4:3 + keto = tough

This topic contains 1 reply, has 3 voices, and was last updated by  bigbooty 7 years, 1 month ago.

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  • Hi All,

    I’ve been on a 4:3 diet for about 18 months now. I started on the 5:2 for a month but wasn’t really losing anything. On 4:3 I lost 20kgs reasonably quickly down from 120kgs. However, after the 20kgs I’ve stopped losing weight and was just noticing some minor fluctuations. I typically dont eat anything on fast days, maybe a can of tuna or some cheese if I’m really hungry.
    For the past 4 weeks I’ve been combining a keto diet with 4:3 but it doesn’t really feel sustainable, where as just doing 4:3 doesn’t feel like too big of a deal anymore. I’m currently at 99.1kgs with a fair bit of belly fat that doesnt want to disappear. I’m 6’3″ and don’t eat chicken or red meat (just fish). I watch my calories and rarely go over 1500cals.
    With Keto combined with 4:3 I feel like I’m living on fresh air. I miss pasta and some form sweet cheat day. I just wanted get rid of some of my belly fat yet it’s proving more difficult than I expected. The doctor says I do have some abnormal liver function, which he didn’t seem too concerned about, but thyroid is ok, and don’t have diabetes.

    Anyone have any pointers?

    I find that I lose weight on a keto diet regardless of how much I eat. The problem for me is my lack of willpower and tendency to let too many cheats creep into my day-to-day eating.

    If you have the willpower to stick strictly to keto (with no more than one or two sensible cheat meals per week) then you may not need to do intermittent fasting as well.

    You also need to remember that it takes a while for your metabolism to adjust to keto. It doesn’t just “swap over”, you will likely be going through something known as “keto flu”. I wouldn’t try fasting until your hunger, sleep patterns, energy levels and so on have stabilised on the keto diet.

    @mazz. from what you have said if I had to guess Id say that you are VERY insulin resistant. You have high levels of insulin just to get you to function correctly. The liver function is also a worry. The fact that you miss pasta and sweets is also a strong indicator that you are struggling. Swapping over to a keto diet is a long winded process. It took me 6 months before I was comfortable and then another 12 months before I found it easy. Sorry there is no easy fix. You need to use will power to get you there.

    You do not have to go hard core keto. I wouldn’t describe myself as hard core keto. However I avoid ALL processed grain based carbs. The majority of my carbs come from veggies and a small amount of fruit. Avoid potatoes and other starchy veggies. Eat lots of beans, lentils, legumes along with lots of leafy greens to help cut down on gas.

    Get your vitamin D levels checked. If necessary take vitamin D supplements daily. Low vit D is associated with weight gain. Vit D is also utilised by your gut bacteria. No Vit D = poor gut function. Initially also take vitamin B as it will help liver function. Once your gut bacteria is functioning well it should produce enough Vit B for you so supplements should be reduced.

    Give this process at least 6 months. Sorry there is no short cut.

    Good luck.

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