very discouraged!

[Jadelauren]

Hi ladies,

So about 3 weeks ago I started keto eating at maint. calories....which i figured out to be about 2100. Here are my current stats:

5'9
164 lbs(GRRRR... a month a half ago that # was 156 :()
I run every morning at high intensity for 20 min
weight train 6x week... the past month and a half my weights have increased ALOT (thats the only positive thing)

I am very discouraged because I love the Keto foods and have great energy on them.... but i dont know where all this weight came from. Its not just the scale number.. I'v noticed my most unforgiving jeans(we all have these jeans ladies lol) are VERY TIGHT.

Props to anyone who read this and didnt laugh at me :( haha

[kait123]

From what I've read don't you drop weight very quickly on Keto? I've never done it. Maybe you should try posting in the Keto section on the forums. They might be more helpful to you.

[digitalbath11]

you should read this:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=120288141

check out RedHeadedLaw's post towards the middle of the first page: Why hasn't my scale budged?

You should find your answers there.

[Jadelauren]

Thank you both very much :)

[KimPossible98]

Hi ladies,

So about 3 weeks ago I started keto eating at maint. calories....which i figured out to be about 2100. Here are my current stats:

5'9
164 lbs(GRRRR... a month a half ago that # was 156 :()
I run every morning at high intensity for 20 min
weight train 6x week... the past month and a half my weights have increased ALOT (thats the only positive thing)

I am very discouraged because I love the Keto foods and have great energy on them.... but i dont know where all this weight came from. Its not just the scale number.. I'v noticed my most unforgiving jeans(we all have these jeans ladies lol) are VERY TIGHT.

Props to anyone who read this and didnt laugh at me :( haha

We're not gonna laugh at you here. You are in the same situation as a lot of people and are just frustrated.

Have patience and if the scale has you discouraged then I suggest you don't weigh youself - or at least not every day. I enjoy seeing the day to day fluctuations of my weight. I find it fascinating, I am my own science experiment.

I also think you are training too much. Lifting 6x a week along with the intense cardio that you are doing...you need to eat a lot to fuel all of this. It is a delicate balance.

[Jadelauren]

We're not gonna laugh at you here. You are in the same situation as a lot of people and are just frustrated.

Have patience and if the scale has you discouraged then I suggest you don't weigh youself - or at least not every day. I enjoy seeing the day to day fluctuations of my weight. I find it fascinating, I am my own science experiment.

I also think you are training too much. Lifting 6x a week along with the intense cardio that you are doing...you need to eat a lot to fuel all of this. It is a delicate balance.


Thanks for the reassurance :) I read the thread on "Why hasnt my scale budged" that digitalbath11 suggested, and i found it very interesting. i have a question tho... it talks about how in the beggining there will be water retention and the "squishy fat" phenomenum, but how long does this last until you start seeing results? Is 3 weeks still not enough time to see any results?

thanks so much for your help so far ladies!

[kudostojen]

If you're doing keto, which keto are you doing? if the CKD, what do your carb-ups look like? Also, A break down of your diet, meaning, what foods are you eating?

[kudostojen]

oh and...http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/index.php?s=whooshes

[KimPossible98]

Yeah like kudostojen says, there are lots of factors that come into play here.

Some questions for you:
How long have you been doing a keto diet? 3 straight week? Have you taken any breaks? (Someone will need to help me, I don't know if you refeed on keto diets - I'm not familiar with them)

Do you weigh yourself at the same time every day - i.e.right when you wake up?

How long have you been weight training?

I can tell you that I did not notice the "squishy" effect that Lyle McD talks about until just very recently and it is very subtle and you need to be very in tune with your body. It's nothing drastic so chances are if you're just starting out you probably won't notice it.

[Jadelauren]

I am doing the CKD, and yes, for 3 weeks straight as of yesterday. I have yet to have a carb-up... from what i understand the first week you dont have a carb-up and since i havent noticed any fat loss, i thought to not do one yet.. was that not a good idea?

On a daily basis, my foods are:
whole eggs
canned salmon
lean ground beef
mayo (mixed in with salmon)
broccoli (ALOT of this, soo good )
cheese
cream

yesterday was actually the first time I weighed myself in a month a half... i tend not to go by scales, but considering the way my jeans fit, curiosity got the better of me:( lol

I have been weight training seriously for over a year now:)

Thanks again ladies for your input!

