Breaking Keto: A Stall Breaker?

A keto weight loss stall is when you stop seeing changes on the scale or your body fat percentage isn't decreasing while on the keto diet. This can be frustrating for people who are trying to lose weight, especially when they feel they are doing everything right. However, stalling on keto is more common than you think and happens for a variety of reasons.

Causes of a Keto Weight Loss Stall

There are several factors that can contribute to a weight loss stall on keto, including:

- Hidden carbs in snacks, sauces, condiments, and processed foods, even those marketed as keto-friendly.

- Consuming too many calories. While a ketogenic diet helps you feel more satisfied due to increased protein and fats, it's still possible to overeat.

- A stressful lifestyle. Evidence shows that stress increases a person's risk of gaining weight and visceral adiposity.

- Lack of exercise and physical activity. Being sedentary limits the number of calories burned each day.

- Snacking on too many nuts, which are calorie-dense and can cause the carb count to rise and kick you out of ketosis.

- Lack of sleep, which affects the body's regulation of leptin and ghrelin, hormones that relate to appetite. Poor sleep also increases cravings for high-calorie and high-carbohydrate foods.

Strategies for Breaking a Keto Weight Loss Stall

- Adjust your calorie needs and macros. As your weight changes on a diet, your calorie and macro goals will also change.

- Increase physical activity and incorporate NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) into your daily routine.

- Manage your stress through mindfulness strategies, self-care, and reducing screen time.

- Incorporate intermittent fasting, which helps control overall caloric intake and benefits gut health and mental health.

- Track your ketone levels to ensure you are in a state of ketosis, which promotes the breakdown of stored body fat.

- Look for hidden carbohydrates in alcoholic beverages, nuts, low-carb fruits, keto snacks, sauces, salad dressings, and soup mixes.

- Be aware of food sensitivities, such as dairy and FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), which may contribute to weight gain.

Recalculate your macros

Recalculating your macros is an important step in breaking a keto stall. Here are some detailed instructions and considerations to help you through the process:

Understand the Basics of Macros:

Before adjusting your macros, it's important to understand what macros are and why they matter on a keto diet. Macros, short for macronutrients, refer to the amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat that you consume in your diet. On a keto diet, the standard macro ratio is typically:

• 5% or fewer calories from carbohydrates
• 70-80% of calories from healthy fats
• 20-30% of calories from protein

Determine Your Current Macros:

To recalculate your macros effectively, you need to know your current macros. If you haven't calculated them recently, use a keto macro calculator to determine your baseline. These calculators consider factors such as your age, gender, activity level, weight, and weight loss goals to provide personalized macro targets.

Adjust Macros Based on Weight Loss:

One of the most common reasons to recalculate your macros is to account for weight loss. As you lose weight, your body's energy needs change, and your macros need to be adjusted accordingly. A general guideline is to recalculate your macros every time you lose around 10 lbs (4.5 kg). This ensures that your body receives the right amount of fuel for its current weight and helps prevent a keto stall.

Adjust Macros if Your Weight Loss Slows Down:

If you experience a slowdown in your weight loss progress, it may be time to adjust your macros. Recalculating your macros and tracking your food intake can help ensure you're meeting your new macros and staying within your carb tolerance limits. This adjustment can help get you back on track and break through the weight loss plateau.

Consider Non-Scale Victories:

While weight loss is a common goal, it's not the only marker of success on keto. Consider non-scale victories (NSVs) such as losing inches, having more energy, improved skin, regulating medical conditions, or increased endurance. Even if the scale isn't moving, these NSVs indicate that your keto diet is still having positive effects on your health.

Monitor Your Protein and Fat Intake:

When adjusting your macros, pay close attention to your protein and fat intake. Ensure you're consuming adequate protein, as it helps you feel full and contributes to muscle mass. Regarding fat, while it's essential on keto, overeating fat can hinder weight loss. Aim for a balance that provides satiety without exceeding your calorie needs.

Use a Macro Calculator Regularly:

Recalculating your macros is not a one-time event. As your body and goals evolve, your macros will need to be adjusted accordingly. Use a macro calculator regularly, especially after significant weight loss, to ensure your macros are tailored to your current needs and goals.

Remember, when adjusting your macros, make gradual changes and give your body time to adjust to the new ratios. Additionally, consider consulting a healthcare professional or nutritionist to ensure your macros are safe and aligned with your specific needs.

