Keto Weight Loss Plateau: Reasons And Solutions

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb way of eating that has been adopted by many looking to lose weight and improve their health. However, there are several reasons why you might not be losing weight on keto. Here are some of the most common reasons:

- Eating too many carbs: To reach and maintain ketosis, a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose, it is crucial to drastically reduce carbohydrate intake.

- Eating too many calories: Even on a keto diet, it is necessary to maintain a calorie deficit to lose weight. This means burning more calories than you consume.

- Not achieving ketosis: Reaching ketosis is the main goal of the ketogenic diet. You can test for ketosis through urine strips, breath analysers, or blood ketone meters.

- Eating too much protein: Keto is a moderate protein diet. If you consume too much protein, the excess can be converted into glucose for energy, delaying or preventing ketosis.

- Constant snacking: While snacking can be part of a healthy ketogenic diet, it's important to be mindful of portion sizes and calorie intake.

- Consuming hidden carbs: Carbs can be hidden in sauces, dressings, and even in foods marketed as 'low-carb'. It's crucial to be vigilant about your carb intake and check labels for hidden sugars.

- Not getting enough sleep: Sleep deprivation can affect weight loss by slowing down metabolism and stimulating the production of cortisol and ghrelin, the hunger hormone.

- High-stress levels: Chronic stress can alter hormone levels, leading to weight gain or difficulty losing weight. Cortisol, the stress hormone, can encourage your body to store fat.

- Underlying medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and Cushing's syndrome, can hinder weight loss.

You're not in ketosis

If you're not losing weight on the keto diet, it could be because you're not in ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. To reach ketosis, you need to drastically reduce your carbohydrate intake—usually to around 5-10% of your total calories. This amounts to about 30-50 grams of carbs per day.

If you're not in ketosis, it could be because you're consuming too many carbs. Even low-carb foods can add up, and hidden sugars in sauces, dressings, or "low-carb" foods can also contribute to your carb intake. To ensure you're on the right track, you can test for ketosis using urine strips, breath analyzers, or blood ketone meters.

In addition to reducing your carb intake, it's important to make sure you're consuming enough healthy fats. The ketogenic diet is fundamentally structured around specific macronutrient ratios: approximately 70-75% of calories from fat, 15-20% from protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. If you're not getting enough fat, it can hinder your progress.

To maximize your chances of success on the ketogenic diet, it's important to calculate your macros correctly and ensure you're getting the right ratios of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Using a reliable keto calculator app can help you set yourself up for weight loss success.

You're eating too much

If you're not losing weight on keto, it could be because you're eating too much. Even if you're in ketosis, you might not be eating at a calorie deficit.

Fat has twice the number of calories per gram than protein or carbs. It can be challenging to stay within your maintenance calories or eat at a calorie deficit if you're eating more than your body needs. As you adjust to keto, try logging what you eat in a food tracker app until you can eat more intuitively.

As you lose weight, reassess your calorie needs with every 10 to 15 pounds lost to prevent a weight-loss plateau.

If you're in ketosis but not losing weight, you might be overeating. Eating too much can kick you out of ketosis and prevent you from getting the benefits of keto.

To reach ketosis, keep a close eye on your macronutrient consumption—how much protein, fat, and carbs you eat daily. Eating too much protein or too many carbs can kick you out of ketosis.

The standard ketogenic macronutrient breakdown is 70 to 80% fat, 10 to 20% protein, and 5 to 10% carbs. For a 2,000-calorie diet, that's roughly about 165 grams of fat, 40 grams of carbs, and 75 grams of protein.

If you're not losing weight on keto, consider if the amount of food you're eating every day is more than you need. There are many factors that can affect how your body turns food into energy and stores fat. They range from your stress and activity levels to the type of food you eat. If you're in ketosis but not losing weight, it could be that you're eating more than your body can burn.

Along with eating the wrong things, excessive calorie intake can also be a reason for an inability to lose weight on the ketogenic diet. Over-consumption of food and going over your recommended macros (including fat intake) can lead to weight gain rather than fat loss. Luckily, the more solidly into ketosis you are, the less hungry you become, so overeating becomes harder and harder.

