This article examines the issue of weight loss stop in keto and solutions for it. If you or those around you are obese or suffer from excess weight, you must have tried the ketogenic diet as an effective weight loss diet.
A ketogenic diet is a low-carb diet that helps you lose weight by increasing your body’s metabolism through fats. In addition, it has recently been welcomed by the general public and even the celebrities of the world.
But one of the important concerns that some obese and overweight people experience is the question, “Why don’t we lose weight on the keto diet?”
In the following, we will examine the causes of weight loss stop in keto diet and we will tell you solutions to get rid of it. So stay with us until the end of the article.
What does weight loss stop mean in Keto?
In order to explain more precisely the issue of weight loss stop in keto diet, first of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the process of losing weight is not always a linear process!
To put it simply, during the diet period, you may not lose weight in some periods, which is common in all diets, including the ketogenic diet.
Of course, plateau happens because your metabolism decreases over time in the process of losing weight and your body burns fewer calories during the day.
In addition, it is necessary to have a more evaluation of your consumption of macronutrients, including protein and carbohydrates, during the keto diet process.
Because consuming too much glucose (sugars) during the keto diet will prevent you from entering the ketosis stage.
Ketosis is a state in which the body uses fats for energy instead of sugars. On the other hand, excessive use of fats in the keto diet has a great impact on the process of weight loss.
So with these interpretations, when your body does not have the optimal metabolic state of the keto diet, i.e. macronutrient consumption, it reacts to this state and your body will face a drop in metabolism.
Why don’t we lose weight on keto diet?
As you know, the motto of the ketogenic diet is to increase metabolism and burn body fat. But there are various reasons why people do not lose weight in ketogenic diet, and not following them will lead to weight loss stop. In the rest of the article, we will mention these items one by one:
Failure of the body to enter the ketosis phase
As we mentioned earlier, ketosis is a state in which the body uses fats as a source of energy instead of glucose.
Typically, if someone on the keto diet is not losing weight or experiencing weight gain, it is because they have not yet entered ketosis.
The most common reason for people not entering the ketosis stage is not reducing carbohydrate consumption.
An authoritative American article in 2019 showed that in ketogenic diet, carbohydrates should make up only 5-10% of a person’s caloric intake.
On the other hand, sometimes a person may feel that they have drastically reduced the amount of carbohydrates, but they are still using a large amount of carbohydrates in their diet and are not aware of it.
Overeating Carbohydrates On ketogenic diet
It is somewhat acceptable to eat several types of carbohydrates, including nuts and dairy. Because these foods usually contain high fat and dense nutrients, which in many cases do not cause a problem for the weight loss process.
But eating too much of these foods also prevents the body from entering the ketosis stage and stops weight loss in the ketogenic diet.
Eating maltitol
Maltitol is a type of sugar alcohol and belongs to the carbohydrate family. This substance is naturally present in some fruits and vegetables, but its use during the ketogenic diet is not suitable and causes weight gain in keto.
This sugar alcohol has a low glycemic index, which affects the blood sugar level and will ultimately prevents body from entering the ketosis stage.
Excessive consumption of proteins
Many ketogenic diets include a moderate amount of proteins in the diet plan. Besides, some people mistakenly think that a low-carb, high-protein diet is the same as a ketogenic diet. But this diet rarely puts the body into ketosis.
Because in this case, the body breaks down the excess proteins into amino acids and turns them into various types of sugars.
Note that if more than 35% of your ketogenic diet is protein, it is unlikely that you will enter the ketosis and fat burning phase.
Not paying attention to the calories consumed
A person who consumes more calories than his body needs will not enter the ketosis phase.
Remember that high-fat foods have more calories than foods that contain carbohydrates and proteins. Therefore, paying attention to the amount of calories consumed and following a balanced diet in the ketogenic diet helps people lose weight quickly.
Not getting enough physical activity
Exercising and being active is one of the most important things along with diet. But this issue is more important in ketogenic diet.
Because the high-fat foods that a person consumes contain high calories, burning them through exercise will increase the body’s metabolism and helps you lose weight faster.
High stress
High levels of stress is one of the most important obstacles to weight loss and even weight loss in ketogenic diet. A 2012 research review by American researchers shows that stress causes changes and even disturbances in the level of hormones, which causes changes in the body’s metabolism.
Suffering from underlying diseases
Sometimes a person may observe all the items correctly during his diet, but still not be able to experience weight loss on keto diet.
In some cases, it may be because he has an underlying medical condition. On the other hand, there is a possibility that the drugs that a person uses to treat his underlying disease have led to an increase in appetite, hormonal changes, lowering of metabolism, and generally messing up the balance of the body.
Some of the diseases that can cause weight gain and changes in the body’s metabolism are:
- hypothyroidism,
- depression,
- high insulin levels,
- Cushing’s syndrome (a rare hormonal disease caused by excessive secretion of the hormone cortisol in the body),
- polycystic ovary syndrome
Note that if a person is still unable to lose weight despite following a ketogenic diet and a regular exercise program, they should see a doctor.
The specialist doctor helps him in the treatment and control of that disease by conducting numerous tests and understanding what exactly is the underlying disease involved in the person’s failure to lose weight.
What are the ways to get rid of weight loss stop on ketogenic diet?
During the keto diet, keep the following tips in mind to avoid common mistakes you might make:
Keeping a food diary
We may forget the food we eat during the day a few hours after eating. Therefore, by keeping track of what you consume throughout the day, you will understand the foods and the type of food you consume and control their amount.
Drink plenty of water.
Drinking water in ketogenic diet is very important! Because it helps a lot to burn fat and increase your body’s metabolism.
On the other hand, by drinking water, a large volume of your stomach will be filled and this will minimize the problem of overeating during the day.
Chewing sugar-free gum
Chewing sugar-free gum that contains erythritol or stevia (a zero-calorie plant sweetener) can reduce your cravings for sugary foods.
In addition, it helps to reduce unnecessary eating between meals.
Pay attention to the carbohydrates you consume
If you come to the conclusion that your weight does not decrease with ketogenic diet, it is better to carefully evaluate the amount of carbohydrates you consume during the day before doing any examination.
In keto diet, even eating a few extra grams of carbohydrates can prevent you from entering the ketosis phase. So it is strongly recommended that you pay attention to this issue.
Changing exercises and physical activity
Being physically active is one of the most important aspects of weight loss process. Exercising helps you burn calories in your body and creates a calorie deficit.
Also, it increases the growth of your muscle mass and prevents muscle loss on the keto diet.
According to the reviews of American experts, you should have at least 150 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise per week.
Adequate sleep
Adequate sleep helpsyour body to regulate the natural cycle and order of hormones in the body. In addition, it lowers your stress and fatigue during the day.
Bottom line
As you read, in this article we answered your question why we don’t lose weight on keto diet and how to prevent weight loss from stopping on the ketogenic diet.
Keto weight loss stop can happen like any other weight loss diet; This means that after a few months to a few weeks of the diet, people still face the same weight number as they did months ago.
Of course, you should know that the process of losing weight is not a continuous process and every person may face a drop in metabolism during the keto diet due to changes in their body.
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