Keto Diet: Why It's Not Universally Effective

The keto diet is a popular choice for people looking to lose weight. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing fat consumption, which puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of glucose. While some people thrive on this high-fat, low-carb approach and experience significant weight loss, it doesn't work for everyone.

There are several reasons why keto might not be effective for some individuals. One key factor is stress, which affects hormone levels and can make weight loss difficult. Additionally, not everyone can handle the high amount of dietary fat required to maintain ketosis. Some people may also struggle with the social limitations and dietary restrictions that come with the keto diet, finding it challenging to stick to the plan long-term.

Other potential reasons for keto's ineffectiveness include consuming too many calories, not getting enough exercise, underlying medical conditions, unrealistic weight loss expectations, and inadequate sleep and stress management. Furthermore, the keto diet can be difficult to customize to individual needs and may lead to nutrient deficiencies if not carefully planned.

While keto has its benefits, it's important to remember that no single diet works for everyone. It's crucial to listen to your body and make adjustments as needed to find the dietary approach that suits you best.

Not achieving ketosis

The keto diet is a type of diet that significantly restricts carbohydrate intake. When there are not enough carbs in the body, it goes into a stage called ketosis, where the body becomes very efficient at burning fat and using it as energy. However, not everyone achieves ketosis, and this can be for a number of reasons.

Firstly, not achieving ketosis can be due to not cutting back enough on carbohydrates. Carbohydrates should represent only 5-10% of a person's calorie intake on the ketogenic diet, which equates to between 20 and 50 grams of carbs each day on a 2000-calorie diet. It is easy to underestimate how many carbs you are consuming, and you may still be eating enough for your body to produce energy from glucose, reducing the rate of fat burned.

Another reason for not achieving ketosis could be that you are eating too much protein. A person on the keto diet will get most of their calories from fat, which should be about 55-60% of their intake. This leaves little room for protein, and if protein makes up more than 35% of your diet, you may not go into ketosis.

It is also important to be aware of the types of food you are consuming. On the keto diet, some types of carbohydrates are acceptable, such as nuts and dairy. However, these foods also contain carbohydrates, and eating too many of them will prevent you from achieving and maintaining ketosis.

Finally, it is important to consider other factors that can affect ketosis, such as sleep quality and hormone levels. For example, stress can affect your hormones, and hormones control your weight. If your hormones are out of balance, losing weight will be a struggle, even when following a keto diet.

If you are not achieving ketosis, home testing can be a helpful way to ensure that you are entering this state. You can purchase home testing kits that contain test strips to check for ketones in your urine, or you can use a small machine called a ketone breath analyser that detects ketones in your breath.

Eating too many carbs

When a person does not cut back enough on carbs, their body may continue to use glucose as its primary energy source, rather than entering ketosis and burning fat. This can reduce the rate of fat burned in the body and hinder weight loss.

Some people may feel that they have drastically reduced their carb intake but are still consuming enough carbs for their body to produce energy from glucose. For example, nuts and dairy are acceptable foods on the keto diet, but they also contain carbohydrates. Eating too many of these foods can prevent a person from achieving and maintaining ketosis.

Additionally, not all carbs are alike. Sugar alcohols, such as maltitol, can affect a person's blood sugar levels and prevent them from entering ketosis. Processed meats, fat-free and low-fat dairy, and starchy vegetables like potatoes and sweet potatoes can also contain hidden sugars and disrupt ketosis.

To avoid disrupting ketosis, it is recommended to focus on naturally high-fat foods and avoid highly processed foods. While it is not necessary to eliminate carbohydrates entirely, staying within the recommended range of 15-30 grams of carbs per day is crucial for maintaining ketosis.

It is important to note that carb restrictions can vary from person to person. Some individuals may be able to eat more carbs and still stay in ketosis, while others may need to restrict their carb intake further.

Eating too much protein

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. However, it is a common misconception that one should also keep their protein intake low. While controlling carb intake is essential on keto, monitoring protein intake is also important.

