Keto Weight Loss: How Long Till Goal Weight?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that has gained popularity in recent years. While it can be effective for weight loss, most experts agree that it shouldn't be followed forever. So, what happens when you reach your goal weight and want to transition off the keto diet?

First of all, congratulations! You've achieved something challenging, and now it's time to maintain your progress. Maintaining your goal weight can be harder than losing it, as you battle environmental temptations and old habits. To stay at your current weight, you may need to readjust your caloric intake using an online calculator. This will give you a personalised breakdown of the number of calories and macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) you should be consuming.

There are several strategies you can consider for long-term goal weight maintenance:

1. Continue with keto but eat more: You can stay in ketosis and simply increase your calorie intake to maintenance levels. This approach avoids the risk of extra carbs causing new cravings.

2. Switch to muscle gain: This isn't weight maintenance, but rather fat maintenance. You'll be building muscle while maintaining a low body fat percentage. This can be achieved by doing resistance training and either adding more calories and protein or adding more carbs around your workouts.

3. Transition to low-carb Paleo: You may find that you don't need to be in strict ketosis to maintain your weight. By following a low-carb Paleo diet, you can increase your carb intake slightly and enjoy more variety in your meals, including nutrient-dense options like winter squash.

4. Experiment with intermittent fasting: This strategy can give you more flexibility with your meals while still helping you control your overall calorie intake. You can try eating only during a specific window each day or fasting for one or two days a week.

Remember, the key to keeping the weight off is to adopt some of the healthy behaviours you developed while on the keto diet. Gradually increase your carb intake, find your desired carb range, and consider adding more protein to your plate. You can also explore other low-carb diets like Low-Carb, High-Fat (LCHF) or Low-Carbohydrate Mediterranean Diet as a transition.

Keep on with keto, but eat a little more food

Keto is a safe, long-term diet, and there's no need to stop if you don't want to. If you want to stay on keto but don't want to lose any more weight, the solution is to eat a little more fat and protein without increasing carbs enough to get out of ketosis.

How to eat a little more food on keto

• Add more fat to your meals.
• Eat more protein.
• Try fat bombs, which are bite-sized balls containing high-fat ingredients like cream cheese, nut butters, and coconut oil.
• Try bulletproof coffee, a mixture of brewed coffee, grass-fed butter, and MCT oil.
• Enjoy creamy soups and sauces.
• Use multiple fat sources at each mealtime. For example, add a fried egg and a sprinkle of melted cheese to avocado toast.
• Dunk vegetables in high-fat dips like guacamole.
• Roast vegetables in oil.
• Sprinkle in nuts and seeds.
• Whip up a full-fat dairy smoothie.
• Add shredded coconut to snacks and sweets.
• Load up on avocado.

Switch from fat loss to muscle gain

Switching from fat loss to muscle gain is a great way to maintain your goal weight while improving your health. This approach is often called "body recomposition", which involves losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously. Here are some tips to help you make the switch:

• Increase Your Protein Intake: Eating enough protein is crucial for muscle growth and fat loss. Aim for at least 0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. Include protein-rich foods such as chicken, turkey, tofu, eggs, dairy products, and protein supplements.
• Prioritize Strength Training: Incorporate resistance training into your exercise routine to create muscle tension and micro-tears, which your body will repair by creating more muscle fibres. Aim for at least two days of strength training per week, combining exercises such as squats, bench presses, and pushups.
• Modify Your Diet: While on a fat loss journey, you may have been in a calorie deficit. To gain muscle, you may need to increase your calorie intake, especially focusing on consuming more protein and healthy fats. However, be mindful of your carbohydrate intake, as excessive carbs can hinder muscle gain.
• Focus on Compound Movements: Compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and presses recruit more muscle groups, leading to increased muscle growth and calorie burn. Incorporate these into your strength training routine.
• Consider Intermittent Fasting: Intermittent fasting can be a useful tool for weight maintenance. It involves eating within a specific time window, allowing more freedom with your meals during that window while naturally limiting portion sizes.
• Track Your Progress: Instead of solely relying on the scale, track your body composition and body circumference measurements. Take measurements of your waist, arms, thighs, and hips to see changes in your body composition.
• Get Professional Help: Consult with a healthcare provider, dietitian, or personal trainer to create a tailored plan for your specific goals and needs. They can provide guidance on nutrition and exercise routines to ensure safe and effective progress.

