Strategies To Revive Stalled Keto Weight Loss

Weight loss plateaus are a common and frustrating part of the keto diet. However, there are several strategies you can use to overcome stalled weight loss and get back on track. Here are some tips to help you break through the keto weight loss plateau:

- Evaluate your carb intake: Even a few extra grams of carbs here and there can add up quickly and prevent you from entering ketosis. Look for hidden carbs in processed meats, condiments, seasonings, starchy vegetables, and keto products.

- Try intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting can be done in various ways, such as the 16/8 method or OMAD (one meal a day). When combined with the keto diet, it may help speed up your transition into ketosis and boost fat burning.

- Adjust your calorie intake: While the keto diet doesn't require calorie counting, consuming too many calories can hinder weight loss. Determine your daily calorie needs and track your total calorie intake to ensure you're in a caloric deficit.

- Increase physical activity: Exercise is a proven way to increase weight loss. Incorporate cardio, resistance training, or high-intensity interval training into your routine. Also, focus on increasing non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) by staying active throughout the day.

- Manage stress: Chronic stress can increase the risk of weight gain. Practice stress reduction techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and hobbies to lower cortisol levels and promote weight loss.

- Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can affect the regulation of appetite hormones, leading to increased cravings and weight gain. Prioritize getting adequate sleep to support your weight loss goals.

- Track your ketone levels: Use a blood ketone meter, ketone breath tester, or urine ketone strip to confirm that you are in a state of ketosis, which promotes the breakdown of stored body fat.

- Be mindful of food sensitivities: Some common food sensitivities that may contribute to weight gain include dairy and FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols). Try eliminating these foods one at a time and monitor your weight loss progress.

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

When following a keto diet, it's important to evaluate your diet and ensure you're not consuming too many carbs, calories, or nuts, as this can hinder your weight loss. Here's a detailed guide to help you assess your diet and make necessary adjustments:

Carbs

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating pattern. To reach the state of ketosis, where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose, you need to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake. Aim for 30 to 50 grams of carbs per day, which is significantly lower than the standard dietary recommendation of 45–65% of calories from carbs.

To evaluate your carb intake, consider using an app or food tracker to get an accurate idea of your daily carb consumption. Keep in mind that hidden carbs can be found in processed meats, condiments, seasonings, and starchy vegetables. Even a few extra grams of carbs here and there can add up quickly and prevent you from entering ketosis.

Calories

While the keto diet doesn't require calorie counting, consuming too many calories can hinder weight loss. Keto-friendly foods like avocados, olive oil, full-fat dairy, and nuts are calorie-dense, so it's important to monitor your portion sizes. Ensure you're not overeating or snacking on high-calorie foods throughout the day.

To lower your calorie intake, be mindful of your portion sizes and choose snacks with a low calorie density. Also, consider increasing your physical activity to create a calorie deficit, which is crucial for weight loss.

Nuts

Nuts are a popular snack on the keto diet, but they can be easy to overeat due to their tasty and addictive nature. All nuts have a high-fat content and are calorie-dense, so overeating them can slow down weight loss. If you're snacking on nuts between meals, you may be adding extra calories that your body will burn instead of your stored body fat.

To keep your nut consumption under control, select a small portion and put them in a bowl instead of eating directly from the bag. Avoid mindless munching while doing other activities, and make nuts an occasional indulgence if you find your weight loss stalling.

Manage stress and improve sleep

While the keto diet can be an effective tool for weight loss, it is not unusual to experience a weight loss plateau. If you're feeling stressed or sleep-deprived, this could be a contributing factor. Here are some tips to help you manage stress and improve sleep while on the keto diet:

• Get regular natural light exposure: Aim for at least 30 minutes of natural light early in the day. This can help regulate your sleep-wake cycle and improve your overall sleep quality.
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule: Stick to a fixed bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends. This will help set your body's internal clock and make it easier to fall asleep and wake up.
• Optimise your bedroom environment: Ensure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and relaxing. Remove electronic devices, and avoid bright screens before bed, as they can interfere with your sleep.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime: Caffeine and alcohol can disrupt your sleep. Avoid caffeine at least eight hours before bed and limit or eliminate alcohol at least four hours before bedtime.
• Incorporate relaxation techniques: Find activities that help you unwind and relax, such as reading, listening to music, stretching, taking a shower, or practising muscle relaxation exercises. These activities can lower your heart rate, reduce tension in your body, and calm your mind, preparing you for sleep.
• Practise good sleep hygiene: Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it. Keep your bedroom quiet, dark, and relaxing. Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime, and stay adequately hydrated throughout the day.
• Exercise during the day: Physical activity can help you fall asleep more quickly at night, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your overall sleep quality. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week.
• Consider yoga or meditation: These practices can help reduce stress levels and promote better sleep. They may also help lower your stress hormone (cortisol) levels, which can contribute to improved weight loss.
• Address emotional and habitual eating: Be mindful of your eating habits and try to identify any emotional triggers or habits that may lead to unnecessary snacking. Practice mindful eating and ensure you're eating due to hunger rather than emotional cues.
• Monitor your sleep patterns: Keep a sleep diary or use a sleep tracking app to identify any patterns or issues with your sleep. This can help you make informed adjustments to your sleep routine.
• Seek professional guidance: Consult a healthcare professional or a sleep specialist if you have concerns about your sleep or if you're experiencing persistent sleep disturbances. They can provide personalised advice and guidance to improve your sleep quality.

Increase physical activity

Increasing physical activity is a great way to overcome stalled weight loss on a keto diet. Here are some tips to help you get more active and boost your keto weight loss:

Choose the Right Type of Exercise

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet, which means your body is burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can make high-intensity exercises, like HIIT workouts, feel more challenging. To complement your keto diet, opt for low-intensity, steady-state exercises such as:

• Jogging
• Cycling
• Yoga
• Swimming
• Strength training
• Rowing
• Walking

Aim for a Regular Exercise Routine

Consistency is key when it comes to exercise. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week. This can include a combination of the exercises mentioned above or any other activities you enjoy.

