I'm in ketosis but I don't exercise.....

[ElisaM]

Does that mean i'll still lose weight. I feel like I've lost weight, but I don't have a scale yet (it's coming in the mail). I don't really exercise except for the running around I do at work all day. By the time I get home i'm beat and can't bring myself to exercise, I just want to relax. I'm in ketosis but i'm not sure if that means i'm losing weight. Actually, i'm not sure what being in ketosis exactly means.

[Afox]

I have the oppisit problem, well its not a problem really juts oppisite situation. I excersize like mad, eat less than 10g carbs a day and Im still not in ketosis or losing any weight. Ive only been on the diet 2 1/2 weeks though, I drink a gallon of water at least a day, lift weights 3 days a week and cardio 5 days a week (been doing that for years though) and in the last 2 weeks not a single pound has come off. But I think I dropped a pants size. Keto sticks say no ketosis. What is going on here???

Does ketosis guarantee weight loss? does not ketosis mean no weight loss?

[NickFender]

ElisaM:
If you are in ketosis you almost have to lose weight even if you don't exercise. Ketosis means your body is getting fuel from stored fat and that will produce weight loss. Try to go for a walk in the evening after you eat. I bet that's all you need to get started.

Afox
Check out Atkins' New Diet Revolution for tips for people who have sever metabolic resistance. Someone who works out as much as you may be resistant. Plus, its possible that exercise is converting fat to denser muscle tissue, so while you're losing inches, your net weight lose may be less.

[lkonzelman]

You don't need to exercise to lose on Atkins but it does help change your body quicker (losing more inches).

If you aren't losing anything eating two FEW CARBS (20 should be about minimum - with most from allowed veggies) then with all the exercise, you are probably not eating enough. Your body would still cling to weight thinking it is starving.

The best way to know how well you are doing is to post menus. We are all here to help if you want.

All the best.

[SDgrandma]

Elisa, you have to read the book. You can't do Atkins correctly without it. That will explain ketosis and give you a lot of other info you must have to succeed.

If you are using the Ketostix to determine whether you are in ketosis, you should know that they are not reliable. Do a search of the board for ketosis and start reading. There is also info in the Low Carb Tips on the orange bar at the top of this page.

If you have not lost any weight you may not be eating correctly. I lost a lot of weight without exercise, but I will warn you that the loss will almost stop later without exercise. I'm dealing with that now.

[ALEKA]

Hi Elisa--I have back problems right now and can't exercise either. I have just been staying on the Atkins way of eating. It has been 13 weeks now and I have lost 25 pounds. So don't worry about the exercising --maybe you will feel more like doing it when you lose some weight. :agree:---And do what SDGrandma suggested--Get the book and read it cover to cover--that will explain a lot of the questions you mig:roll:ht have. Congratulate yourself for doing something good for yourself--Bye:wave:--Aleka

[ALEKA]

Elisa--PS>----Make sure you write down your measurements too as when I do not lose weight according to the scale--I usually am losing inches. Muscle weighs more than fat--so you may see a shrink in inches before you see a shrink on the scale. Aleka

[OpenArms]

Hi Elisa :)

The first time I tried low-carb'ing I was having difficulties too. My parents wer on it with me, and while they were shedding pounds by the hour (it seemed to me ; ) I wasn't losing a darn thing and I was getting Really frustrated. IT wasn't until I spoke with another lady who told me to be VERY sure that I was getting protein at every single meal. Within a couple of days of taking her advice I was starting to drop some weight. I haven't used any of those little sticks to check ketosis, but I can pretty much tell when it starts. One sure sign for me is pretty foul breath (a result of burning out the toxins stored in body fat I understand). I, uh, keep a bottle of listerine handy until this passes. It re occurs from time to time so I'm not certain whether it's a matter of yet another store of toxins is being cleared out of my system. A discomfiting side-effect, but ironically it lets me know the whole thing is actually working.
Forget the scale - take some good measurments and keep track of those. I find nothing so depressing as looking at the scale and seeing an increase of one or two pounds occassionally - which happens for me during hot spells and my time of the month.
Also understand that while this WOE Does work, it;s different for everyone. Some people I know can eat WAY more, and different carbs than me and still lose weight. I can't have anything with maltilol and expect to keep to ketosis. Something about it doesn't work with me. I guess there's some trial and error to work out as individuals.
Hang in - and do read the book... there's a lot of interesting info to be found there!
~Tracy

[SDgrandma]

Tracy, thanks for the tip about protein at every meal. I hadn't thought of that. Sometimes I just have salad for lunch with no protein. I'm going to try that.

