Keto Weight Gain: What Went Wrong This Week?

There are many reasons why you may have gained weight while on the keto diet. While the keto diet is a powerful approach for losing weight, it is not a linear journey. Some people may experience a weight loss plateau or even weight gain.

- Not being in ketosis: Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. To reach and maintain ketosis, you need to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake. Even keto-friendly foods can add up to too many carbs per day if you're not careful.

- Not counting calories: It is possible to consume too many calories on the keto diet, especially since many keto-friendly foods are high in calories. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you expend.

- Snacking too much: While snacking on healthy keto-approved foods can help prevent hunger between meals, too much snacking can lead to weight gain.

- Eating too much protein: Consuming too much protein can kick your body out of ketosis. Instead, aim for a moderate amount of protein, about 20% of your daily intake.

- Eating too many carbs: Hidden carbohydrates can be found in low-carb condiments, nuts, keto baked goods, packaged foods, fruits, vegetables, and restaurant meals. Even if these carbs come from healthy options, they can still lead to weight gain if they fill up your glycogen stores and promote fat storage.

- Eating too much fat: Fats are the most calorie-dense macronutrient. It's important to track your fat intake and ensure you're not consuming more calories than your body needs.

- Drinking alcohol: Alcohol can slow down weight loss and contribute to weight gain. It can also increase your appetite, leading to snacking on unhealthy junk food.

- Lack of exercise: Regular exercise is important for weight loss and can help reduce stress levels, boost appetite control, and speed up weight loss.

- Underlying health conditions: Certain health conditions, such as hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, can make weight loss difficult.

- Stress and lack of sleep: Chronic stress and lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss. Stress can increase cortisol levels, contributing to insulin resistance and weight gain.

Hidden Carbohydrates

Sources of hidden carbs include low-carb condiments (ketchup, jams, and sauces), nuts, keto-baked goods and other packaged foods (cookies, bread, bars, brownies, chips, and crackers), fruits, vegetables, and restaurant and fast-food meals.

Even if these excess carbs come from healthy options, they will still generate excess glucose and fill up your glycogen stores, promoting fat storage. If you are eating too many carbs to stay in ketosis, you will not reap the benefits of the keto diet.

To avoid this, be sure to track your carbohydrate intake using a carb-tracking app. Alternatively, try a meat-based or keto carnivore diet, which makes it easier to avoid carbs without sacrificing optimal nutrition.

Cheat Days

The Cons of Cheat Days

The biggest drawback of a cheat day is that it can knock you out of ketosis. Ketosis is a state your body goes into when it uses fat to create molecules called ketones, which it uses for energy instead of sugar. If you eat more than 50 grams of carbs in a day, you will be pushed out of ketosis, which can hinder your weight loss goals. It can also be difficult to get back into ketosis after a cheat day, taking anywhere from two to ten days.

Consuming high-carb, high-sugar foods can also cause digestive issues and weight gain, and it can strengthen your cravings for carbs and sugar, making it harder to avoid these foods in the future. Cheat days can also lead to feelings of guilt, which may outweigh the satisfaction of indulging.

The Pros of Cheat Days

The main benefit of cheat days is the flexibility they offer, which can help motivate you to stick to the keto diet long-term. If you feel that you can smoothly return to your diet after a cheat day, then it may be worth it for you.

Tips for a Successful Cheat Day

If you do decide to have a cheat day, there are some ways to minimise the negative consequences:

• Make your cheat meal keto-friendly by opting for keto-friendly alternatives to your favourite high-carb foods.
• Eat in small portions to avoid overindulging.
• Make cheat days rare, spacing them out by at least a week or two.
• Make it count by indulging in the foods you miss the most, rather than wasting it on less satisfying treats.
• Avoid sugar and opt for keto-friendly sweeteners instead.
• Exercise right after a cheat day to help your body process the carbs and get back into ketosis faster.
• Get back to your keto diet as soon as possible after a cheat day.

Artificial Sweeteners

Some common artificial sweeteners include aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, and acesulfame potassium. Sucralose, for example, is 600 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame is the most widely used sweetener in the US and can be found in many "diet" foods and beverages.

It's important to note that the effects of artificial sweeteners seem to vary from person to person. While some people may find that they can't satisfy their sweet tooth without them, others may find that they cause increased cravings and weight gain.

If you're following a keto diet, it's generally recommended to limit or avoid artificial sweeteners and instead opt for natural sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol, which have been found to be safer and may even provide health benefits.

Alcohol

If you are following a keto diet, it is best to minimise or avoid alcohol as much as possible to maintain ketosis and promote metabolic health.

Eating Too Many Calories

While the keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat approach, it is still possible to consume too many calories, which can lead to weight gain or stalled weight loss.

The keto diet is relatively high in fat, and it is easy to overdo it. Fats are the most calorie-dense macronutrient, with nine calories per gram, compared to proteins and carbohydrates, which have four calories per gram.

Tracking your calorie intake with an app can be helpful to ensure you are not exceeding your daily caloric needs. You may find that you are consuming too much fat, in which case, increasing your consumption of protein and keto-friendly vegetables can help keep you full without adding too many calories.

It is important to remember that the liver will always burn dietary fats before stored body fat, so consuming too many high-fat foods can stop weight loss. While counting calories is not necessary on keto, tracking your fat and calorie intake for a few days can be beneficial to check if you are eating too much fat.

In addition, be mindful of any keto-friendly packaged goods, such as bars or cookies, as these can also add extra calories.

Frequently asked questions