Keto Weight Loss: Harder Over Time?

The ketogenic diet is a popular choice for people looking to lose weight. It involves eating a low-carb, high-fat diet, which forces the body to use fat instead of glucose as its main source of energy. While the keto diet can lead to faster weight loss compared to a calorie-reduction diet, maintaining weight loss can become harder over time. This is partly because the keto diet is tough to maintain, and also because weight loss tends to slow down as you get closer to your goal weight.

Not achieving ketosis

Achieving ketosis is the key to the keto diet. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. To reach this state, you must drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake. However, this can be challenging, and there are several reasons why you might not be achieving ketosis.

Firstly, you may not be cutting back enough on carbs. On the keto diet, carbohydrates should only represent 5-10% of your daily calorie intake, which equates to 20-50 grams of carbs per day for someone on a 2000-calorie diet. If you are still consuming too many carbs, your body may continue to produce energy from glucose, reducing the rate at which you burn fat.

Secondly, you may be eating too much protein. Some people mistakenly believe that a low-carb, high-protein diet is the same as a keto diet. However, the body can break down excess proteins into amino acids and convert them into types of sugar. On the keto diet, fat should make up 55-60% of your calorie intake, with protein making up no more than 35%.

Thirdly, you may be consuming too many acceptable carbs. Some foods that are typically considered keto-friendly, such as nuts and dairy, are high in fat and nutrients but also contain carbohydrates. Eating too many of these foods can prevent you from achieving and maintaining ketosis.

Finally, you may not be giving your body enough time to enter ketosis. The time it takes to reach ketosis varies from person to person and can depend on factors such as your metabolic health and eating schedule. Remember, achieving ketosis is not like cooking a roast; it requires patience and persistence.

If you are struggling to achieve ketosis, consider using a home testing kit to check for ketones in your urine or breath. This can help you confirm whether you are truly in ketosis and make any necessary dietary adjustments.

Eating too many carbs

One of the main reasons people don't lose weight on the keto diet is that they're consuming too many carbs. To reach the state of ketosis, where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose, you need to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake. This means limiting your daily carb intake to 20-50 grams, depending on your body size. This is a significant reduction from the standard dietary recommendation of 45-65% of calories coming from carbs.

It can be challenging to cut out carbs, especially when first adjusting to the keto diet. However, it is crucial to reach and maintain ketosis for weight loss. To achieve this, you may need to track your macronutrients using an app or home testing kit. These tools can help you understand how many servings of carbs you're allowed per day based on your calorie needs.

On the keto diet, some acceptable carbohydrates include nuts and dairy products. While these foods are typically high in fat and nutrient-dense, they still contain carbohydrates. Eating too many of these can prevent you from achieving and maintaining ketosis. Additionally, some sugar alcohols, like maltitol, can affect your blood sugar levels and potentially keep you from entering ketosis.

To ensure you're staying within the recommended carb range, consider eliminating processed foods, as they often contain hidden carbs. Stick to whole foods and check food labels to monitor your daily carb intake. By being mindful of your carb consumption, you can increase your chances of reaching and maintaining ketosis, which is essential for weight loss on the keto diet.

Eating too much protein

While the keto diet is primarily known for being low-carb and high-fat, it's also a moderate-protein diet. That means that, on average, about 20% of your daily calories should come from protein. This is equivalent to about a gram of protein per kilogram of body weight, or somewhere between 60 and 120 grams of protein per day, depending on your size.

However, eating too much protein on a keto diet can cause problems. Here's why: when you eat more protein than your body needs, your body can turn its amino acids into glucose (blood sugar). This process is called gluconeogenesis, and it means that your body opts to use glucose for fuel instead of breaking down fat into ketones. As a result, you get stuck in sugar-burning mode and can't shift into ketosis, which is the whole point of the keto diet.

So, how do you know if you're eating too much protein? Here are some signs to look out for:

• Your breath smells like ammonia. This is because ammonia is produced by the body when it digests and breaks down protein.
• You have flu-like symptoms, such as low energy, irritability, headaches, muscle cramps, and digestive troubles. This is because eating too much protein can cause shifts in electrolyte levels and hydration, similar to the 'keto flu' symptoms you may experience when first starting the diet.

If you're unsure whether your protein intake is too high, it's recommended that you track your food in an app for a few days. If you're eating more than about 20% of your daily calories from protein, you may need to adjust your meals and snacks.

