Keto Weight Gain: Why Does It Happen?

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that aims to put the body in a metabolic state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. While the keto diet can be effective for weight loss, some people may experience weight gain instead. There are several factors that can contribute to this unexpected result, including not staying in ketosis, eating too many carbs, poor lifestyle choices such as drinking alcohol, not getting enough nutrients, imbalanced blood sugar levels, and underlying medical conditions. To maximize weight loss on a ketogenic diet, it is important to track calorie and fat intake, manage stress levels, get regular exercise, consume nutrient-dense and low-carb foods, improve sleep quality, and consider working with a professional such as a dietitian or keto coach.

Not achieving ketosis

Achieving ketosis is crucial for weight loss on the keto diet. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body uses fat instead of glucose (sugar) as its primary energy source. This shift in energy metabolism occurs when there is a significant reduction in carbohydrate intake, typically to less than 50 grams of carbs per day.

However, some people may struggle to achieve and maintain ketosis, which can hinder their weight loss efforts. Here are some reasons why you might not be achieving ketosis:

• Consuming too many carbohydrates: Even a small amount of carbohydrates can prevent ketosis. It's important to track your carb intake and ensure it stays within the recommended range.
• Not reducing carbs enough: Some people may believe they have drastically reduced their carb intake but are still consuming enough carbs for their body to produce energy from glucose, hindering the transition to ketosis.
• Hidden sources of carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are not only found in bread and pasta but also in nuts, vegetables, and dairy products. These foods are typically considered keto-friendly, but if consumed in large quantities, they can contribute to a higher carb intake than intended.
• Not counting calories: While in ketosis, it's still important to maintain a calorie deficit for weight loss. Consuming too many calories, even from keto-friendly foods, can prevent weight loss.
• Eating too much protein: A diet that is high in protein may prevent ketosis. This is because excess protein can be converted into glucose by the body, reducing the need for fat burning.
• Not enough physical activity: Exercise helps deplete glycogen stores in the body, which are normally replenished by eating carbohydrates. By minimising your carb intake and engaging in physical activity, you encourage your body to produce and use ketones for energy.
• Stress and sleep quality: Factors such as stress and sleep quality can influence hormone levels, particularly cortisol, which can impact weight loss and ketosis.

If you suspect you are not achieving ketosis, you can use home testing kits or breath analysers to check for the presence of ketones in your urine or breath. These tools can help you make informed dietary adjustments to support your weight loss journey.

Eating too much protein

While the keto diet is known for being a low-carb, high-fat diet, protein intake also plays a crucial role in achieving and maintaining ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat (ketones) for energy instead of glucose.

The body can break down excess proteins into amino acids and convert them into types of sugar, potentially kicking you out of ketosis. This process is called gluconeogenesis (GNG), and it's triggered when there is a lack of carbohydrates in the body. GNG is necessary for survival, and it's what makes ketosis possible in the first place. However, eating too much protein can lead to an increase in insulin levels, which can impair ketone production and prevent the body from entering ketosis.

So, how much protein is too much on the keto diet? The general recommendation for protein intake on keto is as follows:

• If you are sedentary, consume 0.6-0.8g of protein per pound of lean body mass.
• If you are regularly active, have 0.8-1.0g of protein per pound of lean body mass.
• If you lift weights, eat 1.0-1.2g of protein per pound of lean body mass.

It's important to note that these are general guidelines, and the ideal protein consumption on keto can vary from person to person depending on factors such as activity level, current body composition, and health status.

To find your personal keto protein limit, you can use a blood ketone meter to measure your ketone levels. Gradually increase your protein intake over a week and measure your ketone levels every morning. Eat slightly less protein than the amount that causes your ketone levels to drop below the optimal range of 1.5 mmol/L.

In summary, while protein is essential on the keto diet, eating too much can impair ketone production and kick you out of ketosis. To avoid this, it's important to monitor your protein intake and make adjustments as needed based on your individual needs and goals.

