Keto Weight Loss: Is It Permanent?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very-low-carb diet. While it can lead to rapid weight loss, it is challenging to maintain over a long period due to its restrictive nature. So, what happens when you stop? Most studies show that weight regain after a diet is common, and this can lead to a yo-yo effect. However, it is possible to maintain weight loss after keto by adopting a new lifestyle. The key is to ensure your intake matches your output by calculating your total daily energy expenditure and consuming calories accordingly. When reintroducing carbohydrates, it is important to do so slowly and continue to stick to unprocessed, clean foods.

Weight regain after keto is a valid concern, but it's not inevitable

The ketogenic diet is a popular weight-loss diet that involves eating high fats, moderate protein, and very low carbohydrates. While the keto diet can lead to rapid weight loss, it is challenging to maintain over the long term due to its restrictive nature. As a result, many people regain weight after stopping the keto diet, which is a valid concern. However, weight regain is not inevitable, and there are several strategies to help maintain weight loss after transitioning off the keto diet.

Understanding Weight Regain

Most studies show that weight regain occurs after dieting, leading to a yo-yo effect. This is a normal response, and it is common to gain back some weight immediately after stopping a particular diet. In the case of the keto diet, this initial weight gain is primarily due to water weight. When carbohydrates are reintroduced, the body restores glucose reservoirs in the form of glycogen in the muscles and liver, and each gram of glycogen carries three grams of water.

Adopting a New Lifestyle

The key to preventing weight regain after the keto diet is to adopt a new lifestyle that focuses on long-term sustainability. This involves making permanent changes to your eating habits and incorporating physical activity into your routine. Here are some specific strategies to help maintain weight loss after keto:

• Slowly transition off keto: When reintroducing carbohydrates, do it slowly and steadily. Avoid abruptly switching to a standard American diet, which is high in carbohydrates and low in nutrients. Instead, gradually increase your carbohydrate intake over time, starting with starchy vegetables or fruit, and continue to focus on healthy, unprocessed foods.
• Maintain a healthy diet: Even after transitioning off keto, there is no need to consume copious amounts of processed carbohydrates. Stick to real, whole, unprocessed foods, including vegetable sources of carbohydrates, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed pasture-raised meats.
• Increase physical activity: Incorporate movement into your daily routine, such as taking breaks to go for a walk or doing simple stretches or yoga poses throughout the day. Research shows that regular movement throughout the day has a greater impact on overall health than a single heavy exercise session.
• Calculate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE): Match your calorie intake to your TDEE by using a calorie-counting app in conjunction with a step or movement counter. This will help ensure that your energy intake aligns with your energy expenditure.
• Increase protein intake: Consider increasing your consumption of lean proteins, such as beans, tofu, chicken, fish, and lean cuts of red meat. This can help take advantage of the thermic effect of food, as protein requires more calories to digest than carbohydrates.
• Gradually increase carbohydrates: Instead of abruptly increasing your carbohydrate intake, gradually add in an additional 10 grams of carbohydrates per day from healthy sources like whole grains, beans, fruits, and starchy vegetables. Track your weight and how you feel, and increase the amount weekly or every other week, depending on your goals.
• Find your desired carb range: The recommended carbohydrate intake varies for each individual, depending on factors such as goals and activity levels. Aim for a carbohydrate intake that allows you to eat a diverse range of foods while still maintaining your weight and feeling good.
• Avoid highly processed foods: Highly processed grains and sugars can contribute to weight gain and inflammation, which is associated with various diseases. Opt for unprocessed, whole foods whenever possible.

To avoid weight regain, adopt a new lifestyle, including a healthy diet and exercise

It is normal to gain back some weight after stopping a particular diet, and the same is true for the keto diet. The key to defeating weight recidivism after dieting is to adopt a new lifestyle. This involves making permanent changes to your eating habits and activity levels. Here are some tips to avoid weight regain and adopt a new, healthy lifestyle:

Diet

• Make a slow transition off keto: Any major diet change can impact your digestive system and weight, so transition slowly and steadily. Continue to mind your macronutrients and gradually increase your carb intake. Start by adding in one serving of starchy vegetables or fruit per day, then slowly increase to more veggies.
• Stick to real, whole, unprocessed foods: Obesity is often linked to the consumption of highly processed foods, which are calorie-heavy, make you want to eat more, and don't provide optimal nutrition. Opt for vegetable sources of carbs, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed pasture-raised meats.
• Avoid highly processed grains and sugar: These contribute to weight gain and inflammation, which is the root of many diseases in the body, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and autoimmunity.
• Keep healthy fats in your diet: Consume fat with your carbs to help slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.
• Be mindful of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE): Use a calorie counting app, in conjunction with a step or movement counter, to ensure your intake matches your output.
• Increase your protein intake: Aim for about 50 grams of protein per day, and opt for more plant-based sources like beans, lentils, tofu, and edamame.
• Eat vegetables at every meal: They add volume to your plate and are low in calories and high in fibre.
• Make changes to your diet slowly: If you suddenly start eating a lot of fibre, your stomach may struggle to adjust. Add in one or two servings of high-fibre foods per day and increase gradually.
• Allow yourself to enjoy all foods in moderation: Listen to your hunger cues and honour your cravings. This includes all forms of carbs, from ice cream to pasta.

