Drew Manning
Co-Founder of Complete Wellness
Founder of Fit2Fat2Fit
A common question I get asked a lot is “ Drew, why am I not losing weight on keto?”.
Now although this is a very simple question the correct answer can get complicated. In this article I'll break it down for you as best I can!
Ketosis Does Not = Weight Loss
So, you’ve been following the Keto diet for a few weeks and check your ketone levels. The results are in and HURRAY you’re in Ketosis!
But for some reason the weight on the scale doesn’t seem to be moving, in fact, it might even be going up. This is because ketosis does not automatically mean you’re going to lose “weight”.
The Keto diet isn’t some magic pill where you’re in ketosis and then all of a sudden all the fat melts off, although, I wish that were the case.
The Law of Thermodynamics
This law still applies here even with the ketogenic diet. It’s also referred to as “calories in versus calories out”.
To lose weight your body must be in a caloric deficit, meaning you are burning MORE calories than you are consuming.
If you’re not losing weight on keto then you’re most likely tracking your calories incorrectly.
Stop Over-Snacking on Keto Treats
While bacon is a keto approved food, eating 3 pieces of bacon versus 10 pieces of bacon will NOT yield the same results for your body.
It’s important to understand that fats are very high in calories, meaning your portion sizes should not be as large as your more traditional meals that contain carbs and protein.
There are also some delicious keto treats that can be made with ingredients such as heavy cream, butter, mct’s, peanut butter, and so on that can become easily addictive (because they satisfy your sweet tooth while allowing you to stay in ketosis).
However, 1 small keto treat can reach up to 200+ calories! Imagine having 5 small keto treats a day on top of your regular meals. You will definitely be exceeding your daily recommended caloric intake, making it impossible to lose weight.
Keep Your Goal In Mind: “Fat Loss”
Remember, the goal of the ketogenic diet is to specifically lose FAT and not overall weight.
- Weight loss = both fat and muscle loss
- Fat loss = fat loss
So, if you’re only using your weight as the end all be all measurement of success, you might be incorrectly documenting your progress.
I recommend getting your body fat tested so you know what your body composition is. Once you get a baseline for what your lean body mass is compared to your fat mass then you can start focusing on reducing that fat mass while maintaining or even increasing your lean mass.
One week you might lose 1 pound of fat but gain 1 pound of muscle. The scale notices no difference, however, your body is changing in the right direction!
Follow These Steps To Burning Fat On Keto
- Step 1: Focus on limiting your carbs to 30 grams or less.
- Step 2: Focus on hitting your protein goal for the day
- Step 3: From there, focus on eating fat until you’re full (without overdoing it)
The goal of ketosis is to limit glucose to a smaller number, like 30 grams or less. Eating more fat will not put you into ketosis!
So, stop over-consuming fats just because they’re keto and reduce those keto-treats!
You got this!
