Keto Diet: When Does It Stop Working?

The keto diet is a popular choice for people looking to lose weight. It involves significantly restricting carbohydrate intake, which puts the body into a state of ketosis, where it becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy instead of glucose. While the keto diet can lead to rapid weight loss in the beginning, many people experience a weight loss plateau, where their weight stays the same or even increases. This can be caused by various factors, including consuming too many carbs or calories, not getting enough exercise, stress, underlying medical conditions, or not achieving ketosis. To break through a weight loss plateau on keto, people can try tracking their calories and macros, increasing physical activity, managing stress, incorporating intermittent fasting, and looking for hidden carbohydrates in their diet.

Not achieving ketosis

The keto diet is a type of diet that significantly restricts carbohydrate intake. Ordinarily, the body breaks down carbohydrates into the sugar glucose, which it uses for energy. When there are not enough carbs in the body, it goes into a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body becomes very efficient at burning fat and using it instead of glucose for energy. This fat-burning makes the ketogenic diet a popular choice for people looking to lose weight.

However, there are several reasons why someone may not be achieving ketosis:

Eating too many carbs

The most important factor in entering ketosis is eating a very low-carb diet. Even eating just a few extra grams of carbs here and there can add up quickly and prevent someone from entering ketosis. On a standard keto diet, one should consume 20-50 grams of carbs per day. It is important to account for hidden carbs found in foods like processed meats, condiments, seasonings, and starchy vegetables.

Eating too much protein

Some people mistakenly believe that a low-carb, high-protein diet is a keto diet. However, this type of diet is unlikely to cause ketosis because the body can break down excess proteins into amino acids and convert them into types of sugar. On a keto diet, fat should represent about 55-60% of one's calorie intake, leaving little room for protein. If protein makes up more than 35% of one's diet, they may not go into ketosis.

Not counting calories

To lose weight, one needs to burn more calories than they consume. People who consume too many calories may gain weight, even if they are in ketosis. It is important to keep track of calorie intake and stick to a balanced meal plan.

Constant snacking

Continual snacking can increase one's calorie intake, leading to weight gain. Alcoholic drinks, even hard alcohols like gin and vodka, contain many calories, and can prevent weight loss.

Lack of exercise

Exercise stimulates the body's metabolism and burns calories. It may be especially important on a keto diet, as the high-fat foods one eats contain many calories. Burning calories through exercise can help one reach their desired weight.

Stress, sleep, and hormones

A high-stress lifestyle can impact one's weight. Psychological stress can cause changes in hormone levels, such as cortisol, which can lead to weight gain or difficulty losing weight. Chronic stress may also lead to cravings for comfort foods, adding extra calories to the diet. Getting enough sleep and managing stress can help regulate the body's normal cycles and reduce stress levels.

Medical issues and medications

Underlying medical conditions or medications for those conditions can cause weight gain or prevent weight loss. Conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, mental health conditions, and high insulin levels can impact weight. It is important to manage these medical conditions in conjunction with one's diet.

Inflammatory foods

Inflammatory foods can hinder weight loss. These include sugar, wheat, alcohol, and for many people, dairy. The list may also extend to include nuts, tomatoes, eggs, and soy. Seeing a nutritionist for a food allergy test or trying an elimination diet can help identify inflammatory foods.

Not enough water

Dehydration can cause the body to retain water, impacting weight. It is important to drink plenty of water, especially on the keto diet, as we tend to flush out electrolytes.

Eating too many acceptable carbs

On the keto diet, several types of carbohydrates are acceptable, including nuts, dairy, and some fruits. These foods are typically high-fat, nutrient-dense foods that make a great addition to a keto diet. However, they also contain carbohydrates. Eating too many of these foods will keep a person from achieving and maintaining ketosis.

Sugar alcohols are typically a good option for people following the keto diet. They provide sweetness without increasing net carbs in the body. However, not all sugar alcohols are alike. For example, although maltitol is technically a low glycemic index (GI) sugar, it can still affect a person's blood sugar levels. Consuming too much maltitol may prevent a person from entering ketosis.

It's easy to eat more carbohydrates than you think while on keto. Carbs are in almost every food you'll be eating—from vegetables to nuts and even certain meat products. When you start to look into Italian sausages, chorizo, and canned meats, you find some unexpected carbs as well. Some brands have up to 5g of carbs per serving.

Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and squash are common culprits that find their way into our lives frequently. You might think they're low-carb, but when consumed in larger amounts, those carbs add up.

Tips to Avoid Eating Too Many Acceptable Carbs

• Cut out snacks, sauces, condiments, and processed foods, even those marketed as keto-friendly.
• Be mindful of your portion sizes when it comes to nuts. Stick to one serving a day to make room for other foods with carbs.
• Look for hidden carbs in alcoholic beverages, especially beer, sweet wines, and mixers.
• Read the labels when buying items at the grocery store. Check how many carbs are in one serving so you can plan your intake.
• Try intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting can be done in many ways, such as the popular 16:8 method, where you limit your food consumption to only 8 hours a day.

Not counting calories

When following the keto diet, not counting calories can lead to a plateau in weight loss over time. While the keto diet's primary principle of reducing carbohydrate intake to induce ketosis is effective for weight loss, it does not mean that calories can be consumed without limit. Caloric intake still matters, and overconsumption, even from keto-approved foods, can hinder progress.

