Stop Stalling Volume Two: Malignant Mouthfuls
Welcome back to the Stop Stalling series! Today, we’re going to take a look at some specific foods that may be causing your stall. These foods may be keeping you from getting ahead. The bad news is that a lot of them may be staples for you. Many of them seem keto-friendly: they’re low in net carbs and should be “safe.” In fact, they are “safe” for plenty of people. However, for some people, certain foods can cause stalls. If you're in ketosis but not losing weight and have implemented everything advised in Volume 1: Operator Error, here’s a list of the most likely suspects.
Dairy:
Dairy is a tricky one. First of all, it’s very energy-dense (i.e. it has a lot of calories). That means that it can be really easy to overdo. Alas, keto isn’t magical, and calories still count. Secondly, it’s often a carbohydrate bomb. A glass of milk has about ten grams. It can have more or less depending on the fat content. It can be tough to tell with yogurt: while the actual carb count is probably lower than what is listed on the label (fermentation consumes some of the carbohydrates), you can’t always tell just how many there are. This is even ignoring the fact that many yogurts contain additives, including starch-based thickeners. Finally, dairy is especially prone to “rounding down”: even though many labels say that a serving of cheese contains zero carbohydrates, chances are that a serving contains as many as 0.7 grams.
It seems like very little, but if you eat two servings (easy to do!), it’s going to add up over time. Many people rely on dairy, and when they drop it, they start losing again.
Seeds and nuts:
Seeds and nuts are horrible bastards. I love nuts, especially almonds. Especially the smoked ones or the spicy ones. And nut butter? Don’t get me started. I can eat half a jar of it in one sitting. I HAVE eaten half a jar (and then some) in one sitting. Do you see where I’m going with this? If not, here’s the spoiler: I can’t keep nut butter in the house because it’s a trigger food for me. I can only buy seeds and nuts in single-serve packages, and even then it’s not advisable. Seeds and nuts are good sources of protein and fat, but they also contain carbohydrates, many of which are sugar and starch and therefore anti-ketogenic. They contain a surprising amount of carbohydrates, actually. Even macademias, which are the most keto-friendly of the bunch, contain about 3 grams in a 2-oz. serving. This wouldn’t be a problem, except that it’s really easy to overeat them. A serving is way less than you think, so all of a sudden, your snack just blew your carb count for the day. Many people find that their stalls go away when they stop eating nuts.
Maltitol:
This one’s sad. Very sad, because sugar-free candies seem like such a great way to deal with cravings. You want a Forbidden Treat? If you can find a sugar-free version, no problem, right? Alas, that is very, very wrong. Maltitol is a sugar alcohol, so it does have zero net carbs. However, its glycemic index is 52 for syrup and 36 for powdered. It will cause an insulin response, and it will impact blood glucose. (About half of the calories in maltitol can be absorbed.) Cut the grams of maltitol in your food in half and pretend that it’s table sugar, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of why maltitol is not at all good for people trying to maintain ketosis.
If that’s not enough of a deterrent, consider that maltitol has a laxative effect. Yes, many babes will eat a couple of sugar-free candies when the train is a little bit late leaving the station. Sometimes, this works well. Sometimes, they wind up with a bullet train that leaves without making a last call. (That’s where we get “disaster pants” and why so many women don’t trust keto farts.) Shart roulette is an even crappier game than carb chicken.
Fat bombs:
People often ask, “Why do you hate BPC?” Well, I personally hate BPC because I think coffee tastes vile and is probably the devil’s beverage. (Just kidding. Sort of.) But that’s not what you mean. You’re wondering why Ketogasm and KBB discourage the use of BPC and fat bombs. This is where it gets more complicated. If you are using the ketogenic diet as part of a weight loss program, you should not be going out of your way to eat or drink more calories, whether they are carb-y or not. It is NOT necessary to maintain a ketogenic ratio* for weight loss, and doing so could be a bit part of why you’re stalling.
Remember the motto “Carbs are a limit, protein is a goal, fat is a lever”? That’s what we mean: you should definitely not go above your carbs, you should definitely try to hit your protein, but you absolutely do not need to hit your fat macro. Making it a goal is going to hurt your progress. If you are stalling, try to cut back on your fat a bit. Don’t go below 50 or 60 grams a day of ingested fat (you need dietary fat to absorb certain nutrients, avoid feeling like crap, and maintain skin and hair health), but unless you’re hungry or having trouble focusing, there’s no need to ingest extra fat: your body will “eat” from its stores.
*A ketogenic ratio is used for people who are treating neurological conditions like epilepsy with a ketogenic diet. In this case, a certain ratio of macronutrients is necessary to prevent seizures. In this case, people must make sure that they eat enough fat to supply their ketones. This type of therapeutic diet is not used for weight loss; it is used to suppress symptoms of an illness. Even if you have more ketones circulating while eating more fat, you will not be burning your own fat stores. This is also why we say no to exogenous ketones.
Alcohol:
Drinking alcohol on the keto diet can indeed cause your weight to stall. Be sure to read the keto alcohol guide to understand exactly why this could be contributing to your lack of progress.