Eating too many carbs

Even when following the keto diet, it is still possible to eat too many carbs and prevent your body from burning fat. It is important to keep track of the number of carbs you are consuming to ensure you achieve ketosis.

To reach the state of ketosis, your carbohydrate intake must be drastically reduced. Only around 5% to 10% of your total calories should come from carbs. This is in stark contrast to the standard dietary recommendation that 45%–65% of calories come from carbs.

It can be challenging to cut out carbs, especially when first adjusting to the keto diet. However, to reach and maintain ketosis, it is crucial to decrease carb intake to the recommended range. To help reach your intake goals, consider tracking your macronutrients through an app like MyFitnessPal. This can help you learn how many servings of carbs you're allowed per day based on your calorie needs.

Even keto-friendly foods can add up to too many carbs per day if you're not careful. Be sure to keep track of your carb intake to ensure you're not letting too many slip back into your diet. For example, nuts and vegetables contain enough carbohydrates to throw off your diet if not consumed in moderation.

If you want to get into ketosis and reap the full metabolic benefits of low-carb diets, you may need to go under 50 grams of carbs per day. At this level, you won't have many carb options besides vegetables and small amounts of berries.

Not counting calories

Even if you are in a state of ketosis, you may still gain weight if you are consuming more calories than you burn. Therefore, it is important to keep track of the number of calories you are consuming.

When you are on a high-fat keto diet, it is easy to go overboard with the calories. Many keto-friendly foods are high in calories, so it is important to make sure you are tracking your calories and maintaining a deficit.

To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you expend. You can do this by either reducing the number of calories you consume or by expending more calories through increased physical activity.

If you switch to a keto diet and don't watch your calorie intake, you are unlikely to lose weight. This is because many keto-friendly foods, such as avocados, olive oil, full-fat dairy, and nuts, are high in calories. It is entirely possible to consume too many calories on a keto diet by eating large portions or snacking on high-calorie foods throughout the day.

To avoid this, pay attention to portion sizes, increase your physical activity, and snack in moderation between meals. This will help create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.

In addition, it is important to remember that the basic calorie in/calorie out formula is just a starting point. In reality, you have to adjust the calorie expenditure for metabolic rates, activity levels, and the effectiveness of your endocrine system.

For example, if your body needs 1800 calories and you only eat 1300 calories, weight loss will occur because your body will use roughly 500 calories of body fat to cover the missing 500 calories from your diet. This leads to a theoretical weight loss of 1 pound per week.

However, if you ate 1300 calories on keto and lost 2 pounds in a week, you would have to use 1000 calories from fat stores. This would mean that 1000 calories of expended energy are external to your diet each day, which may not be the case.

Therefore, it is important to understand that simply being in a state of ketosis will not necessarily lead to weight loss if you are not also mindful of your calorie intake and overall energy balance.

Constant snacking

Snacking is defined as consuming food or drinks between regular main meals. While the practice is often recommended by nutritionists, it is important to remember that they advise consuming small portions of healthy foods or drinks. If you regularly snack on large portions, you may exceed your body's daily energy requirements, contributing to weight gain.

When you are hungry, it is easy to opt for convenient, palatable, energy-dense snacks such as crisps or chocolate bars. These types of snacks often contain "empty calories", providing little nutritional content while still contributing to your daily calorie intake. Additionally, people often forget that beverages such as fruit juices, smoothies, and fizzy drinks can contain a high number of calories and contribute to exceeding your body's energy requirements.

To avoid unhealthy snacking, it is recommended to plan your snacks ahead of time and choose nourishing whole foods. High-protein and high-fibre snacks can help reduce hunger and keep you feeling full for longer. Examples include hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, nuts, and fresh vegetable slices. It is also important to be mindful of your hunger cues and ask yourself if you are physically hungry or reaching for a snack due to stress, boredom, or another emotion.

When following a keto diet, it is essential to track your food intake and ensure you are not consuming too many calories, even from snacks. Constant snacking on keto-friendly foods can lead to an increased calorie intake, resulting in weight gain. Therefore, keeping your snacks to a minimum and tracking your consumption is crucial.

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