The ketogenic diet, often referred to as the keto diet, has gained immense popularity as a weight loss strategy. Though it may seem newer to your newsfeed, the ketogenic diet has been around since the 1920s. The keto diet is all about cutting carbs and eating more fat, similar to the Atkins diet from the 1970s. It involves drastically reducing your carbohydrate intake to improve your health and lose weight. Significantly reducing the carbs in your diet forces your body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis can be helpful in losing weight, and it can help you burn fat and feel less hungry. For many people on the keto diet, weight loss comes easily. The keto diet can suppress appetite and make fat loss easier to achieve. However, this isn’t always the case. However, sometimes weight loss on keto isn’t as straightforward as you’d imagine. You can seemingly do everything right and still not lose weight, or, in some cases, even gain weight. This article explores why some individuals experience weight gain on the keto diet, despite its intended purpose, and provides guidance on how to navigate this situation.
What is the Keto Diet?
The keto diet reduces your total carb intake to less than 50 grams a day. This is the equivalent of a cup of white rice. The keto diet excludes carb-rich foods like grains, beans, fruits and starchy vegetables. Typically, the diet consists of:
- 5% of calories from carbohydrates, including low-carb, non-starchy vegetables and small amounts of leafy greens.
- 20% of calories from protein.
- 75% of calories from fats.
Roshini G. Merneedi, RD, a dietitian at Northwestern Medicine, explains that your body's primary energy source is glucose, which comes from the breakdown of carbohydrates. The keto diet limits carbohydrates, forcing your body to burn fat for fuel instead. In this state, your body breaks down fats into molecules called ketones. Ketones serve as an alternative fuel source. When these stores are full, they are converted into fat.
Benefits of the Keto Diet
There is evidence that the keto diet can help specific groups of people. The keto diet helps reduce seizures in children with epilepsy. Endurance athletes and body builders also use it to scrap fat in short timeframes. The keto diet is being studied for reducing symptoms for patients with progressive neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease. People also report feeling less hungry than on other types of restricted diets.
Why Weight Gain Occurs on Keto
Unfortunately, our bodies are designed to store any excess calories we eat so we can have enough energy to withstand a famine. This was useful in the past when we had to hunt and gather our food, but it works against us in today’s world. That’s why it’s not surprising you might be gaining weight, even while on a keto diet.
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1. Overconsumption of Calories
To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you expend. You can still eat too many calories on a keto diet. One of the biggest culprits of weight gain on keto is not tracking your food intake. It’s important to track everything you eat to be sure you’re not overdoing it in any area. You also want to ensure you’re keeping your macros in check.
2. Excessive Carbohydrate Intake
Sometimes, you may feel like you have drastically reduced your carb intake. However, you might still be eating too many carbs to prevent your body from burning fat. One of the main reasons people don’t lose weight on the ketogenic diet is that they’re consuming too many carbs. To reach the state of ketosis - a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose - carbohydrate intake must be drastically reduced. In fact, only around 5% to 10% of your total calories should come from carbs. This is in stark contrast to the standard dietary recommendation that 45-65% of calories come from carbs.
3. Too Much Protein
Eating too much protein can actually kick your body out of ketosis. Instead, you should only eat a moderate amount of protein, or about 20% of your daily intake.
4. Overconsumption of Keto-Friendly Foods
Even keto-friendly foods can add up to too many carbs per day if you’re not careful. Fats are the most calorically dense macronutrient. Many people think of a keto diet as a free-for-all when it comes to fat, but this isn’t the case. Sudden weight gain on keto is often due to an overconsumption of fats like coconut oil, butter, olive oil, and other types of oils and fats. While these ingredients are perfectly acceptable on the keto diet, too much can lead to sudden weight gain.
5. Snacking Too Much
Snacking on healthy food can help prevent hunger between meals. However, too much snacking can cause you to intake too many calories, causing weight gain.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
6. Alcohol Consumption
Drinking alcohol can slow down the weight loss process and can even contribute to weight gain if you overdo it. Many alcoholic drinks, such as wine or beer, are high in carbohydrates. Hard alcohols, such as gin and vodka, contain less sugars, meaning they are lower in carbohydrates. However, alcoholic drinks contain many calories. As such, even these options can prevent weight loss.
7. Lack of Exercise
Regular exercise can help reduce stress levels, boost appetite control, and speed up weight loss. Exercise is an important part of staying healthy. Exercise also stimulates the body’s metabolism and burns calories. Exercise may be especially important on a keto diet, as the high fat foods a person eats contain many calories. Burning calories through exercise can help a person reach their desired weight.
8. Underlying Health Conditions and Medications
Certain health conditions make weight loss extremely difficult. Hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and many other conditions can stall weight loss. Certain medications, particularly antidepressants, can cause you to gain weight. A high-stress lifestyle can also stop a person from losing weight on the keto diet. As one 2022 article notes, psychological stress can cause changes in hormone levels, such as cortisol, which can lead to weight gain or difficulty losing weight. Chronic stress may also cause people to crave comfort foods, which can add extra calories to the diet.
