Keto Diet Not Working? Try These Tips!

The ketogenic diet is a popular choice for people looking to lose weight. It involves significantly restricting carbohydrate intake, which puts the body into a state called ketosis, where it becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy. However, some people may find they are not losing weight on the keto diet due to various reasons. One primary reason is not achieving ketosis, often due to consuming too many carbs or not properly counting calories. Other factors include eating too much protein, constant snacking, underlying medical conditions, stress, and lack of exercise. It's important to remember that calories matter on keto, and a calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss. Additionally, processed keto foods, excessive calorie intake, and lifestyle factors such as stress and lack of sleep can also hinder weight loss efforts.

You're eating too many calories

Even when adhering to the keto diet, it is still possible to eat too many calories, which can slow down or stop weight loss. This is because, to lose weight, it is critical to create a calorie deficit. This can be achieved by either reducing the number of calories consumed or by expending more calories through increased physical activity.

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

It is important to note that a calorie deficit is still necessary for weight loss on the keto diet. Before starting any diet, it is best to meet with a dietitian to determine how many calories you should be eating daily to nourish your body.

Additionally, it is easy to overdo it on the following keto-approved foods:

• Cheese
• Butter
• Cream
• Coconut oil

If you are cooking everything in coconut oil, mixing butter into your coffee, and fitting daily cheese snacks into your diet, this could be a quick way to unknowingly consume too many calories.

To avoid this, be mindful of how much you are eating. Eat consciously, rather than mindlessly. Observe yourself and the scale. If you are not getting the weight loss results you expected, it could be because you are eating too many calories, mostly in the form of fat.

While weight loss generally requires a calorie deficit, strict caloric control or monitoring of calories is not always necessary. Your resting metabolic rate might also increase due to the lower-carb and higher-protein nature of a ketogenic diet. By promoting satiety, blood sugar control, reducing cravings, and boosting metabolism, high-fat diets are pretty good at self-regulation.

If you are hungry, eat. If you are not, don't.

You're eating too much protein

It's a common misconception that eating too much protein will kick you out of ketosis. This is a myth. However, it's important to understand why this is the case and how protein fits into a keto diet.

Ketosis and Gluconeogenesis

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, your body burns fat (ketones) for energy instead of glucose. To enter ketosis, you need to restrict your carbohydrate intake and, contrary to popular belief, it's not essential to keep protein to a minimum.

Many people worry that overeating protein will kick them out of ketosis because the body can turn excess protein into sugar (glucose) in the bloodstream through a process called gluconeogenesis, which will decrease ketone levels. However, this belief is a myth.

The Role of Gluconeogenesis

Gluconeogenesis (GNG) is a vital and necessary process that is already happening in your body. It doesn't hinder ketosis; in fact, it makes it possible in the first place. GNG is how your body creates glucose from non-carb sources, including protein and amino acids.

Your body needs glucose, even when in ketosis, and GNG ensures you have enough by creating it from non-carb sources when you're not consuming enough carbs. GNG is an extremely stable process and is not easily increased, even with extra protein. So, eating more protein won't increase the rate of GNG or knock you out of ketosis.

The Benefits of Eating More Protein on Keto

Not only is eating more protein on a keto diet safe, but it's also beneficial for several reasons:

• Protein helps with fat loss: Protein is more satiating than fat, so you're less likely to overeat. Plus, eating more protein means eating less new dietary fat, giving your body the chance to burn stored body fat for energy.
• Protein provides fewer calories than fat: Your body uses more energy (calories) to burn protein than fat. For example, when you eat 100 calories of protein, your body can only store 75% of it as calories because it requires 25% of the calories to burn and use it as fuel. On the other hand, when you consume fat, your body stores up to 98% of it as calories.
• Protein deficiency is dangerous: Not eating enough protein can have serious side effects, including worsened workout performance, neuron atrophy, a weaker immune system, and an increased risk of diseases like sickle cell disease, acute asthma, and certain cancers.

The general guidelines for protein intake on a keto diet are:

• 70% to 80% of your daily calories from fat
• 20% of your daily calories from protein
• 5% to 10% of your daily calories from carbohydrates

However, these percentages may not be the most effective approach for overall body composition and weight loss. Instead, it's recommended to calculate your protein intake first, based on your activity level, and then determine your carbohydrate and fat intake from there.

For a sedentary person, consume a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. If you're an athlete or looking to build muscle, aim for 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

In Summary

Eating too much protein won't kick you out of ketosis, and it's beneficial to eat adequate amounts of protein on a keto diet. To optimize your keto diet for weight loss and overall health, focus on calculating your protein intake based on your activity level and making sure you're not consuming too many calories overall.

