Keto Weight Loss Plateau: Strategies To Stay In Control

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that is often used for weight loss. However, it is possible to follow a keto diet without losing weight. The key is to focus on nutrient-dense, healthy foods and to ensure that you are eating enough calories to maintain your weight. This may involve adding more protein or healthy fats to your diet, as well as incorporating more calorie-dense foods such as avocados, nuts, and full-fat dairy. It is also important to be mindful of your activity levels and overall calorie intake to ensure that you are not eating more calories than you are burning. Additionally, consulting a healthcare professional before starting any new diet is always recommended.

Gradually increase your carb intake

Transitioning off the keto diet has its benefits. The keto diet generally advises eating 20 to 25 grams of net carbohydrates per day. To meet that goal, people have to cut out even healthy sources of carbs, like whole grains, legumes, starchy vegetables, fruit, and most dairy. Because of those restrictions, many people will find that they can't stay on keto for very long.

• Add 10g of carbs per day: For the first week, add an additional 10g of carbohydrates per day, opting for carbs from healthy sources like whole grains, beans, fruits, and starchy vegetables. Track your weight and how you feel, and increase that number weekly or every other week, depending on your goals.
• Find your desired carb range: The number of carbs recommended is different for everyone and depends on things like your goals and activity levels. Aim for a number of carbohydrates that allows you to eat a greater range of foods so that you don't feel restricted but can maintain your weight and feel good. If you're not sure what range is right for you, find a registered dietitian in your area who will be able to help you meet your personal goals.
• Increase lean protein: Consider increasing your consumption 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. It takes about 20 to 30% of the calories in protein to digest a food, compared with about 5 to 10% of the calories in carbs.
• Bump up activity levels: If you want to maintain your weight loss after keto, consider bumping up your activity levels. Find an exercise you enjoy, whether it's walking, dancing, or joining a sports club.
• Make changes slowly: If you suddenly start eating a lot of fibre, your stomach may react negatively. Add in one or two servings of high-fibre foods per day, like oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta, beans, chia seeds, or berries, and if your stomach tolerates that, bump it up a little more the next day. Remember to also increase your water intake when adding more fibre to your diet.

Find your desired carb range

To get into ketosis, the body needs to burn fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. This metabolic state is called ketosis, and it is achieved by eating a higher fat, moderate protein, and low-carb diet.

The number of carbs a person can consume and stay in ketosis varies from person to person. While some people can enter ketosis by consuming 50 grams of total carbs per day, others need to stay at around 20 grams of net carbs per day.

Net carbs are the total carbs minus the fibre (and minus sugar alcohols, if applicable). For example, a medium red bell pepper has 7 grams of total carbs and 2.5 grams of fibre. Therefore, the net carbs in a red bell pepper are 4.5. This is the number you would track to monitor your daily carb intake.

When first starting a keto diet, it is recommended to stick to 20 grams of net carbs per day for a full three months before exploring your own personal carb limit.

Once you have been in ketosis for three months, you can start testing your carb limit by gradually increasing your net carbs and testing your ketones and glucose with a blood-glucose testing meter.

• Day 1 through 3: Increase your daily net carbs by 5 grams and test your ketones and glucose to see how your body is responding. If your ketones drop significantly and your glucose rises more than 30 mg/dL after several hours, go back down to 20 grams of net carbs and know that this is your daily limit.
• If you remain in ketosis, stay at this level and continue testing for three full days.
• Day 4 through 6: If you’re still in ketosis, increase your daily net carbs by another 5 grams and test your ketones and glucose as before. If you continue to stay in ketosis throughout the day, continue consuming this amount of net carbs per day for three days.
• Three-day increments: If you’re still in ketosis, you can continue to increase your net carbs by 5 grams every three days until you reach your personal carb limit or “carb edge”. Keep in mind that your ketosis levels can be affected by other factors, so be sure to test your ketones and glucose frequently until you know your upper limit.

The best time to test is before you eat and 30 and 120 minutes after you’ve eaten, and it’s important to be consistent about your testing times.

There are also other factors that can influence your daily carb limit, such as emotional stress levels, coffee consumption, exercise, and sleep.

Add more protein to your plate

Protein is an essential part of the keto diet. It is recommended to eat a moderate amount of protein, as a very high intake can spike insulin levels and lower ketones. Around 35% of total calorie intake is probably the upper limit.

