounds for each individual. Mine was only about 4 lbs). After that, you will be excreting ketones (keto stix will be dark) for 6-12 weeks without much weight loss (correct??). Then you will become fat adapted because your body is using the ketones in ways that your cells will utilized fat for energy. My question is, I should NOT be losing much weight at this point, right —only 16 days in? Because I’m not! So just be patient for fat adaptation and the magic happens then?

    It was day 45 before I lost the 1st pound doing Keto seriously. Pain started decreasing after the first week. Other health issues started resolving. I was one sick puppy when I started Keto accidentally at the age of 63 in 2014 so I think in my case my body needed to do some healing before it would let go of my fat.

    We are all different but if we stay the course health may start to recover. Best of success.

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