People strive to achieve a slim and trim silhouette, so they resort to various regimens and programs that they are easily available; however, despite their best efforts, the time comes when the scales come to a standstill and the flat tummy remains a dream. You need to learn how to break through this plateau and start to mobilize the scales once more.

It is easy to know why the weight loss plateau stall happens. Human bodies are clever and extremely adaptable. After every physical workout, the body not only becomes stronger but also turns out to become more skillful in burning calories. 

As the body starts losing weight, it begins to get adjusted by requiring fewer calories than before. until It finds the right balance. Here, everything stops thereby, it halts your ability to lose weight and your promise of a flat belly.

Thankfully, there are several simple ways to nudge the scale to start moving towards the right direction, by boosting your metabolism, you can break through the weight loss plateau.

Here are the simple ways to break through weight loss plateau:

1. Count your carbs

The capacity of your body to store carbs is enormous. Your body can store at least 500 grams, or you can eat more carbs than what your body needs. Excess carbs are stored in the body as glycogen. When you eat more carbohydrates than what your body immediately needs, the stored leftovers that can make you look and feel a little puffy. The best way to shed the excess is to cut down on carbs. Be frugal in eating white breads, pasta, and baked goods.

2. Increase your fiber intake

Every gram of fiber eaten will eliminate about seven calories. Study shows that within a period of half-a-year, even a single gram of fiber provided an additional weight loss of a quarter. So, opt for higher fiber foods within the same food groups. Chose a cupful of black beans that has 2.5 grams of fiber more than chickpeas or opt for barley that provides 6 grams per cup as compared to just 3.5 in brown rice.

3. Less salt and sodium

Do not eat salty food or food with too much sodium. Limit your sodium intake. do not be tempted to munch food using saltshaker or rich in sodium-laden seasonings that are poor in nutrient and to consume only fruits, veggie, more fresh, unprocessed foods.

4. Drink more H2O

Water is the universal drink that plays an essential role in burning calories aas well as helps eliminate any sodium excess or toxins that maybe hanging on it. Plus a recent research discover that people adults who consumed 2 cups of water before meals enjoyed greater weight loss as they are able to shed off 40% more weight over a 12 – week period during a losing calorie plan. It was also discovered that those who drank two glasses before meals consumed 75 to 90 % lesser calories. 

5. Create more body movements throughout the day.

Aside from your usual workout, do some extra activities into your day. Stand up and do your daily chores or iron as you watch TV, or handwashed your dishes. Remember that just by moving around, you are able burning an extra 30 to 40 calories per hour. An additional hour a day that means you’ll burn almost 15,000 additional calories over a year’s time.

6. Be sensitive to your body.

Eat leisurely and in a slower pace. Stop eating when you are full. One research discovered that it is beneficial for women, as well as men, to eat slowly, drank more water and eat four times fewer calories per minute. In every meal. It is better to take smaller bites, set your fork down between meals, chew food well, and enjoy your food. Stop eating when you are feeling full. Do not eat again for another 3 to 5 hours.

7. Why not shift to a ketogenic diet? 

Your type of diet means a lot. A very low carbs and high fat characterized the Ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet is akin to the Atkins and other low-carb diets. It drastically cuts carbohydrate intake and replaces it with fat. The body is placed into a metabolic state called ketogenic. The body develops the ability to burn incredibly and sufficiently fat for energy. Fats are turned into ketones in the liver to supply energy for the brain. 

Recapitulation:

Stalling and flowing of your weight is normal so there is no need to worry about it.  Plateaus are caused by due to water weight changes, stored carbs and uneliminated waste from the body. So there is no need for alarm!

The truth is it’s normal for your weight to ebb and flow, so don’t panic. Rather than getting caught up in the number, try to focus on how you feel. If you’re consistent in your ways, you’ll continue moving towards the right direction. 

Strange things happen on your way to a Ketogenic Diet. Because you have heard of the benefits of the Ketogenic Diet. you are into it to supplement your regimen for a better figure.   

A week or two after you started your program, you are feeling great since you have started to lose weight and progress was amazing. But, like a bomb explosion, you are hit with flu-like symptoms as foggy brain, intense headache, and immense fatigue, you probably have a case of “keto flu”. 

You realized this is one of the biggest causes why dieters dropped out of ketogenic diet since studies showed that 1 out of every 12 dieters gets the keto flu.

What is the keto flu?

Known by various names as carb flu or low carb symptoms, keto flu is like the traditional flu. A few days after starting the ketogenic diet you will experience most of its symptoms. It is neither contagious nor dangerous, but it is certainly an unpleasant ordeal.

