Keto Weight Loss: Why Am I Losing Too Much?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating pattern that is often used for weight loss. While many dieters experience rapid weight loss when they start this diet, some hit a weight loss plateau. There are several reasons why this may be the case.

Firstly, it is important to evaluate your carb intake carefully. Even eating a few extra grams of carbs here and there can prevent you from entering ketosis, the desired metabolic state on the keto diet that causes your body to burn fat for fuel. On a standard keto diet, you should only consume 20-50 grams of carbs per day.

Secondly, you may be consuming too many calories. Unlike many other diets, the keto diet doesn't require you to count calories. However, if you find yourself stuck and unable to lose weight, you may be consuming too many calories. To lower your calorie intake, monitor your portion sizes carefully and snack on foods with a low-calorie density.

Thirdly, you may be eating too much protein. The keto diet is a moderate-protein diet. If you consume too much protein, the excess can be converted into glucose for energy, which delays or stops ketosis as the body will burn this newly formed glucose instead of fat for energy.

Other reasons for a weight loss plateau on keto include snacking too often, not exercising enough, high-stress levels, and underlying medical conditions.

Eating too many carbs

Even a small amount of extra carbs can add up quickly and prevent you from entering ketosis. For example, a single banana has about 20 grams of net carbs, which is 40% of the maximum daily allowance on keto. Other seemingly low-carb foods, like a carrot or a serving of peanut butter, can also add up and push you over your carb limit.

To ensure you're on the right track, you can test for ketosis using urine strips, breath analyzers, or blood ketone meters. Blood ketone meters are generally the most accurate but can be more costly and require a small blood sample.

In addition to tracking your carb intake, it's important to make sure you're not consuming too many calories overall. While the ketogenic diet can aid in weight loss, you still need to maintain a calorie deficit to lose weight. This means burning more calories than you consume so that your body resorts to your fat reserves for energy. High-fat keto-friendly foods like avocados, olive oil, full-fat dairy, and nuts are calorie-dense, so it's important not to overdo it.

Portion control and tracking your calorie intake can help you stay within your calorie needs and create the calorie deficit necessary for weight loss. Remember, the key to healthy weight loss is to consume nutritious, whole foods, regardless of the dietary plan you follow.

Eating too much protein

On keto, you'll consume adequate amounts of protein—never less than you need. This macro is one of the most challenging to nail down when starting keto due to all the conflicting information about it.

Protein is a building block of life and a necessary component of any diet. It's crucial for:

• Healthy brain function
• Skin, bone, and muscle health
• Building muscle mass
• Recovering after workouts

These benefits promote longevity, prevent injuries, and boost your metabolism.

On the other hand, eating protein won't affect your ketone levels. You can eat high-fat and high-protein (preferably fatty cuts of grass-fed meat) and stay in ketosis. That's why many people who transition from keto to the carnivore diet have no problem staying in nutritional ketosis.

The keto diet is known for being a low-carb, high-fat diet, but is too much protein keto-friendly? The answer is yes.

The body can convert the amino acids from excess protein into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis. Because your body prefers to use carbohydrates as its source of energy, it will do anything it can to get enough glucose. Without even realizing it, you could be sabotaging your weight loss efforts without even consuming excess carbohydrates simply by eating too much protein.

Keto and low-carb experts recommend that the average person consume between 1.5 and 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or about 0.7 to 0.9 grams per pound of body weight. This amount of protein will give your body the protein it needs to maintain your muscle mass and improve body composition without causing weight gain.

If you're trying to follow a keto diet and don't notice the amount of weight loss or change in body composition that you expect, it may be because you're eating too much protein.

Consuming too many calories

One of the ways you might lose sight of your calorie intake is by overindulging in high-fat foods such as mayonnaise since they are keto-friendly. Calorie tracking, while not always necessary, can be useful in helping you stay within your calorie needs. You may also benefit from calculating your calorie needs and how much you need to cut back to meet your weight loss goals.

To lower your calorie intake, be sure to monitor your portion sizes carefully and snack on foods with a low-calorie density.

• Monitor your portion sizes: It is important to be mindful of your portion sizes and not overeat, even if you are consuming keto-friendly foods.
• Choose low-calorie snacks: Opt for lower-calorie keto-friendly snacks such as cucumbers, celery sticks, and eggs instead of high-calorie options like nuts and cheese.
• Track your calorie intake: Consider using a fitness tracker or app to monitor your calorie intake and ensure it is within the range for ideal weight loss.
• Calculate your calorie needs: Understand your calorie needs and how much you need to cut back to meet your weight loss goals.
• Increase physical activity: Engage in regular physical activity to burn more calories and create a greater calorie deficit.

Not getting enough physical activity

Incorporating more physical activity into your lifestyle is vital when trying to lose weight on a ketogenic diet.

Benefits of Exercise

Aside from stimulating fat loss, adopting an exercise routine benefits health in countless ways. For example, exercise lowers your risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety and obesity.

Tips to Get More Active

• Creating a workout schedule and sticking to it is the best way to bolster a healthy exercise habit.
• Set a goal of three to four days a week and choose a time that’s most convenient for your schedule.
• Keep yourself motivated by storing a gym bag in your car for after work or by laying out exercise clothes before bed to keep you on task for early morning workouts.
• Start with more physically demanding activities such as taking the stairs, walking instead of driving, and standing at your desk.
• If you have the time, scheduled exercise is also very effective in aiding weight loss. Choose a physical activity you enjoy such as Yoga, Pilates, dancing, cycling, and Zumba to maximize your chances of success.

Not getting enough sleep

Sleep is essential for weight loss. Not getting enough sleep can affect weight loss directly and indirectly. Directly, sleep can slow down metabolism, reducing the number of calories the body burns. Indirectly, lack of sleep can stimulate cortisol, which encourages the body to store fat, especially in the belly area. Additionally, sleep deprivation can also promote the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone.

To improve your sleep pattern, follow a regular schedule by going to bed at a similar time every day. Establishing a nightly routine can also help train your body to fall asleep faster. Furthermore, consider setting up your environment to support a healthy sleep pattern. This includes avoiding caffeine towards bedtime, limiting screen time, and eliminating noise.

Frequently asked questions