Looking to beat a keto stall, and don’t know where to start? Discover: What’s a stall and 10 Proven Secrets to Beat Any Keto Weight Stall.
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Restricting your carb intake significantly is one of the best ways to lose weight naturally. The keto diet is one of the diet plans that involve low carb intake.
You need to eat very little carbs, moderate protein, and high amounts of fats.
While eating like this is naturally effective, a lot of people usually hit a plateau phase. Their keto weight loss journey comes to stall and they can’t seem to get past that.
However, it’s possible to move past this “barrier”. In this article, we discuss keto stalls, why they happen, and how to beat them.
Table of Contents
What is a Keto Stall?
This is simply a weight loss plateau while using the keto diet. You are no longer able to lose weight as you did previously.
Why Do Keto Stalls Happen? – Top 13
Hitting the plateau phase is one of the common things that keto dieters face. Yet why do keto stalls happen frequently?
There are several factors that may lead to this. However, the main ones are usually related to your diet as well as mental wellbeing.
Are you interested in knowing some of these factors? Here is an overview of some of the most common factors that can lead to a keto weight stall.
1. Consuming too many carbs
If you are on the keto diet, you definitely know that you are supposed to significantly reduce your carb intake.
However, you can only attain the restriction limit if you are serious about your intake. You have to put a carb threshold to follow.
This way, you will be able to manage your carb intake. Consequentially, it will be easy to regulate your blood sugar and insulin levels.
But you can never be too careful when monitoring your carb intake. There are certain ways that excess carbs may end up creeping into your diet.
Some of the reasons why you might end up over-consuming carbs include:
Snacks
Taking a few bites here and there can lead to excess consumption of carbs. In some instances, when you take these snacks, you will definitely not count the carbs.
It could be a sweet treat just before you eat dinner. Or some drink to simply minimize your hunger pangs.
Such occurrences are usually big contributing factors that are often ignored.
Starch-Rich Side Dishes
Those sugary and starchy-rich desserts and dishes you take contain high amounts of carbs. If you have reached a keto stall, you need to be careful about your sugar and starch intake.
Other causes of carb overconsumption include:
Hidden Carbs
They are mostly found in condiments, especially when you are dining out. To avoid these issues, ensure that you check the product labels.
Besides that, ask for the ingredients used to make the dressings, marinades, and other flavorings.
2. Too Much Protein
Your protein intake while on keto should be moderate. It’s all about knowing what works for you.
However, if you slip or get into the habit of overeating or overestimating your protein portions, you will stall.
Are you tempted to add an extra ounce of cheese? Don’t do it.
It’s known that excess dietary protein can significantly drive down the production of ketones needed to burn fat.
3. Excess Fat Intake
You are supposed to eat more fat when you are going keto. But there’s no need for you to overdo it.
If you end up consuming excess fat consistently, your body will end up stalling. You have to be careful about what type of fat you’re adding to your system.
The goal is to ensure that you consume more fat but within certain safety limits. It could be cream or butter, but it has to be within a certain range.
There are certain fatty foods you have to avoid as well. This is because consuming them in large amounts will stall the weight loss process.
For instance, coconut oil seems to be a good source of fat. However, do you know that consuming a lot of this fat is useless?
Personally, I don’t recommend it to anyone using the keto diet.
This is because coconut oil usually contains MCT. As a result, it’s impossible for the body to store it in the body.
So, whether you consume more or less, you will not be able to meet your fat intake for ketosis. Using it with other food varieties means that the body will first utilize them for energy.
4. Bad Eating Habits
The success of your keto diet mainly comes down to your feeding habits. If they are bad, then you will certainly stall on your weight loss journey.
Do you do emotional eating?
It means that you either eat less or more depending on your emotions. For instance, you may love to binge eat while you are happy.
On the other hand, you probably tend to avoid eating when you are stressed.
It all comes down to how emotions play around your eating patterns.