You're eating too many acceptable carbs

Even if you're on the keto diet, there are still some types of carbohydrates that are acceptable to eat. These include nuts and dairy products, which are typically high-fat, nutrient-dense foods. However, if you eat too many of these acceptable carbs, you will not be able to achieve and maintain ketosis, which is crucial for weight loss on the keto diet.

To understand why this happens, it's important to know what ketosis is. Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. Normally, the body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose for energy. However, when you drastically reduce your carb intake, as is done on the keto diet, your body turns to burning fat instead. This leads to weight loss, which is one of the main goals of the keto diet.

To reach and maintain ketosis, it's recommended that only 5% to 10% of your total calories come from carbs. This amounts to around 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day for someone on a 2000-calorie diet. It's easy to go over this limit if you're not careful, especially since carbs can be hiding in seemingly innocuous places. For example, a single cup of 2% milk contains 13 grams of carbs, and flavoured yogurt can also contain a surprising amount.

Sugar alcohols, which are often used as sweeteners on the keto diet, can also affect your carb intake. While they don't increase net carbs in the body, some sugar alcohols like maltitol can still affect your blood sugar levels. This means that consuming too much of them may prevent you from entering ketosis.

To ensure you're staying within the recommended carb range, it's important to track your macronutrients. You can use an app like MyFitnessPal to help you stay on track and learn how many servings of carbs you're allowed per day. Additionally, choosing foods with very few carbs, like leafy green vegetables or berries, can help you stay within the recommended range.

In conclusion, while the keto diet allows for some acceptable carbs, it's important to be mindful of your intake. Eating too many of these carbs can prevent you from achieving and maintaining ketosis, which is crucial for weight loss on the keto diet. By tracking your macronutrients and choosing low-carb options, you can ensure you're staying within the recommended range and maximizing your weight loss potential on the keto diet.

You're not eating enough calories

The keto diet might take away your appetite, especially when you first start it. This is because ketones can help take away hunger, but this effect can wear off over time. If you're not eating enough calories, your body can go into starvation mode, slowing down your metabolism and hindering your weight-loss efforts.

This lack of appetite should go away within a few weeks. But if you've been on the keto diet for a while and you're still not feeling hungry, it might be time to switch diets or talk to a dietitian about modifying your keto diet.

If you're not sure whether you're eating enough calories, it's best to meet with a dietitian to determine how many calories you should be eating on a daily basis to nourish your body.

You're not eating enough fibre

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and high-protein eating style that aims to put the body in a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of glucose. While the keto diet can be an effective weight loss tool, there are several reasons why someone may not be losing weight while following this diet. One of these reasons is not consuming enough fibre.

Fibre is an important part of a healthy diet, and most Americans don't get enough of it. The keto diet can be criticised for lacking fibre since it restricts many fibre-rich foods such as whole grains, fruits, and legumes. However, there are plenty of high-fibre keto-friendly foods that can help support weight loss and improve gut health. These include:

• Avocados
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Coconut meat
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Nuts and seeds (e.g. almonds, chia seeds, flax seeds)
• Vegetables (e.g. artichokes, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, spinach)

By including these foods in your diet, you can increase your fibre intake while still adhering to the keto diet. Fibre has several benefits, including:

• Satiety: Fibre helps you feel fuller for longer, reducing food intake and supporting weight loss.
• Blood sugar control: Fibre keeps blood sugar within a healthy range, which is especially important for people with type 2 diabetes or at risk of developing it.
• Constipation relief: Insoluble fibre adds bulk to stools, helping to relieve constipation, a common issue for those starting the keto diet.
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) relief: Soluble fibre reduces IBS symptoms by increasing anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the body.
• Improved gut health: Fibre supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and maintains the integrity of the intestinal barrier, improving metabolism and overall health.
• Reduced LDL cholesterol: Fibre can help lower LDL cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.
• Keto flu relief: Fibre can help alleviate some keto flu symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, and nausea, by supporting better energy balance and reducing blood sugar swings.

It is important to note that you should introduce fibre slowly into your diet and monitor how you feel. Excessive fibre intake can lead to gastrointestinal issues such as bloating and abdominal discomfort. Additionally, drinking plenty of water is crucial when increasing fibre intake to avoid dehydration and constipation.

While on the keto diet, it is essential to ensure you are consuming enough fibre to support your digestive health and overall well-being. By choosing the right high-fibre, low-carb foods, you can stay on track with your keto diet and reap the benefits of increased fibre intake.

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