Motivated but discouraged

We've been on keto for 36 days now. I lost 6 lbs the first two weeks and went back up. I'm at a total loss of 2 lbs. I am staying with 1600 calories (I do not count or eat back my exercise calories) and I'm following the 70/25/5 split for fat, protein and carbs. I do not count my leafy green intake (spinach, spring mix, celery, and I get about 6-8 cups per day). What am I doing wrong? I feel like I should have better progress at this point. Is it possible that I started off with too high of a fat consumption? 

I workout 5 days a week (with recovery days between). I run 2-3 miles 3Xs/week, I lift heavy on two days, and I do a body weight/HIIT day. I aim to burn 250-400 per day.

I have tried to incorporate IF more recently, but with my work schedule and the time I workout, it's difficult to have an explosive workout. I'm still tweaking this. 

Advice is appreciated.

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  • I'm no expert. Looks like you work out/exercise a lot. Do you feel like maybe you're building body mass from it? Muscle weighs more than fat does. 

    Like 2
    • TW Lost 45
    • Industrial Sales Professional
    • TW_lost_40
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I have no idea what you are trying to do, The program is pretty simple if you are "all in".. I weighed the day after Thanksgiving and lost 1.4 lbs, same after Christmas only 1.2 lbs.

    It is not healthy to Carb Load just because it is Christs birthday and you should have been giving thanks for the weight that you lost. I did.

    Oh ! PS: That pizza is better COLD, so I eat a 1/4 everyday for 4 days in a row. Thats only 5 or 6 carbs each day from the pizza. 

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    • TW Lost 45
    • Industrial Sales Professional
    • TW_lost_40
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Deli, I'm sorry I was responding to Dposta... But I will be happy to give my 2cents worth.

    I don't know anything about you, so i'll give you a few tips.

    Are you using salt? Stop.. Are you using salt? Stop.. you can take Potassium to keep from cramping up.

    Secondly you need to cut the carbs, everyone is different . If you truly are doing what you said the LBS should be falling off. You may be a Carboholic and carbs are what are keeping you from losing, it did to me... I've lost 58.5 net, I am still experimenting so my weight goes up or down a pound or 2 everyday. I weigh today exactly the same as I did a month ago.

    Once you figure out what works, stick with it. I have and you can't give up.

    And cheat days are unacceptable,  Good luck.

    Like 1
  • dpotesta101e Hi there! I do workout pretty often but I'm trying to reduce mass (I gain muscle easily) and create long/lean muscle, more functional muscle and strength. I also have a nice layer of "warmth" (fat) that I would like to reduce. :) 

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  • TW Lost 45 Yes I'm using salt and potassium--I thought I was supposed to! Maybe I am retaining more water, I didn't even consider that. As for carbs, I have completely reduced them down to leafy greens and occasional broccoli and Brussel sprouts. I'm hitting my macros, that's why I'm confused that I'm at a stand still. I am, however, struggling to eat 1600 calories today, I'm often within the 1400ish range--maybe I'm not eating enough? I'm not cheating, either! Very proud to say that! I don't know how to share my diary/food log, but we are eating pretty clean. My biggest struggle has been reducing protein intake, I was eating too much protein (and carbs) before we started one+ month ago, I feel like that's why I was gaining, I was essentially bulking. Now I'm trying to run more and do more body weight exercises, but I miss protein! Staying within 100g is hard some days! Thanks for the tips, I will start with reducing sodium and continue to tweak fat intake. I reduce to 65% yesterday instead of 70%, I will continue this for a week and see if I see/feel any changes.

    Like 1
  • You're going to get multiple responses with multiple suggestions. Every bodies body is different so what works for me may not work for you. On my end I would think you're building muscle from the working out. 

    Not a bad thing.

    I know in the past when I hit a plateau, I would go off my "diet" for a week or so than go back on it. The reboot would help restart my weight loss. 

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    • TW Lost 45
    • Industrial Sales Professional
    • TW_lost_40
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Deliamarie TW here, finally someone that listens... A major part of your problem might be 2 things: 1) Salt n Potassium X the salt, you are trying to lose wt not have a party. You are (40 to 60%) water, what do you think the salt does??? It attaches to the thin layer of fat and makes it swell up and be retained. X the salt.

    2nd) I eat all the carb free protein (beef,chicken, ham, pork,liver, eggs eggs eggs I can eat and I lose everyday.  Remember I'm experimenting , so some days I gain and most days I lose.

    Are you a weg-a-tarian? Only you can figure out what works for you.

    Lastly I'm confused,,, If a normal person that is not exercising only ate

    1400 calories of ICE CREAM and drank water, they would lose weight.

    Nutrisystem says and I quote: "The average woman needs to eat about 2,000 calories per day to maintain her weight, and 1,500 calories per day to lose one pound of weight per week. "

    Hope this is helpful and not to harsh. You be the judge,

    Good Luck, TW

    Like 1
    • Sharon
    • Sharon.23
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Take your measurements you may be losing inches and not so much poundage.  Keto does that and so does that amazing amount of exercise and weights you're doing.  Track everything that you put in your mouth including the leafy greens.  Drink plenty of water.  

    CarbManager is an excellent app to use, it will determine the amounts according to the info you enter, great recipes and even more recipes etc if you pay to join, it's reasonable and free if you don't want to pay to join.

    Some people say that if you want to lose fat don't eat so much fat, I just follow CarbManager, (I have a hard time eating the amount of fat they suggest), as best I can, especially the carbs!

