People try many ways to lose weight. Many combine food control with exercise to see the desired results. 

Many people prefer to follow a keto diet because it consists of food that fills you up and reduces hunger-stimulating hormones. However, you might not see results if you don’t do it the right way.

If you are on a keto diet and constantly ask yourself, ‘Why Am I not Losing Weight on Keto?’ read on to find out the answers.

Please note that we are not proponents of weight loss, but write this article because this question is on the top of many peoples’ minds!

What Is A Keto Diet?

A keto diet includes restricting your intake of carbohydrates. The human body breaks down carbohydrates into the sugar glucose, which is converted to energy. When the body does not have enough carbs to do this, then it goes to a state called ketosis.

The ketosis state is very efficient at burning fat to give energy instead of using glucose. Therefore, ketosis helps the weight loss process, which is a popular method of losing weight.

Even after following a keto diet, if you ask yourself, ‘why keto doesn’t work for me?’ you might be doing it all wrong.

Why Am I Not Losing Weight On Keto? 

You need to achieve ketosis to lose weight when on a keto diet. Sometimes, you may not see any results from keto because of several mistakes you make.

Let’s look at what you need to do to follow a keto diet and achieve ketosis correctly.

1 – You’re Eating Too Many Carbs

The main aim of a keto diet is to have a very low carb intake. However, most people find it very difficult to stick to this. 

It’s a lifestyle change for most people to reduce their carb load, but once you develop some new eating habits, it becomes quite easy. And very healthy in the process. Delishio has some great info on carb control, and weight management in general. 

According to a 2019 study, your diet should consist of only 5-10% carbohydrates to achieve ketosis. When you eat more, your body ultimately breaks down the carbs into glucose to produce energy and does not achieve ketosis.

Solution

Here are some steps to follow to ensure you don’t overdo carbs in your diet.

• Eat low-carb veggies, including leafy greens.
• Eat high-fat proteins like eggs.
• Avoid eating processed foods.

2 – You’re Eating Too Much Protein

A keto diet needs to be balanced with a moderate amount of protein because you can get hungry when eating fewer carbs. Eating large amounts of high-protein foods help you feel full.

However, you must not overdo your protein intake. This is because your body breaks down excess proteins into amino acids, converting them to sugar for energy.

Solution

Stick to about 20% proteins in your diet. Be mindful about going 35%. If you find it difficult to stick to this percentage of protein intake, you can make it up with an increased intake of healthy fat like avocados and olive oil.

Of course, no need for perfection either. While we use 20% and 35%, these numbers can seem absolute and perfectionistic. Our intent is to provide a guideline – but please don’t think this is pass-or-fail.

4 – You’re Eating Too Little

Eating less than what is required for your body can negatively affect your weight loss goal. As a result, this situation makes you eat more to fill in for the missed calories and nutrients. It could even lead to weight gain, even if you were on ketosis.

Solution

Calorie count matters more than the quantity of food you eat. Focus on eating foods with low carbs, moderate proteins, and high amounts of healthy fats.

Example foods you can eat include avocados, eggs from pasture-raised chickens, grass-fed meats, and ghee.

4 – You’re Intolerant To Certain Foods You Eat

Food allergens are common among many individuals. If you have a food allergy or are intolerant to certain types of food, you may not see positive results from your keto diet.

Common foods that can cause allergies are dairy products, nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish. In addition, food intolerance can show symptoms including bloating and inflammation.

Solution

Consult a doctor or dietician and identify which foods are causing allergic reactions on you. A blood test can help identify which food you need to eliminate in your diet.

A dietician can suggest alternative foods that you can eat instead.

5 – You’re Not Exercising

Irrespective of what diet you follow, exercising in a fun enjoyable way is a vital part of the journey However, doing little to no exercise will not help.