If you're not losing weight on keto, you might be eating too many calories. When trying to lose weight, it's critical to create a calorie deficit. This can be achieved by either reducing the number of calories that you consume or by expending more calories through increased physical activity.

Because many keto-friendly foods, including avocados, olive oil, full-fat dairy, and nuts, are high in calories, it's important not to overdo it. Most people feel more satisfied after eating ketogenic meals and snacks due to the filling effects of fat and protein. However, it's entirely possible to consume too many calories on a ketogenic diet by eating portions that are too large or by snacking on high-calorie foods throughout the day.

You're not eating enough

If you're not eating enough on the keto diet, you may experience hunger and a reduction in energy levels. This is because your body is not getting the calories it needs to function properly. Eating too few calories can slow down your metabolism, as your body doesn't have the energy it needs to maintain its normal processes.

On the keto diet, it's recommended that around 70-80% of your daily calories come from fats. This is because the keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet, and fat is prioritised to help people stay full and provide enough calories for the body to function correctly.

If you're not eating enough fat on the keto diet, you may feel hungrier, and this could lead to eating more than you need. Eating too few calories can also slow down your weight loss, as your body may go into 'survival mode' and prioritise storing fat.

To ensure you're eating enough on the keto diet, it's important to calculate your macros correctly. You can use a keto calculator app to help with this. It's also beneficial to track your calories and macronutrients through an app like MyFitnessPal. This will help you stay within your calorie needs and ensure you're getting enough fat in your diet.

• Use high-fat toppings and garnishes, such as nuts, seeds, cheese, avocado, and cured meats.
• Add fat to your drinks, such as creamer, whipped cream, or butter in your coffee or tea.
• Choose full-fat foods, such as full-fat dairy products, instead of low-fat options.
• Cook with fat. Use oils, butter, or other fats when cooking to increase your fat intake.
• Eat the right snacks. Choose high-fat, low-carb snacks such as nuts, meats, cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, or 'fat bombs'.

You're eating too many carbs

One of the main reasons people don't lose weight on the ketogenic diet is that they're consuming too many carbs. To reach the state of ketosis, where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose, you need to drastically reduce your carb intake. This means consuming only 5-10% of your total calories from carbs, which is a stark contrast to the standard dietary recommendation of 45-65%.

Carbs can be tricky and are often hidden in vegetables, sauces, and dressings. Even a single banana has about 20 grams of net carbs, which is 40% of the maximum daily allowance on keto. To keep your carb intake in check, consider tracking your macros using a keto app. Always check labels for hidden sugars and be vigilant about your carb intake.

Additionally, be mindful of higher-carb veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower. Reserve keto-friendly fruits, such as berries, for the occasional dessert. Focus on high-fat proteins and fill up on low-carb vegetables like leafy greens, cucumbers, asparagus, and zucchini.

Tips to Stay on Track

• Use a keto calculator app to ensure you're getting your macros right.
• Test for ketosis through urine strips, breath analyzers, or blood ketone meters.
• Track your macros and calorie intake using a food tracker app.
• Be mindful of portion sizes and hidden carbs in processed foods.
• Fill up on healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, nuts, and seeds.

You're eating too much protein

If you're eating too much protein, you might not be losing weight on keto. Here's why:

The keto diet is a moderate-protein diet, with only about 20% of your daily calories coming from protein. Eating too much protein can kick you out of ketosis, the metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. This is because your body tends to break down excess protein into amino acids and turn them into sugar. When this happens, your body will burn this newly formed glucose instead of fat for energy.

To stay in ketosis, make sure you're getting enough protein but not too much. You can do this by calculating your protein needs carefully. You can also focus on eating moderate amounts of complete proteins, which are proteins with meaningful amounts of all nine essential amino acids. Meat, fish, and eggs are all complete protein sources.

In addition to watching your protein intake, it's important to track your overall calorie intake and make sure you're eating within your macros. Even on a keto diet, it's possible to consume too many calories, especially since many keto-friendly foods are high in calories.

Finally, be mindful of hidden carbs in vegetables, sauces, and dressings, which can also kick you out of ketosis.

Frequently asked questions