Keto Weight Loss Plateau: Strategies For Continued Success

The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a low-carb, high-fat diet that encourages the body to enter a state of ketosis, where fat is burned for fuel instead of glucose, leading to weight loss. While keto can be an effective way to lose weight, it's important to note that weight loss may slow down after the first month as the body adapts to the diet. Here are some tips to help you continue losing weight on keto after the initial month:

- Calculate your macros: Figure out your personal keto macros using a keto calculator, which takes into account your body composition, gender, height, weight, and activity level. This will give you a nutritional target that makes it easier to enter and stay in ketosis.

- Consistency is key: Stick to eating keto-friendly foods, including healthy fats, veggies, and quality meats. Avoid processed foods and focus on whole, clean keto foods.

- Increase physical activity: You don't have to go to the gym every day, but increasing your daily movement can help burn more calories and lead to weight loss.

- Drink plenty of water: Staying hydrated is essential for weight loss and overall health. Aim to drink an amount of water equal to half of your body weight in ounces each day.

- Get enough sleep: Sleep quantity and quality can affect weight loss, so make sure you're getting enough rest each night.

- Incorporate intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting can enhance the benefits of keto by increasing the time spent in ketosis and suppressing hunger.

- Exercise regularly: Exercise is essential for any weight loss plan as it helps burn calories and improves overall health.

- Recalculate your macros: As you lose weight, your macro needs may change, so it's important to recalculate your macros every few months to ensure you're still on track.

- Avoid hidden carbs: Some foods may contain more carbs than you realize, so it's important to read labels and be mindful of your carb intake.

- Manage electrolytes: Managing electrolytes is crucial to combat symptoms of keto flu, which can include fatigue, mental fogginess, and irritability.

Remember, weight loss is not linear, and it's essential to set realistic goals. Everyone's journey is unique, and it's important to focus on your personal progress rather than comparing yourself to others.

Calculate your macronutrients

To calculate your macronutrients, or macros, you need to take into account various factors, including gender, weight, age, activity level, body fat percentage, and your personal goals.

There are three macronutrients: fat, protein, and carbohydrates. The keto diet involves high-fat consumption, moderate protein, and low carbohydrates.

There are keto calculators available online that can help you calculate your macros. These calculators use your personal information to generate personalized results. The first step in calculating your macros is establishing your basic energy needs, body type, weight, and activity levels.

To use a keto calculator, you will need to input your current weight and goal weight. You will also need to input your body fat percentage, which you can do by choosing a picture with a visual representation to estimate.

Your activity level is another important factor. Are you sedentary, with little or no exercise and a desk job? Or are you an athlete, with hard exercise or sports daily? This will impact how many calories you burn each day.

Once you have input all of this information, the keto calculator will provide you with your daily recommended intake of net carbs, protein, and fats.

Remember, keto isn't one-size-fits-all, so you may need to adjust your macros through trial and error to find what works best for you.

Avoid hidden carbs

When starting out on a ketogenic diet, hidden carbs are your "enemy number one". Even a small amount of hidden carbs can quickly add up and take you out of ketosis, or keep you in a weight plateau.

In the US, food labels include "total carbs", which factor in the fibre content. Net carbs, on the other hand, do not count fibre. Fibre is a non-impact or low-impact carb with a low glycemic index that does not affect your blood sugar levels. It is slowly digested and released into your bloodstream, making it perfect for meeting your everyday energy needs.

However, beginners often confuse low-carb with a ketogenic diet, and end up not counting carbs from veggies, proteins, and the carbs and sugar alcohols often found in "carb-free" or "sugar-free" foods.

• Sugar alcohols, also called “the polyols”, are in everything labelled “sugar-free” and even “carb-free”. They are not zero-carb, and some are associated with insulin spikes and increased blood sugar levels.
• Seasonings and sauces, even savoury or spicy ones, can add up to your daily carb count. For example, a tablespoon of soy sauce has 1g of carbs, and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar has 2g.
• Supplements and protein bars are loaded with carbs. Chewable vitamins, for example, can have up to 7g of carbs per serving.
• Deli meats, sausages, and canned fish often have starch and sugar added. Some genuinely healthy, all-natural options have 1g or less per serving, but some of the lesser quality meats could have up to 10x that amount.
• Dairy products contain carbs. Whole milk plain or Greek yoghurt has 6-7g of carbs from naturally-occurring sugars, while heavy cream has 0.8g in 2 tablespoons.
• Greens like spinach and lettuce also contain carbs. 100 grams of spinach has 3.6g of carbs, and the same amount of lettuce has 2.9g.

To avoid hidden carbs, opt for whole foods with minimal ingredients, and keep track of the carb count in the greens, seasonings, and proteins going into your meals.