Non-keto foods:
This one is bound to ruffle some feathers. Heck, I didn’t like to hear it. There are those of us who are tempted to eat non-keto foods in small amounts, hoping that if it fits our macros, it won’t throw us out of ketosis. There are those of us who can. There are those of us who can’t. There are those of us who can have some non-keto foods in small amounts but not others. Nevertheless, if you’ve been eating small amounts of non-keto foods and hoping that you’re still maintaining ketosis, well, you might want to stop. You see, there are several problems with doing this. Just as you’ve learned that not all calories are the same and that not all carbs are the same, you’ve hopefully learned that not all sources of sugar, starch, fiber, etc. are the same. This kind of sucks, because it makes things confusing. Let’s take sugar, for example. A teaspoon of table sugar might seem like it would affect you the same way that 4 g of sugar in a handful of raspberries would, but it doesn’t. It isn’t tempered with water and fiber the way raspberries are. The same is true for honey. While it may be paleo, it sure as hell isn’t keto.
The Ketogenic Diet goes beyond helping adherents maintain ketosis: it also helps reduce inflammation and maintain general health. Non-keto foods don’t help with that. They can also promote inflammation, which can indeed result in weight gain (or a lack of weight loss). Cutting inflammatory foods may be the key.
In the third and final installment of Stop Stalling, we’ll look at underlying medical conditions that could be causing you to struggle with weight loss. Keto on, babes!
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Julia is a teacher, tutor, and educational advisor who resides in Washington State, inconveniently close to Woodinville, where one finds many of the local wineries. She has a deep and abiding love for cats, cheese, spicy food, and pickled things. She someday hopes to take over the world, but in the meantime, is looking into public health. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @SWFgoesketo, where she often posts pictures of food and the gym.
Thanks Julia. I've started hosting low carb weight loss challenges and for people reporting stall outs, they commonly cite cheese, nuts, dark chocolate and pepperonis as the snacks they might be overconsuming to the point that their low carb diet is no longer working.
Why would cheese be a problem if its low carb? I add cheese to everything because it helps me reach my fat content and also cause I like having 3 or more textures in my food. Otherwise it's just meat and veggies.
I have only just started, day four for me, have been very careful at calculating and keeping on point. I seem to be more bloated and have lost exactly no weight 🙁 Any advice gratefully received!! I'm feeling very disheartened. I am not looking to keep up fat, just hit my protein target and not going over my carbs. I am exercising. My body fat is 22%. I am sticking to 20 net carbs.
It took almost 2 weeks of keto dieting before I started seeing/feeling a change. And then it was dramatic for a while. I lost 27 lbs over the course of about 5 weeks, which is a lot. Then I plateaued for a while (about 3 weeks) and now I'm starting to see a gradual loss again of about 2-3 lbs per week. I was at a significantly higher body fat, being at a 30.9%, so that probably accounts for the fast loss at the beginning. Now that I'm nearer my goal, it's more gradual. Just keep it up, it will happen. And maybe look at adjusting your carbs. 20 net carbs is quite low, maybe up it to 25 net carbs and see if that helps? You don't want too many carbs on a keto diet, but too few can have an opposite effect.
It took me whole 6 weeks to see any weight loss. I generally don't need to lose a lot but the last excess pounds were just never going away...You have to be very patient. If it still doesn't work after couple of months, consider not consuming carbs at all for a while, not going over your calorie goal (it has to be calculated below what your body needs or the day, create calorie deficiency) and most of all everything in the restaurants is cooked with canola and soybean oils, which contributes weight gain, everything in the grocery is also with these oils, with tons of hidden carbs under different names, corn starch, corn syrup, anything corn derivatives, sugar hidden under variety of names...Too much cheese, too much protein as well! Yes, if we overeat protein, the excess of it breaks down to sugar surprisingly. That's why most of the protein diets stop working after a while. So your check list has to be : Calories - below the calories your body needs to function; Carbs - close to 0 and coming from green leafy vegetables mostly. Protein - do not exceed 3 - 5 oz per serving, not more than 2 servings per day! Fats (I mean healthy fats, not pork rinds) can be increased slightly, that helps actually, but overall they have to be within the calories allowance. Another mistake is the numerous meals or snacks a day, even small, they spike insulin, that is why we need to reduce feeding up to 3, even 2 or best once a day only. If we combine Intermittent Fasting and Keto Diet we achieve a total body makeover. And we need a very long time, probably a year or two to see the full body transformation. Add to all of that long hours of walking at a fast pace or running and you can achieve your goals faster 🙂
Thank you so much for providing this.. and for free! Hopefully this will help me out of my rut. It feels a little bit like I'm back to square one now though.. if I need to be careful how much protein I have.. what do you eat?
I would agree as well I have been on this for 7 weeks and have lost ZERO hugely frustrating when I see my husband loose up to 15-18 pds. I have cut down on my protein as now my stomach has shrunk and I don't need as much food but NO results in weight lost. Seems very strange that nothing has been lost since I am not eating bread pasta or chips were all a big thing for me.
Thank so much for the thorough post and tips! I've recently hit a stall, and some members of the keto group I belong to pointed out that I might be overdoing it on some of these things. This post helped me home down on exactly what kinds of things I need to cut out of my keto diet. I'll try to report back in a couple of weeks on my progress, and whether or not I was able to break my "stall".