Rather than letting your emotions guide you, simply understand that it’s important to practice mindful eating.
6. Your macros are unbalanced
This is a mistake that I see often and while going keto, I did the same mistake.
When you are using the keto diet, you have to ensure that your macros are balanced. For instance, your fat intake should be 75%, 20% protein, and 5% carbs.
If you have more than a 20% calorie deficit, then your macros will be unbalanced.
7. You are Eating Less
Maybe you have been told that you are overweight? And the reason you are using the keto diet is to lose weight.
However, if you are not eating enough, then your weight loss will come to a stall.
Understand that eating less doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss. You need to eat an adequate amount of food in order to lose weight gradually.
8. You Love to Count Calories!
While understanding your calorie intake is crucial, don’t let this drive you crazy!
How long are you going to count the number of calories in your food? What if you are eating out, how will you count the calories?
To avoid a keto weight loss stall, I usually advise dieters to let their hunger guide them.
This is because we have different types of metabolism and, therefore, what might be enough for you might not be ideal for the next person.
Regulate the number of carbs, protein, and fat you consume depending on your hunger pangs. This means that you can increase and decrease based on how hungry you are.
Generally, this will enhance your self-awareness as you focus on healthy and mindful eating.
9. You are eating the same type of foods
Versatility in food variety is very important if you want to move past your keto weight loss stall.
Eating the same type of food means that you will easily get bored. The resulting effect? Is that you will end up eating more or less because of the food rut.
10. Keto Stall Food sensitivities
They play a huge role in determining how you eat. If you are eating keto-friendly foods, you will definitely be trying to heal your digestive system.
However, part of this process can spark food sensitivity that you didn’t even know existed.
11. You’re Not Having Enough Electrolytes
You are probably experiencing a keto stall because you are not having enough electrolytes. Your body needs enough salt and electrolytes in order to function effectively.
Understand that your traditional diet definitely has high amounts of salt. If you are eating carbs, especially high amounts of processed carbs, then your salt intake will definitely be high.
However, switching to a healthier alternative means that your intake will be significantly lower. This is because the diet change means that you have to eliminate certain food varieties.
Eating moderate but healthy protein and unprocessed vegetables means that your system will have less fat. Besides, healthy fats will produce fewer electrolytes.
Overall, you will end up taking less sodium than your body is used to.
I understand that taking too much salt is bad for our health. But the same applies if you are taking too little salt.
Sodium and other electrolytes are very crucial for our health. In this case, you will likely hit a stall and end up losing nothing.
Besides that, the lack of adequate electrolytes has its own side effects. You might end up with bloating, excess fatigue, and a headache.
12. You Don’t Have a Carb Re-feed Day
The truth is that carbs play an important role in our wellness. That’s why you are supposed to follow the keto diet for a few days and then have a “cheat” or “reefed” day/s.
If you don’t in-cycle some carbs, then your weight loss journey might come to a stall.
13. Stress and Poor Health
All the systems in your body have to be interconnected if you are to lose weight.
If you are having emotional issues such as stress, you will end up hitting a keto weight loss plateau.
Do you have poor sleep patterns or generally poor health? Well, these are the other reasons that might interfere with your weight loss journey too.
Now, let us talk about who keto stalls happen to the most, and when they happen… Followed by 10 Proven Keto Weigh Stall Buster Secrets…
Who Does a Keto Weight Stall Happen to the Most?
Generally, a keto weight stall is likely to occur to anyone who doesn’t follow the diet requirements.
This is because your body will fail to reach ketosis. As a result, ketones won’t be produced effectively.
When it comes to gender comparison, women are more likely to stall compared to men. Well, this is due to the presence of more estrogen in women.
When Does a Keto Weight Stall Happen?
This usually happens after shedding some weight initially. Then you might notice that there is no change in your weight.
The stall might happen at this time because your body is now used to the state of ketosis. In other words…
It has developed a certain level of tolerance. Additionally, it could be because of inconsistencies in your diet.