Switch Up Your Routine

To keep things interesting and challenging, vary your workouts. For example, if you usually go for a run, try cycling or swimming instead. This will not only help prevent boredom but also challenge your body in new ways, promoting further weight loss.

Incorporate Non-Exercise Activities

In addition to your regular workouts, stay active throughout the day by increasing your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). This includes activities like:

• Walking your dog
• Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
• Gardening
• Mowing the lawn
• Washing the dishes

Try High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

While keto is better suited to low-intensity exercises, that doesn't mean you should avoid HIIT entirely. In fact, incorporating some HIIT workouts can help boost your weight loss. Just be mindful of your body's energy levels and adjust the intensity or duration if needed.

Monitor Your Progress

As you increase your physical activity, track your progress to stay motivated. This can include measuring your weight, body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, or body fat scale readings. Additionally, pay attention to non-scale victories (NSVs), such as how your clothes fit, your energy levels, mood, and attention span.

Remember, weight loss is not always linear, and plateaus are common. By increasing your physical activity and making some adjustments to your routine, you can overcome stalled keto weight loss and continue your journey towards a healthier you.

Try intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting. It can be an effective way to lose weight and has been shown to be as effective as traditional calorie restriction.

There are several ways to do intermittent fasting, such as the 5:2 method, alternate-day fasting, or time-restricted eating. The 16/8 method is one of the easiest and most popular ways to get started with intermittent fasting. It involves limiting your food intake to an 8-hour window each day.

When paired with the keto diet, intermittent fasting may speed up your transition into ketosis by switching your body's primary energy source from sugar to fat. It may also help boost fat burning by increasing your metabolism and reducing hunger and calorie intake.

• Start with keto: If you're new to both intermittent fasting and keto, it's recommended to start with the keto diet first and then consider adding intermittent fasting after a couple of weeks to months.
• Choose the right timing: Consider a 12- to 16-hour fast. For many people, not eating for 12 hours a day is a natural habit, such as overnight from 7 pm to 7 am.
• Delay breakfast: Start by delaying breakfast by an hour and then slowly extend the time to get your body accustomed to longer stretches without eating.
• Choose the right fasting pattern: There are various fasting patterns you can follow, such as the 5:2 method, alternate-day fasting, or time-restricted eating. Choose one that suits your preferences and eating style.
• Be mindful of your health: Combining keto and intermittent fasting is likely safe for most people, but it may not be suitable for everyone. Pregnant or breastfeeding women and those with a history of disordered eating should avoid intermittent fasting. If you have certain health conditions, consult your doctor before trying this combination.
• Monitor your progress: Keep track of your weight loss progress and overall health markers. This will help you evaluate the effectiveness of the combined approach and make any necessary adjustments.

Remember, combining keto and intermittent fasting is a restrictive approach, and it may be challenging to stick to the low-carb count and confined eating window. It's important to consult your healthcare provider before starting any new diet plan to ensure it's safe and suitable for you.

Monitor your ketone levels

Monitoring your ketone levels is an important part of the keto diet. It allows you to understand if you're burning fat as fuel and can help you uncover hidden sugars and carbs in your food. There are three common ways to measure ketone levels: urine, blood, and breath testing.

Urine Testing

Urine testing is the original method of home ketone monitoring. It is a simple procedure: a test strip is dipped in urine and the colour change is compared to a provided colour array to determine the amount of ketones. The colour on the strip reflects the urine ketone level. The levels are categorised as negative, trace, small, moderate, large, and very large.

However, urine testing has some disadvantages. It can be uncomfortable, especially for women. It may also be inaccurate due to hydration levels—dilute urine can appear as weak ketones, while concentrated urine can appear as strong. Urine testing also does not show current ketone levels, as results may lag by up to three hours.

Blood Testing

Blood ketone testing is considered the gold standard of ketone monitoring. It is more accurate than urine testing and reflects ketone levels at the time of the test. Blood ketone meters use a small drop of blood (from a finger prick) placed on a test strip, which is inserted into the meter. Results appear in seconds and can be saved.

The normal level of blood ketones is less than 0.6 mmol/L. Light ketosis is indicated by levels between 0.5 and 1 mmol/L, while optimal ketosis is between 1 and 3 mmol/L. Levels above 1.5 indicate that the body is producing too much BHB and not utilising ketones correctly. Levels above 3 can be dangerous and may indicate overconsumption of fat or starvation.

The main disadvantages of blood testing are the cost and the pain of finger pricks. The test strips used in blood testing are expensive and generally cost around $1 each, making it a significant expense over time. Additionally, some people may find it inconvenient to carry the device, strips, and lancet when travelling or being out and about.

Breath Testing

Breath testing measures acetone, a ketone small enough to pass from the blood through the lungs. To test, you breathe deeply into a handheld monitor and receive your results in seconds. Ideal levels are often considered to be between 5 and 30 ppm, though levels may be as high as 75 ppm for those on a keto diet.

Breath testing is a convenient, sanitary, and affordable option. It is a one-time purchase, and the connected app allows you to store historical ketosis levels and receive advice. However, breath alcohol can be confused with ketones, which may impact the accuracy of the results.

Choosing a Monitoring Method

Each method of ketone monitoring has its advantages and disadvantages. Cost and inconvenience may be reasons not to use a ketone monitor, especially if your weight loss is already indicating that your plan is working. However, if you choose to monitor your ketone levels, it is important to understand the benefits and limitations of each method to make an informed decision.

Frequently asked questions