Losing weight but not feeling any healthier :(

[GuntherT]

26 male
6 ft
197 lbs

skinny fat, little to no muscle mass, newb

I have been lifting for 7 weeks now, I know it's not much time but I honestly don't feel any changes in my health or body. I started off at 216 lbs on feb 18th, 197 lbs on thursday . Keto diet

My lifts are extremely low
squats 90 lbs
bench 70 lbs
bor 95lbs
overhead press 40lbs
still legged dead lifts 130lbs
calve raises 275lbs

keto2.png

I have been considering cutting till 180 lbs then start SS 5x5 , but no matter where I read it's usually recommended to bulk first

I have not been feeling any different compared to when I started which is bothering me, I have been losing strength as well. Most of the fat is around the lower body with not much accumulation on the upper body, Really skinny arms which I am unhappy with

How long does it take to feel better? Since I am new would I be missing out on newbie gains by cutting? My upper body is really skinny I am concerned how I would look if I keep cutting with little to no muscle mass

[Serpentarius]

Ditch the keto immediately, that alone will cause you to feel like crap.
Define feeling "healthy". You cant miss out on noobie gains unless you sit on the couch. Keep cutting to 12% bf, dont worry about muscle and do not bulk.

[GuntherT]

Ditch the keto immediately, that alone will cause you to feel like crap.
Define feeling "healthy". You cant miss out on noobie gains unless you sit on the couch. Keep cutting to 12% bf, dont worry about muscle and do not bulk.

I've read keto is muscle sparing plus I enjoy the food I eat during keto, I have a sedentary life style .. Final year University student

12% bf with my muscle mass would be extreme, I highly doubt it would look good on me

I am not sure on the healthy part as I've never been but besides my sleep improvement ( app tracking) I don't feel any different from lifting

[Serpentarius]

I've read keto is muscle sparing plus I enjoy the food I eat during keto, I have a sedentary life style .. Final year University student

12% bf with my muscle mass would be extreme, I highly doubt it would look good on me

I am not sure on the healthy part as I've never been but besides my sleep improvement ( app tracking) I don't feel any different from lifting

Keto is not muscle sparing, eating a normal diet is. Keto isnt that far removed from an eating disorder for someone with no medical reason to avoid carbs. You arent going to be big, you are a novice with no muscle, 160 lbs isnt small, you would look like a normal guy. You wont feel any different, lifting is just lifting, if you want more endurance then you need to do cardio.

[GuntherT]

Keto is not muscle sparing, eating a normal diet is. Keto isnt that far removed from an eating disorder for someone with no medical reason to avoid carbs. You arent going to be big, you are a novice with no muscle, 160 lbs isnt small, you would look like a normal guy. You wont feel any different, lifting is just lifting, if you want more endurance then you need to do cardio.

Okay, I will keep it in mind... Going to complete my stock pile of keto food first and then move on, I don't want to make any drastic changes due to exams

[JaredPunch]

I have not been feeling any different compared to when I started which is bothering me, I have been losing strength as well. Most of the fat is around the lower body with not much accumulation on the upper body, Really skinny arms which I am unhappy with

How long does it take to feel better? Since I am new would I be missing out on newbie gains by cutting? My upper body is really skinny I am concerned how I would look if I keep cutting with little to no muscle mass

I would never feel healthy on 23g of carbs a day. I would feel energyless, grumpy, irritated, tense, overwhelmed, spacey, achy, dead tired...
It works for some but 99% of them don't exercise at all, at least not with weight or refeed regularly with huge amount of carbs.

Eat a normal flexible diet, food you like, get a proper amount of protein (not too much, it's useless, even for appetite control, there's no proven appetite suppresion effect over a certain amount) and fill the rest with an adequate amount of fat, no less than 0.4g per lbs and then carbs.

Also not sure what your workout schedule is but on a cut you need to decrease volume and don't spend everyday on the gym.

Finally, you CAN'T miss newby gains. It's like you start lifting then a countdown starts and you must bulk within 6 months or at the end of the countdown you will be out of the newby gains zone. Sounds absurd, but this is how many naive people believe the body works. Newby gains are FOREVER, I mean, till you grow those first 10-15 pounds that will bring you outside of newby gains realms and into intermediate zone.