Thanks so much for this perspective. I just started keto for the main purpose of weightloss. I have done BPC for two days, and just hate the idea of drinking so many calories!
I'd much prefer to eat grass-fed butter on steamed veggies or some other keto food that will fill me up.
You've saved me some heartache!
Hello,
I'm so confused now because I'm on a few keto Facebook posts and most of them promote fat bombs and BPC. I never understood why you had to add more fat than what's already in a low carb/ keto diet. What you're saying makes more sense to me.
Practice the use for yourself and see if there is a benefit for your body. Personally, I don't have them all the time but I do find them very helpful in accomplishing my health and wellness goals.
I just read scientific studies that broke down the concept the more protein that the body doesn't need will convert to glucose as sugar and affects insulin. They saud keto should now be fat based ('fat burns fat'') and 2-3 oz of meat at meals.
Where is part 3. I can't find it anywhere. Thanks
I've used a keto calculator and based on it I'm suppose to be taking in about:
135g Protein
35g Net Carbs
217g Fat
2600 Calories
I'm not sure if the numbers seem right though.. But I'm been hitting close to the daily, tracking them with the Myfitnesspal app.
Came back from numerous vacations at 240lbs, about a month in, I'm at 230, but seem to be hovering there for the past few weeks.
I tend to workout M-F, 3 days of weights, 2 of Cardio.
I'm not sure there cause of the plateau
Hey Jason, keto calculators can be a bit tricky to find a good, reliable one. I've found that quite a few use different formulas and some are based on medically therapeutic ketogenic ratios versus macros that are appropriate for fat loss/body recomposition. You might want to try plugging in your info into the ketogains macro calculator, their macros are geared towards losing fat while maintaining (and even building muscle). It's super solid!
I think I calculated something wrong because I'm eating 600 calories a day , Maybe that isn't right? I weight out 1/8 of cup of almonds and eat 3 eggs, a 1/4 c of chickens, 1/4 cup of cheese. and couple pieces of spinach . I do yoga and jump on trampoline for ten minutes That is it.. The ketostix is dark purple it reflect that I'm burning ketones but I feel bloated and full it is an odd feeling for me . I have ten pounds to lose in 14 days but I think I'm gaining .. I don't own a scale maybe I should get one.
This is a great summary. I am about 3 weeks in ketosis (according to urine strips) and have not seen the scale budge much and feel like I'm retaining water not just in my belly but also my face, neck, hands, and legs. I think I need to be honest with myself and cut the dairy for a while.
Just curious, many resources say to add more high-quality salt for electrolytes. What is your opinion?
Salt is majorly important when restricting carbohydrates. If you haven't read our post about electrolyte imbalance, it may be of interest to you! Hope that helps. Talks a bit about sodium needs and a high quality salt is definitely easy way to meet that requirement. 🙂
Salt has nothing to do with the fact that she is not losing weight - don't listen to that advice! You're right in saying that you need to cut out milk products. I've had the same problem and as soon as I cut out milk, I saw the pounds come off. Remember, milk products like cheese also can be high in protein and definitely calories. It'll be harder to limit even more your foods, but it'll be worth it. Unfortunately calories still have a factor to play too - cheese has a ton of calories and it's easy to overeat. No matter what diet you're on, the ONLY secret to losing weight is that you must be in a calorie deficit by the end of the day/week. If you've had a bad calorie day on day, then just limit extra calories on another day to balance out the week. Keto helps you with staying fuller longer and not being as hungry to help with achieving that calorie deficit. Hope that helps!
Sodium is important when restricting carbohydrates regardless of weight loss or not. Balancing electrolytes is important and it's not bad advice. She specifically asked about adding high quality salts for electrolytes. The article you are commenting on is part of a series for weight loss stalls, the first post focuses on calorie deficit which is linked above.
I tried the advice of adding 2 tsp. pink himalayan salt one day. I didn't have leg cramps, which had been fierce every night, but woke up the next morning with horribly puffy eyes and fingers. The next day I tried 1 tsp. of salt - same results. What has worked for me (no cramps last two nights!!!) is two tsps. (divided) of 40,000 Volts liquid electrolytes. No puffiness.
The wrong salt is very high in sodium compared to Himalayan Pink Salt or Celtic Sea Salt
I have been trying so hard for the last two months to stay within macros; the scale is just NOT moving. I feel so good and clothes feeling slightly looser, i did by some keto sticks and showing trace amounts of ketones, I see all these people losing like 20 and 30 pounds in a few months and I lost 10 in July and not a single pound since and i am diligently tracking everything. Macros 10% carbs; under 20 30% protein and 60% fat. What am I doing wrong????
oh and per above comment; trying to stay around 1200 calories!
I'm the same, Sandy! It's been 3 weeks, and I dropped some new weight back to my normal plateau, but not a bit lost in last 2 weeks. It's like none of the success stories ever apply to me. I'm trying not to give up, but I feel destined to live my life in this chubby body. My mom cut just gluten and lost 15 lbs in 3 weeks. I cut carbs, lost zero. Super discouraging.
Sandy, I have been doing keto for 3 weeks now and the ketostix show that I am definitely in ketosis but I feel the same as you - feel good and clothes "slightly" looser. but seeing all these others losing 10lbs or more in the same amount of time has me discouraged, also. I think I will cut out dairy and see if that makes any difference.