Exercise

• Bump up your activity levels: Find an exercise you enjoy, whether it's walking, dancing, or joining a sports club. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day.
• Incorporate movement into your routine: Research shows that regular movement throughout the day has a greater impact on your overall health than one heavy exercise session. This can be as simple as taking a few breaks from work to go for a walk or doing some stretches or yoga poses.

Remember, the key to maintaining your new weight is to make permanent changes to your lifestyle and eating habits. This may involve seeking guidance from a registered dietitian or nutritionist to ensure your choices are best for your unique body.

Make a slow transition off keto to avoid digestive issues and rapid weight gain

It is normal to gain back some weight after stopping a particular diet, and the same goes for the keto diet. This is mostly due to water weight, as carbohydrates are reintroduced into your diet. Every gram of glycogen carries three grams of water, so you will start to restore glucose reservoirs in the form of glycogen into your muscles and liver.

To avoid digestive issues and rapid weight gain, it is important to make a slow transition off keto. Here are some tips to help you with this process:

• Think slow and steady: Any major diet change can impact your digestive system and weight, so gradually reintroduce carbs into your diet. Start by adding in starchy vegetables or fruit, one serving per day, and slowly increase your intake over several days or weeks.
• Choose healthy carbs: Focus on eating carbs that are high in protein and fibre, such as bean-based pasta, crackers with seeds, or sprouted breads. These will take more time to digest and won't cause gigantic spikes in your blood sugar.
• Be mindful of sugar: The keto diet is beneficial for reducing sugar intake. When transitioning off keto, be mindful of your sugar intake and avoid anything with more than 4 grams of added sugar.
• Stay hydrated: Drinking enough water is important for maintaining healthy habits and can help with hunger cues.
• Increase your activity levels: Regular movement throughout the day can help with keeping the weight off and increasing your overall feelings of well-being.
• Continue with healthy fats: While decreasing your fat intake, continue to eat the healthy fats you've become accustomed to, such as avocado and olive oil.
• Gradually increase your carb intake: Opt for carbs from healthy sources like whole grains, beans, fruits, and starchy vegetables.
• Find your desired carb range: The number of carbs recommended differs for everyone and depends on factors like your goals and activity levels. Aim for a number that allows you to eat a greater range of foods without feeling restricted.
• Add more protein: Consider increasing your intake of lean proteins, such as beans, tofu, chicken, fish, and lean cuts of red meat. This will help you take advantage of the thermic effect of food, which is the number of calories it takes to digest food.

Stick to whole, unprocessed foods to avoid excessive weight gain

It is normal to gain back some weight after stopping a particular diet, and this can be as much as 5-10 pounds. This is often due to water weight, as when you reintroduce carbohydrates, you will start to restore glucose reservoirs in the form of glycogen in your muscles and liver. Every gram of glycogen carries with it 3 grams of water.

The key to maintaining your new weight is to match your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). You can do this by using a calorie-counting app in conjunction with a step or movement counter.

However, it is important to note that maintaining weight loss after any diet can be difficult, especially when it comes to highly restrictive diets like keto. This is because the eating habits are often unsustainable and difficult to maintain. As a result, people often fall back into old eating habits, regaining weight.

To avoid this, it is recommended to stick to whole, unprocessed foods. Obesity is often linked to changes in the caloric quantity and quality of food, with highly processed foods being calorie-heavy, increasing consumption, and providing little nutritional benefit. These highly processed foods often contain high amounts of salt, sugar, fat, and flavour additives. They can also contribute to weight gain and inflammation, which is the root of many diseases in the body, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and autoimmunity.

In contrast, unprocessed foods are nutrient-dense, containing antioxidants, fibre, minerals, and vitamins that support overall health. They can also aid in weight loss by helping to lower your calorie intake. Examples of unprocessed foods include:

• Eggs
• Fish
• Fruits
• Legumes
• Meat
• Milk
• Nuts
• Whole grains
• Vegetables

When transitioning out of a restrictive diet like keto, it is important to be thoughtful during and after the transition. Make slow and steady changes to your diet, gradually reintroducing carbohydrates and continuing to mind your macronutrients. This will help ensure you don't gain back all the weight and set you up to continue managing your health.

Consult a dietitian or nutritionist to ensure your choices are best for your body

Consulting a dietitian or nutritionist is a good idea if you're considering going on the keto diet or coming off it, as it can be an extremely restrictive diet. A professional can help you make a personalised plan that accounts for your calorie needs, decreasing stress, and incorporating movement. They can also help you find a number of carbohydrates that will allow you to eat a greater range of foods so that you "don't feel restricted but can maintain your weight and feel good".

A dietitian or nutritionist can also help you to understand how to exercise at the right intensity and for the right amount of time to burn off the calories you're consuming. They can also help you to understand how to count calories and macronutrients, and how to manage your weight by matching your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).

If you're thinking of going on the keto diet, a dietitian or nutritionist can help you understand whether it's a good idea for you, and if so, how to do it in a healthy way. If you're thinking of coming off the keto diet, they can help you to do so slowly and safely, minimising the risk of negative side effects such as bloating, constipation, and blood sugar spikes. They can also help you to understand how to reintroduce foods in a way that doesn't lead to rapid weight gain.

Frequently asked questions