Keto is hot right now.
Why?
Because it works. If you follow a strict Keto diet, you will lose a substantial amount of weight.
The other truth is that Keto can be difficult. There are a lot of mistakes that people make that can throw you out of Ketosis and derail your weight loss.
Here are our top 7 most common Keto Mistakes that people make.
#1 - Not Getting Enough Fat
Many people are surprised to hear that Keto is not just a low carb diet. It is a low carb, high fat diet. To be in a Ketosis (fat burning) state, you need to eliminate carbs, but you also need to have enough fat so that your body can produce Ketones.
The Ketones your body produces will “eat” your stored fat and help you lose weight at a rapid pace.
If you want to be in Ketosis, 70% - 80% of your diet needs to come from fat. Anything less than this will lead to inconsistent results.
#2 - Eating too Many Carbs
When we eat carbs, our bodies turn those carbs into glucose (sugar) for fuel. That sugar is initially in our bloodstream and our bodies recognizes that it does not want high concentrations of sugar in our blood, so our bodies release insulin to shuttle the sugar out of our blood and it stores that sugar in our tissue. This stored glucose is what we think of as fat.
The short-term impact of eating too many carbs and having it stored as fat is that we gain weight. Over the course of time this can lead to obesity and dozens of other health related issues.
The longer-term impact of eating too many carbs is that the cycle of eating too many carbs / insulin release / fat storage eventually wears out our bodies ability to remove the sugar from our blood stream. When our blood sugar levels rise and stay risen because our bodies are overwhelmed this is known as Type II Diabetes.
One of the most effect ways to lose weight is to eliminate the sugar in our blood. This will eliminate the need for our bodies to release insulin. Therefore, there will be no need for our bodies to store the glucose as fat, because there won’t be an overabundance of glucose in our blood.
A strict Keto diet calls for no more that 5% of our daily calories coming from carbs. We suggest that 5% only comes from leafy green vegetables as well. While you are trying to lose weight, we suggest that high sugar veggies like corn be eliminated from your diet. We also suggest that you limit your fruit consumption to only fresh berries until you reach your goal weight.
Keeping your carb consumption to 5% or less is essential to staying in Ketosis.
#3 - Eating too Much Protein
This one surprises people a bit. When we reduce our carbs, for a lot of us, our natural inclination is to make those calories up with protein.
The problem is that, in the absence of carbs, our bodies can convert protein into glucose and we are right back where we started from.
Let’s get one thing straight. Protein is essential for every major function in our body. The amino acids in protein are literally the building blocks your body needs.
That said, protein should make up no more than 20% of your daily calories. This will give you body the amino acid building blocks it needs and still keep you in Ketosis.
#4 -Not Knowing Your Ratios
When someone asks us if they need to “track their macros” we always answer “yes” and “no”.
When you first start on the Keto diet, it is essential that you track your macros. It is really important that you keep your macros inline (Fat – 75%, Carbs 5%, Protein 20%).
When you first start out on Keto, you will have no idea where your macros are falling if you aren’t tracking them. If you aren’t getting the results you want, you will have no idea on what adjustments to make.
As you go along on Keto, it may not be as critical to track your macros. After tracking your macros for some time, you will have a “feel” for how your macros are lining up.
#5 -Not Having an Eating Plan
Following a Keto diet is not like following the Standard American Diet (SAD).
On the SAD diet, there are carbs and prepared foods everywhere. It is easy.
Keto, on the other hand, is not quite as easy.
Keto foods, while becoming more available, are not everywhere yet.
That means you need to be prepared. You need to do some advance preparation, either through shopping or cooking to be ready.
Here is a quick story to illustrate this point.
When we first began the Keto diet, we were working in the yard one Sunday afternoon. Time got away from us and all of a sudden it was getting close to dinner time and we were unprepared. Frank was frustrated and feeling “Hangry” and almost walked away from Keto.
The point is, Keto takes a little planning and preparation.
#6 -Not Getting Enough Sleep
Not getting enough sleep can actually through your body out of Ketosis.
Here is what ruledme.com had to say about this…
“In an effort to increase energy levels in the face of having less sugar, the body triggers the release of stress hormones like cortisol. The cortisol and other stress hormones will then increase insulin resistance and stimulate gluconeogenesis to help increase blood sugar levels.”
In other words, when you aren’t getting enough sleep, in an effort to provide you energy, your body will release cortisol. Cortisol will look to convert the carbs and protein in your diet to glucose and spike your blood sugar levels.
Here are 4 easy tips to getting a better night’s sleep…
- Try to maintain a regular sleeping schedule (Going to bed about the same time and waking up about the same time) whenever possible.
- Eliminate distractions like cell phones from your sleeping space.
- Keep your room dark and cool.
- Try and get 8 hours sleep whenever possible.
#7 - Not Being Patient
Keto is not a quick fix diet. People see others having great success and they think it happens overnight.
Every single person is different in how they respond to Keto.
Let’s use Frank and Cat as an example.
When we began Keto, Frank took off like a shot. He had high energy levels and lost 7 pounds in his first week.
Catherine came down with the “Keto flu” and lost only a few pounds in the first month.
Once Catherine’s body adapted to the diet, the weight began to come off and she made great progress.
The point is, be patient. Everyone will react differently to Keto, but the diet works.
You will lose weight if you continue to follow the guidelines we lay out in our “21 Day Keto Reset” Diet eBook.
Frank and Cat Vandy are recognized leaders and influencers in the Keto community. Combined they have lost nearly 50 pounds and introduced hundreds of others to the Ketogenic lifestyle. To contact Frank and Cat visit our About Us.