Additionally, you can test your ketone levels using at-home strips to see if you're in the optimal ketosis range. If your ketone levels are too low, reducing your protein intake may help bring them back up.

It's important to note that while limiting protein intake can help increase ketone levels, it's not advisable to eat as little protein as possible. Protein is essential for maintaining and building muscle mass, decreasing cravings, and increasing feelings of fullness. It also provides numerous other health benefits, including reducing high blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.

So, how much protein is enough? It depends on several factors, including your activity level, current body composition, and body composition goals. As a general guideline, sedentary individuals should consume 0.6-0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, while those who are regularly active should aim for 0.8-1.0 grams per pound. If you lift weights, you may need up to 1.0-1.2 grams of protein per pound.

In conclusion, while the keto diet is mostly known for its focus on fat and carbohydrate intake, it's important not to overlook the role of protein. Eating too much protein can hinder your body's ability to enter and maintain ketosis, which is crucial for achieving the weight loss and health benefits associated with the keto diet.

Not counting calories

The Calorie Conundrum

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein eating plan designed to induce ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. While keto can be effective for weight loss, some people question the need to count calories, assuming that keto's magic lies solely in its ability to curb cravings and reduce insulin spikes. However, calories do matter, and understanding their role is crucial for successful weight management.

The Science of Calories

A calorie is a unit of energy, and our bodies utilise this energy to perform various tasks, from involuntary functions like breathing to voluntary activities like running. Our basal metabolic rate (BMR) determines the number of calories needed to sustain these essential processes and is influenced by factors like age, gender, body composition, and genetics. Physical activity requires additional calories, so a more active lifestyle demands a higher calorie intake.

Macronutrients and Calorie Density

Each macronutrient—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—provides a specific number of calories: carbohydrates and proteins offer 4 calories per gram, while fats deliver 9 calories per gram. Our dietary sources of energy are primarily carbohydrates and fats, while protein is mostly used for cell repair and muscle maintenance.

Calories In, Calories Out

The fundamental principle of weight management is the balance between calories consumed and calories expended. Excess calories, regardless of their source, are typically stored as fat. Conversely, a calorie deficit prompts the body to tap into its fat stores, leading to weight loss. However, this equation is not as simple as it seems.

Beyond Calories: Hormones and Satiety

Hormones play a pivotal role in regulating appetite, fullness, and fat storage. Research suggests that low-carb and keto meals may stimulate satiety hormones and suppress hunger hormones, leading to a natural reduction in calorie intake, especially in overweight individuals or those with insulin resistance.

For instance, a study comparing egg and bagel breakfasts, both with the same calorie count, found that the egg breakfast group stayed fuller longer and consumed fewer calories at lunch compared to the bagel group. This illustrates that the source of calories and their impact on satiety can significantly influence subsequent calorie intake.

Additionally, insulin, a fat storage hormone, is crucial in determining whether the body stores or burns calories. Higher insulin levels promote energy storage as fat, while lower levels allow the body to mobilise fat stores for energy. Insulin sensitivity, or how responsive the body is to insulin, also plays a role in weight management.

Keto and Calorie Intake

Keto's effectiveness in curbing cravings and reducing insulin spikes can make it easier to maintain a calorie deficit. The high-fat, moderate-protein nature of keto meals provides satiety and prolongs the feeling of fullness, making it simpler to stick to a calorie-restricted diet.

However, it's important to remember that calories still matter on keto. Overeating, even on a zero-carb diet, will lead to weight gain. While keto may not require strict calorie counting, paying attention to portion sizes and overall calorie intake is essential for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

Constant snacking

To avoid this, it is important to track your calorie intake and ensure you are not consuming more calories than you are burning off. Sticking to a balanced meal plan and choosing lower-calorie snacks can help you achieve your weight loss goals. Additionally, drinking plenty of water can help fill your stomach and reduce the urge to snack.

It is also worth noting that the keto diet may not be suitable for everyone. It can be challenging to stick to, and there may be negative side effects, such as "keto flu," which includes poor energy and mental function, increased hunger, sleep issues, and digestive discomfort.

Before starting any new diet, it is important to consult with a doctor or dietitian to ensure it is safe and suitable for your individual needs.

Frequently asked questions