How is your diet and weight loss going now?
I am feeling the same way! I have been in ketosis for 5 days according to the strips. I have had a gross taste in my mouth constantly. I have not lost any weight. I will try cutting out cheese, even though it is my favorite keto "friendly" food.
I am getting married in 17 days and I was hoping to see a little weight loss by then...
Hey Skye,
IF you take a magnesium supplement it will help you tremendously with your cramps, among many other benefits. I use one I can drink called Natural Calm, but there are pills and other drinkables out there. I also drink alkaline water, which helps. I'm on my second week, I'm in ketosis and I've gone from 140 to 142. Everything I read contradicts itself, it is incredibly frustrating. I have friends who have lost 40+ pounds - they tell me to eat to satiety, eat cheese, eat greens, fat bombs, BPC, etc...they tell me to have my macros at 80 fat, 15 protein, 5 carb. I read this stuff and I feel like I can't eat anything! Eat too much, eat too little, exercise too much, my hormones aren't in balance - how many excuses are there for why I'm not losing weight? Like, sooooo many. I'm under 1500 calories a day, I've stuck pretty close to those macros - so what? Nada. I'll probably give it a couple more weeks, but I am currently annoyed.
Hey Cat,
I'm wondering how this shook out for you. Did you stick to it? See any changes? I'm in a similar boat and I suspect I am backed up from all the cheese/meat I am suddenly consuming. My clothes feel a bit looser and my face is noticeably thinner but my gut feels bloated. I think I probably need to really limit the cheese snacking and maybe do a salt or magnesium citrate cleanse? My rough plan is to cut down the cheese and up the healthier fats/leafy greens and reduce my portions. Anyone with thought please advise!
Hey Jessi,
I am wondering if you tried taking a fiber supplement. Fiber is the carb you still need to help with digestion and to fuel the bacteria in your body that contributes to a flatter tummy.
This might be helpful if you are still struggling with this or have since given up on Keto but might want to try again.
Same here. Day 9 nothing happening on the scale, but I see little difference on my body. Frustrating, know people who are loosing wight like crazy na they don't even count cals or are as careful as I am. I literally have no need for food. If you put the cake in front of me 9Have a sweet tooth) I could get up and leave which is amazing to me. Is anyone here diabetic ? I had an episode few days ago cause mu blood sugar dropped too low. i didn't take my insulin for few days now, again amazing since I have been taking it for 33 years.
I love you, Julia! But don't make me google BPC. 😉
thanks for the motto. I am glad to hear that fat is a lever. I have been trying to hit that daily. nuts are also a trigger for me too. will give those up for a while and see how it goes and report back.
Curious, is G-man a reference to Scott Pilgrim? 😛
I made this video to help with more of a visual explanation for fat intake on keto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5caTlPUTUk
Hope that helps!
I'm a type 1 diabetic for 28 years and have an insulin pump. I'm beginning to believe that it's next to impossible for me to lose weight because of the constant insulin I receive! I track everything religiously and always show small amounts of ketones on a daily basis. Still, the scale hasn't moved and my clothes fit the same! My sugars are great not eating all the bad carbs, but please tell me that I'll eventually be able to lose weight if I stick with it?! Feel hopeless at this point but still hanging on!
I am really loving the Keto diet. I struggled with Fibromyalgia for years and when I cut the sugar and carbs the pain has gradually gone away and I am a new person after only two weeks! I have probably lost about 3 pounds. Hoping to continue to lose up to 25 lbs. Thank you for the information about dairy and nuts and also calories. I have been relying heavy on those two and I think I could do better keeping this in mind. Also, I was under the impression that you could eat as much as you want! It’s a wonder I haven’t gained weight with all the cheese and cream I have been eating! 🙂 This article has been very informative, so THANK YOU!
Great article. I understand the Keto diet much better.Malitital (spelling)? Is definitely my Nemesis. I'm all about sugar-free, so I'll pay closer attention to the label. I have POTS,Post Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. It is an autonomic disorder that affects my central nervous system. I cut out the sugar 1 week ago.I feel better about that .I wanted to lose ten to 15lbs. ,I'm hoping it will help me have more energy. Thank you again for the article.I am glad that I found it.
I also have POTS and have since I was in my late 20's. I have struggled with weight since then (since being put on a beta blocker). I am 3 weeks in and can't budge the scale. My clothes are looser but the scale won't move. I do not have a lot of dairy. My ketone meter for blood is consistently above 1.5 to 2.7. My urine strips show purple each time. No weight loss.
I am beyond frustrated and not sure I should continue on keto. I was excited about this diet - it is one I think I can keep up, but I'm not happy with my progress and feel like maybe my body just doesn't like this diet.
I started Jan. 1 - I gained 5 pounds week one. Given most people have their biggest loss in week one - I was devastated, but I pressed on. 5 pounds down week two so I was feeling a little better - at least I lost what I put on week one.
zero pounds week 3.
So 3 weeks in - I've lost nothing.
My body fat % has not declined. I have not lost inches.
I am religious about it. I have not cheated, have not exceeded 23 grams of carbs in this period at my highest and come in about 16g on a normal day.
