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The 10 Most Common Keto Mistakes
February 3, 2020
The Keto Diet isn't as simple as eating a low-carb, high-fat diet. If you have oversimplified the diet and are not seeing the results that you want because of it, this post will help. We are going to look at the top 10 mistakes that people make when they are attempting to lose weight on the Keto diet.
Not eating enough fat
Many people are afraid of eating the amount of fat that they need to on Keto because we have been convinced that doing so will make us fat and unhealthy. Keto relies on your body learning to increase its usage of fat as a fuel source. In order to do this, you must eat enough fat for it to become the most viable source of fuel.
Fat is also important because when you cut out carbs, you are cutting out a major source of calories. Without something to replace the calories, you will feel tired all the time. If you eat too much protein to replace those calories, then your body will burn the glucose created from the protein for fuel instead of fat.
Not eating the right nutrients
It's easy enough to go to the store and grab foods that are low in carbs and high in fat. But this will not result in the type of balanced diet that you need to have in order to remain healthy.
You'll want to be sure to include plenty of nutrient-rich foods, like vegetables, in your diet so that you are getting the nutrition that your body needs to maintain its health.
Not staying properly hydrated
Your hydration needs on Keto are twofold. First, you must drink plenty of water. This is good advice regardless of the diet you are on. Water is a necessary substance for your body to function correctly.
The second part of the equation is electrolytes. The Keto diet can cause you to urinate more often than you normally would. This not only increases the need for you to consume more water, but brings in the additional requirement that you replenish lost sodium and magnesium so that you stay fully hydrated. A good magnesium supplement is Slow-Mag and a good source of sodium is bullion cubes (one full salt bullion cube dissolved in hot water twice daily).
Consuming too much dairy
There are two reasons to avoid eating too much dairy while on Keto. Unless it is cheese or heavy cream all other dairy products have too much milk sugar. This milk sugar can spike your insulin levels and throw you out of ketosis.
The second reason applies only to some people. For some people, dairy can be inflammatory. Eating too many inflammatory foods can negatively impact your goal of losing weight. By the way, this doesn't just apply to dairy. You should avoid any foods that you know to be inflammatory for you.
Consuming too many calories
Similar to the belief by some that a high-fat diet is an excuse to eat a bunch of junk food, some also falsely believe that you can eat as much as you want, as long as you are doing so with healthy fats. Keto is not a miracle worker. It is not going to change the laws of thermodynamics for you. You still must ensure that you are not eating more calories than your body needs. You can find a calculator to estimate the caloric needs for your body here. The ideal for weight loss is to eat 200-500 fewer calories than you need until you get to a weight you are comfortable with, and then eat around the amount your body requires.
Consuming too many artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are a go-to option when people are looking to lose weight. It is easy to replace your soda with a diet soda and think you are getting the best of both worlds. There can be some problems with artificial sweeteners as well, however. Firstly, they may cause inflammation in some people. We've addressed in a previous tip how inflammatory foods should be avoided. Second, they are just as effective as regular sugar at causing your body to develop cravings. Those cravings will make it harder for you to stay on your diet and, therefore, harder for you to stay in ketosis.
Consuming too many snacks
For some snacks, this can be tied into the last tip. If a snack is low in sugar, but filled with artificial sweeteners, then it is obvious that the last tip applies and the snacks should be consumed sparingly. But what about snacks without artificial sweeteners? Is there anything wrong with chomping on sunflower seeds through the day?
Yes. Even though those snacks might not contain artificial sweeteners, they still contain calories. Those calories also potentially come in the form of protein or carbohydrates that you are trying to avoid. Worse, even the most dedicated of calorie counters often ignore the little handfuls of snacks that they eat during the day. These invisible calories can add up fast.
Consuming too many hidden carbs
There are some foods that we consume without even thinking about it. Dressings, condiments, and other food additions tend to be overlooked when we are counting macros. These foods can make it easy for extra carbs to find their way into your diet without you realizing it. Whenever you purchase a food item that you have not eaten while on Keto, be sure to check for the nutritional information. No matter how minor a part of your diet you may think the food is, those carbs can sneak up on you just as fast as the calories in snacks can.
Not getting enough sleep
Carbs can be a great source of energy, but they are a source of energy that you are trying to avoid. Not only does lack of sleep have negative impacts on your health and metabolism, but it can leave you feeling groggy throughout the day. That grogginess often brings with it a carving for those energy-providing carbohydrates. It is important, especially so in the beginning stages of Keto, for you to minimize those temptations as much as you can. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night will help keep your metabolism on track and your carb cravings to a minimum.
Focusing too much on the scale
This last tip applies to anyone who is trying to lose weight, or gain weight, and it applies no matter the diet you are using. Checking the scale multiple times per day, or even every day, can be a real motivation killer. Your weight fluctuates wildly during the day depending on how much you've been eating, how much you've gone to the bathroom, how hydrated you are, and a variety of other factors. When trying to reshape your body, you want to be paying attention to long term trends, not day to day numbers.
A smartphone can come in handy as there are many fitness trackers that will let you see an average of your weight over a period of time. Using these, and giving yourself several weeks to get a good idea of things, will help you to see whether your numbers are actually going in the right direction.
The Keto diet can be a wonderful tool on your weight loss journey, but you must be careful to ensure that you are following the program correctly. It is easy to read a summary of the diet and think that you know all you need to know, but failure to understand the intricacies of the diet will likely result in failure to lose weight.
For even more in-depth information on the Keto diet, including tips and personal stories as well as links to pertinent research and documentation, be sure to check out the Casual Keto Doctor
podcast.
A look back on the week: Work, Concert and Dining Out, Product Review: Alexia Cauliflower Risotto, Questions: Carb Cravings, Why You Get Them & How To Stop Them
On this week's podcast: A look back on the week: Getting back on track: carnivore diet, Product Review: Catalina Crunch Cereal and Questions: Why do I recommend 30 grams or more protein per meal?
In theory, if you follow a well-balanced, varied diet eating the keto way, you should be able to get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs from your food. In reality, with hectic schedules, social and family commitments, and society's fast-paced lifestyles, you may not be able to get everything you need from the food you eat simply due to lack of time to shop and prepare the right foods. We are going to take a look at a comprehensive list of supplements that people who follow the keto lifestyle may find helpful to balance their diet to ensure they are getting all the nutrients their bodies need to stay healthy and strong. We will break down each supplement and discuss what benefits there are to taking them regularly and what they do for the body. Please take note that although we are listing 13 different supplements, not everyone needs all of them. It is not necessary to run out and stock up on a dozen different supplements. You may only need one or two. We suggest you evaluate the list and determine which ones address health concerns you have for yourself and which ones may help with physical issues you are currently experiencing.
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