Keto Weight Loss: Starving Yourself Is Not The Answer

can keto weight loss stop from not eating enough

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating pattern that's often used for weight loss. While many dieters experience rapid weight loss shortly after starting this diet, plateaus — in which your weight stubbornly stays the same — are also common. Plateauing may signal the need to reevaluate your macronutrient ratio and consider tracking your intake more carefully. In particular, you may need to further restrict your intake of carbs and protein, which your body converts into glucose. Too much glucose may prevent you from entering ketosis — the desired metabolic state on the keto diet that causes your body to burn fat for fuel.

Characteristics	Values
Not achieving ketosis	Not cutting back enough on carbs
	Eating too much protein
	Eating too many acceptable carbs
Not counting calories	Consuming too many calories
Constant snacking	Eating too many nuts
Little to no exercise	Lack of physical activity
High-stress lifestyle	Stress
Underlying medical conditions	Hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome, Cushing’s syndrome, mental health conditions, etc.
Not getting enough sleep	Lack of sleep

Not achieving ketosis

On the keto diet, carbs should only make up 5-10% of your daily calories. This typically means consuming between 20 and 50 grams of carbs per day on a 2,000-calorie diet. However, it can be challenging to reduce carb intake sufficiently, and some people may still be consuming enough carbs for their body to produce energy from glucose, which can slow down the rate of fat burning.

To ensure you are in ketosis, you can test for ketones in your urine, breath, or blood. Urine test strips are affordable and easy to use, but they only track leftover ketones in your body. Breath analysers measure acetone levels in the breath, one of three types of ketone molecules. Blood ketone meters are the most accurate method but are also the most costly and require a small blood sample.

If you are not achieving ketosis, you may need to further reduce your carb intake or increase your fat consumption. Additionally, be mindful of hidden sugars in sauces, dressings, and even foods marketed as 'low-carb'. Tracking your macronutrient intake with an app can help ensure you are staying within the recommended ranges.

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Eating too much protein

Although the keto diet is primarily known for being low-carb and high-fat, protein intake also plays a crucial role in achieving and maintaining ketosis. Eating too much protein can impair ketone production and prevent your body from entering ketosis. This is because the body can break down excess proteins into amino acids and convert them into glucose.

On keto, it is recommended that around 20% of your daily calories come from protein. This amounts to about 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight, or somewhere between 60 and 120 grams of protein per day, depending on your size.

Signs you're eating too much protein

Ammonia breath: When you ingest large amounts of protein, your body's production of ammonia can give your breath a distinctive smell.
Flu-like symptoms: When too much protein shifts your body out of ketosis, you may experience symptoms similar to the 'keto flu', including low energy, irritability, headaches, muscle cramps, and digestive issues.

How to get your protein intake back on track

Track your food: Use an app to track your food intake for a few days to get a clearer picture of your protein consumption.
Test your ketone levels: Use at-home urine or breath test strips to measure the amount of ketones present in your body. If you're not in the optimal range, adjust your protein intake accordingly.

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Eating too many carbs

On the keto diet, carbs should only account for 5% to 10% of your total calories, which equates to around 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day for someone on a 2000-calorie diet. Eating more than this can prevent you from reaching and maintaining ketosis.

Carbs are often hidden in unexpected foods, such as cruciferous vegetables, green beans, dairy, and nuts, making it challenging to accurately gauge your total carbohydrate intake. Additionally, some people may mistakenly believe that a low-carb, high-protein diet is the same as a keto diet. However, this type of diet is unlikely to result in ketosis because the body can convert excess proteins into sugar.

If you've eaten too many carbs and fallen out of ketosis, it will take several days to one week to get back into it. In the meantime, your weight loss efforts may be disrupted. To get back into ketosis, you should strictly adhere to the keto diet, and you can also try techniques like intermittent fasting, fat fasting, and increasing your physical activity.

To avoid eating too many carbs while on the keto diet, it's important to be mindful of your total carbohydrate intake and choose low-carb options whenever possible. Additionally, filling up on low-carb vegetables, such as leafy greens, cucumbers, asparagus, and zucchini, can help you stay within your carb limits.

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Not counting calories

While calorie counting is not necessary for everyone, it is a useful tool for some people to ensure they are in a calorie deficit and therefore losing weight. If you are not losing weight, counting calories for a week might reveal some foods that have more calories than you would have expected.

Calorie Counting and Weight Loss

Calories in vs calories out is the basic principle of weight loss. Therefore, if you are not losing weight, you are not in a calorie deficit. However, calorie counting is not necessary for everyone. Some people find they can eat intuitively and still lose weight.

