Madeleine Hull
Weight gain on the keto diet is a common issue, and there are several reasons why this might be happening. Firstly, it's important to understand that the keto diet is not a magic pill; it's still necessary to watch your calorie intake. Many keto-friendly foods are high in calories, so it's easy to overeat and exceed your daily requirements. Additionally, snacking too much, even on healthy foods, can lead to weight gain.
Secondly, not being in a state of ketosis can hinder weight loss. Ketosis is a metabolic state where the body uses fat instead of glucose as its primary energy source. To achieve this, it's crucial to keep track of your carbohydrate intake and ensure it doesn't exceed 20-50 grams per day.
Thirdly, consuming too much protein can kick your body out of ketosis. It's recommended to limit protein intake to about 20% of your daily diet.
Other factors that can contribute to weight gain on keto include underlying health conditions, certain medications, chronic stress, alcohol consumption, and a lack of physical activity.
It's important to remember that weight loss is not always linear, and there can be fluctuations. Making simple lifestyle adjustments, such as tracking your food intake, managing stress, and increasing physical activity, can help get you back on track.
What You'll Learn
Eating too many calories
Even while on a keto diet, it is still possible to gain weight. Our bodies are designed to store any excess calories we eat so that we have enough energy to withstand a famine. This was useful in the past when we had to hunt and gather our food, but it works against us in today's world.
The keto diet is relatively high in fat, and it is possible to consume too much fat on keto, which may cause weight gain or stall weight loss. While on keto, it is important to get the right proportions of protein, fat, and carbs in your diet.
To avoid consuming too many calories, try increasing your consumption of protein and keto-friendly vegetables to keep you full without adding too many calories. You may also want to check the number of calories in any keto-friendly packaged goods, like bars or cookies, that you've been eating regularly.
Additionally, make sure you are tracking your food intake and keeping your macros in check. Once you get your food intake and your macros under control, your weight loss will start moving in the right direction.
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Eating too much fat
The keto diet is a high-fat, very low-carb way of eating. While it is possible to gain weight on keto, one of the most common reasons for unexpected weight gain is adding excessive amounts of pure fats/oils to meals. Although these are staples in the keto kitchen, they are also surprisingly easy to overconsume.
Fats are the most calorically dense macronutrient. Many people think of a keto diet as a free-for-all when it comes to fat, but this isn’t the case. Instead, you’ll need to track your fat intake and ensure you aren’t overshooting your calories.
To ensure that you burn your own body fat, it is crucial to consume less energy than your body needs (i.e., maintain a calorie deficit). If you add too much fat to meals, your body will burn that fat and store any excess energy it doesn’t need. As this continues, your body fat stores will grow incrementally.
A quick fix for this is to hold off on the extra butter and oil. Prioritize minimally processed whole foods instead, such as fresh meat/seafood, avocados, full-fat cheese, nuts, seeds, and olives.
These options are packed with much more nutrition than you’d get from pure fats and oils. As a result, you’ll feel more satisfied after eating fewer calories.
If you’re still hungry on keto or experiencing unexpected weight gain, you may be eating too much fat. However, this doesn't mean you should severely restrict your food consumption. This approach will drive substantially more hunger than if you strive for a slow and steady weight loss rate.
Instead, get most of your fat from fatty cuts of meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and other minimally processed keto-friendly foods. Think of fats/oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, and butter as a garnish.
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Eating too much protein
While on the keto diet, it is important to eat only a moderate amount of protein, or about 20% of your daily intake. Eating too much protein can kick your body out of ketosis. This is because amino acids in protein-rich foods can be converted to glucose, which the ketogenic diet tries to prevent.
On a standard keto diet, 20% of your calories should come from protein. However, if you are trying to build muscle, you should match your protein intake to your overall weight; that is, eat 1 gram of protein per kilogram of lean mass.
If you are trying to lose weight, fat bombs are counterproductive and might be the reason you are not losing weight while on keto. Your body uses up the fat you eat first before it starts to use up the fat you have stored as energy. Therefore, if you are eating enough fat every day to fuel your body, you will never burn through the fat you are carrying.
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Alcohol consumption
Calorie Intake
Alcohol is the second most calorie-dense macronutrient after fat, with 7 calories per gram. These calories provide no nutritional value, and consuming alcohol can lead to an increase in overall calorie intake, hindering weight loss.
Breaking the Fast
Consuming alcohol during your fasting window will break your fast. To maintain a fasted state, it is recommended to only consume water, black coffee, or herbal tea.
Inhibits Autophagy
Autophagy is a beneficial process during intermittent fasting where the body cleans out damaged and old cell components. Alcohol consumption, especially chronic alcohol intake, may prevent autophagy in the liver.
Inflammation
Intermittent fasting is known to reduce inflammation in the body. In contrast, excessive alcohol consumption contributes to persistent inflammation throughout the body and can lead to organ damage.
Stops Fat-Burning
Alcohol is a toxin that the body needs to neutralise and eliminate. Research shows that alcohol inhibits fat oxidation, resulting in higher body fat over time.
Poor Food Choices
Alcohol increases cravings for junk food and can cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels, leading to higher consumption of carbs and sugar. It also lowers inhibitions, resulting in food choices that deviate from your usual diet.
Sleep Quality
Consuming alcohol close to bedtime can decrease overall sleep quality and impair blood sugar regulation, making it harder to resist unhealthy food choices.
Recommendations
If you choose to consume alcohol while on keto and intermittent fasting, it is recommended to do so during your feeding window and after you have eaten a meal. Men should limit their intake to no more than two drinks, while women should have no more than one drink per day. It is also important to avoid alcohol if you are taking certain medications, have a history of alcoholism, or are recovering from it.
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Chronic stress and poor sleep quality
Additionally, studies suggest that a lack of sleep negatively impacts hunger-regulating hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin, causing increased appetite. This can lead to weight gain.
To combat chronic stress and improve sleep quality, it is important to work on stress-lowering techniques and develop a relaxing bedtime routine. Some techniques to lower stress include meditation, deep breathing, and going for walks. Prioritising sleep and creating a relaxing bedtime routine can also help improve sleep quality. Staying on track with a keto diet can also help improve sleep and lower stress levels.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several reasons why you might be gaining weight, even while on the keto diet and intermittent fasting. One reason could be that you are consuming more calories than you are burning. This can happen if you are not tracking your food intake and keeping your macros in check. Another reason could be that you are eating too many carbs, which can prevent your body from entering ketosis and burning fat for fuel.
Other reasons for weight gain on keto include: snacking too much, especially on high-calorie keto-friendly foods; eating too much protein, which can kick your body out of ketosis; not being in ketosis due to consuming too many carbs; drinking alcohol, which can slow down weight loss and contribute to weight gain; and underlying health conditions or medications that can make weight loss difficult.
To overcome a weight loss plateau on keto, try intermittent fasting, fat fasting, a beef and butter fast, or an egg fast. Intermittent fasting, in particular, can be effective in breaking through a plateau as it reduces the number of calories consumed and can be easier to do when in ketosis as fat-adapted people don't get as hungry.
Combining keto and intermittent fasting is likely safe for most people, but it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet, especially if you have a health condition or are taking medication. Combining these two restrictive diets may be too difficult for some people, and it is not necessary to mix both approaches to achieve weight loss.