[tential]

Eh, I don't post much in the ladies forum but since I clicked I figured I might as well say something from a male perspective of someone who has not had the scale budge or sometimes has it going in the wrong way.

First off, the number on the scale is a number. No one is going to love you more or less because you hit a certain number. It all matters about what you see in the mirror. If you're training and looking better and better in the mirror than the scale shouldn't matter too much. The number fluctuates a lot anyway from water weight etc.

That being said we also don't see what others see. We tend to be harder on ourselves so you may see 0 progress while someone else sees a whole new you. It's like the anorexic girl that sees herself as the fattest person in the room.

Your jeans not fitting could be the result of the weight training. If you are squatting your thighs may be getting bigger. Now this comment is definitely from a guys perspective but IMO, since I started going to the gym more it's obvious to tell girls that just run and are super skinny vs girls that squat. Some have these ridiculous pencil legs that I'm not sure how they hold themselves up and others have a more full leg and thigh.

My best advice to you is to take progress pictures. Take pictures of yourself either every week, every month, in a bikini or something where you'll be able to see your body change easily. DONT LOOK at the pictures without someone with you. If you're anything like how am I I'll refuse to see changes unless they are drastic. A friend will see more clearly and be able to point out spots you actually improved in.

Also, I don't know what weight training program you're on but if you just started 6 times a week may be a little too much. Again, haven't been around this forum much so I don't know if there are other specialized weight training regimes you ladies use but from what I've read it men and women weight training should be similar so I'd pick a good beginner routine from the Workout Section for your weight training. 3 times a week full body.

Good luck girl we all get discouraged.

Oh, also, don't be afraid to get the jeans tailored. You don't have to change to fit the jeans make them fit you. Every person is shaped differently especially girls I never understood how ya'll could do it. If you're happy with yourself and they dont fit then make em. I get all my jeans tailored but then again they only come in 34 length and after spending 200+ another 20 bucks isn't going to hurt.

[Jadelauren]

Eh, I don't post much in the ladies forum but since I clicked I figured I might as well say something from a male perspective of someone who has not had the scale budge or sometimes has it going in the wrong way.

First off, the number on the scale is a number. No one is going to love you more or less because you hit a certain number. It all matters about what you see in the mirror. If you're training and looking better and better in the mirror than the scale shouldn't matter too much. The number fluctuates a lot anyway from water weight etc.

That being said we also don't see what others see. We tend to be harder on ourselves so you may see 0 progress while someone else sees a whole new you. It's like the anorexic girl that sees herself as the fattest person in the room.

Your jeans not fitting could be the result of the weight training. If you are squatting your thighs may be getting bigger. Now this comment is definitely from a guys perspective but IMO, since I started going to the gym more it's obvious to tell girls that just run and are super skinny vs girls that squat. Some have these ridiculous pencil legs that I'm not sure how they hold themselves up and others have a more full leg and thigh.

My best advice to you is to take progress pictures. Take pictures of yourself either every week, every month, in a bikini or something where you'll be able to see your body change easily. DONT LOOK at the pictures without someone with you. If you're anything like how am I I'll refuse to see changes unless they are drastic. A friend will see more clearly and be able to point out spots you actually improved in.

Also, I don't know what weight training program you're on but if you just started 6 times a week may be a little too much. Again, haven't been around this forum much so I don't know if there are other specialized weight training regimes you ladies use but from what I've read it men and women weight training should be similar so I'd pick a good beginner routine from the Workout Section for your weight training. 3 times a week full body.

Good luck girl we all get discouraged.

Oh, also, don't be afraid to get the jeans tailored. You don't have to change to fit the jeans make them fit you. Every person is shaped differently especially girls I never understood how ya'll could do it. If you're happy with yourself and they dont fit then make em. I get all my jeans tailored but then again they only come in 34 length and after spending 200+ another 20 bucks isn't going to hurt.