> "I don't think anyone knows all the little nuances and science behind it, but if you are not hungry, really no need to hit a calorie goal, just maintain protein. My body tells me if I'm hungry. I keep my carbs under 10, and make sure I have all my micro-nutrients. I don't think anyone knows all the little nuances and science behind it, but if you are not hungry, really no need to hit a calorie goal, just maintain protein."

> "I don't really supplement with dietary fat as my body has enough body fat to live off of (for now haha). If you are eating tons of calories-dense foods like avocados or supplementing with butter and oil, you're probably going over your maintenance calories, thus not losing weight."

> "I personally don't track calories because I basically just eat whole muscle protein (chicken thighs/breast, steak, salmon etc.) until I become full. It's really hard to overeat protein like this. If I hit a plateau I'd start calorie counting."

> "I don't count calories, only carbs. I've never had a problem- never gained weight since insulin is barely spiked at all. Research insulin affects on weight gain."

> "I lost about 34 pounds doing lazy keto (216-182) for a 6'2" male not too bad. BUT I also exercised a lot, which I don't think people mention too much. I was burning ~1000 extra calories running 6 or so miles a day giving me plenty of room to eat a little more or less as I felt hungry. If you sit on your butt all day and don't exercise then you definitely need to keep track of your calories."

> "I don't count calories. My weight loss has been fairly slow the last few weeks, but I'm OK with it. My primary reason for doing keto was blood sugar regulation. I lose about 1lb per week."

> "I dont count calories, for me it's way too much work. Been doing keto for over 2 years now and would be impossible for me to do it if I had to obsess about all that counting. Obviously, this is not the best approach for everyone. Some people get encouraged if they log every single detail and create a spreadsheet with their progress. Both approaches are valid, just make sure you use the one that suits you."

> "I lost 27-30kg in 4-5 months, not 2 years. For 2 years I've been maintaining and putting on muscle. It's way easier and makes more sense to count your Macros. Keep your carbs to a limit, meet your protein for the day, and eat as much fat as your body needs."

> "I'm working to gain muscle so my macro goals look like this: less than 25C/greater than 90P/around 170F. I can get away with eating less fat some days if I am less active that day or if I just want to use some of my stored fat."

> "I don't count calories. I'm of the opinion that CICO has a sort of dogma attached to it. Nothing in life is black and white, the same holds true for weight loss. I'm not sure why people think it does, but to each his own. I don't track calories at all. I eat when I'm hungry and don't when I'm not, and keto has really helped with that level of control."

> "I count calories and macros and attribute my success in not losing muscle mass to that fact. Initially, I advise people to not count macros or calories, just stay under 20 net and eat when hungry, but after that, when the weight stalls, it becomes a matter of calories eaten has to be less than calories burned to lose weight. Simple equation."

> "I gain weight on lazy keto. Not dramatically but I do. When I'm not counting or very consciously restricting I'll happily go 2.5-4k Cal per day, same as non-keto, and I'll gain weight slowly but surely. So yeah, I count. When maintaining I'm OK with eyeballing amounts and I have a few standard meals that I know the calorie ballpark of so I don't have to count every single calorie but if I intend to change my weight I have to measure everything precisely."

> "I have successfully lost 69 lbs since January by only mentally tracking calories. If I want to lose the rest of my weight then I will have to count calories, because I have stopped - it's good to know though that when I hit maintenance that all I have to do is listen to when my body is hungry and eat until I'm full to stay at the same weight."

> "Yes, though not obsessively. My satiety usually falls in line with caloric goals after adaptation."

> "I spot check for a few days every so often to make sure I'm on track, but I repeat meals most days (for example, I eat the same quantity of spinach and eggs almost every day) so I don't need to verify every day."

> "I do not. I just avoid carbs and also work out 3-5 times a week. I drink a lot of vodka and jack, so counting calories is a bit useless for me. Results are slower, but still are good results, I'm in no hurry."

> "I still weigh 80% of my food and log 95% of it on MFP. It's habit now and I don't mind doing it. I'm not trying to lose anymore weight, and I've been maintaining with about 1200 to 1500 calories a day. Those calories add up incredibly fast and if I didn't track it could get out of control very quickly. I keep my carbs between 10 and 50 net grams a day, and those are mostly all from veggies. Sometimes I eat a ton of fat, sometimes I eat the minimum (30 gm). I try to use food as fuel and as medicine now. And I eat this way because I believe it's the right way to eat and I feel so much better without all the crap in my diet. Give it a try."

Calorie Counting and Satiety

Some people find that keto reduces their appetite, meaning they can eat intuitively and still be in a calorie deficit.