• Eat more meat, including red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey.
• Include fatty fish such as salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel in your diet.
• Eggs are a great source of high-quality protein. Pastured or omega-3 whole eggs are the best options.
• Choose unprocessed cheeses like cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella.
• Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds, are high in protein and healthy fats.
• Healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil can help you meet your protein needs.
• Avocados are a good source of healthy fats and protein.
• Low-carb vegetables such as green veggies, tomatoes, onions, and peppers can be paired with protein sources.
• Consider using protein supplements such as whey protein or protein powder to boost your protein intake.

Remember to balance your protein intake with healthy fats and low-carb vegetables to stay within the keto diet guidelines.

Plan what foods to add back in

When you're transitioning off the keto diet, it's important to do so in a way that doesn't cause you to regain all the weight you lost. Here are some tips for planning what foods to add back into your diet:

• Gradually increase your carb intake: Start by adding 10g of carbs per day from healthy sources like whole grains, beans, fruits, and starchy vegetables. Track your weight and how you feel as you increase your carb intake.
• Find your desired carb range: The number of carbs recommended varies depending on your goals and activity levels. Aim for a number that allows you to eat a variety of foods without feeling restricted. Consider consulting a registered dietitian to help you determine the right carb range for you.
• Add more protein to your plate: Include more lean proteins like beans, tofu, chicken, fish, and lean cuts of red meat. This will help you take advantage of the thermic effect of food, which means it takes more calories to digest protein than carbs.
• Choose healthy, nutrient-dense carbs: Opt for carbs that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Some examples include fruits like strawberries, kiwi, and watermelon; vegetables like baby carrots and butternut squash; legumes like black beans and edamame; and whole grains like oatmeal.
• Increase your fibre intake slowly: If you've been on a low-fibre diet, start by adding one or two servings of high-fibre foods per day, such as oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta, beans, or berries. Increase your fibre intake gradually and be sure to drink plenty of water to prevent constipation.
• Continue to eat healthy fats: While you should decrease the amount of fat in your diet, continue to include healthy fats like avocado and olive oil. Just be mindful of your portions to avoid consuming too many calories.

Avoid certain foods post-keto

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. While on the keto diet, it is important to avoid certain foods to stay in ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body uses fat for fuel instead of carbs. Here are some foods to avoid post-keto:

• Bread, pasta, rice, and other refined carbs: White bread, pasta, rice, pastries, and tortillas are high in carbs and can prevent ketosis.
• Beer and mixed drinks: Beer and mixed liquor-based drinks are high in carbs and low in nutrients, making them unsuitable for a keto diet.
• Honey, syrups, and sugar: Honey, agave, and maple syrup are concentrated sources of sugar and can easily increase your daily carb intake.
• Fruit juices: Even unsweetened or 100% fruit juices contain high amounts of natural sugar and little fibre, leading to blood sugar spikes.
• Ketchup, barbecue sauce, and other condiments: These condiments are often packed with sugar and lack nutrients and fibre.
• Glazed or honey-baked ham: The sugar content in these hams can interfere with ketosis.
• Low-fat or fat-free margarine: While suitable for some weight-loss diets, low-fat margarine is not ideal for keto as it lacks the necessary fat content.
• Dried fruit or trail mix: The sugar in dried fruit is concentrated, resulting in high carb content.
• Low-fat diet foods: Foods marketed as low-fat often contain added sugar to compensate, increasing the carb content.
• Potatoes and other starchy vegetables: White and sweet potatoes, peas, and corn are high in carbs and should be limited.
• Sweetened yogurt or dairy: Flavoured and sweetened yogurt and dairy products add to your carb count.
• Certain fresh fruits: Fruits like mangoes, bananas, and grapes are high in carbs and can hinder ketosis.
• Beans and other legumes: Legumes like beans, lentils, and chickpeas are challenging to incorporate into a keto diet due to their high carb content.
• Quinoa and other grains: Grains like quinoa and millet are too high in carbs to be included in a keto diet.
• Starchy vegetables and high-sugar fruits: Corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, bananas, raisins, dates, and mangoes are starchy vegetables and high-sugar fruits that should be limited.
• Fruit drinks and juices: Even 100% fruit juices are high in fast-digesting carbs that spike your blood sugar.
• Baked goods, including gluten-free options: Gluten-free baked goods often contain as many carbs as traditional baked goods and are typically lower in fibre.
• Low-fat and fat-free dressings: These dressings can contain up to 11 grams of carbs per serving, while their full-fat counterparts have significantly fewer carbs.
• Certain dairy products: Milk, especially low-fat cow's milk, contains higher sugar content (lactose) and is best avoided on keto.
• Candy and sweets: These are filled with sugar, which is a no-no on keto.
• Root vegetable chips: These chips are often highly processed and loaded with carbs.

Frequently asked questions