There is much evidence that low carb diets can help you lose weight.
However, like with any diet, people often stop losing weight before reaching their target weight.
This article examines 15 common explanations why you may not be losing weight — or may not feel like you are — on a low carb diet.
1. You’re losing fat, you don’t realize it
Losing weight isn’t a straight line. There will be days when the scale rises and days when it falls. This does not imply that the diet is ineffective in general.
Many individuals lose a lot of weight on a low carb diet in the first week, but this is primarily water weight. After this early period, weight reduction will decelerate dramatically.
Losing fat is not the same as losing weight.
It’s conceivable that you’re increasing muscle weight while losing fat, especially if you’re new to lifting or growing muscle.
Try utilizing metrics other than scales to check if you’re shedding fat. Measure your waist circumference with a measuring tape. You can also ask your doctor to measure your body fat percentage every month.
You were snapping photographs to track your weight reduction and see how your clothes fit. These are also signs of weight reduction.
2. You’re not cutting back enough
Some people are more carb sensitive than others.
If you’re on a low carb diet and your weight stagnates, you may lower your carb intake even further.
A healthy, low carb diet may be achieved by consuming enough protein, healthy fats, and low carb veggies.
Use a free online nutrition tracker to ensure your diet is low in carbohydrates.
Dietary restrictions can have negative health consequences. Before making significant dietary changes, always consult with a dietician or your healthcare professional.
3. You’re feeling stressed
It is not always enough to eat well and exercise. Taking care of your mental health is a vital part of losing weight healthily.
Stress maintains the body in a “fight or flight” mode and raises the quantity of stress chemicals in the blood, such as cortisol.
Increased cortisol levels might enhance appetite and desire for unhealthy meals (1).
Try meditation, deep breathing exercises, journaling, and other stress-reduction techniques.
4. You’re not eating nutritious food
A low carb diet entails more than just consuming less carbs. People who want to lose weight healthily must replace those carbohydrates with complete, nutritious meals.
All processed low carb goods should be avoided. Whole foods provide significantly more health advantages.
You can lose weight by replacing certain carbs with lean meats, fish, eggs, veggies, and healthy fats.
Eating goodies occasionally is OK, but eating treats every day — even if they contain healthy components, such as paleo cookies — might hinder or prevent weight reduction.
Healthy fats are an essential component of a balanced diet. Avocado and walnuts provide a lot of healthy fats.
Trying to decrease carbohydrates and fat simultaneously might leave you feeling ravenous.
A protein-only diet might be detrimental to your health.
A low carbohydrate, high fat, and moderate protein diet can induce ketosis, a condition in which your body burns fat for energy.
5. You’re eating too many nuts
Although nuts are whole foods, they are also heavy in fat. Almonds, for example, contain around 50% fat (2).
Nuts contain a lot of energy. You can eat a lot without getting full.
It’s straightforward to consume too many nuts. You may eat a bag of nuts and not feel satiated, even if the bag has more calories than a regular dinner.
Snacking on nuts or nut butter daily might result in an increase in total calories that is greater than planned, inhibiting losing weight.
6. You’re not sleeping enough
Sleep is crucial to one’s overall health. Sleep deprivation has been connected to weight growth and obesity in studies (3, 4).
Sleep deprivation might make you feel hungry (5).
It can also make you weary and less eager to exercise or consume nutritious foods.
Sleep disturbances are relatively common and frequently curable. If you suspect you have a sleeping condition, consult with your doctor.
Some sleep-improvement strategies include:
- Avoid caffeine after 2 p.m.
- sleep in complete darkness
- avoid alcohol and physical exercise a few hours before sleep
- do something relaxing before bed to help you sleep, like reading
- try to go to bed at a similar time each night
7. You’re overeating dairy
Dairy is a low carbohydrate item that might be problematic for certain people.
Protein is commonly found in dairy products. Protein, like carbohydrates, may elevate insulin levels, causing your body to reserve energy.
Dairy protein’s amino acid makeup makes it excellent for boosting insulin. Dairy proteins can raise insulin levels as much as white bread (6, 7).
Even if you believe your body tolerates dairy well, consuming dairy frequently might have a detrimental impact on your metabolism. This might prevent you from reaping the full advantages of a low carbohydrate diet.
