Cheat Days and Keto

Shikamoo

I've lost 32 pounds over the last 8 weeks, so I was feeling pretty good about my Keto diet, but my progress is really starting to slow over the last couple weeks. What's interesting about this is that I've been more diligent than ever over those same two weeks, keeping it under 20g of carbs for 13 of the last 14 days, more often than not, under 10g.

I do know that the pounds in the beginning shed quicker and it gets harder and harder as you close in on your optimum weight, but I still can't help but wonder, is there a chance my metabolism has adjusted to this ultra-low-carb diet and is easing back on firing up the fat-burning furnace?

Have any of my fellow Cronometer fans seen their progress on the Keto diet start to plateau and try working in a cheat day just to keep the metabolism from getting too complacent?

Susan_RD_101

@Shikamoo

You may find this blog on weight plateaus helpful to read: https://cronometer.com/blog/why-is-my-weight-plateauing/

You are exactly right; your body doesn't actually like losing weight ( since it's interpreted as illness or starvation) and has started to adjust its metabolic rate in order to prevent/slow further weight loss.

While eating more often during the day is linked to a faster metabolism, one day will not necessarily result in a jump in metabolism.

At the end of the day, what you are going through is completely normal and expected. It's likely that you may continue to lose weight, but at a much slower pace (which is actually better for the body). At this point, the best thing you can do is engage in a resistance training program to preserve lean muscle mass and your metabolic rate.

bracconiere

i've heard it's a dirty word about weight loss, but when i was dropping from 265 to 170...

i had what is known as whoosh moments, i just kept track of my calories, and got to the point where i could predict a 10 pound whoosh. when i got to about 210 though my whooshes became only 5 pounds. happened about every month.

Shikamoo

Good read on the weight plateaus and intuitive eating, thanks for sharing that, Susan!

Heck of a job dropping 95 pounds like that, Bracconiere! Keto helped me shed 35 pounds in what seemed record time, but I've been stuck on 20 pounds outside my goal for 13 days now. I think I'm going to see if dropping the low carb fixation and going back to good old fashion calorie restriction might get my my last couple whoosh moments to my ideal weight.

bracconiere

thanks for the compliment! that was between 2009-2011, when i exported my info to the website from the standalone version (which they stopped supporting unfortunately) i even got a package from mercola wanting me to join a study, lol.

any way i gained back 30lbs in 2015 though, due to a measurement error, and found my mistake, corrected it. and now i'm back down to 169...it took me 3 years to do it, i wasn't in a hurry i just 'restricted' about 50-100 calories on avg and was patient, these things take time....ain't worth suffering to be in a hurry...