Re-booter nearing week 2 and can't get into ketosis
It looks like all of the FAQ pages about this issue are from several years ago, and I didn't find a useful answer from reading old threads so I hope it's okay to post a new one here. Please let me know if there's an active thread that I didn't find that I should move this to.
I successfully did IP 2 years ago and sailed into ketosis easily. I lost 6.6 in my first week, and thereafter had no cravings, great energy, and no appetite. Now I'm re-booting and I only lost 0.8 in week 1 and as I approach my second weigh in tomorrow morning, I'm almost certain I'm still not in ketosis. My (brand new) keto-sticks are reading totally negative, I'm still incredibly hungry and irritable, and my home scale has hardly budged. I'd love some guidance if anybody else has had this issue.
During week 1 of my reboot, I was pretty strict, but didn't quite get all my water in and had 1 too many cups of the occasional veggies. After the very low loss last week, I slipped up by eating some strawberries on day 1 of week 2, but then buckled down this week and have had all my water, supplements, and select veggies, and have focused on eating lower carb un-restricted items like shakes and soups, and I'm not exercising. The strawberries certainly didn't help, but I can't imagine they'd have stalled me this much.
I guess tomorrow morning will be the true test, but based on my home scale, I'm essentially not losing. I am desperate to make some progress and get out of this intermediate zone where I feel cranky and hungry, so would greatly appreciate some advice on what I might be doing wrong. Thank you!!
It looks like all of the FAQ pages about this issue are from several years ago, and I didn't find a useful answer from reading old threads so I hope it's okay to post a new one here. Please let me know if there's an active thread that I didn't find that I should move this to.
I successfully did IP 2 years ago and sailed into ketosis easily. I lost 6.6 in my first week, and thereafter had no cravings, great energy, and no appetite. Now I'm re-booting and I only lost 0.8 in week 1 and as I approach my second weigh in tomorrow morning, I'm almost certain I'm still not in ketosis. My (brand new) keto-sticks are reading totally negative, I'm still incredibly hungry and irritable, and my home scale has hardly budged. I'd love some guidance if anybody else has had this issue.
During week 1 of my reboot, I was pretty strict, but didn't quite get all my water in and had 1 too many cups of the occasional veggies. After the very low loss last week, I slipped up by eating some strawberries on day 1 of week 2, but then buckled down this week and have had all my water, supplements, and select veggies, and have focused on eating lower carb un-restricted items like shakes and soups, and I'm not exercising. The strawberries certainly didn't help, but I can't imagine they'd have stalled me this much.
I guess tomorrow morning will be the true test, but based on my home scale, I'm essentially not losing. I am desperate to make some progress and get out of this intermediate zone where I feel cranky and hungry, so would greatly appreciate some advice on what I might be doing wrong. Thank you!!
I have had the opposite as you. My first time doing IP, I was very disappointed in what I lost my first 3 weeks. I only lost like a total of 6 pounds. In subsequent reboots, I have lost as much as 18 pounds in first 2 weeks (this is now more typically what happens after purging the bloat from drinking diet pop and carb load, etc).
Regardless of the first few weeks, my average losses were consistent of about 3.3 pounds per week when doing the protocol for 3-6 months - this is based upon doing this about 4 times now as I cycle on and off.
My advice to you is to just stick with it. What you will not find here is anyone that followed the protocol that did not lose lots of weight and lots of inches over an extended period of time.
My biggest losses the first time around came in months 3 and month 4. I was in a pattern of 1st 2 weeks of the month, I would lose 9 lbs and then 2nd two I would lose 4-6 pounds. So, I just say stick with it and don't obsess and follow the protocol 100%.
Btw, I see people set mini weight loss goals and I have done it myself, but you don't control the rate at which you lose if you follow the protocol 100% - you will get the inches and weight off in time so I have mostly seen this as a set up for disappointment.
One other note, from your data of losing 42 pounds from Nov - May (not sure when you started in Nov or ended in May) but best case (in terms of weight loss average) to worst case is you did 5-7 months which puts you at an average of 1.5 - 2.1 pounds per week. I would track this over say 8 weeks vs being concerned after almost 2 with a protocol deviation or 2 thrown in.