[GuntherT]

Okay.. what would you guys say about eating at maintenance for a month or so? I am still not convinced if I should drop keto.. it has worked for me well in the past

[jayte]

Okay.. what would you guys say about eating at maintenance for a month or so? I am still not convinced if I should drop keto.. it has worked for me well in the past

You can do whatever you want amigo, I never have the discipline to just stop the diet, even though I think it would probably be a good idea. Longest I've gone at maint is like 5 days then I get anxious lol

I get you about the not 'feeling healthier' though. I'm always beat the hell up and take forever to recover

[GuntherT]

You can do whatever you want amigo, I never have the discipline to just stop the diet, even though I think it would probably be a good idea. Longest I've gone at maint is like 5 days then I get anxious lol

I get you about the not 'feeling healthier' though. I'm always beat the hell up and take forever to recover

I know, but at this rate I am getting no where.. I keep reading/told conflicting things. I am going to lose motivation at this rate as I am not seeing any results

[livin101]

OP, I allot a window of about 100-150g carbs daily and I'm able to lose weight steadily. Instead of keto, you can always try this route. It's not as drastic, and still produces results (at least for me). I just take note of my energy levels and incorporate some extra carbs over a few days if I think its necessary. While this may be purely psychological, I find it has worked for almost 4 months now.

What are your daily macros? Are you getting enough dietary fats?

[GuntherT]

OP, I allot a window of about 100-150g carbs daily and I'm able to lose weight steadily. Instead of keto, you can always try this route. It's not as drastic, and still produces results (at least for me). I just take note of my energy levels and incorporate some extra carbs over a few days if I think its necessary. While this may be purely psychological, I find it has worked for almost 4 months now.

What are your daily macros? Are you getting enough dietary fats?

I posted my diet in the first post.. the pic, I'm getting lots of fats lol

[livin101]

I see it now, I skipped over the link.

That said, have you tried keeping your carbs somewhere in the range that I mentioned? Or did you just go from one end of the spectrum (regular calorie deficit and macros) to the other (keto)?

[GuntherT]

I see it now, I skipped over the link.

That said, have you tried keeping your carbs somewhere in the range that I mentioned? Or did you just go from one end of the spectrum (regular calorie deficit and macros) to the other (keto)?

I was worried I would not enter ketosis ( seemed like the diet was very strict when it comes to carbs .. honestly I am not sure if I am in ketosis going by gut feeling) but yea never went higher than 25, trying to aim for adequate protein + 65/30/5 ratio

[livin101]

Ok, my next question would be have you EVER dieted outside of keto format? Not trying to pick your diet apart, just trying to identify what youve tried so far.

[Serpentarius]

Ok, my next question would be have you EVER dieted outside of keto format? Not trying to pick your diet apart, just trying to identify what youve tried so far.

This, we were meant to eat carbs lol (inb4 only protein and fat for survival) and most people will feel like crap on keto.

keto from the start = never learning how to eat normal and will gain all weight back when done "dieting"

[GuntherT]

Ok, my next question would be have you EVER dieted outside of keto format? Not trying to pick your diet apart, just trying to identify what youve tried so far.

Yea for the first bit of the weight loss I was just trying to eat healthy wasn't counting calories, I have been doing keto for the past 3-4 weeks but then again I haven't been doing this for a long time so it's difficult to know what is really working. If I was feeling even a tiny bit healthier I would be ok but this just has not been the case

I've done keto in the past and I've seen fantastic results but honestly the two major reasons I am doing keto 1) Tasty food 2) Read it's easy on muscle .. I honestly can't stand dry chicken breasts or fish

[JTR616]

What is it with everyone and wanting to do keto. Carbs are broken down to supply our body with glycogen which fuels our bodies energy levels. Think of that then ask yourself why you don't feel great. Even if it were true that (which its not) that keto spares muscle during a loss you really don't have much muscle to worry about losing. If you are telling the truth on your body weight then you lost 20 lbs in basically a month which is pretty aggressive weight loss If you keep that pace up you'll be left with an abundance of loose skin at the end of your cut.

[livin101]

Yea for the first bit of the weight loss I was just trying to eat healthy wasn't counting calories, I have been doing keto for the past 3-4 weeks but then again I haven't been doing this for a long time so it's difficult to know what is really working. If I was feeling even a tiny bit healthier I would be ok but this just has not been the case

I've done keto in the past and I've seen fantastic results but honestly the two major reasons I am doing keto 1) Tasty food 2) Read it's easy on muscle .. I honestly can't stand dry chicken breasts or fish

Theres where I think you're going wrong. Go to a calorie deficit and calculate your macros. Far better route, and Im willing to bet you'll see your strength improve.