I measure my ketones daily on my Ketostix and have been in ketosis from week 1. I have moderate to high levels of ketones.
My calorie intake averages about 1200 calories/day.
I put everything I put in my mouth in My Fitness Pal.
I am doing cardio 3 days a week and some weight training 2-3 days a week.
I don't touch nuts. The only dairy I have is in my coffee - whipping cream and I measure it with measuring spoons and count the calories/carbs.
My macros are usually in around 5% carbs, 70% fat, 25% protein.
I also do intermittent fasting during the week days.
My starting weight is 162 and I want to get to 145. I'm female, 5'7 and considered overweight by any BMI chart. My body fat is 33% - which I measure with a body fat handheld unit.
So - I have to say WTF?
I have a weight loss goal for end of March of about 20 pounds, which I thought in 3 months on keto would be achievable. I don't want to wait another week only to have zero weight loss.
I have done pure calorie restriction in the past with decent success, slow .5-1 lb/week with body fat losses. It just took a while.
What do you think?
I am in the same boat as you! I am trying to do everything right, have been in ketosis since day 3. My weight dropped 3 pounds but since then it either does nothing or moves up slowly. I've cut out all sugar alcohol and dairy now and still nothing. I'm just not sure what else I can do. I got on the scale this morning SURE that it would have moved down because my calories and carb intake was low but it moved up a half pound. It's so frustrating.
Extremely frustrated! I am on week 3 I lost 5 gained 2. I feel like I cant eat anything, Im not eating enough! Im eating too little. Every article says something different. Im trying to eat calories, high fat, low protein. Im trying not to measure everything out too much because it makes me crazy... I am working out ... I just see no progress and im ready to quit!
OH WOW - this is ME to a "T!" Week 4 and nothing - seriously, the exact same story! I'm frustrated, sad, annoyed, disappointed! I just cannot figure out why my body is NOT responding to such a dramatic change while everyone else is blissfully losing weight and felling great! Why can't this be me???
Kelly - I have had a very similar experience. I lost about 5lbs, only to gain back to my original weight. It's been 4 weeks of "by-the-book" keto dieting for me. I attend a support group and so many are excited about their IMMEDIATE (first week) weight loss, and this frustrates me.
I don't have a large amount of weight to lose (probably 12-15lbs); I don't know if this has anything to do with it.
I exercise 5 days weekly; I drink 60-80oz water daily; I eat absolutely NO sugar; HONESTLY, I do not "cheat".
On the plus side, I do feel better, my clothes fit looser, my energy is great, I sleep well.
Just baffled by the no movement of the scales...
hows it going now Mary Beth? I have the same experience month and half and only 5 pounds down, feel great but really discouraged by the lack of weight loss. Looking for some advice that I can try.
I was really hoping going keto would help me loose weight... But it hasn't.
I dont do dairy, I'm intolerant I don't do cheat foods. I am super careful I keep my exact carbs at 20. I measure and weigh everything.
I had my thyroid checked. I dont have thyroid issues.
What HAS happened is that my normally 112/80 blood pressure has shot up to 169/110!!! AND I have even lost one pound in 30 days.
LOL... But my cholesterol has stayed the same? Which is good, because it wasn't bad to begin with.
I'm disappointed. All this hype about keto and it didn't work for me. I wonder if it is because I have fatty liver disease?
:/
Hi, I have to say such an interesting site.
I am saddened by a large majority of people who have only attempted the way of eating for a matter of weeks before becoming ready to give up.
If you are losing weight (water weight) in only a matter of weeks then well done, but think your-self's lucky spare a thought for those who have only gained on Keto there are many of us out there.
Myself for instance started early last year my meals are spot on I do not over eat my fat calories, no snacking between meals, moderate protein, I lift three times a week cardio twice a week and occasional intermittent fast and still the scales only go up I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life but still I have not given up I will find the way that fit's me, who knows I could have an underlying issue but will continue to self experiment.
You are all individuals and are all different, diets and ways of eating is not one size fits all, so don't give up do your research before writing off the fact the diet doesn't work for you.
Oh my gosh, thanks for this. I actually was eating sugar free candies s as a replacement for my cravings, I didn't realize malitol (in the candies i eat) was more of a carb content than it actually is. I did the math, I was eating at least 50 grams of sugar some days (almost none others) with these candies. -_- well, live and learn. At least I had remained under 100 grams of carbs each day. It is so easy to get discouraged when you don't realize what you are doing to stall the process. I don't eat much dairy, but I do think my macros has been off the last 2 weeks with my protein and carbs because of it. lol, ok. one cheat day today then I am back on tomorrow as a reset. Its so exhausting to think I came all this way reformatting my eating habits and realizing that I have not come as far as I thought.
I'm not losing weight nor getting smaller. I'm still obese. I did Primal/paleo for 3 months before switching to Keto 6 months ago. With no weight loss, I started closely tracking 2 months ago. I don't understand why an obese person can't lose weight this way. I'm eating high quality foods only, including only good fat sources and no prepackaged foods. I'm off of dairy. Ideas people have are that I'm too stressed (no), I'm eating too much (no), I'm eating to little (no), I'm meant to be obese. No, that just can't be. I wasn't obese in the past, this happened in the past 4 years. I'm taking supplements to support my adrenals, as well as magnesium and many other supposedly helpful things. I want to fit into normal size clothes.
