Sticking to plan exactly but no weight loss. Feeling like a failure.
I started keto 3 weeks ago after seeing a weight creep as I go through menopause (age 50.) I'm willing to change my way of living to feel better/fitter. My macros are 20 carbs, 122 fat, 98 protein and 1570 calories. I'm 5'7 and 180. In those 3 weeks nothing has changed on my weight, in fact I'm a 1/2 lb up today. I follow the plan exactly, drink plenty of water, I don't do caffeine or processed keto products. The carbs I do get come from mostly veggies. My fat comes mostly from fatty fish, avocado, avocado oil. My occasional "treats" if you will, are whipped cream with a few blackberries (keeping to macros) or mct oil with whipped cream in a decaf coffee. I walk daily. High impact exercise isn't possible due to a back injury. I feel fine on Keto (well, as fine as a back injured, menopausal woman with teenage daughters can feel 馃槈) My husband is also doing this with me and has lost 10 lbs. I know men's bodies respond differently, but I can't help but feel like a failure. I don't cheat on this AT ALL. I'm at a loss as to what my next steps should be. I know you guys probably don't have an answer but I needed to vent, which is probably better than crying in my bedroom. Thanks for listening. 鉂わ笍
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First, welcome aboard!
Please be patient as different folks take different periods to get in to ketosis. I鈥檓 sure something good is about to happen. It took me a while (62yo male), while my wife dropped in to ketosis in what seemed to be only a few minutes. But eventually it happened for me and I鈥檓 down 58 pounds since we started in mid-October.
More importantly, my blood sugars have vastly improved to the point where Im no longer on any diabetes meds, cholesterol is normal and BP is textbook perfect.
Hang in there - good things are coming your way. In the meanwhile, keep doing what you鈥檙e doing. If I were to offer any advice, it would be this:
Keep below your carbs, and don鈥檛 hesitate to go way below them. They鈥檙e a limit, not a goal.
Try to meet your protein as thats what sustains the body.
Fat doesn鈥檛 have to be a goal. Consider this - our body鈥檚 prefer carb (easier to convert to fuel), so if we curtail carbs at or below our limit, we force our body to burn fat. If we eat a lot of fat, that鈥檚 what it will burn. But if we restrict fat to below our limit, it forces our body to burn stored fat. That results in weight loss. So, especially at the beginning, we keep our fats below the limit, we鈥檒l burn more body fat.
Hope that makes sense. In any case, stick with it and keep the faith. We鈥檒l look forward to hearing of your success in a short while.
Keto on!
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Hi LeslieInAtl. I totally agree with Pat F鈥檚 comments and suggestions.
Everyone is different. Keep going and trust the process. I鈥檓 a 53 year old female with hypothyroidism and perimenopausal and I have managed to lose 18 pounds so far.
Did you take starting measurements? If yes, has there been any change in those?
Have you noticed any other non scale victories like feeling less bloated, more energy, etc? Look for other positives besides just the number on the scale to keep you motivated 馃槈
Also do you snack between meals? If you do, try to eliminate that and go at least 3-4 hours between meals thereby allowing your insulin levels to come down.
Keep us posted on your progress!
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Hello! I am also new to Keto, I saw an initial drop the first week of 8 lbs. The following 3 weeks, I haven't lost any weight. I decided to order ketone urine test strips (they were $6 on Amazon) to make sure my body is actually in ketosis. Have you considered testing your ketone levels?
I also thought the other two comments were really helpful and positive. This community is great!
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Thank you to everyone who replied! Your support is much appreciated! Unfortunately, I didn't take any measurements, but I will as I think that's a great idea. I do have a lot more energy than usual and I don't really have much of an appetite. I do intermittent fasting and I might have one snack before dinner..usually something like celery with almond butter. I do track ketones with a urine strip, which I know isn't accurate long-term, but I thought would be helpful in the beginning. I've stayed in the "small" measurement for the first three weeks. This weekend after watching A LOT of Dr. Berg videos and reading more through these forums, I adjusted my macros to fewer calories and fewer carbs. I'm now aiming for 17 vs. the 20 I was doing before. When I measured this two days after starting, I had moved into "moderate." I'll keep at it and I'm encouraged by your all's successes. Kristie Friars It's good to hear that a 50-something woman can see results. My doctor is monitoring me for hypothyroidism as all the women in my family have it. Thanks again everyone!