This was very helpful to get a guys perspective! It made me feel alot better about my body image and how hard we are on ourselves... even when i brought this issue up with my friend and she just burst out laughing and told me i look the exact same that i have since december. Thank you very much :)

[etherealgirl]

Hi ladies,

So about 3 weeks ago I started keto eating at maint. calories....which i figured out to be about 2100. Here are my current stats:

5'9
164 lbs(GRRRR... a month a half ago that # was 156 :()
I run every morning at high intensity for 20 min
weight train 6x week... the past month and a half my weights have increased ALOT (thats the only positive thing)

I am very discouraged because I love the Keto foods and have great energy on them.... but i dont know where all this weight came from. Its not just the scale number.. I'v noticed my most unforgiving jeans(we all have these jeans ladies lol) are VERY TIGHT.

Props to anyone who read this and didnt laugh at me :( haha

Laugh? Surely you jest. I could have wrote that. I'm getting very discouraged myself, I have been low-carbing, eating a a deficit and gaining weight. Ugh.

[Jadelauren]

Laugh? Surely you jest. I could have wrote that. I'm getting very discouraged myself, I have been low-carbing, eating a a deficit and gaining weight. Ugh.


It really isnt a laughing matter is it :( Are you following keto as well?

[tential]

If you started in December then you've only been doing it for about 3 weeks now. I'm 4 months in and if you sat me infront of a mirror and asked me if I made progress I'd tell you no. I've gotta say that's not the most supportive friend. Sounds like the same things we do over where I live except we're frat guys and it's expected of us at least to be mean.

Anyway, you're trying to transform your body and it wont happen quickly. You'll make mistakes and you'll have set backs. Don't give up and if you aren't making progress then come back and make sure you make a new topic and see where you went wrong. I go the same feeling this week that I'm not making progress but even you see you're getting stronger. At times you want to quit make a list of your achievements. I can see from what you've posted that you have stadily gotten stronger, you've stuck to a diet, hit the gym 6 times a week (still think you might wanna check that out), and done 20 minutes of cardio a day. That's an accomplishment as it is already.

Keep at it though for some people changing their weight is extremely hard. If you're in college don't take a basic nutrion class because if you weren't discouraged before I swear they'll make you want to quit. I didn't believe I could change my weight either but I slowly gained 5 lbs over the past 2 months (I'm on the opposite spectrum). It's calories in calories out so if you got an iphone keep track of your calories and make sure you're actually eating the calories you intend to by using an app or make preset meals for each day of what you're going to eat. DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF THOUGH. If you're eating at maintence and you still are having trouble then drop 200 calories.

You're on a much better track than most girls I know doing cardio for hours and starving themselves. You're actually on a great path and got everything from cardio to weight training to diet so keep up the good work and sorry for the long reads I was never a concise writer.

[Jadelauren]

If you started in December then you've only been doing it for about 3 weeks now. I'm 4 months in and if you sat me infront of a mirror and asked me if I made progress I'd tell you no. I've gotta say that's not the most supportive friend. Sounds like the same things we do over where I live except we're frat guys and it's expected of us at least to be mean.

Anyway, you're trying to transform your body and it wont happen quickly. You'll make mistakes and you'll have set backs. Don't give up and if you aren't making progress then come back and make sure you make a new topic and see where you went wrong. I go the same feeling this week that I'm not making progress but even you see you're getting stronger. At times you want to quit make a list of your achievements. I can see from what you've posted that you have stadily gotten stronger, you've stuck to a diet, hit the gym 6 times a week (still think you might wanna check that out), and done 20 minutes of cardio a day. That's an accomplishment as it is already.

Keep at it though for some people changing their weight is extremely hard. If you're in college don't take a basic nutrion class because if you weren't discouraged before I swear they'll make you want to quit. I didn't believe I could change my weight either but I slowly gained 5 lbs over the past 2 months (I'm on the opposite spectrum). It's calories in calories out so if you got an iphone keep track of your calories and make sure you're actually eating the calories you intend to by using an app or make preset meals for each day of what you're going to eat. DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF THOUGH. If you're eating at maintence and you still are having trouble then drop 200 calories.

You're on a much better track than most girls I know doing cardio for hours and starving themselves. You're actually on a great path and got everything from cardio to weight training to diet so keep up the good work and sorry for the long reads I was never a concise writer.