[GuntherT]

What is it with everyone and wanting to do keto. Carbs are broken down to supply our body with glycogen which fuels our bodies energy levels. Think of that then ask yourself why you don't feel great. Even if it were true that (which its not) that keto spares muscle during a loss you really don't have much muscle to worry about losing. If you are telling the truth on your body weight then you lost 20 lbs in basically a month which is pretty aggressive weight loss If you keep that pace up you'll be left with an abundance of loose skin at the end of your cut.

These are some pics I took at around 201
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...1&d=1394077350
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...1&d=1394077355
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...1&d=1394077360
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/attach...1&d=1394077343

[GuntherT]

Theres where I think you're going wrong. Go to a calorie deficit and calculate your macros. Far better route, and Im willing to bet you'll see your strength improve.

There have been so many numbers thrown at me from different calculators and websites that I don't even know anymore lol.. I honestly believe I am at a 1.5 /lb deficit .. going to check this coming week

[livin101]

OP, the initial weight loss is most likely from water weight.

Do you have the different results for your TDEE calculations? Are they significantly different, or are they only off by a few hundred calories from one another?

[MrM27]

Okay.. what would you guys say about eating at maintenance for a month or so? I am still not convinced if I should drop keto.. it has worked for me well in the past

If Keto worked for you in the past what happened? How come you gained the weight back?
You cannot so you tried losing weight without Keto because you weren't counting calories and tracking macros so there is no way you know exactly how much you were eating.
You should not wait until you lose weight to start a barbell program. You need to start now.

[GuntherT]

OP, the initial weight loss is most likely from water weight.

Do you have the different results for your TDEE calculations? Are they significantly different, or are they only off by a few hundred calories from one another?

500-600 difference, myfitnesspal wants me to eat 1600 calories a day lol

[GuntherT]

If Keto worked for you in the past what happened? How come you gained the weight back?
You cannot so you tried losing weight without Keto because you weren't counting calories and tracking macros so there is no way you know exactly how much you were eating.
You should not wait until you lose weight to start a barbell program. You need to start now.

That was ages ago ( 3+ years) I have been on a program for 7 weeks now. Based on the pics would eating at maintenance work for me?

[livin101]

500-600 difference, myfitnesspal wants me to eat 1600 calories a day lol

Ok, don't use myfitnesspal to figure out your TDEE. Use the sticky for calculating calories and macronutrients. Use myfitnesspal pal to track your caloric intake, your carbs, fats and protein.

You understand the difference between TDEE and BMR correct?

[MrM27]

That was ages ago ( 3+ years) I have been on a program for 7 weeks now. Based on the pics would eating at maintenance work for me?

3 years ago is not ages.
My question is, you did keto 3 years ago, what happened? You gained weight back?

[GuntherT]

3 years ago is not ages.
My question is, you did keto 3 years ago, what happened? You gained weight back?

It wasn't for very long.. few months .. yea gained it back. Sadly got busy with college etc

[GuntherT]

Ok, don't use myfitnesspal to figure out your TDEE. Use the sticky for calculating calories and macronutrients. Use myfitnesspal pal to track your caloric intake, your carbs, fats and protein.

You understand the difference between TDEE and BMR correct?

Yes I do, I wasn't following myfitnesspal was just using it to track. my calculations came from the sticky but a little confused on daily activity. I am a student with lots of sitting around + 3x week weight lifting ( high, moderate, low) I try to walk and move around as much as I can would I be considered lightly active?

[livin101]

OP eating at maintenance isn't going to do a thing for your physique.

Heres what you should do:

Read the stickies titled:
Fat loss for noobs
Counting calories 101
calculating calories and macronutrients.

If you calculate your TDEE from the sticky, and calculate it elsewhere and its only off by 100-200 calories, just average it out between them. Once you have your TDEE, proceed to calculating your macronutrient needs.

Once you get all this read and figured out come back and ask questions on the things you don't understand.

[MrM27]

It wasn't for very long.. few months .. yea gained it back. Sadly got busy with college etc

So if you gained it back how could you say keto was successful for you? You did not succeed in keeping the weight off.
Getting busy with school doesn't mean you have to gain weight back. You gained weight because you dieted in a restrictive manner then you went back to how you used to eat and gained the weight back.