Consume more healthy fats and protein

To lose more weight on keto after one month, it is important to consume more healthy fats and protein. This can help you stay full and satisfied throughout the day, preventing overeating and cravings. Here are some tips to increase your intake of healthy fats and protein while on the keto diet:

• Include More Healthy Fats in Your Meals: Oily fish such as salmon or tuna, avocados, olive oil, avocado oil, nuts, seeds, and their butters are excellent sources of healthy fats. You can add these to your meals or use them as snacks. For example, add avocado slices to your salad or spread nut butter on celery sticks for a tasty and nutritious snack.
• Choose Fatty Cuts of Meat: Opt for poultry with the skin on or fatty cuts of meat such as bacon or steak. Just be mindful of the potential risks associated with saturated fats and try to limit your intake of red meat and processed meat products.
• Experiment with Recipes: The keto diet doesn't have to be boring! You can find or create interesting and tasty recipes that incorporate healthy fats and protein. Try making ketogenic pasta, bread, muffins, brownies, or puddings. There are also many keto-friendly recipe options available online and in cookbooks.
• Use Vegetables as a Vehicle for Healthy Fats: Low-carbohydrate vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, or celery can be paired with high-fat dressings or dips to create a satisfying snack or side dish. For example, dip celery sticks in guacamole or dress zucchini noodles with avocado oil and lemon juice.
• Add Fats to Hot Drinks: Boost your fat intake by adding butter or coconut oil to your coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. This can be a delicious and easy way to increase your healthy fat consumption.
• Make "Fat Bombs": Fat bombs are ball-shaped snacks that are high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates. You can find many recipes online that use coconut or nut butter as a base. These can be made in advance and frozen for a quick and convenient snack when you need an energy boost.
• Prioritize Protein Sources: Include a variety of protein sources in your diet, such as grass-fed beef, free-range poultry, wild-caught fish, eggs, tofu, and nuts. These can help you feel fuller for longer and support muscle maintenance or growth.

Remember, it is important to listen to your body and make adjustments as needed. The keto diet may not be suitable for everyone, so be sure to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before starting any new diet, especially if you have any health concerns or conditions.

Stay hydrated

Staying hydrated is essential for anyone on the keto diet. Dehydration is a common side effect of the diet, as the body excretes more salt, and the process of ketosis can be dehydrating. The keto diet is also diuretic, meaning you will be urinating more than usual, which can lead to a loss of electrolytes.

Drinking plenty of water is the most obvious way to stay hydrated, but there are other ways to ensure you are getting enough fluids. Tea, coffee, sparkling water, and bone broth are all good options. You can also eat your water by consuming water-rich foods such as cucumbers, celery, leafy greens, and berries.

It is important to be mindful of your electrolyte levels when increasing your water intake. Electrolytes are key to staying hydrated, and a keto diet can cause an electrolyte imbalance. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are all essential for good hydration, and you may need to increase your intake of these minerals. Mineral water is a good source of magnesium and calcium, and you can also add salt to your food or drink it in a glass of warm water. Electrolyte tablets are another option, but be sure to choose a sugar-free variety.

Drinking too much water can also be dangerous, so it is important to listen to your body and drink when you are thirsty. Aim for around eight glasses of water per day, or enough to turn your urine a light yellow colour.

Incorporate regular exercise

Exercise is an important part of any weight-loss plan, and it can be especially beneficial when combined with a keto diet. Here are some tips to incorporate regular exercise into your keto journey:

Choose the Right Type of Exercise

Not all exercises are created equal when it comes to keto. Low-intensity, steady-state workouts, such as jogging, cycling, yoga, or swimming, tend to be less affected by the keto diet. On the other hand, high-intensity exercises that require short bursts of energy may be more challenging on a keto diet, as the body's preferred fuel source during these activities is carbohydrates.

For optimal results, consider combining weight training, LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State), and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). Weight training helps increase lean muscle mass, which can be lost during caloric restriction. It also helps you work harder during aerobic training, leading to increased fat and calorie burn. LISS workouts are performed at a low enough intensity that you can maintain the workout for 60 minutes or more, maximizing calorie burn. HIIT, on the other hand, involves short bursts of intense cardio, which increases the body's resting metabolic rate, helping you burn more fat even at rest.

Listen to Your Body

The first few weeks on keto can be an adjustment period as your body adapts to using fat as its primary fuel source. Don't be afraid to scale back the intensity of your workouts during this time. You may experience reduced performance, even in exercises that don't rely heavily on glycogen stores. This effect is usually temporary, and your physical performance will likely return to baseline once you become fat-adapted.

Set a Daily Calorie Goal

While weight loss is not solely about calories in versus calories out, calorie intake still matters. Use a calorie calculator or app to set a daily calorie goal that aligns with your weight loss goals. If you're aiming to lose weight, select a caloric deficit, and if you're looking to gain muscle, opt for a caloric surplus.

Get Enough Protein

Protein is essential for building and repairing muscles. Aim for about 25% of your total calories from protein, or 0.8-1.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. If you're looking to gain significant muscle mass, consider consuming up to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, but be mindful that research suggests there are no additional benefits beyond this amount.

Stay Hydrated and Maintain Electrolyte Levels

It's important to increase your water intake when following a keto diet to prevent dehydration and maintain optimal health. This is especially crucial when combining keto with exercise. Additionally, focus on maintaining adequate electrolyte levels by consuming leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens, and consider adding pink Himalayan sea salt to your food and water.

Get Plenty of Rest

Allow your body to rest and recover between workouts. Take days off from exercise and prioritize sleep, as this is when your body repairs and builds muscle tissue.

Frequently asked questions