Hi Rachel,
I'm sorry you're not seeing progress. I'll share a bit of my experience hoping it might help. I didn't seek to start eating a keto diet, but I joined a challenge at my gym that has been life changing for me. I don't measure macros, calories or ketones. If I knew the challenge was basically keto, I may have been afraid to try it, but it turns out, I am eating keto for sure and I've dropped weight very quickly and have maintained it effortlessly. I came across this post researching "too much weight loss on keto" since this morning when I weighed myself, I lost another pound. It's crazy since I eat so much. Really, I eat so much! I pack my plate and people look at me strange and they can't believe I eat so much. Overall, I've gone from 182 lbs. to 128. I'm 5' 7" and 43 years old. Only the last 15 lbs. have been from eating this way. My earlier weight loss was from making many small changes over a long period of time.
That's some background about my experience. I know your situation may be different. Here's what I found really worked for me: (1) Not stressing about eating and making it a math problem every day. Eat when you're hungry. Don't eat when you're not. Eat foods that make you feel good. Don't eat foods that don't. (2) The challenge I did was also like an elimination diet for 5 weeks. It eliminated foods that are known to be inflammatory. For the first time, I understood how a good body and digestive system should feel. I never want to go back to feeling sick. Most people spend their whole lives feeling yucky and just think life sucks. I don't have any specific health issues, but I can sure feel the difference eating keto. It makes sticking to the lifestyle easy. (3) If you cut out all processed foods, all sugar (except fruit), grains, and dairy, cravings and hunger go away. Magic. They just go away. I'm totally in control of my appetite and the food choices I make. (4) Intermitted (sp?) fasting is my friend. Again, just like the keto diet, I didn't seek to start fasting. It came about naturally as I decided to eat when my body told me to. I don't have a fasting schedule or goals. I've found that I prefer eating one to two huge meals a day + some snacking (nuts, apple, coffee + banana) as a treat once or twice a day. I probably fast 14-16 hours a day. Before keto, I had to eat as soon as my feet hit the floor at 7am and didn't finish eating/snacking until 10pm. (FYI - I ate well before keto, fairly low-carb, no processed foods, no soda. But appetite control was not something I thought was ever possible) (5) Fat is my friend. How wonderful it is to eat formally forbidden foods. People I know and new people I meet who don't understand keto think I starve myself or must be on a low-fat diet. I have to say that I am a bit thin right now (not used to it). I started back strength training today...don't want to loose anymore weight and risk loosing muscle. Back to fat eating: I eat plenty of eggs (3-5 a day), lot's of mayo with tuna, heavy whipping cream for soups and sauces, and butter (butter fried cabbage is my new favorite veggie). Fat was restricted in the challenge I did with my gym. Once it was over, I increased my fat intake in a big way, but I'm still maintaining weight, actually still loosing. (6) I eat lots of veggies. I know some people eating low-carb advocate a lot of protein and fat, but veggies are more like an afterthought. With every meal, veggies fill the plate first (raw or cooked). Protein and fat are added as toppings. (7) Not sure if this is a good thing, but I've become a big coffee drinker. I'm starting to switch a bit to tea since too much coffee leads to bloat for me. I don't do fat bombs. I've experimented with different coffees and found Colombian to be my favorite. If you're only drinking Folgers, black coffee is not too exciting. Coffee has been my replacement for lattes. I used to drink 2-3 a day, either my Nespresso at home or Starbucks. Dairy is definitely a keto killer! I still order a double tall latte (with whole milk) from SB a few times a week. Anymore dairy than that really makes me start feeling yucky again. Not lactose intolerant yucky just regular people living with inflammation yucky.
I wish you the best. Keep us posted 🙂
Great article! I’m not seeing much results...but the part about “fat as a lever” is awesome! I’m not going to try to reach that goal anymore!
I have been in Ketosis 3 weeks now and literally the only thing i've noticed changed is my menstrual cycle/ Spotting well before i'm due to start. frustrated!
Ketosis doesn't necessarily equal weight loss. Be sure to track your calorie intake and eat at a deficit if weight loss is your goal. Here's the first part of the series that focuses on calorie intake: https://ketogasm.com/stalling-keto-weight-loss-plateau/
Hope that helps!
I’m very happy to have found this blog and the comments! I’m usually a primal eater, lift weights and do cardio but since transferring to a new location for work, in a job I find really stressful foods that I know don’t work for me started creeping back in. I gained weight and am now 149 pounds (5’7 tall), I was bloated, tired, unhappy and craved sugar, carbs and alcohol.
3 weeks ago I decided enough. I read a lot about Keto and decided it would probably help heal my poor body and mind. I checked out a bunch of blogs and was pretty disappointed by what I saw which is that so many people when switching to a Keto lifestyle maintain their old bad habits just with a different flavour. I don’t think that the answer is to try to swap old bad habits for ‘Keto friendly’ options which just see you eating a bunch of processed junk like ‘Keto cheesecake’ and diet soda.
At the end of the day if my body can’t recognise something as a real, whole food it’s not going to cope too well with it regardless of the carb to fat ratio.
