Keto Weight Loss Plateaus: Common Causes And Fixes

The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that has gained popularity among those looking to lose weight and improve their health. While many people experience rapid weight loss when they start, it's not uncommon to hit a plateau, where weight loss stagnates. Here are some reasons why you might have stopped losing weight on the keto diet:

- Not Achieving Ketosis: To enter ketosis, a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose, you need to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake. Even if you think you've cut back enough, hidden carbs in vegetables, sauces, and dressings can add up.

- Eating Too Much Protein: The keto diet is moderate in protein, and if you consume too much, your body can convert the excess into sugar, disrupting ketosis.

- Not Counting Calories: Even in ketosis, you need to burn more calories than you consume to lose weight. Keto-friendly foods can be high in calories, so it's important to track your intake and ensure you're not overeating.

- Constant Snacking: Snacking between meals can increase your calorie intake and hinder weight loss. This is especially true if you're snacking on high-calorie, ketogenic snacks like nuts and cheese.

- Lack of Exercise: Exercise is crucial for burning calories and creating a calorie deficit. It's important to incorporate physical activity into your routine to stimulate weight loss and improve overall health.

- Chronic Stress: A high-stress lifestyle can impact your ability to lose weight. Stress alters hormone levels, including cortisol, which can lead to weight gain and cravings for comfort foods.

- Not Enough Sleep: Insufficient sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate appetite, leading to increased hunger and cravings for high-calorie, high-carbohydrate foods.

- Underlying Medical Conditions: In some cases, an underlying medical condition or medication can cause weight gain or prevent weight loss. Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, and mental health issues like depression can contribute to weight-related issues.

You're eating too many calories

One of the main reasons for a weight loss plateau on keto is consuming too many calories. Even if you are in a state of ketosis, if you are not in a calorie deficit, you will not lose weight.

On the keto diet, you are lowering your carb intake and eating more fat, which is calorie-dense. There are 9 calories per gram of fat, as opposed to 4 calories per gram of carbs. So, while you are lowering your carb count, you are probably boosting the calorie count in your diet.

To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume, creating a calorie deficit. This can be achieved by reducing your calorie consumption or expending more calories through increased physical activity.

To lower your calorie intake, monitor your portion sizes carefully and snack on low-calorie-density foods. Be mindful of high-calorie keto-friendly foods such as avocados, olive oil, full-fat dairy, and nuts. While these foods are nutritious and filling, it is still possible to overeat and exceed your calorie needs.

Additionally, be cautious of keto-friendly sweets and treats. While delicious, they are still high in calories. If consumed too frequently, they can hinder weight loss by increasing your overall calorie intake.

To ensure you are consuming the appropriate number of calories, it is best to meet with a dietitian before starting the keto diet. They can help you determine your daily calorie needs to nourish your body and promote weight loss.

You're eating too much protein

Protein is an important part of a keto diet, but it's possible to have too much of a good thing. If you're eating too much protein, it can actually hinder your weight loss efforts. Here's why:

Excess Protein Can Be Converted into Glucose

When you consume more protein than your body needs, the excess can be converted into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis. This means that even if you're keeping your carb intake low, eating too much protein can effectively raise your blood sugar levels. And when your blood sugar is high, your body is less likely to turn to stored fat for energy, which can slow down weight loss.

Protein Can Affect Ketone Production

Ketones are molecules produced by the liver when the body breaks down fat for energy. They are an important source of fuel for the brain and other organs during ketosis. However, consuming too much protein can drive down ketone production. This is because the body can use amino acids from protein as an alternative fuel source, reducing the need for ketone production. As a result, your body may burn fewer fats, slowing down your weight loss.

Protein Can Be Calorie-Dense

Protein-rich foods, such as meat, fish, and dairy, tend to be calorie-dense. This means that a small amount of food can contain a significant number of calories. If you're not careful, it's easy to exceed your daily calorie needs, even while following a keto diet. And when you consume more calories than you burn, weight loss becomes more difficult.

Protein Can Affect Satiety

Protein is known to increase feelings of fullness and reduce hunger. While this can be beneficial for weight loss, it can also lead to reduced calorie intake if not properly managed. If you're eating too much protein and not enough fat, you may not be consuming enough calories to support your energy needs. This can lead to fatigue, decreased metabolism, and ultimately hinder weight loss.

Tips to Manage Protein Intake:

• Calculate your macros: Use a keto calculator app to determine your ideal protein intake based on your body composition, activity level, and weight loss goals.
• Track your protein consumption: Use a food tracking app or journal to monitor your daily protein intake. This will help you stay within your target range.
• Adjust your protein sources: Opt for leaner protein sources, such as chicken or fish, over fattier options. This will help reduce your overall calorie intake while still providing adequate protein.
• Incorporate intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting can help enhance the effects of keto by increasing fat burning and reducing overall calorie intake.
• Focus on whole foods: Choose unprocessed, whole foods that are naturally lower in protein, such as non-starchy vegetables, healthy fats, and moderate amounts of lean protein.

You're not in ketosis

The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet. The body enters a metabolic state called ketosis when it burns fat for energy instead of glucose. This happens when there are not enough carbs in the body. In ketosis, the body becomes very efficient at burning fat.