    Good luck!  You've got this.

    Like 1
    • Sharon
    • Sharon.23
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Sharon I've lost over 100lbs in one year on Keto.

    Like 3
  • TW Lost 45 Trust me when I say--I'm confused too! haha That is why I posted here about this plateau, I'm doing the work and hitting my numbers, but I definitely could reduce the salt intake. I will begin there. As for protein, I reduced it according to the percentages it gave me but I found I have still been hungry. I think I will increase it a bit and see how that works, as well. And thank you for your "harsh" tips, but I'm pretty thick skinned with this kind of stuff. We have been spending so much time watching helpful tip videos and reading programs, that sometimes we get conflicting advice. It's nice to ask here and see what has worked. :)  Sharon Thank you for your tip, as well. I will measure tonight.  I have recently (yesterday) adjusted my fat intake to 65% from 70%, I will be mindful of how this affects my energy/satiation. I know this all an experiment of what works best with our bodies, so I will keep on trying! :) Thank you!

    Like 1
  • Sharon That's awesome!! Way to go!

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  • dpotesta101e  per volume, yes.  But a pound of fat and a pound of muscle will weigh a pound - the muscle is just denser and thus is smaller in volume. :-)

    Like
    • Mark
    • Mark.36
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    For me, I found certain foods did not work for my body.  I enjoyed these foods all of my life, but learned that they did not help me to a healthier life.  Rice, potatoes, pastas, pizzas, chips, corn, crackers are gone from food choices.

    GOOD CARBS FOR ME. I do eat four slices of wheat bread a week. Farina with eggs every other day. Three cups of popcorn daily, a good snack for me.  Apples a few times a month. Banana a few times a month.  I had two biscuits and grits at a special breakfast with friends last week.  So, I have some carbs in my diet. 

    Would you consider experimenting with food choices to see which ones are FOR you and which ones work AGAINST you?  This was my lesson, a hard one to learn. One gallon of water a day helps me too.  I lost over 50 pounds in six months.  I am maintaining this lifestyle...praise God!

    Like 1
    • Pat F
    • Pat_F
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    TW Lost 45  i think your comments about stopping salt is ill advised.  Sure, we’re all different but i would be hesitant to give advice that may not be in someone’s best interest 

    Deliamarie heres a post from a medical website that might give some better perspective.  Don't take my word for this; check out the site (lots of in-depth medical data) and chat with your doctor.  Also; might be worth your while to google/YouTube Dr. Stephen Phinney   Lots of good info by (IMO) an expert who is living the keto diet long term    Good book too: ‘The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living’ by Phinney and Dr Volek     

    From the medical website Virta Health FAQ at https://www.virtahealth.com/faq/sodium-potassium-magnesium-ketogenic-diet

    ‘How much sodium, potassium and magnesium should I have on a ketogenic diet?’

    By Dr. Stephen Phinney and the Virta Team

    In short, 3000–5000 mg of sodium and 3000–4000 mg of potassium on average are needed as part of a well-formulated ketogenic diet. For sodium and potassium (aka electrolytes), rather than trying to track them directly (which is frustrating at best), we recommend salting food to taste, adding 2 grams of sodium as broth or bouillon, and eating 5 servings of non-starchy vegetables daily.

    For magnesium, 300–500 mg is an initial recommendation. Muscle cramps are our best indicator of depletion, and to replenish one’s intracellular magnesium, we generally recommend 3 tabs per day of Slow-Mag or the generic slow-release equivalent for 3–6 weeks.

    hope this helps. 

    Like 2
    • TW Lost 45
    • Industrial Sales Professional
    • TW_lost_40
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Pat F  P F, I haven't salted anything in the last 30 years, almost everything in a can or jar has more salt then you are talking/referring to and they don't know if you are KETOING or not. No PCP would tell you to use that much salt over and above what is already in the food you are eating. QUESTION: Do you salt before you taste or after? I withdraw the question, because it doesn't  matter to you.

    I've lost 60 lbs and I totally agree 4000 mg of potassium is a must.

    We recommend adults eat less than 5g of salt (2000 mg of sodium) a day to reduce your risk of high blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. ... If you have high blood pressure, we recommend you reduce your salt intake to 4g (1600 mg sodium) per day.

    The rest is up to you

    Like
    • TW Lost 45
    • Industrial Sales Professional
    • TW_lost_40
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    TW Lost 45 One more thought, Do you think that being 150 or 200 lbs over weight is in any way healthy ???

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    • TW Lost 45
    • Industrial Sales Professional
    • TW_lost_40
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    dpotesta101e D_pot, honestly, how much do you gain on your one week vacation from Keto? And how long does it take to get back where you were before the vaca?  

    When I need a break, I go down to a quality Mexican restaurant and order a LB. of Beef fajitas and dip them in guacamole and chile con queso and BAM I lose 1.2 pds when I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING.

    PS: if you have no will power and hit the chips n salsa n margaritas , you will wake up 5to8 lbs.heavier, LOL !!! Good Luck w/KETO

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    • Supermom
    • Supermom.2
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Deliamarie I'm late to chime in but I will...it's not what you're eating.  Try the timing of it - make sure all your eating is done between noon and 6pm.  for me, that made all the difference in the world.  63.5 lbs poof...gone!  If I snack, it all stops dead.  So eat only in the afternoons and see what happens.

    Like 1
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