So I’ve been pretty strict, essentially doing a ketogenic whole 30. I do supplement with an unflavoured, natural magnesium and vitamin c powder but otherwise keep it to grass fed beef, wild fish or organic free range chicken and eggs, vegetables, bone broths and some nuts. I put coconut cream in my coffee which I’ve limited to one a day and get my extra fats from avocado, grass fed butter and coconut oil. I also make my own kombuca.
Ive been making sure I get 8 hours a night sleep, do yoga 4 times a week and meditate daily. I’m doing everything right. Guess how much weight I’ve lost?
1.5 kilos.
Yep, that’s it. As well as that, I’m never sick but this weekend I was knocked out with the flu - it was terrible and all I could think was what the hell!? I’ve been perfect.
But here’s the thing, my body is telling me I’m on the right track. Maybe the illness was as a result of my cortisol lowering allowing something Ive been carrying to work it’s way out, maybe my immune system felt ready to handle getting rid of this virus for good? Or maybe I was just unlucky. But when I woke up this morning I felt a shift, it was like my body said to me “ok, now we’ve healed we can start to improve”. I’ve dropped about another kilo of fluid and can almost see abs again.
Let your bodies heal ladies! Sometimes we have more to recover from and it takes longer but wouldn’t you prefer your bodies to focus on healing your gut, organs and mental health before it targeted the aesthetics?
Until I got sick I’d been feeling great, energetic, happy, calm stressful things at work didn’t upset me. These are gifts that are more important than weight and I think my body knew it needed to sort those issues out first.
If you’ve been eating poorly for years or have chronic/metabolic issues remember it took years of bad habit to get you there. It’s not going to fix itself in a matter of weeks.
I really recommend looking up the Ted Talk Is the Obesity Crisis Hiding a Bigger Problem, it talks about the association between insulin resistance (caused by a high carb/ sugar/ processed diet) and weight gain. Keto will help with metabolic resistance. Also check out a Podcast called Wellness Women Radion which is created by two Australian doctors, the do a great episode on metabolic set point and why weight loss can be slow with tips for overcoming it.
Don’t focus on the weigh, focus on your health and the changes will happen. And remember if it’s processed, it’s not food regardless of if it’s Keto friendly or not.
Hi! So I'm a pretty heavy drinker. But I never use mixers with sugar. Been doing Keto for about 2.5 weeks now. I try hard not to weigh myself daily as I used to. While I have definitely lost a FEW (if that) pounds and can kind of see my cheekbones agains(a little!) I'm definitely not seeing the weight loss I had expected. 2nd time trying the Keto diet. My weight bothers me A LOT! I am 10 pounds away from my goal. I haven't been exercising at all. Honestly, I had given up on Keto. But a Diabetic friend tested me over a 2 day period. I was 175 all the Time except my fasting sugar was 123. THAT is how I started back on Keto! Immediately! This time, I am NOT using ANY APP nor am I counting fat or anything! Last try at Keto, by counting EVERYTHING, I actually had FAR LESS Success! It also drove me CRAZY! Only thing I do daily is ketone strips. After 3 days I achieved Ketosis & have stayed there. Unfortunately, I cannot see myself QUITTING Alcohol. Unless I found out it was making me sick or something . I'm definitely menopausal now & never drank much previously. Until about 5 years ago. It takes the stress I experience away. My nerves are better on. Keto but still I must drink to be any kind of calm. I don't ever get "wasted". Just kind of sip daily. Vodka & club Soda only. But to the average person, I surely drink a lot! I seem to crave coffee with HWC on Keto. I never have been into coffee b4. I have only 1 cup in the AM. So maybe I need to exercise? Idk. Just WANT MY BODY BACK! I'm used to being pretty slim. Even w/o much weight loss, I will stay on the Keto diet because of my sugar levels when I don't! Last year when I tried Keto my sugar b4 I started was 100. I Truly believe that my Obsession with carb counting & all REALLY Hindered my weight loss. I thought I could eat & eat & still loose. Eh. NO. I definitely eat goat cheese almost daily since the 2nd week. Not too much though Maybe the 3-4 pounds I have lost is normal? Not sure! This diets pretty easy for me. Not eating like crazy this time! But I read somewhere that just cause the stick is purple it doesn't mean you are BURNING Fat. I don't really understand THAT! Maybe it meant that you must stay in ketosis for a couple of months before you REALLY start burning fat? I also eat a few squares of 90% dark chocolate most every PM. Is 3-4 pounds in 2.5 weeks not so great or normal? At the beginning I needed to lose 14 pounds. Now 10 more. I'm REALLY trying NOT to Overthink everything as it STRESSES me Badly & DEFINITELY messes up my weight loss. Any Ideas? Thank You! Any Help is appreciated! And yes, I understand alcohol is bad for me.
Thanks for the info. What about recipes that call for almond flour? Should I just stay away from those recipes? Thanks in advance.
Nicely written piece. I love your style...not to mention the excellent content.
Well done. I enjoyed it. Those damned nuts!!
Hi,
I am getting married in Oct and i am a little over weight. All i want to do is lose around 10-12 kg which i know is very much possible in keto. I have a very limited food list. Like i cant have cheese. So all i limit myself is to eating cucumbers and having kebabs and chicken and maybe a protein bar sometimes. i am also drinking enough water. I don't usually get keto flu cos i would drink some clear soups with some spices. I am an Indian and thus have a very very different eating pattern. Can you please help me with it. I really would love to look good on my wedding.