How to Get Back on Track
Don’t feel frustrated if you’re gaining weight on a keto diet. Diets can be complicated, so additional questions may arise while researching the keto diet and process. While it’s not always the case, it is common for people to gain some weight on keto at first. You can weigh yourself every day on keto, but it’s not always a good idea. That’s because losing weight with the keto diet requires consistent change over time. Plus, your weight can naturally fluctuate by a few pounds, even within the same day, so an everyday weight check may not accurately portray your progress.
1. Track Your Food Intake
Keeping a food journal: By keeping track of what they consume throughout the day, a person can often identify any foods or eating patterns - such as snacking - that may be preventing weight loss.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
2. Monitor Ketone Levels
Home testing can be a helpful way for people to ensure that they are entering ketosis. A person not losing weight on the keto diet may benefit from purchasing a home testing kit. These kits contain test strips that check for ketones in the urine. A positive result indicates that the body is in ketosis. Another option is to use a small machine called a ketone breath analyzer that detects ketones in the breath. People can use this information to make dietary changes to help them achieve their weight loss goals.
3. Adjust Macronutrient Ratios
On the keto diet, several types of carbohydrates are acceptable, including nuts and dairy. These foods are typically high fat, nutrient-dense foods that make a great addition to a keto diet. However, they also contain carbohydrates. Eating too many of these foods will keep a person from achieving and maintaining ketosis.
4. Manage Stress
A high-stress lifestyle can also stop a person from losing weight on the keto diet. As one 2022 article notes, psychological stress can cause changes in hormone levels, such as cortisol, which can lead to weight gain or difficulty losing weight. Chronic stress may also cause people to crave comfort foods, which can add extra calories to the diet.
5. Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water: Drinking plenty of water helps fill the stomach, and this may help keep a person from overeating or snacking too much throughout the day.
6. Prioritize Sleep
Getting plenty of sleep: Sleep helps regulate the body’s normal cycles, and it may also help reduce stress levels.
7. Consult a Healthcare Professional
A person should contact a doctor if they are unable to lose weight despite adhering to a strict diet and exercise plan. The doctor may carry out tests to determine what is preventing weight loss. Treating the underlying condition may resolve the issue.
Keto Meal Plan for Weight Gain
A keto meal plan for gaining weight focuses on high-calorie, nutrient-dense foods within the ketogenic framework. It includes meals rich in healthy fats, moderate protein, and minimal carbs to increase caloric intake. This plan is tailored for those who want to gain weight or muscle mass on a keto diet. It’s about strategic eating to add pounds healthfully.
Foods to Eat
- Fatty Fish: Salmon, mackerel, and sardines for omega-3 fatty acids.
- Avocados: Rich in healthy fats and calories for weight gain.
- Low-Carb Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, and zucchini.
- Lean Proteins: Chicken thighs, turkey, eggs, and fatty cuts of beef.
- Full-Fat Dairy: Greek yogurt, cheese, and butter for added fats and calories.
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds for nutrient-dense snacks.
- Berries: Limited quantities of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries for antioxidants.
- Healthy Oils: Olive oil and avocado oil for cooking and added calories.
- Fiber-Rich Foods: Chia seeds, flaxseeds, and non-starchy vegetables for digestive health.
Foods to Limit
- High-Carb Foods: Minimize grains, sugar, and starchy vegetables to stay in ketosis.
- Fruit: Keep high-sugar fruits to a minimum to manage carb intake.
- Processed Foods: Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods for weight gain.
- Legumes: Be cautious with beans, lentils, and chickpeas due to carb content.
- High-Sugar Sauces: Opt for savory and low-carb sauces to avoid unnecessary sugar.
- Alcohol: Alcohol can impact appetite, so consume in moderation.
Transitioning Off Keto
Following a keto diet for an extended period is discouraged by most medical professionals. Unfortunately, because keto is such a restrictive diet, many people gain weight once they stop it. In reality, most people who lose weight on any kind of diet regain weight and sometimes gain back more than they lost. So, the first tip Everlywell can give is to prepare for an inevitable post-keto weight gain.
How to Stop the Keto Diet Without Gaining Weight
Whether you’ve stayed physically active on keto or not, make sure to exercise regularly after transitioning off of keto. Incorporating more movement throughout the day keeps the weight off by: Increasing the number of calories your body burns, Lowering glycogen stores in your muscles (this is especially true with high-intensity workouts or continuous moderate workouts), Naturally boosting your metabolic rate (the more muscle mass you have, which you can increase through resistance training, the higher your metabolism even at rest.)
Reintroducing Foods
Next, you get to plan what you’ll add back in. Here are 10 healthy foods to begin eating again on your keto maintenance plan:
- Strawberries
- Carrots
- Black Bean Soup
- Edamame
- Kiwi
- Butternut Squash
- Watermelon
- Lentils
- Oatmeal
- Sweet Potatoes
The Cyclical Keto Diet (CKD)
Consider a cyclical keto diet instead of quitting keto altogetherThe Cyclical Keto Diet (CKD), which involves adhering to keto 5-6 days a week and increasing carbs for the remaining 1-2 days, can be one alternative to stopping keto. This approach can be an excellent option if you want to stick to the keto diet long-term because of its health and weight loss benefits but you currently find it unsustainable. Cyclical keto is also a good choice for those seeking to increase athletic performance and build muscle mass (by taking advantage of insulin’s anabolic effect). Think of CKD as a normal keto diet but with refeed days.