Top 10 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight On Keto

This must be one of the most frustrating things to happen to a person. You see a lot of your other friends going on the keto diet and dropping weight like mad, so you decide you are going to go for it, only to find that you lose 1 pound (or NO pounds) to every 10 pounds your friends lose.

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Calories really do count, even for the keto diet! Eating too many nuts, butters, and even fruits will stall your weight loss progress.

What is going on? Are you doomed to be fat forever? Are the odds stacked against you? Do you feel like a complete loser, but not losing weight?

Don't despair. There are lots of reasons why this happens, and we will help you pinpoint yours. Look at the following 10 mistakes people make on the keto diet that prevents them from losing those extra pounds.

1. Eating Too Much Fruit

We have been trained since we were infants to eat fruit when we are hungry or as a dessert. People will tell you that there is nothing wrong with fruit; that it's natural and healthy and good for you. While all those things are true, the fact is that fruit is not your friend when you want to lose weight.

You might think that you are going to get scurvy if you don't eat any fruit every day, but this isn't true. All you need to do is stop drinking juice, and stop eating 3 or 4 pieces of fruit each day. Limit yourself to a handful of berries or one small piece of a low carb fruit each day and no more! Fruit it loaded with sugar and sugar means carbs!

2. Eating Too Much Dairy

While it’s true that diary is fine on the keto diet, you need to watch which types of diary and how much you are consuming. While dairy is a great source of protein, you can overdo it. A simple latte can have as many as 15 grams of carbs! So, if you are enjoying yogurt for breakfast, a latte in the afternoon, a big glass of milk with dinner, then add the cheese that you used in meals, and you can go WAY over your carb limit for the day.

If you love cheese, try Camembert cheese. A one ounce serving is 7 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, but virtually no carbs. Brie cheese is also a good choice for this diet plan.

Watch your dairy and keep track of the carbs you are consuming daily.

3. Lack of Sleep

Let's not forget that when people are sleep deprived, they tend to eat to stay awake. Not only do we tend to eat more (and eat comfort food), but studies show that sleep is vital to weight loss. Our hormones are replaced while we sleep, important weight loss hormones. So, try to get your 7-9 hours each night.

4. Too Much Caffeine

Your lack of sleep might be due to a caffeine addiction. Caffeine stimulates your liver to release glucose from storage in the body. High levels of glucose will cause insulin to be released, which causes the body to store fat. Try not to drink caffeinated anything after 2PM or try decaf coffee and tea.

5. Eating too Little or Too Much

Don't eat so little that your body believes it is starving and stops losing weight in an attempt at self-preservation! On the other hand, for some people, eating too much, for whatever reason, (because it's time to eat, because it smells good, because you crave X) is not a good thing either.

Calories really do count, even for the keto diet. Most people don’t need to focus on calories, but if you aren’t losing weight, this is the one thing you should really check. Keep count of your calories for just two weeks and you will see exactly how many calories you are consuming. Keto isn’t a low cal diet, but calories still matter.

Cravings or eating simply because it smells good, and it can be a sign of insulin resistance. Keep in mind that calories from fat should be between 70-80 percent of your daily food intake.

Find out your keto macros for weight loss using our keto calculator

6. Too Many “Low Carb” Snacks

The best keto diet comes from real food, not processed "low carb" snacks or food products. Of course, you can eat them as a special treat or as the occasional convenience food, but most of these foods are using artificial sweeteners or other artificial flavors that can lead you to experience cravings later.

7. Too Many Nuts

Everyone loves the taste of nuts and it's great that we can enjoy them on the keto diet, but many people end up eating far too many nuts. These tasty little treats are super enjoyable, but they are very calorie dense and it's easy to go overboard. Limit yourself to a small handful (about 100 grams or 3 ounces) each day and no more! Try replacing nuts with non-starchy veggies, such as zucchini, broccoli, or cauliflower.

8. You Don't Have Much Weight to Lose

The closer you get to your ideal weight, the harder it is to drop unwanted pounds. If you have only 5 to 15 pounds to lose, you will need to lower the number of carbs you are consuming or use intermittent fasting to reach your goal.

9. You are Continually Stressed

Stress is far more dangerous than most people believe. When we experience continual stress, our bodies produce a fat storing hormone called cortisol. Stress is also linked to adrenal problems and thyroid issues, both of which contribute to your metabolic rate. You should find ways to reduce your levels of stress (change commuting hours, distance yourself from certain people) or you can find ways to manage your stress levels (running, yoga, meditation).

10. Eating Too Many Carbs

We put this as #10, but it is probably the #1 reason people don't lose weight on the keto diet. If you are not experienced in counting carbs, you should spend at least 30 days doing exactly that. Yes, it can be tedious, but you will get the hang of figuring out portions and learn just how much you can eat quickly.