Breaking Through A Keto Weight Loss Stall

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb approach to eating that is often used for weight loss. However, it's common to experience a weight loss plateau, where weight stubbornly stays the same. This can be caused by a number of factors, including a slowdown in metabolism, a need to reevaluate macronutrient ratios, hidden carbs, and lifestyle factors such as stress and sleep. To break a keto weight loss stall, it's recommended to look for hidden carbs, try intermittent fasting, switch up your workout routine, decrease calorie intake, and reduce stress levels. It's also important to remember that weight loss is not always linear, and there are other measures of progress besides the number on the scale, such as increased energy levels and improvements in mood.

Evaluate your diet: Are you consuming too many calories, carbs, protein, or fat?

To evaluate your diet, you should consider the following:

Calories

Firstly, it's important to note that the keto diet doesn't require you to count calories. This is because many keto-friendly foods are high in fat and protein, which increase feelings of fullness and prevent overeating. However, if you're stuck in a weight loss plateau, you may be consuming too many calories. To lower your calorie intake, monitor your portion sizes and choose snacks with a low calorie density.

Carbohydrates

Even a few extra grams of carbohydrates here and there can quickly add up and prevent you from entering ketosis, which is the desired metabolic state on the keto diet. On a standard keto diet, you should consume 20-50 grams of carbs per day. To get an accurate idea of your daily carb intake, consider using an app or food tracker. Be sure to account for hidden carbs found in foods like processed meats, condiments, seasonings, and starchy vegetables.

Protein

Protein intake should be moderate, as very high intake can spike insulin levels and lower ketones. Around 35% of total calorie intake is probably the upper limit. Track your protein consumption to make sure you're falling within your goal protein range. If you're hitting a weight plateau, consider aiming for the low end of your goal protein range for a few weeks.

Fat

While the keto diet is a high-fat diet, it's important not to overdo it. Assess how much fat you're adding to your meals and beverages. Cream added to your coffee, for example, counts too! Consider reducing the volume of added fat to test its effect on your weight. Just be sure to notice any changes in hunger as you experiment.

Manage stress and improve sleep

Stress and sleep are important factors in breaking a keto weight-loss stall. Here are some tips to help you manage stress and improve your sleep quality while on a keto diet:

• Reduce your stress levels: Chronic stress is linked to increased weight gain over time. Maintaining high levels of the stress hormone cortisol may lead to increased food intake and decreased energy expenditure, contributing to weight gain. Incorporating stress reduction techniques such as yoga, meditation, exercise, and relaxing hobbies can help lower stress levels and promote weight loss.
• Establish a healthy sleep routine: "Keto insomnia" is a term used to describe sleep disturbances experienced by some individuals on the keto diet due to its low-carbohydrate nature. To improve sleep, aim for a consistent sleep schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, avoid stimulants like caffeine close to bedtime, and ensure adequate hydration.
• Address electrolyte imbalances: The keto diet may cause electrolyte imbalances, leading to symptoms such as muscle cramps, muscle twitching, and headaches, which can disrupt sleep. Include foods rich in potassium and magnesium, such as leafy greens, seeds, edamame, salmon, or avocado, to help restore electrolyte balance.
• Manage digestive issues: The keto diet may initially cause digestive issues such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and gastric reflux, which can affect sleep quality. These issues usually resolve within days or weeks as your body adjusts to the new diet.
• Exercise regularly: Exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality and duration. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week, and consider incorporating a variety of activities such as running, cycling, swimming, or strength training. However, avoid exercising close to bedtime, as it may interfere with sleep.
• Limit caffeine and alcohol intake: Caffeine and alcohol can disrupt sleep. Avoid consuming caffeine close to bedtime, and consider limiting alcohol intake or reserving it for specific days of the week.
• Practice relaxation techniques: Incorporate relaxation techniques into your bedtime routine, such as muscle relaxation exercises, reading, listening to music, or taking a warm bath. These activities can help lower your heart rate, reduce tension, and calm your mind, preparing your body for sleep.
• Avoid electronic devices close to bedtime: The blue light emitted by electronic devices suppresses melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Avoid using electronic devices at least two hours before bedtime, or use blue light-blocking glasses if you need to use them.

Exercise more

Exercise is an important aspect of any weight-loss program. It is one of the best ways to break through a keto weight-loss plateau.

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise helps you burn calories to create a calorie deficit, which may increase weight loss. It can also enhance muscle growth, extend your lifespan, and protect against chronic disease.

Types of Exercise

There are many types of exercise that can help you break through your weight-loss plateau, including:

• Cardio: walking, running, cycling, elliptical machine, jump rope, swimming
• Resistance training: lifting weights, machines, bodyweight
• High-intensity interval training: tabata, HIIT with weights

You should aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week. You may also want to consider experimenting with new activities to switch up your routine, such as running, cycling, swimming, or strength training.

Exercise and Ketosis

Exercise can also help you get into ketosis, which is the desired metabolic state on the keto diet that causes your body to burn fat for fuel.

Other Benefits of Exercise

In addition to weight loss, exercise can improve your health markers, such as blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It can also improve your mood, energy levels, and attention.

Try intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting. When paired with the keto diet, it may speed up your transition into ketosis by switching your body's primary energy source from sugar to fat. Intermittent fasting may also help boost fat burning by increasing your metabolism and suppressing your appetite.

There are several methods of intermittent fasting, but the 16/8 method is one of the easiest and most popular ways to get started. It involves limiting your food intake to an 8-hour window each day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours. Alternate-day fasting and one meal a day (OMAD) are more advanced methods that involve fasting for longer periods.

Before starting intermittent fasting, it's important to ensure you are already fat-adapted, meaning your body has adjusted to burning fat for fuel. To reach this state, limit your carbs to 50 grams per day, increase your dietary fat, and incorporate regular exercise. Being fat-adapted makes it easier to undergo a fast as you are more likely to experience intense cravings and tiredness otherwise.

Additionally, it is recommended that you do not pair intermittent fasting with keto right away. Start with the keto diet first, then add fasting once your body has adjusted. This gives your body time to transition from using glucose to burning fat for energy.

When practising intermittent fasting, it is crucial to stay hydrated. Drink water, plain coffee, tea, and apple cider vinegar mixed with water. Avoid drinks that contain calories, as these can break your fast. It is also important to not overeat after fasting. Prepare your meals in advance to avoid binging on unhealthy foods that can spike your blood sugar and insulin levels.

Monitor your weight loss over time

When trying to break a keto weight loss stall, it's important to monitor your weight loss over time. Weight loss is not always a linear process, and it's normal to experience plateaus or periods when you don't lose weight. To determine whether you've hit a true weight loss plateau, consider the following:

• Evaluate your weight loss over a longer period of time, rather than focusing on short-term fluctuations. Weight can vary from day to day due to factors such as water retention, bladder fullness, food intake, and muscle gain.
• Establish a consistent routine for weighing yourself. Use the same scale, at the same time of day, under similar circumstances, and wearing the same amount of clothing. Consider weighing yourself less frequently, such as once a week, to track overall trends rather than daily variations.
• Distinguish between a true weight loss plateau and a period of weight stability. After a period of significant weight loss, it's common to reach a stable weight for a while before losing weight again.
• Don't rely solely on the scale as a measure of progress. Your body composition may be changing even if your weight remains the same. Notice how your clothes fit and measure your waist circumference.

By monitoring your weight loss over time and considering these factors, you can gain a clearer understanding of your progress and identify whether you've reached a true weight loss plateau.

Frequently asked questions