Why You're Not in Ketosis

There are several reasons why you might not be in ketosis. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Consuming too many carbohydrates: Overconsuming carbohydrates is the most common reason for not achieving ketosis. The recommended amount of carbohydrates to reach ketosis is between 20 to 50 grams per day. However, this number can vary depending on individual factors such as activity level and body size.
• Hidden carbohydrates: Some foods may contain hidden carbohydrates due to mislabelling or unknown ingredients. This includes restaurant dishes that may be marinated in sugar or topped with a sugary sauce. Even some keto-friendly treats may contain sugar alcohols and soluble fibres that can affect ketosis.
• Inaccurate testing methods: If you're using urine test strips to check for ketones, they may be inaccurate or give false negatives, especially after you've become keto-adapted. A blood ketone meter is a more accurate way to test for ketosis but is more expensive.
• Not enough time: It can take some time to transition into ketosis. Some people may take longer than others due to health conditions or medications. Give it at least a few weeks and be patient with your body.
• Too much protein: A low-carb, high-protein diet is not the same as a keto diet. If you're eating too much protein, your body may break down the excess protein into amino acids and convert them into types of sugar, preventing ketosis.
• Not enough fat: In the beginning stages of keto, it's important to eat plenty of fat so that your body has the means to make ketones. Once your body has adjusted and knows that fat is now its primary fuel source, you can then lower your fat intake.
• Stress and lack of sleep: Chronic stress and lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss and ketosis. Stress can lead to increased levels of the hormone cortisol, which can encourage your body to store fat. Additionally, lack of sleep can negatively impact hunger-regulating hormones, leading to increased appetite.

Tips to Get into Ketosis

If you're having trouble getting into ketosis, here are some tips to help you:

• Track your macros: Use an app like MyFitnessPal or Carb Manager to track your carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake. Make sure your daily carbs are under 25 net grams.
• Increase fat intake: Keep your fat intake between 70-80% of your daily calories during the first part of your keto journey. This will help your body transition from a sugar burner to a fat burner.
• Reduce protein intake: Some people find that keeping their protein intake on the lower side (around 15% of daily calories) helps them achieve ketosis. However, this may vary from person to person, so experiment and see what works best for you.
• Manage stress and improve sleep: Try practices like meditation or yoga to reduce stress levels. Also, focus on getting enough sleep as it helps regulate the body's normal cycles and may help reduce stress.
• Intermittent fasting: Pairing intermittent fasting with the keto diet may speed up your transition into ketosis by switching your body's energy source from sugar to fat.
• Exercise: Incorporate physical activity into your routine to burn calories and create a calorie deficit. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week.

Remember, it's normal to take some time to transition into ketosis, and individual factors can affect this process. Be patient, consistent, and make adjustments as needed.

You're eating too many carbs

One of the main reasons people don't lose weight on the keto diet is that they're consuming too many carbs. To reach the state of ketosis, where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose, you need to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake. This means that only around 5% to 10% of your total calories should come from carbs, which is a stark contrast to the standard recommendation of 45% to 65%.

Even if you feel like you've cut down on carbs, you might still be consuming enough for your body to produce energy from glucose, which can slow down the rate of fat burned. To reach and maintain ketosis, it's crucial to decrease your carb intake to the recommended range. This can be challenging when carbs are hidden in seemingly innocuous places, such as sauces, dressings, and even foods marketed as 'low carb'.

To keep your carb intake in check, consider using a tracking app or food journal to monitor your macros and ensure you're not exceeding the recommended amount. Additionally, always check food labels for hidden sugars and choose foods with very few carbs, like leafy greens or berries, when selecting produce. By being vigilant about your carb intake, you can increase your chances of reaching and maintaining ketosis, which is key to losing weight on the keto diet.

You're not exercising enough

Exercising is an important part of staying healthy and losing weight. It stimulates the body's metabolism and burns calories. Exercise may be especially important when following a keto diet, as the high-fat foods you eat are calorie-dense. Burning calories through exercise can help you reach your desired weight.

Set realistic goals

Start by setting realistic goals that are achievable and measurable. For example, aim to walk for 30 minutes every day or go to the gym three times a week. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts as you become more fit.

Find an activity you enjoy

The key to sticking with an exercise routine is to find something you enjoy. If you dread running, don't force yourself to do it. Instead, try swimming, cycling, dancing, or any other activity that you find fun and enjoyable. This way, you're more likely to stick with it in the long run.

Make it a habit

Consistency is key when it comes to exercise. Try to exercise at the same time each day, and make it a non-negotiable part of your daily routine. Soon, it will become a habit, and you'll be more likely to stick with it.

Track your progress

Tracking your progress can help you stay motivated and see how your hard work is paying off. Use a fitness tracker or app to record your workouts, and take measurements or progress photos to see how your body is changing over time.

Vary your routine

To avoid boredom and challenge your body, vary your exercise routine regularly. Try different types of workouts, such as strength training, cardio, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This will not only keep things interesting but also ensure that you're working different muscle groups and improving your overall fitness.

Focus on overall health

Remember that exercise is not just about weight loss. It has numerous health benefits, including lowering your risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, depression, and anxiety. By focusing on the health benefits of exercise, you may find it easier to stay motivated and make it a lifelong habit.

By incorporating more physical activity into your lifestyle, you'll be able to boost your weight loss efforts on the keto diet and improve your overall health and well-being.

Frequently asked questions