Solution

If you are not doing any exercise, start incorporating low-cardio exercises like walking and jogging into your daily routine. Later, you can move on to high-cardio exercises like running on the treadmill. The key is to enjoy your movement because happiness is the meaning of life, but also you’ll stick with things you enjoy!

6 – You’re Losing Your Sleep

Getting too little sleep can affect your body negatively. It will lead to overeating as you’ll feel hungry when staying up late.

It will also decrease your activity level because of low energy levels. You tend to burn fewer calories when you’re more sedentary, affecting your journey.

Solution

Ensure that you get at least seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. Getting adequate sleep will help regulate the body’s normal functioning.

7 – You’re Stressed

Studies show that stress triggers cortisol and adrenaline, two hormones that are directly linked to the loss of appetite.

Cortisol remains in the bloodstream for an extended period, causing an increased appetite that leads to eating more.

Solution

Manage your stress levels by doing the following.

• Meditation or yoga.
• Breathing or other forms of relaxation.
• Spending time outdoors with nature by doing activities like gardening, jogging, or walking.

8 – You Have An Underlying Medical Condition

An underlying medical condition may cause you not to lose weight although you’re on a keto diet.

Medical conditions including depression, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, high insulin levels, and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) can contribute to weight gain.

On the other hand, certain medications can also increase appetite, making you gain weight.

Solution

You must consult a doctor to identify any underlying medical condition you may have, such as the above. Once you identify this, you need to start treating it.

9 – You Have Unrealistic Weight Loss Expectations

If you think you can lose a large amount of weight in a day, you have got it all wrong. Having unrealistic weight loss expectations can negatively impact the form of thinking that keto isn’t working for you.

Solution

Carefully curate your weight loss program with the help of a doctor or dietician. He may be able to help you out with new mindsets.

10 – You Snack Constantly

If you are constantly snacking on junk food, processed food, or unhealthy beverages, your hunger cues will be distorted and in the long-run, you’ll eat much more!

Solution

Avoid eating junk food, processed food, and unhealthy beverages. Instead, replace these with snacks like healthy nuts for you, which will fill you up while helping you in your weight-loss journey.

11 – You Drink Alcohol Frequently

Alcohol drinks, including wine and beer, are high in carbs are obviously going to negatively impact your health!

Solution

Try to minimize drinking alcoholic beverages at any cost. Instead, replace these with healthy drinks like fresh lime, soda, mocktails, and berries in iced water.

12 – You Eat Maltitol

Maltitol is a sugar alcohol that is used as an alternative to sugar. It affects blood sugar levels that keeps you from achieving ketosis.

Solution

Try using other natural sweeteners like honey to satisfy your sweet cravings, and avoid using maltitol at any cost. You can also try chewing sugarless gums that help control your sweet cravings.

How To Determine You’re In Ketosis

When you’re in ketosis, your liver produces a substance called ketones that provide energy to your body and brain. Achieving ketosis means you’ve successfully followed a keto diet. Here are some tests to identify you’re in ketosis.

• Urine strips will show the level of ketones that expel your body through urine. This level will be low when you achieve ketosis. It is because your body uses more ketones when in ketosis, resulting in fewer ketone levels in your urine.
• Ketone breath meters will monitor the acetone levels in your mouth. Acetones are water-soluble ketone molecules, and the higher the level, the farther you’ve gone in ketosis.
• Blood meters monitor the ketone level in your blood.

These testing methods can be expensive. If you’re not up to spending that much on finding if you’re in ketosis, there are a few other ways to help determine if you’re in ketosis apart from going through these tests. Here are a few simple ways to find it out.

• You have a strong fruity-smelling “keto” breath.
• You get hungry less often.
• You don’t constantly crave sugar.
• You maintain a healthy weight.
• You feel more energetic.
• You find it easy to concentrate and focus on something.

Keto Success Strategies

Here are some strategies to succeed at keto!

