5 reasons you're not losing weight on the ketogenic diet

Published July 20, 2020·Mattia D.

The ketogenic diet is extremely effective in weight loss. Not only is it effective, but it usually allows for rapid weight loss when done in the right ways.

There are times, however, in the weight loss process, in which the results do not seem to arrive or at least are slowed down.

This stage, also referred to as "plateau", can be very frustrating especially when you think you are doing everything right. However, some variables that could slow down weight loss, or even stop it completely, are often not taken into consideration, such as the consumption of hidden carbohydrates, or snacking between meals and stress can be factors that cause the plateau phase.

In the following points we will see the most frequent causes of the plateau phase and how to get back to having the desired results.

1. Too many carbs or hidden carbs

We know well how carbohydrates are the main cause of the increase in insulin, the hormone that causes the accumulation of fat and the consequent weight gain (for more info read the article What is the ketogenic diet).

It is therefore important to keep the amount of carbohydrates in the diet at bay and above all to inquire about the types of hidden carbohydrates that are often taken without being aware of how many carbohydrates they actually are.

Some products that may contain more carbohydrates than you might imagine are:

Milk and/or yogurt: the lactose present in milk is a type of sugar, so it is best to avoid these 2 foods if possible. Aged cheese, on the other hand, does not contain many sugars due to fermentation.
Beans: Beans, and legumes in general, have several hidden carbohydrates. In fact, out of 50g of beans over 30g are carbohydrates.
Various sauces (from supermarket): Almost all sauces, such as ketchup or mayonnaise, bought at supermarkets have added sugars. If you do not have the opportunity to prepare them at home, it is always advisable to read the nutritional information before buying them.
Tomatoes: tomatoes are vegetables with slightly higher percentages of carbohydrates than normal (technically they are fruits ...). A tomato a day shouldn't cause any problems, but it's still worth taking into consideration.
Carrots: Like tomatoes, carrots also have a higher percentage of carbohydrates than other vegetables. But one carrot a day shouldn't cause any problems.

Another tip is to avoid as much as possible the purchase of too many processed products and going out to dinner in restaurants, as carbohydrates are often added to "low-carb" recipes to make them flavor.

2. Too much protein

Much of the fat in the ketogenic diet comes from proteins, such as meats or fatty fish such as salmon. The fact that protein can also be an excellent source of fat could lead to too much protein in the diet.

The ketogenic diet includes a moderate amount of protein, about 20% of total calories, this is because too much protein has a higher insulin impact than fat.

The recommended daily amount of protein is around 100g. This for a standard 2000 calorie ketogenic diet equals 20% of total calories.

3. Snacks between meals

Consuming any type of food with calories stimulates insulin. Obviously carbohydrates stimulate it to a greater extent, but fats are also no exception, albeit in smaller quantities.

So snacking between meals, even "keto-friendly", has an insulin impact that could be causing your plateau.

The best advice in this case is to stick more rigidly to intermittent fasting, starting with a simple 16-hour fast, then with lunch and dinner skipping breakfast, up to a single daily meal.

For more information on intermittent fasting, read this article: What is intermittent fasting and why it is important in the ketogenic diet.

4. Stress

Stress is one of the number one enemies of diets and most people don't even realize it.

In fact stress stimulates a hormone called cortisol which converts muscles into sugars which then increase insulin levels.

So it's important to keep your stress levels in check, which also includes maintaining adequate sleep.

In addition, stress often causes what is called "nervous hunger" which is certainly not beneficial to the diet.

Bonus!

If you are having difficulty managing stress, this guide may definitely be for you: 8 minute meditation.

5. Too much fat

This point is probably the most surprising because the ketogenic diet requires 75% of calories to come from fat

So why could too much fat be a problem?

First of all, it is necessary to specify what allows weight loss in the ketogenic diet. As the name implies, the ketogenic diet allows you to generate energy from ketones, instead of sugars, and this state is called ketosis.

The state of ketosis is triggered by the metabolization of fats when carbohydrates are minimized (being that carbohydrates have priority).

However, it should also be noted that the state of ketosis can occur both with the metabolization of fats in the body (with the subsequent weight loss), but also from the consumption of fats in the diet.

This means that a diet that is too high in fat, although contributing to the state of ketosis, does not allow the burning of fats present in our body.

Conclusion

Several factors can cause weight loss to stop on the ketogenic diet. The most important to take into account are carbohydrates which are often hidden in apparently low carbohydrate foods and products.

It is also important not to overdo the amounts of protein and fat because they too can stimulate insulin and thus slow down weight loss.

Snacks between meals and stress are also factors that are often overlooked, but which can totally lead you astray and cause a plateau state.

Riferimenti

15 Reasons Why You Are Not Losing on a Low Carb Keto Plan by Dr. Eric Berg - www.youtube.com

Not Losing on Keto: See 9 Reasons Why by Dr. Eric Berg - www.youtube.com