Keto Not Working Again? Try These Tips

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet that has been adopted by many looking to lose weight and improve health. However, there are several reasons why some people may not see the same results when trying the keto diet for a second time. One reason could be that the body does not experience the same initial shock of cutting out carbs, resulting in less water weight being shed. Additionally, the body may be more fat-adapted the second time around, allowing it to digest fat calories more efficiently, which can slow down weight loss. Other factors that may impact weight loss on a keto diet include not achieving ketosis, eating too much protein, consuming too many acceptable carbs, not counting calories, constant snacking, lack of exercise, stress, and underlying medical conditions. To maximize weight loss on a ketogenic diet, it is important to ensure adequate sleep, reduce stress, increase physical activity, and consume nutritious, low-carb, whole foods.

You're not in ketosis

If you're not in ketosis, you're not burning fat and producing ketones. Here are some reasons why you may not be in ketosis:

You need more time

The time it takes to enter ketosis varies from person to person. For example, an elite athlete may enter ketosis following an overnight fast, while a more sedentary person may take several days of keto dieting.

You're not tracking your macros properly

Carb restriction is key to entering ketosis. If you're eating too many carbs, your body will produce glucose instead of ketones, blocking ketosis. Make sure you're eating 60-70% of calories from fat, 20-30% from protein, and 5-10% from carbs.

You're not consuming enough healthy fats

Consuming fatty acids is crucial for producing ketones and burning fat. Eating foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil will help you get the right amount of healthy fats.

You're consuming too much protein

If you're eating too much protein, your body will convert it into glucose, not ketones. Make sure protein makes up less than 35% of your diet.

You're not tracking your macronutrient intake

Not having enough healthy fats and too many carbs and proteins can disrupt ketosis. Calculate your daily calorie needs based on body type, age, and gender, and track your macronutrient intake to ensure you're staying within the recommended ranges.

You're not getting enough physical activity

Physical activity is essential for ketosis. High-intensity exercises like HIIT or weightlifting can help burn excess glucose and increase the body's demand for energy, stimulating ketone production.

You're stressed or not getting enough sleep

Stress and lack of sleep can negatively impact weight loss and ketosis. When you're stressed, your body produces excess cortisol, which can encourage your body to store fat. Lack of sleep can also impact hunger-regulating hormones, causing increased appetite.

You're eating too much

If you're not losing weight on keto, it could be because you're eating more than your body can burn. 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 consuming 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 every 10 to 15 pounds to prevent a weight-loss plateau.

Tips to Avoid Eating Too Much

• Use a food calculator to estimate how many calories your body needs to lose one pound per week. Stick within that range.
• Reach your macro goals by eating high-quality keto fats like MCT oil, avocados, grass-fed butter and ghee, grass-fed meats, and eggs from pasture-raised chickens.
• Try intermittent fasting. When intermittent fasting, you eat your daily calories in a shortened period, typically six to eight hours. Then, you fast for the remaining 16 to 18 hours. Fasting drains your body of its glucose reserves, so you switch over to burning fat for energy, aka ketosis.
• Add MCT oil to your diet. MCT oil is a great addition to a keto diet because of how it supports ketosis and weight loss. MCTs in MCT oil rapidly absorb into the liver and convert into ketones, providing quick energy for the brain and body.

You're not eating enough

If you're not eating enough calories, your body might go into starvation mode. Your metabolic rate drops to protect organs and normal bodily functions. Your body slows down because it's not getting enough energy.

Even if you're trying to lose weight, not consuming enough calories can be detrimental over time. Chronically low calorie intake can put your body into starvation mode, which means it'll hold onto stored body fat. It can also negatively affect your hormones and other bodily functions, especially in women.

To avoid this, track your calories to get a good sense of how many you need and how much you're eating each day.

If you've cut calories excessively, you might not be eating enough to hit your macronutrient goals: high fat, moderate protein, and low carb. Focus on eating nutrient-dense whole foods, not just bacon and butter.

Eat high-quality fats like fatty, grass-fed meats, cold-pressed unrefined oils (especially organic coconut oil, MCT oil, olive oil, and avocado oil), wild-caught fish (those omega-3s are key), and nuts (ideally organic).

You're eating too much protein

If you're not seeing results from the keto diet the second time around, it may be because you're eating too much protein.

The keto diet is a low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. The standard ketogenic macronutrient breakdown is 70% to 80% fat, 10% to 20% protein, and 5% to 10% carbs. Eating too much protein can kick you out of ketosis, as your body can break down excess proteins into amino acids and convert them into sugar.

To stay in ketosis, you should calculate your protein needs carefully. Too much protein and you won't stay in ketosis, too little and you'll lose muscle.

If you're eating a diverse array of protein-rich foods, you're likely getting enough of the amino acids your body needs. Meat, fish, and eggs are all complete protein sources. Nuts and vegetables are packed with essential nutrients, and collagen peptides support healthy skin, bones, and joints.

To ensure you're not eating too much protein, try using a food calculator to estimate your calorie needs and stick within that range. You can also use an app like MyFitnessPal to track your macronutrients and ensure you're hitting your protein goals without going over.

If you're still struggling to stay within your protein goals, check that you're not eating too many acceptable carbs. On the keto diet, several types of carbohydrates are acceptable, including nuts and dairy. While these foods are typically high-fat and nutrient-dense, they also contain carbohydrates, and eating too many of them can keep you from achieving and maintaining ketosis.

You're eating too many carbs

If you're eating too many carbs, you won't be able to reach and maintain ketosis, which is the metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. On the keto diet, carbs should make up only 5% to 10% of your total calories. This amounts to 30 to 50 grams of carbs per day on a 2,000-calorie diet.

To achieve and maintain ketosis, it's important to track your carb intake, as hidden carbs can easily slip in unnoticed. Carbohydrates are found in a wide range of foods, including nuts, dairy, cruciferous vegetables, green beans, and even some keto-friendly fruits.

To ensure you're staying within the recommended carb range, consider using a food tracking app or a home testing kit that checks for ketones in the urine or breath. By monitoring your carb intake and testing for ketones, you can make any necessary adjustments to your diet and maximise your chances of success on the keto diet.

In addition to tracking your carb intake, it's important to be mindful of the types of carbs you're consuming. Even if you're staying within the recommended carb range, consuming high-carb veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower can impact your ketosis. Fill your plate with low-carb veggies like leafy greens, cucumbers, asparagus, and zucchini, and reserve high-carb options for occasional treats.

If you're struggling to reduce your carb intake, you may want to try intermittent fasting, which can help your body create ketones more effectively. Additionally, make sure you're getting enough healthy fats, such as fatty, grass-fed meats, cold-pressed unrefined oils, wild-caught fish, nuts, and whole, organic olives. These foods will help you stay full and satisfied while keeping your carb intake low.

Frequently asked questions