Track your calories

Tracking your calories is a crucial aspect of breaking a keto weight loss stall. Here are some detailed instructions and considerations to help you effectively track your calories:

• Understand the Importance of Calories: On a ketogenic diet, while carb restriction is essential, it's important to recognise that weight loss ultimately depends on your calorie intake. Even on a keto diet, if you consume more calories than your body needs, weight loss will stall.
• Use a Calorie Tracking App: Utilise a calorie tracking app such as MyFitnessPal or Cronometer. These apps help you accurately track the calories you consume, ensuring you maintain a calorie deficit necessary for weight loss.
• Determine Your Calorie Needs: Use a keto calculator to determine your specific calorie and macronutrient needs. This will provide you with a personalised calorie goal, taking into account your body weight, activity level, and weight loss goals.
• Be Diligent with Tracking: Consistently track your calorie intake to ensure you're adhering to your calorie deficit. This may involve measuring and weighing your food portions to enhance accuracy.
• Recalculate Macros Regularly: As you lose weight, your calorie needs change. Recalculate your macros every month or so using your updated body weight to ensure you're still in a calorie deficit.
• Adjust Your Calorie Deficit: If you're experiencing a plateau, consider decreasing your calorie deficit slightly. Very large deficits can lead to a slower metabolic rate, making it harder to lose weight. Adjusting your deficit can help counteract this effect.
• Be Mindful of Hidden Calories: Calories can add up quickly, especially from high-fat foods commonly consumed on a keto diet. Be mindful of hidden calories in sauces, condiments, nuts, dairy, and low-carb alternatives. Read labels carefully and track these calories to avoid unintentionally exceeding your daily allotment.
• Combine with Intermittent Fasting: Intermittent fasting can be a powerful tool when combined with calorie tracking. It helps you control your calorie intake by restricting your eating to a specific time window, enhancing your body's ability to burn fat.
• Be Consistent: Consistency is key. Stick to your keto diet and avoid cheat days, as they can disrupt your progress and take several days to recover from.

Manage your stress

While breaking keto may help break a stall, it is important to note that the keto diet has been linked to reduced stress and improved mood. Here are some tips to manage stress while on the keto diet:

• Monitor your stress levels: Pay attention to your stress levels and be mindful of any changes in your stress response. This can help you identify areas of improvement and track your progress.
• Practice stress-reduction techniques: Engage in activities that help you relax and reduce stress. This could include breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, exercise, or hobbies that you enjoy.
• Improve your sleep quality: Prioritize getting adequate and quality sleep. Establish a consistent sleep schedule, avoid stimulants like caffeine late in the day, and create a relaxing bedtime routine to promote better sleep.
• Address chronic stress: If you are experiencing chronic stress, consider seeking professional help or support. This could include therapy, counselling, or other stress management techniques to help you cope with stress more effectively.
• Connect with others: Joining keto communities or support groups can provide a sense of community and shared experience. Connecting with others who are also on the keto diet can help you feel less isolated and provide an opportunity to share tips and encouragement.
• Focus on overall well-being: Remember that keto is not just about weight loss. Emphasize the non-scale victories, such as improved energy levels, better skin, reduced cravings, and improved mental clarity. A sense of progress in these areas can help reduce stress and motivate you to stick with the diet.

Increase physical activity

Increasing physical activity is one of the best ways to break a keto stall and get back on track with your weight loss goals. Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Add more steps to your daily routine: Aim to walk more during the day by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking further away from your destination, or even just pacing while talking on the phone. These small changes can make a big difference in your overall activity levels.
• Incorporate regular exercise: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week. This can include cardio, such as walking, running, cycling, or swimming, as well as resistance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). You can also try strength training with weights or bodyweight exercises to build muscle.
• Increase your NEAT: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) refers to the calories you burn through activities outside of your workouts. This includes things like mowing the lawn, washing dishes, standing, and walking. Increasing your NEAT is a great way to stay active even when you're not formally exercising.
• Try new activities: Experiment with different types of physical activities to find what you enjoy. Running, cycling, swimming, and strength training are just a few options to explore. Finding activities you enjoy will help you stay motivated and consistent.
• Join a fitness community: Working out with others can help you stay motivated and accountable. Consider joining a fitness group, class, or community to help you stay active and reach your goals.
• Work with a trainer: If you're new to exercise or need help creating a workout plan, consider hiring a personal trainer. They can provide guidance, support, and expertise to help you safely and effectively increase your physical activity levels.

Remember, increasing physical activity is just one aspect of breaking a keto stall. It's also important to evaluate your diet, manage stress, get adequate sleep, and make overall lifestyle changes to support your weight loss journey.

Cut down on nuts

Nuts are a great source of beneficial fats, inflammation-busting antioxidants, and plant-based protein. They are a fantastic option for a keto diet as they are low in carbs and high in healthy fats. However, if you are trying to lose weight, overeating nuts may be problematic.

Nuts have a high-fat content and are calorie-dense. If you are snacking on nuts between meals because they taste good, you are adding calories that your body does not need. As a result, your body will burn the fat from the nuts instead of your stored body fat, which is a problem if your goal is weight loss.

• Measure out the amount of nuts you want to eat and put them in a small bowl. Avoid eating out of the full bag or container.
• Avoid mindlessly munching on nuts while doing another activity that has most of your attention, such as watching TV or reading. Instead, enjoy them deliberately and mindfully.
• Cut back on nuts if you find your weight loss is stalling and make them an occasional indulgence.

Remember, it is still better to snack on nuts than on potato chips or candy. All types of nuts are much lower in carbs and higher in nutrients than these other snacks.

Frequently asked questions