You may benefit from eliminating milk and reducing your consumption of cheese, yogurt, and cream. Low protein and low lactose butter does not usually cause an insulin increase.
8. You’re not exercising effectively
Physical and mental health both benefit from exercise.
Exercise can assist you in losing weight by:
- enhancing metabolic health
- boosting your muscle mass
- enhancing your mood
It is essential to engage in the proper type of exercise.
A combination of cardio and muscle growth can be beneficial:
- Weightlifting. Lifting weights can enhance hormone levels and muscle mass, which may help you lose fat and keep it off in the long run, provided you stick to your workout routine.
- Interval training. High intensity interval training is an excellent kind of cardio that increases your metabolism and levels of human growth hormone (HGH).
- Low intensity. Being physically active daily and engaging in low-intensity exercise, such as walking, can significantly affect.
9. You’re eating too many ‘healthy’ sugars
When following a low carb or ketogenic diet, sugars touted as “healthier” alternatives — such as coconut sugar or raw cane sugar — are not always beneficial to your health.
Sugar is heavy in carbohydrates and may impede your body from adjusting to a low carb diet.
This also holds for:
- honey
- agave nectar
- other sugars
Low calorie sweeteners are acceptable for most people, but if you’re having difficulties losing weight, you should restrict them. As fillers, several items include digestible carbs.
10. A medical condition may be preventing weight loss
Many hormonal diseases, including hypothyroidism, can induce weight gain or inhibit weight reduction.
Consult your healthcare practitioner if you suspect an underlying medical condition. Explain that you’re having difficulty reducing weight and would like to rule out any medical challenges.
Some drugs might cause weight gain. Check the list of possible side effects to determine whether weight gain is one of them. You can substitute a medicine that does not have this adverse effect.
11. You’re eating widespread meals
Many professionals in the health and fitness industry feel that everyone should consume many little meals throughout the day.
Researchers have exhaustively investigated this and have not established the benefits of frequent, smaller meals (8, 9).
Many dietitians feel that eating fewer meals daily and going for more extended periods without food is natural for humans.
Some people practice intermittent fasting, an eating pattern in which you only eat during a specific time. This might be an 8-hour window every day or sporadic 24-hour fasts.
Some people may benefit from intermittent fasting. This eating pattern, however, is not for everyone because limiting food can cause unpleasant emotions in many people, particularly those with a history of disordered eating.
Before attempting to fast, consult your healthcare physician to ensure your safety.
12. You’re eating too many unhealthy foods
Having “cheat meals” or “cheat days” may suit those who find it more straightforward to stick to a tight diet.
Others may find that these meals accumulate and hinder them from losing weight. Eating unhealthy foods regularly might slow weight loss.
Someone who feels out of control around unhealthy meals may be suffering from a food addiction. Speaking with a healthcare practitioner can help you manage your food connection.
13. You’re eating too many calories
The quantity of calories you consume might impact your weight growth and decrease.
One of the primary reasons low carb and ketogenic diets promote weight reduction is that they suppress hunger and cause you to consume fewer total calories without even trying.
If you’re not losing weight despite following the plan, consider lowering your daily calorie intake.
Online nutrition calculators can assist you in determining which foods have more calories than others.
Some experts propose cutting calories by 500 per day for a weekly weight loss of 1 pound (0.5 kg) (10). This may not be suitable for everyone.
14. You set expectations too high
You may become upset if you do not see results as quickly as you want, but losing weight takes time.
In many circumstances, reducing 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kg) each week is a reasonable target.
Some people lose weight quickly, while others lose weight slowly.
Even if you don’t lose weight immediately, eating a good diet, eating less junk food, and exercising benefit your mental and physical health.
15. You have been cutting carbs for too long
If you consume a calorie deficit for an extended period, your metabolic rate may decline.
If you’ve been dieting for a long time, attempt a 2-month phase when you seek to maintain your present weight while still gaining muscle. This might aid in long-term weight loss.
The bottom line
Everyone’s weight loss journey is unique, and it takes time to lose weight.
When you aren’t losing weight as quickly as you had intended, it might not be very encouraging. However, eating a good diet, avoiding harmful foods, and exercising benefit your emotional and physical health, even if you don’t experience immediate weight loss.
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