When you are in ketosis, your body efficiently burns fat and uses it for energy. This process makes the ketogenic diet an ideal option for those looking for an easy way to lose weight. However, if you’re following this diet and not losing weight, chances are you’re not in ketosis. Below are some common reasons for not losing weight on the ketogenic diet.
1. Not reaching ketosis
Typically, most keto dieters don’t lose weight because they can’t get into ketosis. And the reason they don’t get into ketosis is because they don’t reduce their carb intake. According to experts, your carbohydrate intake should only be 5-10% of your caloric intake.
Most ketogenic diets require dieters to cut back on at least 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. And that’s why they may not be able to burn fat. You can buy a home test kit and use the test strips to find out if your urine contains ketones. If the test result is positive, you are in ketosis.
2. Eat a lot of protein
Most low-carb diets allow a certain amount of protein. If you think a ketogenic diet refers to a high-protein, low-carb diet, you need to think again. The thing is, this type of diet may not help you get into ketosis since your body can’t break down the excess amount of protein into amino acids and then convert the amino acids into sugar.
When you’re on a ketogenic diet, you get your calories from fat. And fat should be at least 55% of your caloric intake.
3. Eat plenty of acceptable carbohydrates
You can have some types of carbohydrates when you are on the ketogenic diet, such as dairy and nuts. Generally, these foods are high in fat and nutrients. Therefore, they can be an ideal complement to your diet. But the problem is that they have carbohydrates.
Therefore, it is not a good idea to have too many of these foods. Ignoring this advice will prevent you from maintaining ketosis.
4. Eat maltitol
Sugar alcohols are generally fine for ketogenic dieters. They offer sweetness but do not increase the amount of carbohydrates in your body. But it is important to note that some types of alcohol contain carbohydrates.
For example, maltitol is one type that is not allowed on this low-carb diet. Technically, it is low GI sugar, but it does have an impact on blood sugar levels. Therefore, it can prevent you from reaching ketosis.
5. Take in too many calories
If you eat more calories than you burn, you won’t be able to shed those extra pounds. In fact, if you eat a lot of calories, you can gain fat even if you’ve reached ketosis.
Foods that contain a lot of fat have more calories compared to foods that are high in protein and carbohydrates. Therefore, it is important that you monitor the calories you consume on a daily basis. If you follow a balanced diet, you can achieve your goals.
So, here are some of the reasons why you may not be able to lose weight on your ketogenic diet.