The body's metabolism is a complex process, and while ketosis boosts fat burning, energy balance is crucial. Excessive calorie intake, even when in ketosis, can lead to weight gain or a stall in weight loss. This is because consuming more calories than expended leads to energy storage, primarily as body fat. Thus, it is essential to maintain a caloric deficit or, at the very least, not exceed your body's energy requirements.

The concept of not counting calories can be misleading. While it is true that the keto diet's high-fat, low-carb nature can suppress appetite and lead to reduced calorie intake without strict monitoring, individual differences exist. Some people may still need to track their calorie intake, especially if they have a slower metabolism or are less active. Additionally, as the body adapts to the keto diet over time, the initial rapid weight loss may slow down, requiring a more mindful approach to calorie consumption to continue making progress.

Furthermore, not counting calories can lead to a lack of awareness about the nutritional content of foods. It is important to understand that not all calories are equal. Different foods have varying effects on hormones, metabolism, and appetite. Some keto-friendly foods, like nuts and cheese, are calorie-dense, and mindless overeating can easily occur. Tracking calories and understanding the nutritional value of foods can help make informed choices and ensure a balanced keto diet that supports sustained weight loss.

In summary, while calorie counting may not be necessary for everyone on the keto diet, it is important to recognize that calories do matter. Individual variations in metabolism, activity levels, and genetic factors influence weight loss. For those who find their keto progress stalling, reassessing calorie intake and adopting a more mindful, balanced eating approach may be necessary to overcome the plateau and continue their weight loss journey successfully.

Constant snacking

If you do need to snack, there are plenty of keto-friendly options. These include hard-boiled eggs, cheese, cold cuts, avocado, olives, Brazil nuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts. You can also try keto-friendly dips like cream cheese, sour cream, or a savoury high-fat dipping sauce with celery, cucumber, or green pepper.

It's important to be mindful of portion sizes, as even keto-friendly snacks can be high in calories. For example, while carrots are a great low-carb vegetable, they are higher in carbs than other options, so keep portion sizes modest.

If you're feeling hungry on keto, it could be due to factors other than true hunger. Here are some reasons why you might be snacking too much:

• Carb addiction: When you cut out most sources of carbs, your body can be flooded with hunger hormones, and you may experience intense sugar cravings. It can take a week or two for sugar-craving yeasts and bacteria in your gut to die off and be replaced.
• Sleep deprivation: Lack of sleep can disrupt the production of hunger-regulating hormones, leading to increased appetite and food cravings.
• Stress and anxiety: Chronic stress and high cortisol levels can increase the hunger hormone ghrelin and have been linked to weight gain and obesity.
• Dehydration: When you first start keto, your body flushes fluids, and it's easy to become dehydrated. Your body can mistake dehydration for hunger, so make sure to stay properly hydrated.

To reduce constant snacking on keto, address the underlying causes of hunger. Stick to your keto diet, improve your sleep habits, find healthy ways to manage stress, and stay hydrated.

Lack of exercise

Exercise is an important component of a healthy lifestyle, and it can also play a significant role when following a keto diet. Here are some key points about how a lack of exercise can impact your keto journey:

Impact on Weight Loss

One of the main goals of individuals adopting a keto diet is often weight loss. While the keto diet itself can promote weight loss by inducing a state of ketosis, combining it with regular exercise can accelerate this process. Exercise helps create a calorie deficit, which is crucial for losing weight. By expending more calories through physical activity, you enhance your body's fat-burning capabilities.

Exercise and Ketosis

Exercise can facilitate the process of reaching and maintaining ketosis. It depletes glycogen stores, which is the storage form of glucose derived from carbohydrates. Once these glycogen stores are depleted, your body starts metabolizing fat more efficiently, leading to ketosis. Prolonged physical activity and high-intensity workouts tend to deplete muscle glycogen more rapidly.

Type of Exercises

When incorporating exercise into your keto lifestyle, it's important to choose suitable physical activities. Low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio exercises, such as walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming, tend to be more manageable for individuals on a keto diet. These exercises are effective in reducing total body fat and improving fat distribution. Additionally, they are easier to recover from and are suitable for people of all fitness levels.

On the other hand, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or strength training can be more challenging on a keto diet due to the limited carbohydrate availability. However, they can still be incorporated once your body adapts to burning fat more effectively.

Preserving Lean Muscle Mass

Exercising while in ketosis helps preserve and increase lean muscle mass. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate, which means your body burns more calories even at rest. Resistance training or weightlifting is particularly effective in preserving and increasing muscle mass, regardless of age.

Overall Health Benefits

Exercise provides numerous health benefits beyond weight loss. It lowers your risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and obesity. It also improves your overall well-being and can enhance your motivation to stick to a healthy lifestyle.

In conclusion, while the keto diet itself can be effective for weight loss and improving health, combining it with regular exercise can amplify these benefits. Lack of exercise may slow down your progress and impact your overall health. Therefore, it is advisable to incorporate physical activity into your keto lifestyle to optimize your results and maintain a healthy body and mind.

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