Stress, Weight Gain, And The Keto Diet: What's The Link?

Stress can cause weight gain, and this can be the case even if you're on the keto diet. When stressed, the body releases the hormone cortisol, which slows down the metabolism and increases cravings for fatty, sugary foods. Chronically elevated cortisol levels have been linked to weight gain, especially around the waist (also known as visceral fat). Additionally, stress can lead to poor sleep, which has also been associated with weight gain. To combat stress-related weight gain on keto, it's important to address stress management through techniques like meditation or yoga and to prioritize adequate sleep. Tracking your food intake and ensuring you're in a state of ketosis can also help.

Eating too many carbs

When following a keto diet, it is recommended to reduce your carb intake to 30-50 grams per day, which is significantly lower than the standard dietary recommendation of 45-65% of calories from carbs. This drastic reduction in carbs is crucial for achieving ketosis.

If you are eating too many carbs, you may be hindering your weight loss efforts. Here are some reasons why eating too many carbs can lead to weight gain on a keto diet:

• Preventing Ketosis: Consuming too many carbs can prevent your body from reaching and maintaining ketosis. In ketosis, your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. To achieve and maintain ketosis, it is essential to keep your carb intake within the recommended range.
• Calorie Surplus: Many keto-friendly foods are high in calories. If you eat too many carbs and exceed your daily calorie needs, you may create a calorie surplus, leading to weight gain.
• Insulin Response: When you eat carbohydrates, your body releases insulin to shuttle glucose into cells. Insulin also signals the liver to store excess glucose as glycogen. If your liver reaches its glycogen storage capacity, the excess glucose will be converted to fat for long-term storage.
• Cravings and Overeating: Eating too many carbs, especially refined carbs and added sugars, can lead to cravings and overeating. These types of carbs are quickly digested and absorbed, leading to spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, which can leave you feeling hungry and craving more carbs.
• Water Retention: Initially, a low-carb diet may lead to weight loss due to water loss. However, if you start eating too many carbs, you may experience increased water retention, which can contribute to weight gain.

It is important to note that not all carbs are created equal. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits, and vegetables, are generally more nutritious and provide a more sustained release of energy compared to simple carbohydrates. Additionally, a high intake of refined carbohydrates and added sugars is associated with an increased risk of obesity. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize unprocessed, fiber-rich, and nutrient-dense carb sources when following a keto diet.

Eating too much protein

While controlling carb intake is crucial to maintaining ketosis, eating protein will not affect your ketone levels. This is because carbs are the only macronutrient that can seriously interfere with ketosis. Therefore, it is important to watch out for hidden carbs and find the right carb limit for your body.

Gluconeogenesis (GNG) is a metabolic pathway that allows your liver and kidneys to make glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, such as protein. This process is often feared by keto dieters, who worry that it will remove them from the state of ketosis. However, this is a myth. GNG is a necessary process that makes ketosis possible in the first place. It is also vital for preventing hypoglycemia, fuelling tissues that can't use ketones, and resupplying glycogen stores.

While it is possible to eat too much protein on a keto diet, it is important to remember that this will not increase the rate of gluconeogenesis. In fact, studies have shown that GNG production does not increase even with extra amino acids.

• Protein helps with fat loss: Protein is more satiating than fat, meaning you will feel fuller for longer and be less likely to snack. It is also very nutrient-dense, and people tend to overeat when protein is low.
• Protein provides fewer calories than fat: Your body needs to use more energy (calories) to burn protein than to burn fat. For example, when you eat 100 calories of beef, your body can only store 75% of it as calories because it requires 25% of the calories to burn and use it as fuel. Conversely, when you consume fat, you are storing up to 98% of it as calories.
• Protein deficiency is dangerous: Not eating enough protein can have serious side effects, including worsened workout performance, neuron atrophy, a weaker immune system, and an increased risk of diseases such as sickle cell disease, acute asthma, and certain cancers.

To summarise, while it is possible to eat too much protein on a keto diet, it is important to remember that this will not kick you out of ketosis. In fact, eating more protein can be beneficial for fat loss, and it is necessary to prevent protein deficiency.

Not counting calories

If you switch to a keto diet and don't watch your calorie intake, you're unlikely to lose weight. While many keto-friendly foods are high in calories, it's important not to overindulge. It's entirely possible to consume too many calories on a ketogenic diet by eating large portions or snacking on high-calorie foods throughout the day.

Paying attention to portion sizes and snacking in moderation between meals can help create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight. Additionally, increasing physical activity can also help burn more calories and create the necessary deficit for weight loss.

It's important to note that simply counting calories may not be enough to achieve your weight loss goals. Other factors, such as stress, sleep, and underlying medical conditions, can also impact your weight. However, by combining calorie awareness with a healthy lifestyle and stress management techniques, you can optimize your chances of achieving your desired weight.

Constant snacking

Firstly, it is important to note that the term 'snack foods' often refers to processed, high-calorie items like chips and cookies. However, snacking simply means consuming food or drinks between meals, regardless of whether the food is healthy or not.

Hunger is the main driver of snacking, but other factors like location, social environment, time of day, and food availability also play a role. People often snack when appetising food is around, even when they are not hungry. Temptation is a key factor in choosing unhealthy snacks, followed by hunger and low energy levels.

The size and type of snack chosen are important considerations. Nutritionists recommend consuming small portions of healthy foods between meals to keep energy levels up. However, it is easy to exceed your body's daily energy requirements by regularly snacking on large portions, which can lead to weight gain over time.

Additionally, people often forget to account for the calories in beverages. Fruit juices and smoothies, often marketed as healthy options, can contain large amounts of sugar and calories. These energy-dense drinks may not induce feelings of fullness compared to solid food with equivalent calories, leading to a higher overall calorie intake.

Snacking can be beneficial in some cases, such as preventing hunger in people who tend to overeat when going too long without food. However, for others, limiting snacks and sticking to three or fewer meals per day may be a better approach.

If you choose to snack, it is important to make healthy choices that keep you full and satisfied. Opt for snacks that provide around 200 calories and at least 10 grams of protein to promote satiety until your next meal. Examples include high-protein, high-fibre snacks like nuts, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, or fresh vegetable slices with hummus or peanut butter.

In summary, constant snacking can lead to weight gain, especially if the snacks are high in calories and consumed in large portions. Choosing healthy, nourishing snacks and being mindful of overall calorie intake can help mitigate this risk.

Stress and lack of sleep

Those who are chronically stressed are often sleep-deprived, which has also been linked to weight gain. Studies suggest that a lack of sleep negatively impacts hunger-regulating hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin, causing an increased appetite.

To lower stress and improve sleep, one can try techniques like meditation or yoga, and reduce screen time. Walking is also a great way to reduce stress and enhance mood.

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