The uncomfortable and unpleasant feeling suffered is a natural body reaction as the body undergoes a change from glucose burning to fatty acid burning, also known as ketones. Your body’s fat serves as the secondary backup to your body’s fuel source, as well, as staying behind sugar or carbohydrates (in the form of glucose). After the body transformed to fat, burning, it has officially entered Keto flu. It is often set up within 3 to 5 days during your keto diet and can last up to 2 weeks or even longer, in some rare cases.

Some of the more frequently mentioned symptoms of carb flu include:

• Constipation or diarrhea
• Feeling of dizziness
• Intense cravings for some food
• Migraine-like headaches
• Constant irritability
• Frequent muscle cramp or soreness
• Absence of concentration
• Sleeping problems
• Feeling of weakness

Facts about a typical Standard American Diet (SAD)

SAD diet includes eating a daily carbo intake of at least 250 – 350 g of carbohydrate to include sugar. In your daily ketogenic diet, you decreased your carb intake to under 25 g that requires a substantial adjustment. You might not experience any keto flu symptoms until you start the diet.

If you have maintained a healthy diet that is low in processed starch and relatively low in starch and processed sugars, you might only suffer mild symptoms, or possibly none at all. But if your diet is high in sugar. then you are more prone to experience its unpleasant “withdrawal” symptoms.

Here are some scientific theories to explain the Keto Flu:

1.Keto Flu comes from Fat Adaptation 

The time when you have stopped eating regular carbs means that and this time, your body reached ketosis and is called fat adaptation stage. The body started using fat as energy. With shortage of carbs, your body utilizes the co-called “muscle glycogen”, that served as the body’s glucose storage. Some studies considered the reduction in muscle glycogen as factors bringing about mood swings and lethargy.

2. Keto Flu is due to Electrolyte Deficiency

When glycogen is used by the body as fuel, during the metabolic process, water is used to flush out of the system. However, with the expulsion of water, the electrolytes needed by your body are also expelled. Electrolytes come in the form of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium that are essential for the efficient operations of the body.

With an imbalanced electrolyte, you begin to experience flu-like symptoms by feeling depleted, sick or sluggish.

3. Keto Flu is caused by the reduction of Insulin levels  

This third theory is considered as the most plausible explanation since insulin as a body hormone helps the body absorb glucose from the bloodstream. With less glucose in your system, you don’t need as much insulin to process it (i.e. to lower your blood sugar levels). So when you transformed from high-carb diet to a super low carbs diet, your level of insulin usually drops substantially. It is considered as the best reasons for the benefit of the ketogenic diet. Furthermore, it improves brain function, provides energy to the maximum, serves as blood sugar stabilizer, minimizes seizures, and much more.

When glucose is no longer available as an energy and insulin levels. they are very low, so your liver starts converting fats into ketones. Your cells use these ketones in place of glucose for energy. As soon as your body begins to use ketones as energy. you’ve entered ketosis. But it takes time for your brain and some of your other organs to adjust in using this new fuel source.

Your body has a reaction every time your insulin levels drop, by expelling excess water and sodium that are part of the glycogen or stored carbo in your system. Therefore, you may urinate more often in the first week after starting a keto eating plan. This is the reason why you lose weight in the early period of the diet due to due to lower sodium levels.

Losing sodium and water-weight can really bring out the unwanted keto flu symptoms.

Treatment of keto flu symptoms

The keto flu symptoms are easily treatable. Here are some ways to minimize feelings of discomfort and misery.

1. Drink more water. 

As your body expelled its water storage, you need a replacement by consuming big amount of clean water to replace what you’re losing. If you are well- hydrated, you can relieve both fatigue and muscle cramping. Liquid replacement will go a long way to deal with diarrhea, which can quickly dehydrate you.

2. Restore and replenish electrolytes & micronutrients by consuming an electrolyte supplement daily.

3. To boost and recover your electrolytes and other essential micronutrients, consume food rich in potassium as avocados, nuts and veggies; magnesium in  nuts, dark chocolate, and fish; calcium in cheese, leafy greens, and seafood (like sardines!); chloride is found in most veggies, olives, and seaweed; phosphorus are sourced from meats, cheese, and seeds. Sodium is contained in salt, soup broth, bacon, and sauerkraut. These are ways to replace the carbs removed from your diet. 

4. Consume more food.

Never go hungry. Consume as much amount of keto food allowed in the list of diet foods and keep healthy snacks on hand like hard-boiled eggs to build up an appetite and increase your daily caloric intake.

