You might have come across several headlines when you are struggling to lose weight, how I lost weight on the keto diet! I tried keto for two months, and here is what happened! First, I almost lost hope while losing weight- and then I found keto!
It is possible to lose weight with the keto dietrapidly. But what happens if you start losing too much weight on the low carb diet.
The Keto diet uses the body’s natural burning system to help lose significant weight. The amount of weight you lose also depends on how long you stick to the diet, your goals, and whether you experience any side effects or not. This diet cuts down your carbohydrate intake to 50 grams a day or less, which helps your body to achieve a state of ketosis.
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What is Ketosis?
Ketones build up in your bloodstream when you eat a low or no-carbohydrate diet. This state is known as ketosis. The low carb levels cause your blood sugar level to decrease, and as a result, the body breaks down the fat and uses it as energy.
A ketosis is a mild form of ketoacidosis, which people with type 1 diabetes usually experience. However, according to clinical reviews, patients on a low carbohydrate diet are more likely to regain some of their lost weight within a year. So, you can say it is challenging to maintain this diet.
How to Know Losing too Much Weight on Keto?
Let’s learn more about what happens to your body if you start losing weight too fast on keto.
Bad Breath
When you reach full ketosis, keto lovers often report lousy breath. The fruity smell of your breath is a side effect of the ketogenic diet, especially if you start losing too much weight abruptly.
Elevated ketone levels are the reason behind this. The main culprit is a ketone known as acetone, mainly found in urine and breath. This foul-smelling breath will affect your social life.
Keto Flu
Going into the state of ketosis and cutting your carbs to the bone can bring a cluster of uncomfortable symptoms, which include fatigue, headaches, muscle ache, nausea, and diarrhea(keto flu). The main reason you are experiencing these side effects is that your body is using fat as the primary energy source instead of carbohydrates.
Initial Weight Loss Can Always Come Back
The quick initial slim-down is an excellent source of attraction for overweight people. When you stop eating carbohydrates, all the extra water releases through urination. This can be why your body looks lean after a few days of starting a keto diet.
The initial loss of pounds is usually the expulsion of excess water from the body. However, with time, you can quickly regain your lost weight if you veer off your diet.
Constipation
Constipation can be a severe problem if you lose weight rapidly through a low-carb diet. However, when your goal is to curb carbohydrates severely, you tend to neglect high-fiber foods like beans, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables. This can eventually cause constipation.
You Might Feel Thirsty
Sudden weight loss through a ketogenic diet can leave you dehydrated. When you are excreting too much water from your body will likely cause a spike in thirst. Ensure you keep yourself hydrated to eliminate severe problems like dehydration or impaired kidney function.
3 Ways to Stop Losing too Much Weight on Keto
It’s tough to lose weight, but it would be unpleasant if you start losing too much weight. Some people struggle to maintain a healthy weight and do not want to become too skinny on keto.
Do not let this happen to you! Make a plan in advance for weight maintenance. This can also help those who want to stop the keto diet but need to maintain it afterward. To manage your healthy body weight, you do not need to keep eating keto in the same pattern.
Your maintenance diet will be slightly different from the weight loss schedule. But, on the other hand, if you start eating what you used to eat. Then, your whole weight loss journey would be trash.
So, to avoid losing too much weight on keto, follow these options.
Keep on With Keto, But Eat Little More
Keto is considered a safe diet if you plan to do it for a long time. However, there is no need to come out of ketosis if you don’t want to or are not facing any complications.
Keto or any other weight loss is all about calorie deficit. So if you are on keto but do not want to lose or lose weight rapidly, the solution is to eat a little more fat and protein. But keep your carbohydrate intake minimal to remain in the state of ketosis.
Ketosis has no magical property; you need to find the perfect amount of food according to age, height, weight, and activity level. The weight you lose is different for everyone, and no specific online calculator can predict it.
The significant advantage of this approach is that there is no risk of extra carbohydrates you are taking, causing more cravings. In addition, when you start eating carbs, the blood glucose increases and returns to normal, causing fewer sugar cravings. In short, it’s a game of willpower.
Switch to Muscle Gain From Fat Loss
If losing too much weight on keto is becoming a problem, then you should change your priority of losing fat. You will add more muscle by maintaining a low body fat percentage.
When you gain muscle mass, it will help you to improve metabolic flexibility, strengthens your bones, and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Furthermore, you need to do some resistance training, including weightlifting, powerlifting, bodyweight conditioning, etc. This will signal your muscles to grow, and the next step is to provide fuel to your muscles. There are two options you can follow:
- Keep carbohydrates low, but add more protein and calories to your diet
- If you are doing workouts, add more carbs
High protein helps gain your muscles. You can gain muscle by 1-2 pounds a week. If you are gaining more than that, then it’s fat.
Experiment With Intermittent Fasting
You can adopt an intermittent fasting strategy if you lose weight fast on keto. In intermittent fasting, you can only eat during a specific window, but you have much freedom with your meals.
The compression of the eating window mostly limits the amount of food you eat. So, you can follow the clock instead of restricting the portions you eat. Intermittent fasting may include the following:
- 1-2 days of total fasting but regularly eating 5-6 days a week
- The eating window should be within 6-10 hours daily but not at any other time of the day
FAQs
Can you lose too much weight on keto?
The Keto diet puts you in the state of ketosis. Therefore, you will start seeing a difference in your weight in a few days after starting the ketogenic diet.
If you start losing too much weight, it may be due to you not following the diet properly or you suffer from any underlying health issue. Make sure to consult your doctor or dietician before you make any changes to your diet.
Can keto make you carb intolerant?
Yes, keto may cause carbohydrate intolerance. If you are resistant to insulin, you cannot digest and use carbohydrates properly. This can also result in high blood sugar.
How much weight will I lose on low carb?
When you cut down carbs from your diet, there is a decrease in insulin production naturally.
As a result, your kidneys start shedding extra water in the first few weeks of the low-carb diet, probably up to 5-10 pounds. But after the first week, weight loss will slow down as it will target your fat. The amount of weight you lose with the keto diet varies from person to person.
Why do my ketones fluctuate too much?
Blood ketone levels vary from person to person. The reason behind this can be a daily variation in carbohydrate or protein intake.
How much weight can you lose in 90 days on keto?
At first, there will be a spike in weight loss. Then, gradually you will start shedding fat. The amount of fat you lose depends on your body weight and height. So, it is different for everyone.
Bottom Line
Suppose you follow all the keto diet guidelines properly and cannot stop losing weight. However, you have reached your target point. It is best to change your routine by eating a bit more fats and protein but fewer carbohydrates.
Moreover, you can focus more on gaining muscle than losing excess fat. If this does not work, you can try intermittent fasting. You should also monitor your ketone levels for accurate assessment every week.
Lastly, if you are losing weight, enjoying the keto diet, and feeling healthier, there is no need to panic.