> "I feel so much better and so much more content with what I'm eating, I no longer feel inappropriately hungry, so I'm pretty excited to continue eating keto even if the scale never budges."

> "I no longer feel inappropriately hungry, so I'm pretty excited to continue eating keto even if the scale never budges."

> "I'm still capable of overeating, yesterday I had a breadless calzone, I wanted to finish it all in one go, but saved half for dinner. At the table I was desiring to keep eating, but as soon as I stood up I felt quite full and was glad I stopped. That's something that rarely happened before keto."

> "I find in the moment I will continue to be hungry as if my body hadn't processed.. if I even take a minute or so to let signals catch up I feel so full. Not stuffed stomach full, but like no desire to even put another bite on my mouth.. it's been an experience for sure and one I'm learning to harness to not eat the whole container."

> "I tend to eat slower on keto, probably in part because convenience food is harder to fit on plan so it takes awhile to prepare and plate and then eat. It is definitely a change, but a welcome one."

> "I find that the lower my weight goes, the more I have to be calorie conscious. It was easier when I was heavier - the fact that keto helps with appetite is what helped me the most. I counted calories but at 1600 it was easy to feel full and satisfied and to have a more varied diet. Now that I am at a healthy weight, I have to be very careful not to go over a certain amount and have to stay under 1200 if I want to keep losing. It's not easy: granted, keto still makes me less hungry than when my diet consisted mostly of cheesy pasta and bread, but at such low levels it is terribly easy to go over."

> "I have trouble getting above 2000 on keto without feeling sick from eating too much. I do however sometimes still crave/want non-keto things. Off Keto I can hit 3k easy snacking. I think most people end up lower calorie unintentionally on Keto because of the lack of easy calories that carbs/sugar provide."

> "I'm not seeing any responses from OP, just deleted responses. Everyone is different of course, but if done right, Keto should satiate your appetite before you've consumed 'too many' calories."

> "I'm in the same boat... sort of. It depends on how palatable I find the food. If I was told to eat two eggs at breakfast instead of just one, I'd complain about how full I was half way through the second egg (and truly feel satiated). Tell me I have to finish an entire tray of fathead pizza, and I'd tuck in without hesitation. I could completely blow my entire calorie allowance (and then some) if I really, really enjoyed the food and wasn't tracking."

> "I'm not sure what you mean by this. If your macros are perfect with a calorie surplus, you will gain weight. That's just not how weight loss works. Also if you're still hungry and eating more calories than you should need you might still be having sugar cravings (too many carbs still), or not be fully keto adapted yet."

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Constant snacking

Opt for Low-Carb, High-Fat Snacks: Choose snacks that are low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats. Examples include nuts, hard-boiled eggs, cheeses, avocados, and non-starchy vegetables like celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers. These foods will keep you full and satisfied without derailing your keto progress.
Portion Control: Even when choosing keto-friendly snacks, it's important to watch your portions. For example, while nuts are a great on-the-go snack, they still contain carbohydrates. Stick to recommended portion sizes to ensure you don't exceed your daily carb limit.
Include Vegetables: Vegetables are an excellent addition to your snack options. They provide fiber, which aids in digestion and keeps you feeling full. Reach for leafy greens, broccoli, peppers, cauliflower, and tomatoes.
Plan Your Snacks: Planning is key to success on the keto diet. Prepare your snacks in advance and keep a keto snacks list handy when shopping. This will help you make better choices and avoid reaching for high-carb or processed snacks.
Monitor Your Macros: Keep track of your macronutrient intake, including carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Use apps like MyFitnessPal to log your snacks and ensure you're staying within your daily limits.
Be Mindful of Calories: Constant snacking can lead to increased calorie intake. Even if you're choosing keto-friendly snacks, be mindful of their calorie content. Opt for lower-calorie options if you find yourself snacking frequently throughout the day.
Include Protein: Include protein-rich snacks like hard-boiled eggs, turkey slices, or a handful of nuts. Protein helps promote satiety and can keep you feeling full between meals.
Avoid Processed Keto Snacks: While there are many keto-friendly snack options available, avoid overly processed snacks like keto bars and desserts. These tend to be high in calories and can hinder your weight loss efforts.
Drink Plenty of Water: Sometimes, thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, which will also help you feel fuller and less likely to overeat.
Limit Alcoholic Beverages: Alcoholic drinks, especially wine and beer, tend to be high in carbohydrates. Even hard alcohols like gin and vodka contain calories that can hinder weight loss. Opt for keto-friendly beverage options or enjoy alcoholic drinks in moderation.