I have read countless times that it can take some people up to 3 weeks to get keto-adapted which could explain how you are feeling. I don't put any credence in the keto strips - they are not accurate. If you want to do accurate ketosis testing, get a blood ketone reader and strips. I got mine from Amazon.
Thanks so much, Ro. You're totally right that I need to focus on the bigger picture. I just had such motivating early success and dark pink keto strips in my first month on IP the last time, and it's taken me so long to get back on the horse to re-boot that it's really disheartening to feel like I'm finally, finally back on protocol but not seeing any rewards. It would make two solid weeks of feeling like crap much easier to bear if I had any tangible sign that I'm making progress - scale moving, a barely pink keto strip, losing inches, anything. Clearly the plan works... as long as you can get into ketosis. In addition to remembering to be patient, I'd still appreciate any tips anybody might have for speeding things up.
Hi, I just joined the group. My question is asking what the IP is. I read Volek & Phinney and Thomas Seyfried's books a couple years ago but do not know or remember what that is. Is there a link to allow me to understand what this is or a place to do a short review to refresh my memory? Thank you.
Thanks so much, Ro. You're totally right that I need to focus on the bigger picture. I just had such motivating early success and dark pink keto strips in my first month on IP the last time, and it's taken me so long to get back on the horse to re-boot that it's really disheartening to feel like I'm finally, finally back on protocol but not seeing any rewards. It would make two solid weeks of feeling like crap much easier to bear if I had any tangible sign that I'm making progress - scale moving, a barely pink keto strip, losing inches, anything. Clearly the plan works... as long as you can get into ketosis. In addition to remembering to be patient, I'd still appreciate any tips anybody might have for speeding things up.
For speeding things up, consider not having a restricted item for a week and go with the lower carb packets and veggies and replacing dinner protein with 2 lowest carb packets. IP calls this a "bootcamp". Btw, I have never used restricted items in any time I have done IP. I know there is a wide range of thought on this to it is required to doing what I do - I continue not doing it as bars seems too much like candy bars to me which is a trigger for me.
Also, maybe add more salt to help how you are feeling in case your electrolytes are off a bit.
And, are you sure you don't have any benefits?? Regardless of scale, clothes are not fitting better yet? If not, you'll get there and I understand you want the results but trust that they will come if you follow the protocol and don't have any underlying health issues!
Put the keto sticks aside. Unless you are a using a blood monitor they are going to be all but worthless after the first few days of ketosis. The body is designed to expel only EXCESS ketones; and after you are into established ketosis you do not produce excess, your production works with the pattern of your ketotic diet. This is why so many people doubt that the diet works - because they are measuring output in the wrong way.
Are you tracking your food and water intake? Are you actually drinking water, or flavoured water with carb-free or ultra low carb sweeteners? Some people are hyper sensitive to artificial sweeteners, and some are not.
Packets that are high in soy content, rather than whey/casein, can also interrupt endocrine function if you are sensitive to it. An excess of protein can also hamper weight loss. The amounts given in the IP sheet are designed to give you enough to avoid as much muscle and tissue loss as possible, but if you exceed it on a regular basis the body CAN convert it to a usable glucose.
There are many variables with this diet but, ultimately, unless you have hormone imbalance then it will work once your body settles down. Talk to your IP consultant and/or your doctor (if the IP office doesn't have a medically qualified professional to refer you to). Everyone's biology is different. Your hormone history is unique and some people take longer to establish the release of fat from storage cells.
I don't agree with eating only the lowest carb packets - you are too close to the start of your loss to be taking extreme measures at this stage. Check which vegetables you are having - try to select complex carb veg for their slow and steady release of sugars.
One other point about ketosis - the deeper you are in ketosis does not translate to more weight/fat loss.
If you are following the protocol, you are in ketosis. But, becoming keto-adapted is something different which is where you hear about the energy and feeling great, etc.
And, I hate to disagree with another poster here, but choosing lower carb packets is not extreme by any stretch of the imagination. There are many people that follow a ketogenic diet (I have done this too) where one consumes almost no carbs (only those coming from grean, leafy vegetables) and lose lots of weight. When I do this, I go from a blood ketone reading of .6 while on IP to > 3, but I have not lost weight on a ketogenic diet. But, my point is regardless which packets you choose and with 4 cups of the select vegetables allowed, you are getting a lot more carbs than other programs that many people have succeeded on so I don't want you to have the impression this is extreme.