The 10 Proven Secrets to Beat Any Keto Weight Stall
To break the keto weight loss stall, you need to improve your feeding habits as well as your general weight loss routine.
1. Evaluate Your Carb Intake
Make it your goal to track the number of total carbs you consume every day. You don’t need to count the calories every day.
However, you need to understand that getting the right portion estimates is important.
Go ahead and read food labels before buying foodstuff. If you are buying a ready-made product, then it would be nice if you check the ingredients list.
Lastly, get to understand the level of your carb tolerance. This will help you to understand and modify your total carb intake.
2. Consider Your Protein Intake
Just like carbs, make sure that you track your intake of protein. The goal is to ensure that you only consume moderate and healthy amounts.
Generally, the protein you consume should come from healthy sources. Additionally, the portion sizes need to be accurate.
Avoid scenarios where you are snacking on protein products. This will lead to an excess of proteins.
However, if you must eat a snack, then go ahead and document it in your daily diet plan.
It’s also important that you tweak and change your protein intake from time to time. This way, your body won’t develop tolerance and hit a weight-loss stall.
3. Watch your Fat intake
Have an overview of how much fat you are consuming by tracking your intake.
How much fat content is in the beverages and foodstuff you consume?
First, there are certain types of fats you need to avoid. For instance, cut off coconut oil from your diet.
Secondly, it’s important to change your intake depending on your needs. This means that you can reduce the amount of fat you consume.
Remember that if you consume too much fat over a long period, your body might need to facilitate more weight loss.
4. De-stress
Stress plays a significant role in slowing your general wellness. To combat this effect in relation to weight loss, it’s crucial to lower your stress levels.
This way, you will be able to avoid hitting the keto weight plateau phase and improve your general wellness.
But we all know de-stressing isn’t easy. You need to be committed and disciplined in order to do this. So, how can you de-stress?
Socialize
Research studies indicate that stress is more likely to hit you more when you are lonely or alone.
Community support which includes a social life is important for lowering stress levels. That’s why those who are in adequate social relationships have a greater rate of survival.
Naturally, we humans are social beings. We need to lean on each other from time to time. So, find people in your community who can support you.
Meditate
While you are socializing, understand that the will to de-stress should also be internal.
When you are stressed, the body is likely to produce certain hormones in excess. Your breathing problems might change including blood sugar and pressure.
Meditation is important in calming your mind and body. It helps to bring everything to normalcy by promoting homeostasis.
Its benefits include:
- Reducing the severity of inflammation
- Reducing high breathing rate and heart palpitations
- Reducing the production of stress hormones
- Increasing the production of feel-good hormones
Use essential oils
They are great for de-stressing thanks to their scent. You can use essential oils in candles for diffusion. Besides that, they are great for steam inhalation or massage.
Generally, essential oils are versatile products that help to lift the general mood of the user.
This is because their scents usually reach the olfactory area of the brain. Well, this is the place the control functions such as:
- Memory and emotions
- Heart rate
- Hormones
- Molar infections
Some of the best essential oil products to use include:
- Lemongrass
- Frankincense
- Bergamot
- Lavender
- Ylang-ylang
- Eucalyptus
Breathing Techniques
This is another effective way to de-stress. Taking deep breaths provides a natural way to relax the mind and the body.
How does this happen? Simply slow down your breathing. Start by inhaling deeply and then exhale even deeper, more than normal.
Breathwork is important because it provides the body with more oxygen. As a result, it allows the mind and the muscles to relax.
This usually leads to a reduction in the levels of cortisol, a type of stress hormone. Besides that, it helps to reduce the heart rate.
Other benefits of breathwork include reducing stress perception and promoting a good mood.
Lastly, when it comes to de-stressing, don’t forget to bond with nature. Get out and spend some hours outdoors.
5. Change Your Sleep Patterns
Sleep is another issue that can lead to a ketogenic weight loss stall. But understand that anyone who has a poor sleep pattern will face wellness difficulties.