Transition to low-carb (but not keto) Paleo

Transitioning from keto to a low-carb, non-keto Paleo diet can be a good option for those who want to increase their carb intake while still maintaining a healthy weight. Here are some tips for making this transition:

• Understand the Differences: Paleo focuses on consuming whole foods that were available to early humans, while keto emphasises decreasing carb intake to induce ketosis. Paleo is more flexible and allows for some carb sources like fruits, vegetables, and unrefined sweeteners, whereas keto restricts almost all carb sources.
• Gradually Increase Carbs: Start by increasing your daily carb limit by 10-20 grams and hold that for a week or two. Then, reassess how you feel and if you're maintaining your weight. Continue to slowly increase your carb intake until you find a balance that works for you.
• Choose Paleo-Friendly Carbs: When increasing your carb intake, focus on nutrient-dense, fibre-rich carbs that are less likely to cause weight gain. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and winter squash are great options.
• Replace Fats with Carbohydrates: Instead of eating a large amount of cheese on your salad, try having a banana on the side. Instead of an avocado with dinner, opt for a sweet potato. This will help you increase your carb intake while minimising blood sugar spikes.
• Expect Some Adjustments: In the first week or two, you may experience water weight gain, energy changes, hunger changes, and digestive changes. These are normal and should subside within a week or two as your body adjusts to the higher carb intake.
• Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle: Continue to prioritise healthy fats, whole foods, and moderate protein intake. Stay active and incorporate exercises that align with the Paleo philosophy, such as short, intense workouts and mindfulness practices like yoga and meditation.

Experiment with intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves rotating between periods of fasting and normal eating. There are several ways to do this, including the 5:2 method, the Warrior Diet, and alternate-day fasting. The most popular type of intermittent fasting is the 16/8 method, which involves eating during an eight-hour window and fasting for the remaining 16 hours of the day.

Intermittent fasting is a popular strategy for those following a keto diet as it may help you reach ketosis faster and burn more fat. It is also a good option for those who want to feel more relaxed about eating during weight maintenance.

If you are considering combining keto with intermittent fasting, it is important to note that this approach is very restrictive and may be difficult to stick to. It could also be dangerous for people with certain medical conditions, so be sure to consult your healthcare provider before making any significant dietary changes.

• Get the green light from your healthcare team before starting this restrictive diet.
• Start with the keto diet first, then consider adding intermittent fasting after a couple of weeks or months.
• Choose the correct timing for your fasting window. A 12- to 16-hour fast is recommended. For many people, not eating for 12 hours overnight is a natural habit.
• Consider delaying breakfast to get your body accustomed to going longer stretches without eating.
• To maintain muscle mass, aim to consume 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

Gradually increase your carb intake

Once you've reached your goal weight, you might be wondering how to maintain it. Here are some tips to help you gradually increase your carb intake while keeping your weight in check:

Reverse Dieting:

Start by slowly adding back around 100 calories to your daily intake for a few weeks. Keep an eye on your weight and adjust accordingly. If you're not gaining or losing weight, you've found your maintenance calories. This method is called reverse dieting and can help you transition out of a calorie deficit without gaining weight.

Gradual Carb Increase:

Instead of abruptly increasing your carb intake, add an extra 10 grams of carbohydrates per day for the first week. Opt for healthy carb sources like whole grains, beans, fruits, and starchy vegetables. Keep tracking your weight and how you feel, and gradually increase your carb intake weekly or bi-weekly.

Find Your Carb Sweet Spot:

The ideal number of carbohydrates varies from person to person, depending on factors like activity levels and personal goals. The goal is to find a carb range that allows you to eat a diverse range of foods without feeling restricted while maintaining your weight. Consider consulting a registered dietitian to help you determine the right carb range for your needs and goals.

Focus on Lean Proteins:

While increasing your carb intake, consider adding more lean proteins to your diet. Options like beans, tofu, chicken, fish, and lean cuts of red meat can help you feel satiated while providing essential amino acids for muscle building and repair.

Intermittent Fasting:

Intermittent fasting can be a useful tool for weight maintenance. It involves eating within a specific time window during the day and fasting for the remaining hours. This method can help with portion control and make it easier to maintain your weight without constantly counting calories.

Remember, the key to successful weight maintenance is finding an approach that suits your lifestyle and that you can consistently stick to. It's normal to gain a few pounds back after reaching your goal weight, so don't be too hard on yourself. Focus on developing healthy habits and making gradual adjustments to your diet and lifestyle.

Frequently asked questions