In addition, include as many of these fat sources to your meals as you can such as avocado oil, butter, coconut oil, lard, ghee, Macadamia oil, MCT oil, olive oil and tallow.

4. Get rid of your addiction to sugar.

If you’re having a tough time adapting to the ketogenic diet, you can try to eliminate carbs habits gradually instead of all at once.

5. Choose healthier carbs that are not the usual junk found in processed foods. You can easily relieve symptoms by consuming good carbs as well as essential micronutrients from fruits and vegetables as your body gets adjusted.

6. Relax and take it easy.

If you lack energy, do not force yourself. If you don’t feel like doing a full workout, don’t insist. Give yourself time to adjust to your new lifestyle. Opt for less strenuous and moderate exercise, especially at the start by performing healthy activities like walking, gentle muscle stretching, or simple yoga.

Remember that your body is already under stress adapting to a new fuel system, so don’t place an additional burden on it by forcing a strenuous workout. Pay attention to your body and gradually increase your exercise intensity over time.

7. Get adequate rest.

Sleep helps your body overcome stress, so make sure you’re getting enough of it. Take easy stride and relax, especially at the end of the day. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, you may experience relief with these remedies:

• Take an Epsom salt bath,
• Sip tea made from valerian and chamomile,
• Break from devices 2 hours before bed,
• Adopt relaxing yoga routines, and
• Guided meditation.

Knowing these facts about keto flu will help you avoid and handle future problems like a pro.  

Keto diets are popular these days as many of their clients are basking in their success. But since there is no such thing as a perfect diet for mistakes and errors are part of being human. Here are 7 of the most common pitfalls in Keto diet that you can analyze and avoid.

1. Inadequate supply of electrolytes

When carbs are eliminated from your diet, your body ceases from holding on to essential electrolytes and flushes them out, along with all the water that high carb diets cause you to hold onto. In particular is the primary electrolyte of the body which is the sodium.

One common ketogenic mistake in this diet is failure to replenish its electrolytes and eliminating salt from diets as preconditioned. Always replace electrolytes you lost to avoid falling victim to keto flu and the problem of staving off the dreaded keto flu. 

2. Trying to cut too many calories

At the onset, ignore all kinds of calorie restriction while you are adjusting to a diet that is low on carb and high on fat. Even then, calorie restriction should be calculated so it is just enough to drop any excess weight.

You can easily get adjusted to not overeating in the most natural way. A major ketogenic diet mistake is among its top calorie mistakes that maybe the cause of diet failure.

3.Bad case of including too much amount of Omega 6 

Aching joints and other inflammatory problems can be caused by too much consumption of high amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids. Some examples of the foods are peanuts, peanut oil and walnuts.  

4. How many meals per day?

Six meals per day are too much. The ketogenic diet is a great appetite suppressor so take advantage and eat only when you’re hungry. Use a Keto Calculator and stick to tracking your macros. 

5. Too much protein will prevent ketosis

Too much protein can indeed prevent fat loss by stopping fat from being the primary source of fuel. Protein can absolutely be converted to fuel; you only need enough of it to maintain muscle mass. Simply fuel your body with nutritious healthy keto-friendly foods, it will tell you when it needs food.

6. Having “cheat days” while on Keto

Don’t do cheat days as they make sticking to your diet much more difficult. Performance athletes or bodybuilders need to load carbs, but for the average Joe, cheat days are complete and utter nonsense and the perfect way to sabotage their diet.

Think about this, do alcoholics have cheat days? NO! So are there any good reason why you would get extra pep from that addictive carb-loaded pizza and garlic bread on a Sunday, but Monday, you must start your diet all over again. You will surely say hello to that sick bug and start to feel sorry only to have to start all over again on Monday?

7. Not believing that Keto Diet is the best one for you

That’s right, no one likes to be told that what they’re doing is wrong, even if you’ve got good intentions.

Respect the opinion of others on what the best diet plan is, regardless of whether they are correct or made a mistake.

Save yourself the headache and let your results speak for themselves, people will come to you wanting to know how you got that amazing figure while eating delicious bacon and eggs.

The last thing you want to do is repel people and invite unwanted conflict into your life with unsolicited advice to somebody slurping on a smoothie next to you in the gym.

Go about your business and reap the rewards 🙂

Last words

Put your scale away. keep measuring tape, skin fold calipers and selfie. Do not devote your time to losing pounds but be more focused on inches! It’s not hard to slip here and there, but if you are aware of how you are dieting and adapting, avoiding making these common ketogenic diet mistakes will become second nature.