I actually am in my first year of college, and thankfully am NOT in a basic nutrition class lol. Thank you for being so honest, even just that has made me realize that although in my own eyes i have yet to see the progress i want, i know my numbers at the gym have improved and that IS a great start!

thanks again for taking the time to read and post this, and good luck to you and your goals.. not going to lie, I'm abit jealous of your goal to be GAINING weight lol ;)

[kudostojen]

I am doing the CKD, and yes, for 3 weeks straight as of yesterday. I have yet to have a carb-up... from what i understand the first week you dont have a carb-up and since i havent noticed any fat loss, i thought to not do one yet.. was that not a good idea?

On a daily basis, my foods are:
whole eggs
canned salmon
lean ground beef
mayo (mixed in with salmon)
broccoli (ALOT of this, soo good )
cheese
cream

yesterday was actually the first time I weighed myself in a month a half... i tend not to go by scales, but considering the way my jeans fit, curiosity got the better of me:( lol

I have been weight training seriously for over a year now:)

Thanks again ladies for your input!


Thanks for posting your diet. I just wanted to make sure you weren't eating hot dogs and bacon. Some people seem to think that's ok on keto and it's fine once in a while but not for all your nutritional needs.

As for carbing up, no, you can wait the 2 weeks.

Another question i have is, are you actually tracking all your calories or are you guesstimating?

A week after your carb up, if there's still no progress, you may want to think about changing a few things.

1. Ensure you're tracking EVERY calorie. You'd be amazed at how far off you can be. I dare you to track every calorie for a week and see how much you're really taking in.
2. drop your cals by 200. Your calories (IMO) are close too your maintenance cals. You may need to go down a bit.
3. drop your training to 4 times a week. This includes the cardio. (you may be doing too much)

I've had to drop my training to twice a week for almost a month, and my weight loss was still consistent. It's about diet.

[etherealgirl]

It really isnt a laughing matter is it :( Are you following keto as well?

Not keto but low carb/Atkins...staying on prolonged ionduction mode to keep in ketosis.

[Jadelauren]

Thanks for posting your diet. I just wanted to make sure you weren't eating hot dogs and bacon. Some people seem to think that's ok on keto and it's fine once in a while but not for all your nutritional needs.

As for carbing up, no, you can wait the 2 weeks.

Another question i have is, are you actually tracking all your calories or are you guesstimating?

A week after your carb up, if there's still no progress, you may want to think about changing a few things.

1. Ensure you're tracking EVERY calorie. You'd be amazed at how far off you can be. I dare you to track every calorie for a week and see how much you're really taking in.
2. drop your cals by 200. Your calories (IMO) are close too your maintenance cals. You may need to go down a bit.
3. drop your training to 4 times a week. This includes the cardio. (you may be doing too much)

I've had to drop my training to twice a week for almost a month, and my weight loss was still consistent. It's about diet.


Not keto but low carb/Atkins...staying on prolonged ionduction mode to keep in ketosis.


kudostojen, I have been using Fitday to count calories, I am hoping that its accurate, as I have been very honest (realized lieing to fitday wasnt going to get me anywhere :p) I have recently dropped my calories from 2100 to about 1800 so I'm hoping some improvement will be made there.

etherealgirl, what types of food have you been eating on your prolonged induction.. are you using ketostix? I decided against purchasing them soley for the fact that I know I would become obsessed over them and check them every time i went pee lol.

[Jadelauren]

Well its been over a month since i posted in desperation about my concerns and fat gain, and just thought I would update( to anyone who cares :p) about what worked and what didnt! I know its helpful when others come back and update us all on what worked and what didnt so that we dont make the same mistakes.... ah*breath* haha

Ok, so i started with Keto at maintence thinking i wanted to build up more muscle-hello FAT GAIN instantly. I did however, get alot stronger in the gym so i enjoyed that but the fat was making me crraaaazzzy (hello past ED coming back to haunt me) so I quit Keto the beginning of Feb., but i am still sticking to a low carb, moderate fat and protein diet (so close to keto haha) but alot less cheeses, fatty meats, etc. I believe I just didnt react very well to them lol.


Anywhooo, altho my weight is still 164, my clothes fit better and I am noticing gains in the gym again and a wee bit more definition :) I am eating around 1500-1600 a day, with cardio 7 days a week and weights 6.

Thanks for all your help back in January when i was FREAAAKING OUT.

:)