Hi. I started LCHF 6 weeks ago. It took a couple of weeks to get to grips with it so I’d say for 4 weeks I’ve stayed within 20g daily net carbs. I lost 6 lb initially but for last 12 days have been hovering between 6-7lb loss but not seeing any more movement. Should I be doing something different now that I’ve ‘bedded in’? I’m logging everything on MFP and running 3x weekly.
Thanks for any advice.
Patience, young grasshopper.
LCHF is just a healthy eating plan that ultimately results in a healthy weight. Miracles are not part of the promised package 
Eat to satiety, and don't stress over the numbers. Your task at this point is just to find a set of meals/recipes that you think you can stick with for an extended time period. You can cautiously re-introduce things like carrots, peas, milk and suchlike if that makes life easier. The weight will go, but your body will take time to figure out that it doesn't need that spare bodyfat anymore. I can't remember who it was, but a couple of days ago someone mentioned that they had a very 'bumpy' experience: periods of loss followed by plateaus, then more loss.
I'll just add ... if you're running 3x a week, you should be eating a lot, although you should find you have a somewhat diminished appetite for fat at this point (so: more veg, less lard). If you're still subconsciously counting calories or measuring out your portions, this could be an issue. There are ways to combine LCHF with calorie control - I know it's sometimes done in a clinical setting with severely-obese patients - but for the average person, I wouldn't suggest that approach.
Ha, never been called a grasshopper before! 😂
I do still think about calories, you’re right. But surely if I ate more I’d end up gaining. I’m sticking to around 1500, am 47 , 146lbs and 5’4”.
I’m really enjoying the food though and don’t even crave cake any more. 👍
I will remain patient and hope to see rewards soon.
Thank you for helping.
Hi, Rosiepug
Caloric restriction suppresses the metabolism, and (Intermittent) Fasting stimulates it.
12 days is not long... but (Intermittent) Fasting is the cure for weight-loss plateaux, see:
healthunlocked.com/fasting-...
I walk 30 to 35km a week and I burn about 2,700 calories a day, according to my Apple Watch, but I am 100kg=220lb!
Thank you, that’s interesting. I have increased my intake from 1200 to 1500 but maybe need to allow more then. I tried IF before and didn’t get on with it but will keep that as option if things don’t start moving again. Thank you.
Intermittent Fasting: it can take weeks to get your body into "fat burning mode", so do not give up too soon.
IF is not an "all or nothing" technique - you can start by just setting a time in the evening after which you do not eat.
I would say go for intermittent fasting as and when it comes naturally to you, rather than as a deliberate strategy at this stage. The Awful Toad has given you very sound and encouraging advice. If you can shift your thinking away from losing weight and onto developing and enjoying your new way of eating, things will fall into place, as will the excess weight. You may then find that you're not hungry in the morning or the evening, in which case you could change to two meals but there's no need to rush into that. As you learn to listen to your body, you'll get back a proper sense of hunger and fullness, and can respond to what your body is telling you
+1 to that. Very succinctly put.
I can't find the exact quote, but this is why the acolyte is called "grasshopper"
youtube.com/watch?v=U11bGxl...
The point about calories is this: you have absolutely no way of knowing how many calories your body needs. However, your body itself does know. If you give it less, you will force it to make adjustments, and losing fat is not one of those adjustments. Its more usual response - at least over the long term - is to dial back its metabolic rate to match the incoming calories, and conserve bodyfat. This is somewhat less likely on LCHF, but it absolutely can happen. Lots of cardio tends to exacerbate this effect.
It sounds counterintuitive, but your body will only conclude that you're not in danger of death from starvation (and therefore you need less bodyfat) if food is available in abundance. By way of comparison, I'm male, 48, 69kg, and I average somewhere between 2500 and 2800kCal/day. I run, or do some other sort of exercise, 3-4 times a week. I'm in maintenance, but I haven't consciously increased by meal size since my weight-loss days. Trust your body to know what it wants, and if you're hungry, eat. Stop eating when you're not hungry. As BridgeGirl suggested, this might take a little bit of practice, but it will come naturally if you let it. As you've noticed, it's already decided that cake isn't a requirement, all by itself!
Hi Rosiepug,
I can really feel for you when I have read and hear so much about the weight falling off with no hunger on LCHF, well certainly on the Dietdoctor site. This has not been my experience.
I gradually reduced carbs holding on to muesli and porridge for some weeks and not wanting to count anything really precisely. Then I started making a modified version of dietdoctor.com/recipes/judy... and so didn't continue with muesli and porridge. Muesli with banana was my breakfast for many many years. My own version. I lost about 7lbs then we went away to celebrate our 40th Wedding Anniversary and I gained a few pounds which I subsequently lost again. I have now been stuck a the same weight, more or less, for 5 weeks! Boo!
I realise that I do not have a lot to lose compared to some folk and any pounds I lose now are those that have been with me nearly 50 years! My theory is that my body doesn't intend giving up those pounds easily! I also run three times a week, twice at 30 minutes and one longer run. Still building back up after a hamstring injury.
My husband doesn't have weight to lose, but has become convinced of many health benefits of LCHF, so we shall carry on. We are really enjoying many aspects of LCHF and several of the diet doctor recipes.
I do hope your body decides to shed some more pounds and mine too before too long. I suppose for me, I assume that I am eating too much. My husband has always said that I have a faulty fuel gauge and have no clue what full feels like!
Sorry that I do not have pearls of wisdom, to impart I feel that I am still on the learning curve with LCHF. All the very best for your onward running and healthy eating journey. 🏃♀️😊
Thank you for taking the time to reply. It sounds like we are sharing a similar experience. I do love the food, like you. I’m hoping that patience will pay dividends eventually. Good luck to you too.
Lots to think about. Definitely not enough fibre. Definitely enough water and salt. Thank you very much.
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