Keto's Effectiveness: Why It May Wane For Some Individuals

The keto diet is a popular choice for people looking to lose weight. It involves significantly restricting carbohydrate intake, which puts the body into a state of ketosis, where it becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy instead of glucose. While the keto diet can be effective for weight loss, it may stop working for certain people due to various reasons. One common reason is not achieving ketosis, which can happen if an individual is not cutting back enough on carbohydrates or is consuming too much protein. Eating too many acceptable carbs, such as nuts and dairy, can also prevent ketosis. Additionally, not tracking calories and consuming too many calories can hinder weight loss, even if an individual is in ketosis. Stress, lack of sleep, and lack of physical activity can also contribute to weight loss plateaus on the keto diet. It is important to remember that weight loss is not always linear and there may be fluctuations due to various factors. To optimize weight loss on the keto diet, it is recommended to manage stress, get adequate sleep, increase physical activity, and consume whole, nutritious, low-carb foods.

Not achieving ketosis

Ketosis is a metabolic state where the body switches from using glucose as energy to using ketone bodies, which come from body fat. Usually, when a person does not lose weight on the keto diet, it is because they have not achieved ketosis.

Not cutting back enough on carbs

Carbohydrates should represent only 5–10% of a person’s calorie intake on the ketogenic diet. Most keto diets require a person to cut down to between 20 and 50 grams of carbs each day on a 2000-calorie diet. However, people may feel as though they have drastically reduced their carb intake when they are still eating enough carbs for the body to produce energy from glucose, which may reduce the rate of fat burned in the body.

Not tracking carbohydrates

It is important to track your carb intake because hidden carbs can slip in unnoticed. Carbohydrates are everywhere, and although they generally make up 5% of your diet on keto, the exact amount of how much you can tolerate and still stay in a state of ketosis varies from person to person. Factors that can affect how your body uses carbs include the types of carbs you eat, your overall lifestyle, and your metabolic history.

Not testing blood ketone levels

Blood testing is the best way to track ketone levels in your body. You can get a specific reading at any time and see how ketone levels might change before or after meals or anything else you do during the day.

Not considering nutrition

It is important to think about the types of foods you’re eating. This means high-quality fats and proteins, and lots of vegetables, to give you a nutrient-dense plate of food at every meal.

Not eating enough calories

When you cut out carbs and have to stick to moderate protein, it’s easy to end up not eating enough calories from fat. Chronically low calorie intake can put your body in starvation mode, which means it’ll hold onto stored body fat. It can also negatively affect your hormones and other bodily functions.

Eating too much protein

Protein is a building block of life and a necessary component of any diet. It is crucial for healthy brain function, skin, bone and muscle health, building muscle mass, and recovering after workouts. However, it is possible to have too much of a good thing, and eating too much protein is one of the reasons why keto may stop working for some people.

Firstly, it is important to note that the body can break down excess proteins into amino acids and convert them into types of sugar. This process is called gluconeogenesis, and it is how your body creates new glucose from non-carb sources. While this is an important process that happens continuously in your body, keeping your blood sugar in a healthy range, it can also mean that if you are eating too much protein, your body will not need to burn fat for energy.

Secondly, if your protein intake is much higher than your body needs, your pancreas will release more insulin to help your muscles take up the excess essential amino acids. This increase in insulin can reduce ketone production in the liver. Additionally, some amino acids are considered glucogenic, meaning they can be converted into glucose, particularly when consumed in excess. As a result, you may experience noticeably lower ketone levels and perhaps even discover that you are no longer in ketosis.

To ensure you are getting the right amount of protein, it is important to calculate your keto macronutrients using a keto calculator. The standard keto diet uses the following percentages: 60% fat, 30% protein, and 10% carbs. However, you may need to adjust these percentages based on your activity level and other individual factors.

In summary, while protein is an important part of a healthy diet, including the keto diet, eating too much protein can interfere with ketosis. This is because the body can convert excess protein into glucose, and because high protein intake can increase insulin levels, which can reduce ketone production. To avoid these issues, it is important to monitor your protein intake and adjust as needed to ensure you stay in ketosis.