The fast-paced life, our electronic devices, and the internet can easily destroy or interrupt your sleep patterns.
As a result, it’s impossible to get enough rest that can lead to optimal body function. Do you know how you can improve your quality and quantity of sleep?
Some of the ways that I find effective include:
Setting a sleep routine
Keeping a regular sleep schedule helps to regulate the body’s internal clock. This is important in ensuring that you go to sleep daily and wake up almost at the same time.
Create a regular sleep schedule that allows you to have at least 8 hours of sleep.
Use Blue-Light Blocking Glasses
Blue lights are technically everywhere. From the laptop devices we use, mobile phones, to TV.
This type of light has a wavelength that’s similar to what sunlight usually produces during the day. So, its effects are the same.
In this case, if you spend too much time behind these devices, then you will end up confusing your body.
Understand that the body usually uses natural light to determine the production of melatonin. (A hormone that regulates sleep)
If the exposure is extreme, there will be less production of melatonin. The resulting effect is insomnia and sleeplessness.
6. Reduce your alcohol intake
This is one of the best ways on how to beat a keto weight stall. Alcohol is bad for your health whether you are on keto or not.
Using it while on keto will lead to no change. You will get to a plateau phase where there is no change in weight.
However, once you have attained your weight loss goals, you can consider some changes.
For instance, you can drink a low-carb type of alcohol. This usually includes the likes of dry wines.
There are also some sugar-free cocktail mixes that are good in reducing weight gain.
7. Eat Real Food
If you are going keto and heavily rely on processed foods, you are bound to reach a weight stall phase sooner or later.
Processed foods aren’t keto-friendly and they never promote weight loss.
While they offer convenience and seem tasty, they never provide the real solution.
Cut off fast food from your diet and take time to prepare real food. Consider varieties that are rich in minerals, vitamins, anti-inflammatories, and antioxidants.
Whole foods including fresh vegetables and fruits are the most ideal.
8. Have a Meal Schedule
If you can have a sleep schedule, why not a meal schedule too? You obviously need to plan ahead.
This way, you will be able to track your food intake, plan, and change your meals ahead of time.
Besides that, you will be able to effectively understand the number of macros you need. The resulting effect?
You will consume a sufficient amount of calories.
Generally, healthy and nutrient-dense foods are usually effective in jumpstarting the weight loss process.
9. Don’t Engage in Excessive Workouts
You may think that a combination of keto and intensive workout sessions will be effective?
Well, more isn’t always good. Engaging in excess workout sessions will only drain your body with no tangible results.
Did you know that you can work out every day and that stubborn belly fat will still not move?
This is because you don’t have a strategy. Besides that, you would only be straining your muscles.
Implement a good workout plan that allows you to comfortably workout and rest.
Rest is important because it allows the joints and muscles to heal. For effectiveness, consider short bursts of high-intensity workouts.
They provide a safe and effective way of burning more calories within a short time.
10. Engage in Intermittent Fasting
You can quickly get out of your keto weight loss stall by engaging in intermittent fasting.
This technique involves the application of certain types of eating periods.
That means that if you eat mid-afternoon, for instance, you won’t eat anything more the whole afternoon.
Most people usually apply the 16:8 fasting method.
This means that they only have an 8-hour eating window and that the fasting period takes the remaining 16 hours.
The Bottom Line
The Keto diet is one of the best diet plans for weight loss and wellness. However, a lot of people usually reach the plateau phase quickly and it becomes impossible for them to lose more weight.
Well, it’s possible to move past these stalling factors. Just make sure that you apply the above-mentioned tips to beat a keto stall.
Other posts you might find interesting:
Are Bananas Keto ? – Top 30 Keto Fruits You Must Know
Baking Powder Keto Secrets You Need To Know
Can You Eat Salami On Keto – The Surprising Answer
Can I Eat Honey On Keto – The Surprising Facts
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