Gluconeogenesis

Many low-carb, high-fat advocates believe that excess protein can turn into sugar in the bloodstream through a process called gluconeogenesis, which can affect ketone levels and knock one out of ketosis. However, this is a myth. Gluconeogenesis is a real and necessary metabolic process that is already happening in the body. It does not harm ketosis; instead, it makes it possible in the first place.

Gluconeogenesis is how the body creates new glucose from non-carb sources, including protein. The body takes compounds like lactate, amino acids (protein), and glycerol to manufacture glucose when there are no carbs around.

Why Gluconeogenesis is Vital

On a keto diet, the body uses gluconeogenesis for three primary purposes:

• Preventing hypoglycemia: GNG keeps blood sugar in a healthy range so that it doesn't fall to dangerous levels.
• Fuelling tissues: There are cells in the body that can only use glucose to survive, including red blood cells, the inner part of the kidney, testicles, and some portions of the brain. The glucose from GNG covers the rest of the body's energy needs as ketones can only cover up to 70% of the brain's energy needs.
• Resupplying glycogen stores: Glycogen is crucial for muscle recovery after workouts, and GNG helps replenish it.

Eating More Protein Can Help

If you hit a weight loss plateau, experience a dip in energy, or notice hormonal imbalances, increasing your protein intake can help. Eating adequate amounts of protein is beneficial on the ketogenic diet. It helps the body stay in fat-burning mode, provides fewer calories than fat, and it is dangerous not to eat enough protein.

The general guidelines for following the keto diet include consuming an average of 70 to 80 percent of your daily calories from fat, 10 to 20 percent of your daily calories from protein, and 5 to 10 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates. For a person who is eating 2,000 calories per day, this would mean consuming 165 grams of fat, 75 grams of protein, and 40 grams of carbohydrates.

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 what it needs to maintain muscle mass and improve body composition without causing weight gain.

Who Requires a Higher Protein Intake?

• People looking to maintain muscle mass while losing weight
• Anyone at risk of slow wound healing
• Older adults looking to remain active and healthy
• Type 2 diabetics and those with cardiovascular risk factors

Not counting calories

To lose weight, a person needs to burn more calories than they consume. Even if you are in a state of ketosis, eating too many calories may lead to weight gain. Therefore, it is important to keep track of the number of calories you consume.

Calorie Counting Tips

• Keeping a food journal: By tracking what you consume throughout the day, you can identify any foods or eating patterns that may be preventing weight loss.
• Sticking to a balanced meal plan: Following a balanced meal plan can help you work towards your ideal weight.
• Portion Sizes: Pay attention to portion sizes and increase physical activity to create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.
• Snacking: Constant snacking can increase your calorie intake. Opt for lower-calorie options like non-starchy vegetables or proteins if you're having more than one snack per day.
• High-calorie foods: Be mindful of consuming too many high-calorie ketogenic foods like nuts, nut butter, cheese, and jerky, as these may cause a weight-loss plateau.
• Calorie-tracking apps: Consider using an app like MyFitnessPal to track your macronutrients and learn about the number of servings of carbs you're allowed per day.

Eating too many calories

When trying to lose weight, it is critical to create a calorie deficit. This can be achieved by either reducing the number of calories you consume or by expending more calories through increased physical activity.

If you switch to a keto diet and don't watch your calorie intake, you are unlikely to lose weight. Many keto-friendly foods, including avocados, olive oil, full-fat dairy, and nuts, are high in calories. It is 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.

Paying attention to portion size, increasing physical activity, and snacking in moderation between meals can help create the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.

To lose weight, a person needs to burn more calories than they consume. People who consume too many calories may gain weight, even if they are in a state of ketosis. It is important to keep track of the number of calories consumed. Sticking to a balanced meal plan can help a person work toward their ideal weight.

Constant snacking can increase a person's calorie intake. This can mean consuming more calories than they are burning off, resulting in weight gain. Alcoholic drinks contain many calories, so even options with lower carbohydrates, such as gin and vodka, can prevent weight loss.

Frequently asked questions