So you’re on the keto diet, and you’re asking yourself, “why am I not losing weight?”. Here are 10 reasons why.
1. You're not actually in Ketosis
The basic principle of ketosis is simple: eat low amounts of carbs (about 5%), moderate amounts of protein (about 20%), and high amounts of fat ( about 75%). With this plan, the idea is to starve the body of its preferred fuel, sugar, and instead force it to burn fat. While this is simple enough to follow, the proportions have to be followed to achieve ketosis. Furthermore, ketosis does not happen immediately. Instead, it takes some time and varies from person to person. Use MTC oil to kick start ketosis and keep it going.
2. You’re not eating Enough
While it seems that restricting your calorie intake by eating less would result in weight loss, the opposite is, in fact, true. Severely limiting your body of necessary calories results in it going into starvation mode, where metabolism slows down, preventing weight loss. However, intermittent fasting is a useful tool that can help you stay in ketosis and achieve better results.
3. You're eating Too Much
Overeating is just as bad as eating too little. Under normal conditions, your body burns as much fuel as it needs to function correctly. Any excess fuel gets stored as fat. While it is okay to eat snacks in between meals, it’s essential to not eat out of boredom and only eat when actually hungry. Fat bombs are an excellent way to satiate cravings preventing overeating. Also remember it is the quality of the calories, not the number of calories that matter.
4. You're not eating enough Fat
The whole point of the Ketogenic diet is to use fat as an alternative fuel source to carbs. If you are not consuming enough fat, your body cannot continue to use it as a fuel source and will drop out of ketosis. MTC oil is an easy way to ensure that you are getting enough fat in your diet. Alternatively and/or additionally, foods that are naturally high in fat such as avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, dairy products (cream, butter, etc.), nuts high in fat, to name a few, are essential for maintaining a healthy keto diet.
5. You're eating too much Protein
Eating the right amount of protein is essential to say in ketosis (about 20% of your diet). By eating more protein than your body needs, the protein is broken down into sugars. Anytime sugar is present, the body will use it as a primary fuel source, essentially stopping ketosis. Furthermore, eating protein isn’t only about quantity, but also about the type of protein consumed. Complete proteins—those that contain significant amounts of 8 essential amino acids—such as fish, meat and eggs are preferred over incomplete protein sources such as nuts, vegetables, and starches. That is not to say that they should not be eaten, just that they cannot replace complete proteins. Eating the correct amount of protein is vital, as too little will result in muscle loss.
6. You're eating too many Carbs
It is important to keep the carb count at the appropriate level to stay in ketosis. While the carb count varies from person to person, a general rule of thumb is 20-50 grams of carbs a day. The lower, the better to fully stay in ketosis. However, each person is unique and has their own carn limit. Once ketosis has been achieved, it is possible to find this carb limit, and even raise it by staying in ketosis for long periods. You are, in essence, able to train your body to handle larger quantities of carbs and remain in ketosis. Keeping within the carb limit can be tricky, as there are often carbs hidden in foods that you would not expect. For example, cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli contain carbs that can be easily overlooked. Furthermore, many alcoholic beverages, such as beer and mixed drinks, contain sugar. Sticking to dry wines and low carb liquor will help you manage your diet.
7. You're not eating Nutritious Food
While eating the appropriate proportions of carbs, protein, and fat is essential to stay in ketosis and lose weight, it is equally important that these foods come from wholesome, nutritious foods. While it is acceptable to eat fast food and prepackaged foods, they should make up a small portion of your diet. It is essential in any diet to consume foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, not just empty calories. To maximize benefits derived from the keto diet, limit the amounts of processed foods in your diet, maximizing foods that contain whole, fresh ingredients.
8. You're Allergic or Intolerant to something
While there are many common allergies including peanut, milk, egg, tree nut, wheat, soy, fish and crustacean shellfish which affect many people in the world today, many other people are intolerant to foods. While allergies can be life-threatening, food intolerance can also have a significant impact on the health of an individual. Both food allergies and intolerances cause inflammation, inhibiting the normal functions of the body. This can result in weight gain independent of proper adherence to a ketogenic diet. If you suspect that you may have a food allergy or intolerance, see a doctor. Through testing, they will be able to help you identify and eliminate the offending foods.
9. You have an undiagnosed Medical Condition
If you are following the keto diet completely and are still unable to lose weight, it may be due to an underlying medical condition. Hypothyroidism, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), Cushing’s syndrome, depression, and hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels) are medical issues that cause weight gain and make it hard to lose weight. These conditions can be diagnosed by a doctor who can prescribe the best approach to deal with these ailments. There is evidence to support claims that the ketogenic diet can, in fact, aid in alleviating symptoms and managing these illnesses.
10. You're not following Best Keto Practices.
One of the main reasons that people do not lose weight on the ketogenic diet, or any other diet for that matter, is that they are not applying additional lifestyle changes in addition to dieting. While the keto diet itself is the focus, lack of exercise, stress, and lack of sleep have dramatic effects on the body, limiting the efficacy of dieting.
It has been shown through research that lack of sleep and stress have a profound impact on weight gain. Stress causes the body to produce the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol signal to your body to store fat often accumulating around the midriff. Chronic stress also affects the quality of sleep, further exacerbating weight gain. It has been well documented that sleep deprivation increases the appetite-related hormones such as leptin and ghrelin, resulting in increased appetite.
Getting enough exercise is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle as well as losing weight. Besides the obvious benefit of burning calories, regular exercise causes the body to release hormones that fight stress, stabilize mood, and create an overall sense of well being. Exercise has a direct influence on the ketogenic diet, enabling you to dive deeper into the ketogenic state and maintain it effectively. There are many additional benefits of regular exercise, one of which is increasing the ketogenic carb limit.
I believe that anyone can succeed with the Keto diet. By researching it and getting information now you already have shown an interest which is the first step. You have the basic motivation you need, so now you just build on that. Look into programs to see which one will fit you best and get started on this life changing mission. In no time at all, you will see the results other diets did not give you and you will feel and look great!
One good program I can direct you to is: The 28-Day Keto Challenge
A very popular program that gives you a variety of easy daily recipes.
Good luck on your journey!
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