Eating too many acceptable carbs

On the keto diet, several types of carbohydrates are acceptable, including nuts, dairy, and some fruits. These foods are typically high in fat and nutrients, but they also contain carbohydrates. Eating too many of these foods can prevent a person from achieving and maintaining ketosis.

For instance, maltitol is technically a low glycemic index (GI) sugar, but it can still affect a person's blood sugar levels. Consuming too much of this sugar alternative may prevent a person from entering ketosis.

To avoid this, it is important to track your carbohydrate intake and be mindful of the types of carbs you are consuming. Additionally, consider using a home testing kit or a ketone breath analyzer to ensure you are entering ketosis.

It is also important to note that the exact amount of carbohydrates a person can tolerate while still staying in ketosis varies from person to person. Factors such as the types of carbs consumed, overall lifestyle, and metabolic history can influence how your body uses carbs.

Furthermore, a well-formulated low-carb diet should be high in fat and moderate in protein. Excessive protein consumption can lead to gluconeogenesis, where amino acids from proteins are turned into glucose, preventing your body from reaching full ketosis.

Not counting calories

On the keto diet, it is easy to end up not eating enough calories because of the restrictions on carbohydrates and the need to moderate protein intake. However, chronically low calorie intake can put your body in starvation mode, causing it to hold on to stored body fat. It can also negatively affect your hormones and other bodily functions, especially in women. Therefore, it is important to track your calories to get a sense of how many you need and how much you are consuming each day.

In addition, consuming too many calories can also hinder weight loss. Many keto-friendly foods, such as avocados, olive oil, full-fat dairy, and nuts, are high in calories. While these foods can make you feel more satisfied due to their filling effects, it is still possible to consume too many calories by eating large portions or snacking on high-calorie foods throughout the day. To create the necessary calorie deficit for weight loss, it is important to monitor portion sizes, increase physical activity, and snack in moderation.

Constant snacking

Snacking can increase your calorie intake, which can lead to weight gain if you're consuming more calories than you're burning off. It's important to keep track of your calorie intake and ensure that you're still maintaining a calorie deficit.

However, if you do need to snack, there are plenty of keto-friendly options available. Just be mindful of your snacking habits and plan ahead to ensure that you're making healthy choices. Here are some ideas for keto-approved snacks:

• Red meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb
• Poultry, such as chicken and turkey
• Fish, including tuna, salmon, halibut, and shrimp
• Natural fats like butter and olive oil
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Most cheeses
• Vegetables, including leafy greens, eggplant, cauliflower, broccoli, and tomatoes
• Nuts, such as pecans, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, and almonds
• Avocados
• Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries
• Celery sticks with almond butter
• Cucumber slices with cream cheese
• Pickles with cream cheese wrapped in turkey cold cuts
• Broccoli with ranch dip
• Persian cucumbers with plain full-fat yogurt
• Bacon slices with olives
• Sunflower seeds
• Seaweed snacks
• Bell peppers
• Cheese slices with celery, cucumber, radish, or lettuce
• Celery filled with cream cheese, natural peanut butter, or brie
• Salami and cheese, rolled up together
• Bacon spread with peanut butter
• Pork rinds
• Beef jerky
• Biltong
• Olives
• Mini frittatas or egg muffins
• Caprese salad skewers
• Caesar salad bites
• Cajun-style shrimp and bell pepper kebabs
• Veggie sticks with nut butter
• Salmon salad celery boats
• Keto sushi rolls
• Collard green sandwich wraps
• Avocado egg salad
• Veggie sticks with guacamole
• Bone broth
• Keto smoothies made with coconut, avocado, or nut butter
• Mixed nuts
• Fermented vegetables, such as pickles
• Flax crackers with cheese
• Coconut yogurt or full-fat Greek yogurt
• Stuffed mushrooms
• Meatball sliders with lettuce "buns"
• Dill pickle wraps with deli meat and cream cheese
• Raspberries with cottage cheese
• Zucchini chips
• Deviled eggs with cream cheese
• Homemade fruit leather made with low-carb berries
• Cauliflower hummus with veggies
• Stuffed mini bell peppers
• Keto granola bars
• Tuna cucumber bites

Frequently asked questions