When used correctly, the Keto diet can be very effective in helping people to lose weight and achieve their goals however, there are a number of reasons why you might not be seeing the results you'd hoped for. 

Read our list of common mistakes people make when following the Keto diet to help keep you on the right track.

1. Eating too many carbs
This seems like an obvious reason but carbs quickly add up each day. Eating a few extra bits here and there can quickly take you over 50g carbs and take you out of Ketosis. Be sure to weigh/measure what you're eating to keep carbs controlled.

2. Hidden Carbs
As mentioned, carbs add up quickly so it is important to always check food labels. There can be hidden carbs in foods that you might not expect. A great example of this is grated cheese. Potato starch is used to stop the cheese from sticking together which increases the carb amount so you always best to buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself to keep the carbs down.

3. Reducing carbs too much too soon
A lot of people make this mistake when starting on the Keto diet because less carbs means more weight loss right? Not quite correct. We have a great blog about this so you can read in more detail but, depending on your goal, going super low in carbs straight away, might not be the best option long term. For those with more than 1 stone (6.5kg) to lose, starting out on a slightly higher carbs amount, for instance under 50g per day, will help with quick weight loss but also allows for further reduction in carbs when weight loss starts to naturally stall. 

4. Eating too much fat
This is an easy mistake to make and most sites on the internet will tell you that you have to consume 70-75% fat in order to be in Ketosis. This is not quite correct. If you are following a Keto diet for management of a health condition like epilepsy for instance, or if you are simply looking to maintain your weight whilst reaping the benefits of Keto, this would be correct however, when weight loss is the aim, fat needs to be moderated as, the more fat you consume, the less body fat you need to burn for yourself. Always opt for the full fat version of products - avoid anything low, reduced or no fat - but make sure you enjoy in moderation.

5. Aiming to reach specific macros every day
What one person requires from day to day will vary so aiming to reach a specific macro target each day can lead to over/under eating. On days when you are more sedentary, you require less food intake and when you are more active, you will need more so eating the same amount of food every day can be counter productive to your overall results. 

6. Not adjusting to your needs
As above, you should ideally be adjusting what you are consuming each day based on your energy expenditure. That can be hard to do especially if you are a beginner. The best way to do this is to aim for 2-3 standard meals per day which will work on days when you are less active. If there are days when you do more and feel more hungry, you can add in small Keto friendly snacks to make up the energy shortfall. Options like cheese, nuts, eggs or chicken are great snack options when used in moderation to keep you feeling satiated. 

It is also important to adjust your requirements as you progress through your weight loss. Aim to reevaluate requirements once per month. As you drop body fat and there is less available to burn, you might find you need more fat within the food you eat to provide the energy you need. You might also find you need to reduce carbs further as weight loss comes to a natural plateau after following the diet for a period of time. Aim to reduce carbs gradually as, it is harder to increase these again and continue weight loss at the same rate. 

7. Non Keto meals/days
Consistency is the key with the Keto diet. Having the occasional meal off plan will do minimal damage but the more you take your body in and out of Ketosis, the less effective it can become over time. Whilst you an do this more once you are at your goal weight and move into maintenance, if you really want to see the best results in weight loss, try to stick with the diet consistently for a longer period of time.

8. Weighing yourself too often
We've all been there, jumping on the scales (sometimes everyday) just to check if we are losing weight and the sacrifice is all worth it but this can affect your results for a few reasons. The first is that you are putting huge pressure on yourself to see changes which are most likely unrealistic. This leads to heightened cortisol levels which make weight loss harder. You won't lose weight everyday, the scales will go down, up and stay the same. This is totally natural but seeing a gain on the scales can throw you off track thinking the plan is not working and could lead to eating non Keto foods when the gain was just a natural fluctuation. Try to only weigh yourself once a week. Aim to do this on the same day weekly and in the morning after going to the bathroom>

9. Using the scales as the only way to track progress
Weight loss is fantastic and we all want to see it to stay motivated but remember, the scales don't tell the whole story. This is especially true if you do any sort of exercise, have an active job or are more active in general. It is very common, especially in women, that body shape will change much quicker than the number on the scales when following the Keto diet and that we are likely to reach our desired body shape/clothes size even although the number on the scales is higher than what we might have wanted. Try to keep track of body shape through measurements as well as your weight on the scales and you might be surprised that you have lost inches although the number on the scales hasn't moved. 

If you can, take progress pictures of find a piece of clothing you want to fit back into and try it on every few weeks. We see our bodies all the time so it can be hard to notice changes in ourselves. Having a visual aid like pictures or an old pair of jeans that suddenly zips up again can be really motivating even when the scales might not look like they are moving.

10. Tracking Ketones
Whilst this can be helpful in the first few days to show you are on track, you likely will not continue to see a high reading on your breath meter or urine stick. This can throw people off track thinking the diet is not working when, in actual fact, it is a good sign! How can that be? When you first start out on the Keto diet, your body is producing Ketones but doesn't quite know what to to do with them yet so they leave your body through waste - breath/urine - giving you a reading or colour change when testing. However, after a week or so, the body starts using the Ketones effectively in the body and they are no longer being flushed out in the waste meaning your reading or colour change may drop or disappear but the Ketones are now doing what you need them to do for optimal weight loss.

11. Not staying hydrated
Changes to your diet, specifically reduction in carbs, can cause changes to your fluid and electrolyte balance. Staying hydrated can also ensure that you don't mistake thirst for hunger.  Aim to drink around 2-2.5L of plain water everyday and make sure you add a pinch of good quality salt to your meals to keep your electrolytes balanced so you absorb water correctly. 

12. Eating too many sweeteners
We've seen lots of low calorie, low carb alternatives hit the market over the past 20 years all full of sweeteners to replace the sugar. Whilst these can be enjoyed in moderation, the addition of lots of sweeteners in your diet can stop the body from overcoming cravings for sweet foods which can, in turn, affect your Ketosis. Try to avoid sweeteners where possible or opt for more natural options. Always try to steer clear of any products containing Aspartame and opt for a sucralose based option instead. If you are adding to home baking or hot drinks choose a Splenda or Truvia option where possible. 

13. Caffeine
Caffeine affects everyone differently but can affect results in some people due to the fact that it stimulates your body the same way that sugar does leading to the release of insulin. If you are not seeing results as fast as you'd hoped, try switching to decaf options to see if this helps. 

14. Overcomplicating Keto
The internet might have you believe that you have to buy lots of ingredients you've probably never heard of to make breads and other Keto foods but this is not true. Keto is a really simple diet and can be followed using foods you can buy from any supermarket. It really can be as simple as some eggs for breakfast, a tuna salad for lunch and chicken, fish or steak with green vegetables for your evening meal. There's no need to overcomplicate it especially in the beginning when you're getting to grips with everything. 


It can feel daunting to start on Keto and, if you're anything like me, you might even have multiple false starts before you finally hit the ground running with it. If you are unsure or need any guidance at any time, our team are here to help and our advice is always free. 

Feel free to reach out to us anytime;
Phone - 03333111040
WhatsApp - 07496705079
Email - info@naturalketosis.co.uk


If you are looking to make Keto simple with portion controlled, calculated ready meals delivered to you, take a look at our Delivered Plan options here.