Keto promises big results in a short amount of time. But what if you are doing keto and you aren’t losing weight, or worse, you’re gaining weight? Here are a few things to check to find your keto roadblocks.
Keto Roadblocks #1: You are not in ketosis
Getting into ketosis can be a struggle and you have to go through the keto flu in order to get there. Once you get there, you really want to stay there. So, how do you stay in ketosis? You keep your carbs down. Unfortunately, everyone has a different tolerance level. Some people can eat up to 50 grams of net carbs a day and stay in ketosis. Others need to keep their carb intake to 15-20 grams a day. If you are gaining weight, you may no longer be in ketosis. How do you know if you are in ketosis?
#2: Your macros are off
People who are keto keep their macros to: 75% fat, 5% carbs, 20% protein. If you are taking in too much protein, too many carbs, or not enough fat, it will throw you off. Remember, your body relies on carbs first for energy. If you give it enough carbs to get you through the day, that’s the energy source it will use. In order to reach ketosis, you need to starve your body of carbs so it switches to using fat as energy. Then, you have to keep it there.
Keto Roadblocks #3: You are eating too many calories
So, this is a controversial one in the keto world. Many articles I have read say that you don’t need to count calories. I started out with strict keto, where I did count calories (find out more about strict keto here), and it worked for me. The theory is that the fat you take in will keep you full and you won’t take in as many calories as you would if you were eating carbs.
But, if you aren’t keeping at least a rough count of the calories you’re taking in, this could be a reason why you aren’t losing weight. You don’t need to cut calories drastically like in the traditional, low-fat diets we all did before keto, but foods high in fat do tend to have more calories and it can impact your weight loss.
Goomba has found a few roadblocks on his weightloss journey.
Keto Roadblocks #4: You need to give it time
So, in your first week of doing keto you only lost 2 pounds and you wonder if it’s worth it. Patience, grasshopper. You may not be in ketosis yet. It typically takes 2-4 days to enter ketosis, but that depends on things like your age, metabolism, and activity level. It may also take longer if you have been eating a high carb diet. We are all different, so it takes some of us longer than others.
The other point here is that 2 pounds a week is a good amount of weight loss. You often lose a little more than that your first week or two, because you are no longer retaining water. But if you average 2 pounds a week in weight loss, that is a normal, healthy amount. Keto products promise you the world, but the fact is that weight loss, even keto weight loss, takes time and effort.
#5: Stomach issues
Keto was a wonderful switch for me, as I hadn’t realized how many stomach issues I had until I didn’t have them anymore. However, if you are eating foods that are new to you on the keto diet, your body may react negatively and you may gain water weight. You may also become constipated. This is a common issue with keto.
To combat that, you need to ensure the carbs you are taking in contain fiber (i.e. green, leafy vegetables). You need to drink lots of water. Also, you may need to cut back a little on the dairy and meat you are taking in. We use the supplement magnesium (ensuring it does not contain carbs as binders) to help as well.
Keto Roadblocks #6: Stress
Stress does funny things to your body. If you are finding you aren’t losing weight, check your stress levels. Are you getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night? Getting some movement or exercise regularly? Are you getting too much screen time? Are you stressed out by events happening at home or at work?
If any of these are an issue, your weight loss may stall. Take a breath, sort out what is stressing you out, and don’t add weight loss to your troubles. This is a lifestyle change, and things are going to go up and down. Don’t panic.
I will admit, I did this blog because I gained weight two weeks in a row. It’s hard to stay motivated and I immediately pictured myself back at my original weight. I needed to research this and write it to realize that it is going to be okay. I am living the keto lifestyle and sometimes my body is going to react differently than other times.
I’m also a middle-aged woman so my hormones are going to fluctuate. Bottom line is that I am up 4 pounds – not 60. I am going to release my stress about this and trust in the keto process.
Wendy