I don't understand what I am doing wrong. I have being on Keto for 4 weeks now and nothing. I have not lost any weight and I am always hungry. I walk every day. I am not eating a lot of food but I am eating enough. I done eat after seven. Can someone explain to me what I am doing wrong?
I am feeling the same way! I have been in ketosis for 5 days according to the strips. I have had a gross taste in my mouth constantly. I have not lost any weight. I will try cutting out cheese, even though it is my favorite keto "friendly" food.
I am getting married in 17 days and I was hoping to see a little weight loss by then...
Can any one tell me where the information that malitol is 52 on the insulin index. I haven't found any of that info on the published insulin indexes I've viewed. I think a complete insulin index would be about the most helpful bit of information I could have.
Thanks anyone who can tell me where this info came from
This is helpful. Although I haven't an issue, per se, with eating more fat in regards to my weight, it definitely is too much for my gallbladder. I'm so in tuned with my body at this point that I know what does what. I make keto fudge with almond butter and coconut oil and some vanilla and stevia. I stayed away from it for a week and felt great but then felt I NEEDED it.....I had a piece after dinner last night and had a really rough night. Bloated, distended, and I actually was feeling stressed and anxious.
Regardless of the diet we decide to follow......too much food is still too much food. We CAN eat too much of all food groups, even veggies. Maybe especially veggies thinking that they are a FREE food. They're not
I wish I hadn't discovered fat bombs because they really are a way to stay on the path of eating junk. That's my personal opinion and I think that the keto diet is more than just weight loss but about changing your relationship with food in general.....That's just my .02
Great blog....thank you
Interesting that is seems that the women are having a harder time!!!!
Is there any keto advise for those of us who are allergic to nuts, avocado, coconut and salmon? I have been keto for 9 weeks and I have lost 18 lbs (started @ 251). I have been doing IF and water fasting days. Help!!! My goal is 80 lbs (170). How do I include bombs when just about evening includes the things that I am allergic too??
I got more from this one post than I have while scouring the internet for DAYS! Thank you!!!!
Frustration is starting to set in but I'm stubborn. My husband has lost about 20lbs since we started about a month ago. Mainly to lose weight for pre-diabetic reasons.
Question I have is with dairy - Is heavy cream acceptable? I use about a tbs in my coffee.
Also I do a coconut supplement and fish oil gels in the am. I eat from 1pm to 8pm. And fast from 8pm to 1pm. I normally eat just one meal. i do try to squeeze two in. Drink plenty of water. Walk 1-3 miles on the treadmill daily.
My husband cheats with an apple, pear, strawberries and cool whip. And eats 3 meals a day. I don't and my keytones have been between 2.3 - 2.8. BG 93 - 97,
Suggestions?
Very helpful. Thanks
I too have been on Keto for almost a month. I have only lost 5 pounds and nothing fits looser. I am still wearing my fat clothes. I am 5'1" and my starting weight was 130;almost a month into it I'm 125 and my goal weight is 110-115. I have been vigilint about the nutrients and track all of them on my carb manager app. I have checked that I am in ketosis and my only bad is that I don't drink alot of water and use Sweet Leaf stevia that has no carbs. I'm just frustrated because I read people's stories online and they lose tons in a month and here I am just plugging along.
I started the keto diet x 2 weeks in the first 4 days I lost 20 lbs now i am stuck I am eating cottage cheese nuts and turkey meat Salmon groung beef some days i can go without eating for 2 days just drinkin water now i have gain back 5 lbs what am i doing wrong
Oh mah gosh! Finally someone answered my question as to why I'm gaining weight. I was under the impression that I was suppose to be getting within 10 of all my macros!! I did not know that I didn't have to meet all those ratios. This clears up A LOT for me. After I weighed this morning I was thinking, nope, Keto is not a good way to lose weight. Was thinking...I lost more when I was just having a salad and some lean meat for lunch each day. The problem with that was that I was hungry again in the evening and I usually wanted something sweet so I turned to Keto. Now that I have some answers I know what to do. Sticking to my salad or low glycemic veggies & lean meat for lunch, then similar dinner with some small Keto treat (no more fat bombs for me!) if I just have to have it. Thanks so much for all the information!!!
so being vegetarian and trying to do keto with nuts seeds dairy are the only real rib stickers we have left with not eating meat....what is the recommended amount of dairy cheese nuts seeds to eat to not cause a stall..i did fine three mos now im starting to stall! someone please reply!
You can still eat nut, seeds, and dairy. The calorie deficit is key to driving weight loss; so long as you portion out your intake, you should be fine so long as you are not allergic/hypersensitive to them. The "issue" with these foods when it comes to weight loss is largely due to calorie density and unintentional overeating, but inflammation may play a role in some people.
High protein foods are highly satiating, so if you are looking for "rib stickers" as a vegetarian, eggs/egg whites can be great, consider low carb soy products like black soybeans or tofu (especially the super-firm kind). Seitan is also very high protein if gluten is not an issue for you. Hope that helps!