• Drink lots of water to fill up your stomach. It will also keep you from overeating and constant snacking throughout the day.
• Maintain a food journal with details, including eating patterns and snacking. You can look at this journal and identify which food you need to avoid.
• Chew sugarless gums when you’re craving sweets. These sugarless gums contain stevia or erythritol that keeps you from craving sweets. It also helps to stay away from unnecessary snacking between meals.
• Get an adequate amount of sleep daily by establishing a bedtime routine. Sleep helps normalize bodily functions and also assists in reducing stress levels.
• Become physically active by exercising daily. It helps keep stress at bay and also keeps you feeling fit throughout the day.

Following are foods which are great ideas!

• Eggs
• Cheese
• Meats including chicken and turkey
• Fatty fish, including tuna, salmon, and mackerel
• Nuts
• Avocados
• Healthy oils, including avocado oil and olive oil
• Low-carb vegetables, including leafy greens
• Condiments like salt, pepper, spices, and herbs
• Grass-fed butter and heavy cream

An easy way to get your keto fix is to drink keto meal replacement shakes. These shakes are easy to fit into your busy schedule. These shakes are already prepared with the required nutrients of a keto diet, and all you need to do is drink them.

Tips To Avoid Some Mistakes During Weight Loss With Keto

Avoid consuming high-carb foods at any cost when following a keto diet. In addition, eliminate the following food from your diet or reduce their intake. It will ensure that you stay on top of your keto diet.

• Grains and starches
• Sugary foods
• Fruits (except small amounts of berries)
• Root vegetables and tubers like sweet potatoes, carrots, and potatoes
• Beans
• Condiments like sauce and ketchup
• Unhealthy fats like vegetables oil and mayonnaise
• Alcoholic drinks
• Sugar-free products like sweeteners and sugar-free candies

Here are some snacks to have when on a keto diet.

• Nuts
• Olives
• Hard-boiled egg
• Keto-friendly snack bars
• 90% dark chocolate
• Strawberries
• Plain cottage cheese
• Greek yogurt
• Celery with salsa

You can also try out some keto-friendly recipes on food blogs, food-related websites, and cookbooks. 

When eating out, order fish, chicken, or turkey meals and replace high-carb dishes with extra vegetables.

Health Benefits Of A Keto Diet

There are many health benefits of following a keto diet. First, it reduces the risk of developing many ailments, including the following.

• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Parkinson’s disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• PCOS
• Brain injuries

Conclusion

Following a keto diet is not as difficult as it may seem. If you stick to the correct dietary recommendations, you can easily see some weight loss.

More often than not, you’re not losing weight on keto because you are not in ketosis after all. For example, your diet may consist of more carbs and high-calorie foods, or you may be lacking physical activity.

Once you identify where you’re making a mistake, you can quickly rectify it, carry on with your keto diet, and ultimately lose weight.

FAQs

Why Am I Losing Weight Very Slowly On Keto?

You’re losing weight slowly when on keto because you’re consuming too many carbs or high-calorie foods by snacking or overeating.

How Do I Know If Keto Isn’t Working For Me?

A few signs that indicate keto isn’t working for you include not losing weight and constantly feeling exhausted. You may also find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

Experiencing vitamin deficiency and having digestive issues are also symptoms indicating that keto isn’t working for you.

Will Walking Help Me Lose Weight When On Keto?

Doing exercises helps lose weight when you’re on keto. For example, coupling walking with an activity like jogging can help yield better results on your weight-loss journey. Regular brisk walking is proven to burn fat and help maintain a healthy weight.

What Type Of Exercises Are Best For Keto?

Exercises like cycling, jogging, rowing, and yoga are best for losing weight when you’re on keto. However, doing these exercises while on a diet consisting of high-carb and high-calorie foods will not make you lose weight.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve gotten some general strategies and perspectives with this article.

Please know that while keto principles can be wholesome, they can often be rooted in restrictive dieting practices which cause more harm than good.

Read here to learn 6 reasons why diets don’t work.