[Slamchopss]

Good information here, and as a newbie to the Atkins I have the same questions and/or feelings you are experiencing. One thing that was mentioned above is that muscle weighs more than fat. If you are burning your fat stores, some of that is being converted to muscle, and some is being used for energy. If you are feeling exhausted at the end of the day, it is possible that you need nutritional supplements (are you taking any now?). One thing that you absolutely must have is potassium. Taking a daily supplement will help alleviate aches, pains and exhaustion. All the B vitamins will help with energy, endurance, mood, etc. B's are the wonder vitamin. I would take a multi-vitamin to replace what your body has burned off from your previous ways of eating as well. Your aches or exhaustion is your body trying to tell you something. Listen to it!!! The more energy you have at the end of the day, the more you can devote to excercise. And throw away those evil ketostix. It can be as detrimental to your positivity about this new way of eating as a scale is. It is not always indicative of your progress. Good luck!!!

[Bella2]

I only started today and have found this thread very informative already - will make sure i have protein at every meal and will take note of the ketosis - thanks folks

[Philly Cat]

Slambchopss,

Thanks for the helpful tip to throw the ketostix away-I have the same problem as AFox--less than 20g carbs/day and exercies 5days/week, but no ketosis and, most frustratingly a 2 pund increase. Lots of people have said that looking at the menu helps, so I'm posting my Fitday journal and would love some feedback about how I could improve. I work with a personal trainer, so we do measurements every 8 weeks. I have 4 weeks to go and hope that I'm losing inches and gaining muscle.

Thanks for the help.

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=stacybo

[Slamchopss]

Phillycat,

A 2 pound increase can be a beautiful thing if its muscle!!! You are excercising quite a bit, and if you are in ketosis (alot of excercise and/or water can affect the color of your ketostix) and are gaining weight, its quite possible your body is eating away at that fat and turning it into muscle. MEASURE!! I just bet you will be pleased with the results!!! Your post got me excited for you! Hope to hear about your progress and your measurments soon :)

[Philly Cat]

Thanks for the encouragement--it really helps! I will focus on measuring and not the scale. I'll ask my trainer to do some interim measurements to keep me motivated. Thanks, again! :yay:

[lkonzelman]

Smaller not lighter has been my mantra!

[Philly Cat]

I'm believing in that more every day!

[lkonzelman]

You go Philly Cat!!!

[Afox]

I just want to say one thing here. I'm new to low carb dieting but Im not new to bodybuilding or working out....I see some people here have said that the fat is turning into muscle and thats why some may gain weight. That is not exactly true. Fat can not turn into muscle. Muscle can not turn into fat. Now you can lose fat and replace that mass with muscle but only if you workout. I'm only saying this because I don't want people to think that they can turn their fat into muscle through diet alone. If your not excersizing the fat may be coming off but I assure you no muscle is taking its place.
You might think all that protien will automatically build muscle but without the stimulation of those muscle's (ie breaking them down to be rebuilt) the protien is put to minimal use and then expelled through waste.

[Slamchopss]

>>>Fat can not turn into muscle. Muscle can not turn into fat.<<<

I guess what I should have said was your body is burning the fat, and building muscle (not "from" fat). I noticed with my increase in energy and activity, that fat is being replaced with muscle. I didnt mean t confuse that the fat was turning into muscle. However, it stands that in this event, the scale will not be a reliable source to measure progress unless it calculates BMI as well.

[Philly Cat]

You do have to be careful about using BMI as a measurement if you are very active and building muscle. The formula to calculate it doesn't take into account that part of your weight is due to lean muscle mass--Body fat percentage is the best way to go for folks exercising vigorously and weight training. It gives the best representation of what changes are occurring.

On another note, I have seen several postings lamenting the fact that they could not drink Diet Coke on Atkins. I could not find any reason not to-no carbs, no sugar, no sodium--anybody else experience this. Diet soda is something I'll drink regularly.

[lkonzelman]

On another note, I have seen several postings lamenting the fact that they could not drink Diet Coke on Atkins. I could not find any reason not to-no carbs, no sugar, no sodium--anybody else experience this. Diet soda is something I'll drink regularly.

The issues are that you are only supposed to have 3 packets of artificial sweetner daily during induction.

The main reason is that some people still have cravings and/or stall due to aspertaime.

Not that common but cutting out the need for "fake" sugars in the beginning have helped some of us get through sugar withdrawals.