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  #1   ^
Old Wed, Jan-24-18, 09:00
Joanna J Joanna J is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 35
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 124/122/113 Female 62 "
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Maryland
Default What to do if you are in ketosis but not losing weight?

I have been monitoring my metabolism with ketones testing strips. They have been showing pink to light purple for 3 days now (1.5 to 4)
Unfortunately i have not lost any weight. The opposite is true. I have put on 1lb in that time, maybe due to constipation. I have been drinking a lot of water but it does not seem to help much with constipation. How long does it take from the beginning of ketosis to losing weight?
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  #2   ^
Old Wed, Jan-24-18, 10:54
teaser's Avatar
teaser teaser is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 15,075
 
Plan: mostly milkfat
Stats: 190/152.4/154 Male 67inches
BF:
Progress: 104%
Location: Ontario
Default

The hoped for mechanism of action of a ketogenic diet is hormonal correction, if a person is overweight due to chronically elevated insulin levels, a less insulinogenic diet addresses the insulin response to food, and the decrease in liver glycogen makes for a lower fasting insulin as well. You can only really expect a correction if something was wrong in the first place. Since you're not overweight to begin with, odds are that your insulin wasn't particularly elevated. That's just playing the odds, there are exceptions where people get type II diabetes or insulin resistance without being overweight, but they're pretty strong odds.

Higher early losses generally occur in people who are overweight, partly because they're more likely to have excess water weight to lose. People who start out leaner can't really expect this. Early water weight is often put down to whole body glycogen stores, but this can only really account for four pounds or so, and that would involve the water associated with the body's entire glycogen store, that's beyond what actually happens. Most of the liver glycogen might be lost, that accounts for about a pound. Most of the water loss people report has more to do with shifting hormones and a reduced retention of electrolytes, than with glycogen.

We're mostly water, shifting water balance can easily mask fat loss, if you don't carry much excess water, this might show up on the scale earlier rather than later. One of the more common complaints here is people losing weight for three or four weeks, and then stalling. It doesn't mean they're not losing fat, it just means that if they are, they're just regaining enough water to compensate for the lost fat weight. That can be good, sometimes it's due to muscle or other lean tissue gain as opposed to just taking on more water.
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  #3   ^
Old Wed, Jan-24-18, 11:26
Joanna J Joanna J is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 35
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 124/122/113 Female 62 "
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Maryland
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by teaser
The hoped for mechanism of action of a ketogenic diet is hormonal correction, if a person is overweight due to chronically elevated insulin levels, a less insulinogenic diet addresses the insulin response to food, and the decrease in liver glycogen makes for a lower fasting insulin as well. You can only really expect a correction if something was wrong in the first place. Since you're not overweight to begin with, odds are that your insulin wasn't particularly elevated. That's just playing the odds, there are exceptions where people get type II diabetes or insulin resistance without being overweight, but they're pretty strong odds.

Higher early losses generally occur in people who are overweight, partly because they're more likely to have excess water weight to lose. People who start out leaner can't really expect this. Early water weight is often put down to whole body glycogen stores, but this can only really account for four pounds or so, and that would involve the water associated with the body's entire glycogen store, that's beyond what actually happens. Most of the liver glycogen might be lost, that accounts for about a pound. Most of the water loss people report has more to do with shifting hormones and a reduced retention of electrolytes, than with glycogen.

We're mostly water, shifting water balance can easily mask fat loss, if you don't carry much excess water, this might show up on the scale earlier rather than later. One of the more common complaints here is people losing weight for three or four weeks, and then stalling. It doesn't mean they're not losing fat, it just means that if they are, they're just regaining enough water to compensate for the lost fat weight. That can be good, sometimes it's due to muscle or other lean tissue gain as opposed to just taking on more water.

Teaser,
Thank you for this comprehensive reply. I think my problem is that most of my life i have had diet low in carbs anyway. I do not have sweet tooth. I decided that going on Atkins should be easy for me since i do not eat bread or sweets or most grains anyway, so the only thing i would have to restrict is nuts and fruit. For example i have been eating eggs and ham for breakfast for years now.
So since i started Atkins i eliminated berries, nuts, carrots and decreased amount of cooked veggies.
Maybe that is not enough?
I added cheese (Brie or Cheddar) for fat. I also added heavy cream instead of milk to my coffee.
I will try to avoid cheese for a few days to see if that helps.
I also eat salami, oysters, steaks, hamburgers without bun, ham, bacon, chicken, smoked fish, asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, shrimp, salads: arugula, spinach with tomatoes , a bit of onion, red radishes, cucumbers, olive oil as dressing. Does any of that look suspect?
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  #4   ^
Old Fri, Feb-02-18, 09:47
Joanna J Joanna J is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 35
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 124/122/113 Female 62 "
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Maryland
Default Update

It took me almost 2 weeks in Ketosis to start losing weight
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  #5   ^
Old Sat, Feb-03-18, 20:29
nawchem's Avatar
nawchem nawchem is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 8,701
 
Plan: No gluten, CAD
Stats: 196.0/158.5/149.0 Female 62
BF:36/29.0/27.3
Progress: 80%
Default

I'm your height but much heavier. After those initial golden pounds came off. It takes me about a week and a half to shift the weight. However, I can feel that I'm losing fat because my fat areas, especially the belly get mushy as the fat is replaced with water. Suddenly the water gushes out and I'll lose a couple of pounds. That might be where you are - losing all along and then body lets go of the water that replaced the fat.

Good for you, you kept going and your getting results!

ps Teaser is awesome if you want to know the science of things he's your man!
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  #6   ^
Old Sat, Feb-03-18, 23:25
mike_d's Avatar
mike_d mike_d is offline
Grease is the word!
Posts: 8,475
 
Plan: PSMF/IF
Stats: 236/181/180 Male 72 inches
BF:disappearing!
Progress: 98%
Location: Alamo city, Texas
Default

Not enough salt? Started losing again when I added in salty beef jerky and fish tinned in brine.
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  #7   ^
Old Sun, Feb-04-18, 04:11
zoogirl's Avatar
zoogirl zoogirl is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,910
 
Plan: atkins 20
Stats: 127.6/111/110 Female 5' 2"
BF:
Progress: 94%
Location: Canada
Default

Morning Joanna J, I thought this might help you a bit...First remember that you have very little to lose to start with...but when I felt like I was stalled and not getting anywhere, I contacted Atkins Nutritionist and here it what they told me...

Thank you for contacting Atkins Nutritionals.

I thought the following things we hear the most often when people say they've plateaued, not been as successful losing weight or gained weight might help you get back on track:

1. eating less than 18 net carbs in a day
2. not getting the 12-15 net carbs from vegetables everyday (that’s approximately 6 cups of leafy greens and 2 cups of cooked vegetables)
3. too many artificial sweeteners/sugar free foods
4. too few calories: for women it should be 1500-1800, for men it should be 1800-2200

Good Luck to you and remember, one day at a time, small steps, you will get there, this is not a race...stop by my J some time, I love company, ttyl, have a positive day.
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  #8   ^
Old Sun, Feb-04-18, 09:49
Joanna J Joanna J is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 35
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 124/122/113 Female 62 "
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Maryland
Default

nawchem
Thank you for encouragement. I will try to be more patient. My belly gets mushy too, so that is probably a good sign


mike_d
thank you for your suggestion. I eat uncured salami, olives and smoked trout every day. I think they are pretty salty. I also add ham to my omelets.

zoogirl
thank you for valuable info from Atkins Nutritionals
I will follow that.
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