An important point I want to highlight is that there is no correlation between degree of ketosis and weight/fat loss. As I stated above, on IP I get into very mild ketosis and lose tons of weight/inches but I couldn't lose much on a ketogenic diet when I was much deeper in ketosis. On both, I felt great but that only comes after your body has become keto adapted which takes about 3 weeks (which is why they say not to exercise until then).
Thanks so much, Ro and Briael. I'll put away the keto strips and try to focus more on trusting the protocol. I've been tracking absolutely everything in My Fitness Pal and drinking just water (not flavored seltzer or that kind of thing) since day 1, but I may also try swapping out my restricted item for one of the carbier unrestricted things like the vanilla crispy squares or mug cake this week just to see how I do and how that makes me feel. I had slightly better losses in week 2, though still not nearly the whoosh that most people enjoy in their first week and that I saw last time, but I'll take my 2.2 loss and run with it.
Hi Ma Petite Choux, Looking at your stats, you're much closer to goal than when you first did IP. Speaking for myself, it was easy (relatively, anyway!) to get into ketosis when I had a lot more fat to burn. When doing a reboot with less weight/fat to lose, I've found it much more difficult to tolerate the strict P1 protocol, and the results are less dramatic.
What's been working for me, albeit slowly, is aiming for about 1050 cals, net carbs in the 30s. I may add an extra packet or just an egg white/veg omelet. It works well for me. The weight would come off faster if I didn't go off plan on the weekend social events.
Thanks, Sundove! That's a really good point. I hadn't thought about that. I do feel a bit as though my body wasn't shocked into action the way it was when I first did IP. Are you adding the packet or egg white omelet because you're feeling hungry or because you've noticed that you have better losses with a bit more protein?
Are you adding the packet or egg white omelet because you're feeling hungry or because you've noticed that you have better losses with a bit more protein?
Absolutely because of hunger. But maybe it also helps the losses. On my first IP round, I had some hypoglycemic episodes. I have an active job and strict P1 just wasn't enough fuel. When I read back through my first time food log, I was actually cheating a lot with extra chicken. My losses averaged to exactly 3 lbs/week (and the last 20 lbs took forever).
When I've tried to reboot following strict P1, I end up having binge attacks after a few weeks. So this time, I decided to try a P1 that is just low enough to avoid true hunger--turns out for me to be between 1000-1100 cals, net carbs in the 30s. It's made a huge difference in motivation and overall well being.
I'm not weighing regularly so I can't give you precise info about my losses, except that I lost the first 10 lbs in about 5-6 weeks. Those weeks included going off plan ~1/week. The off plan eating has been helpful because low carb gives me really bad insomnia. The occasional carby day yields a good night's sleep. But it definitely slows my progress, and it can be a battle to resist having a second carby day.
Re ketostix, I tend to agree with the others, except that they gave me reliable info. On P1, I have always seen a trace positive reading. That's how my body works, I guess. I liked the positive reinforcement of those things. It also helped me to know what was going on when I was getting back OP after off plan days. It sounds like you are familiar with your own body's signals of being in ketosis.
You have a lot of good advice here -- the one other point I would raise is the 'freebie' sugar substitute stuff like Walden Farms products and the flavored sugar free syrups from Torani, etc.
It is easy to consume a lot of that stuff - for me the watch item is stevia - I use liquid sweetener -- NOW Better Stevia. And I really would use it in my plain water if left to my own unchecked devices. I use it in my coffee and when I flavor my water with a bit of tea. But I have to keep an eye on how much I take in or it slows my weight loss.
LexiChanel1 Wow, you absolutely need your sleep with small kids!
Fwiw, my co-worker on the Optifast program takes trazodone for his low-carb insomnia. He said it works well. It requires a prescription. I think I'm going to keep doing the occasional cheat to get my sleep. It'll take me a while to get the last 15 lbs off
Sundove, I am struggling with sleep. All weekend, keep walking up at 2am and up for three hours
This is crazy... yesterday was Palm Sunday, busy day. So I am exhausted today. I do have three kids in school until 3:15, and baby with me, but he's really good.
my mom watches him so I can do the gym.
My parents love to see him and they live 4 blocks from the orangetheory...
It works out well, but I do need to figure out a way to sleep...
Re-booter nearing week 2 and can't get into ketosis
