You have been following the keto diet for a while now, and you love it. Except, you do not see any changes in your weight. You can’t help but wonder, why am I not losing weight on the keto diet?
Not adhering to the ketogenic diet (20-50 grams of carbs) can be a potential reason you are not losing weight. Perhaps, you are not consuming enough nutritious food or have increased your calorie intake unconsciously. Alternatively, you may have an undiagnosed medical issue that is hampering weight loss.
Irrespective of the factors sabotaging your keto regimen, the good news is you can correct it. Plus, if you stick to the few rules that keto requires, you can certainly lose weight.
Read on to discover the potential mistakes you may be making along with the solutions for a successful weight loss!
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Reasons Why You Are Not Losing Weight On The Keto Diet
Keto is ideally a low-carb diet following which your body breaks down fats for energy requirements instead of carbohydrates.
It occurs when your body enters into a phase called ketosis. Therefore, with the fats being used up instead of getting stored, you will automatically lose weight.
Potential Ketosis Mistakes
You may not be experiencing weight loss in the ketogenic diet because your body has not yet entered ketosis.
Here are a few possibilities for why you are not losing weight on the keto diet.
Heightened Carb Intake
To achieve weight loss, you need to restrict your carb intake. According to a study, you must only consume carbohydrates of up to 5% to 10% of your diet. So, for a 2000 kcal diet, it should amount to 20-50 grams per day.
You may have significantly reduced your carb intake, but chances are you still consume enough of it. So much so that your body uses carbohydrates for producing energy. Resultantly, you have not yet moved into ketosis.
Solution: You can purchase a home-testing keto kit. The pack includes strips that can examine the number of ketones in the urine. If it shows positive results, know that your body is in ketosis.
Consuming Too Many Calories
Yes, you are on a keto diet, but that does not mean you can substitute the lack of carbs with calories. If you intend to lose weight, it is necessary to decrease your calorie consumption.
Even if you opt for keto-friendly items like nuts, olive oil, eggs, fish, etc., you cannot overdo it. You must remember that though these foods are low in carbs, they are also high in protein and fat. Therefore, try to eat smaller portions of these.
Solution: Count your daily calorie consumption and try to decrease it by replacing low-calorie items. Additionally, you can include a short workout session to make up for your calorie intake.
A Medical Issue You Are Unaware Of
Are you religiously following the keto diet rules but still cannot see a decrease in weight? Chances are you have an underlying medical concern that is hampering the weight loss process.
Health disorders like polycystic ovary syndrome, depression, and hypothyroidism are a few of the multiple conditions causing weight gain. You must rule out the possibility of any such problems by consulting with your doctor.
Solution: Even if you have any such ailment, you can get it treated through proper medication and a few dietary changes. Within a short period, you will be able to see positive weight loss results.
Can You Really Lose Weight On A Keto Diet?
So, is it possible to lose weight if you follow the keto diet correctly? Researchers have studied the keto diet for years and found some interesting results—most of which favor weight loss.
A 2013 study compares a group following the ketogenic diet with one on a low-fat diet. The results show that the former set of individuals lost almost 2 pounds more than the group following a low-fat diet.
Another research demonstrates how a low-carb diet is better for weight loss than a healthy-eating regimen. Both diabetic and non-diabetic groups of people following the low-carb routine lost 15.2 pounds over 3 months. In contrast, the individuals sticking to a healthy diet only lost 4.6 pounds.
Overall, the ketogenic diet enables your body to convert fat into energy and also suppresses your appetite. Therefore, keto is an effective weight loss strategy, given you follow it thoroughly.
How Long Will It Take To Lose Weight On Keto?
Are you wondering when you can expect to lose weight on the keto diet?
Well, though a small drop in weight may start within a week, it greatly depends on several factors.
Though these aspects may significantly affect your weight loss, the following are the average results that you can expect.
Expected Weight Loss Results After A Week
After the first seven days of your keto diet, you will likely lose anywhere between 2 to 10 pounds.
Yes, it is for real!
However, know that this initial weight loss means you are also losing water. Your body stores carbs as glycogen, and 1 gram of glycogen requires 3 grams of stored water.
Therefore, as you lose the stored carbs, you are also losing the stored water.
Tip: Increase your water intake!
Expected Weight Loss Results After A Month
After 4-5 weeks, your body is almost habitual to the ketogenic regimen. This is the phase where you actively lose weight—about 4 to 10 pounds in a month!
However, you must remember that it is only possible if you are consistent with the diet (without any cheat days).
Expected Weight Loss Results After Three Months
You are already THREE MONTHS into the diet, and this is probably the best phase so far. At this stage, your body could have lost anywhere around 30 pounds of fat.
Still, the result may vary according to your daily eating and workout habits.
Tips To Ensure Successful Weight Loss On the Keto
Despite maximum care, you haven't been following the diet correctly. Well, it is never too late. You can ditch your old habits and adopt these tips to ensure successful weight loss on keto.
Remember, consistency is key, and it very well applies to this regimen!
Avoid These Foods While On Keto
One of the significant keto mistakes is eating carbohydrate-rich foods. Here is a list of items you must reduce or altogether remove from your diet!
Correct Your Nutrition Ratio
While you need to decrease the carb intake, you must also maintain a healthy ratio of other nutrients. Moreover, if you choose processed foods, even if keto-friendly, they can increase your calorie content. Try to keep the following nutrient proportion:
Ensure Minimum Physical Workout
While you are trying to lose weight, incorporating a workout session is an excellent way to boost weight loss. Plus, it helps improve your metabolism rate, which promotes further weight loss.
Maintain A Food Journal
While it may get challenging to keep track of your daily intake, go one step further and maintain a journal. In this way, you can track your diet patterns and spot whether you have been snacking or consuming more calories than required.
Conclusion
Though you may have started a keto regime, it can get significantly challenging to maintain it accurately. Perhaps, you are not aware of the keto mistakes you are making. Resultantly, you are not able to achieve your weight loss goals. Nevertheless, remember that minor modifications are all you need to fix these errors.
This article outlines the potential reasons that answer your question, why am I not losing weight on the keto diet. Plus, you also get some simple yet effective solutions and tips to ensure a successful keto diet.
So, follow a healthy keto regimen and watch your weight drop significantly within months!
FAQ
The prime way to ensure a speedy weight loss on the keto diet is by consuming nutrients in the right proportion. That is a 60-30-10 ratio (or less) of fats, protein, and carbs, respectively. Additionally, stay stress-free, incorporate a workout routine, and do not consume alcohol.
While you may be reducing the intake of carbohydrates, chances are you have increased your snack consumption. Another reason can be that you are overeating keto-friendly foods, i.e., not watching your calorie intake. Remember, excess of low-carb food can be fattening.
On average, an individual following a keto diet can see a drop in weight within 3-4 days. However, it can significantly vary in people due to factors like height, weight, age, metabolism rate, physical activity, etc. Remember, you will start losing weight once your body enters the process of ketosis.
