Not Losing Weight on a Keto Diet? How to Identify Why and Fix It

Guide Overview

This guide helps you understand why your keto diet might not be helping you lose weight, even if you think you’re following it correctly. You’ll learn what to track, how to spot hidden carbs, manage macros, and identify cycles or issues that stall fat loss, so you can make the right adjustments and start losing weight again.

Chapter Overview

Chapter 1: How do you know it’s not working? 

Chapter 2: What should you track?

Chapter 3: Are you actually following a keto diet?

Chapter 4: Keto Diet - Macros & Calories essential for Weight Loss

Chapter 5: Keto Diet - Essentials (Hydration/Electrolytes)

Chapter 6: Assessment - Reasons why your not losing weight

Chapter 7: Quick Search Guide - Finding what reason relates to you

1. How do you know it’s not working?

Overview

If you aren’t tracking, you can’t really know what is and is not working. Feeling overwhelmed by slow changes can make you assume it’s failing when it’s actually working. Most people give up too quickly, not because the diet isn’t working, but because they can’t see the progress that’s happening.

Content

You don’t fully know if keto is working unless you are tracking it. Without tracking, it’s easy to get frustrated and throw in the towel. For example, you might step on the scales after another week, not see a big drop, and instantly think the diet has failed. But in reality, your body could be adjusting, healing, you could just be in your weight loss cycle and about to lose weight without releasing it, or you could have lost weight Monday to Thursday and put in back on over the weekend. 

Tracking is what turns the “I feel like nothing is happening” moments into evidence that you’re moving forward. Even small wins add up over time, but if you don’t capture them, it’s like flying blind. Tracking takes away the guesswork and stops you from quitting too early.

2. What should you track?

Overview

To know if keto is really working, you need to track more than just the number on the scale. Progress also shows up in your energy levels, mental clarity, quality of sleep, mood, ketone readings, and weight changes. By looking at all of these markers, you can see the full picture of how your body is responding, even when the scales don’t move.

Content

Here are the main areas you should track on keto:

• Energy – Are you waking up with more energy or lasting longer through the day without crashes?
• Mental Clarity – Many people experience clearer thinking once they’re in ketosis.
• Quality of Sleep – Deeper, more restful sleep can be a big sign things are shifting.
• Mood – Reduced irritability or improved emotional stability often shows your hormones are balancing.
• Ketone Testing – Ketone Testing Strips or blood meters confirm whether you’re actually in ketosis.
• Weight Loss – Yes, the scale matters, but I advise track it daily (in the morning, nude, after a toilet session) and without attaching emotions to daily fluctuations.
• Other Signs – Better digestion, reduced bloating, or even fewer sugar cravings can all signal progress.

By tracking more than just weight, you give yourself multiple proof points that keto is working. This way, even if the scales don’t budge for a while, you’ll still see progress in other areas that keep you motivated and consistent.

3. Are you actually following a keto diet?

Overview

A lot of people think they’re “doing keto” when in reality they’re just eating low-carb or low-calorie. Cutting carbs without replacing them with fat isn’t true keto — it’s a very low-calorie, low-carb diet (VLCD) that only drives short-term results and often leads to fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, and eventual plateaus.

Content

The mistake many people make is thinking keto simply means “cutting carbs.” But the truth is, if you just slash carbs and calories without adding fat back in, you’re not doing keto — you’re doing a starvation-based VLCD (Very Low-Calorie Diet).

In a VLCD, your body is deprived of both carbs and fuel. Yes, you may enter a shallow form of ketosis, but it’s not sustainable. This type of dieting often causes:

• Rapid but short-lived weight loss
• Extreme fatigue and feeling “run down”
• Nutrient deficiencies that lead to malnourishment
• Stalled weight loss after an initial drop (plateau)
• Physical symptoms like hair loss or brittle nails

True nutritional ketosis works differently, instead of starving your body, you fuel it with healthy fats so it has a steady energy source. On keto, carbs are replaced with fat, while calories remain close to what your body actually needs, you can create a small calorie deficit for weight loss, but it doesn’t need to be extreme.

This is what sets keto apart: you’re not relying on eating less and less food to lose weight. You’re teaching your body to burn fat for fuel, which is sustainable long-term, supports better energy, and prevents the breakdown and stress that come with starvation diets. I have created a Keto Guide which provides easy to understand information, if you want to know more about keto. 

4. Keto Diet Macro & Calorie Essentials for weight loss

Overview

To follow a healthy Keto Diet, you need to now your daily calorie needs by working out your BMR (Base Metabolic Rate) and breaking those calories into macro's, I will walk you step by step in how to do this. 

Content

You need to make sure you are having the calories your body needs to operate in a healthy way, this is called your BMR (Base Metabolic Rate), you can do this via a calorie calculator app like this one https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator. 

I have already done this for you, based on a female, 160cm, 80kg and the BMR is 1,439 cal's per day (see image below). 

This is similar to what our Keto Meal Plan is based of and the Meal Plan we follow in our 4 Week Program.

Once you have your BMR, what you need to next is a quick calculation to work out how much fat, carbs and protein you need daily. 

We work off 65% of your calories comes from Fat, 30% comes from Protein and 5% comes from Carbs, this has already been calculated into our meal plans, however, you can easily do it by the bellow.

Before calculating it's important to know that for every 1g of Fat = 9 calories, 1g of Protein = 4 calories and 1g of Carbs = 4 calories.

I have done the below calculations to help you work our your macros based off the BMR we created above.  

Remember you need 1,439 calories per day, of what 65% needs to come from Fat, 30% needs to come from Protein and only 5% can come from Carbs. 

The fat you need is 935 calories or 103 grams per day.

The sum I used to calculate that is 1,439 calories for your BMR, multiplied by 65% of your total calories which is your fat macro requirement and divided by 9 which is how many calories fat has per gram.

1,439 × .65 = 935 ÷ 9 = 103

The protein you need is 431 calories or 107 grams per day.

The sum I used calculate that is 1,439 calories for your BMR, multiplied by 30% of your total calories which is your protein macro requirement and divided by 4 which is how many calories protein has per gram.

1,439x.30=431/4=107

The carbs you need is 71 calories or 17 grams per day, however, you can get up to 20 to 25 grams of carbs a day and still get into nutritional ketosis as long as you are getting the fat you need.

The sum I used to calculate that is 1,439 calories for your BMR, multiplied by 5% of your total calories which is your carb macro requirement and divided by 4 which is how many calories carbs has per gram.

1,439x.05=71/4=17

All this can be confusing, however, if you do the work at the start, eventually you will start to know just by looking at something how much macros it has in it.

Alternatively you can skip the calculation's and just follow a set program, like the one we provide in our 4 Week Kick Started Program Pack, this can be such a relief, specially when combined with our Keto Meal replacement Shakes, so all you need to do is prep one meal per day and 2 snacks.

5. Keto Diet - Essentials (Hydration/Electrolytes)

Overview

When you start keto, your body processes water and minerals differently. This shift is why many people experience the so-called “keto flu” — headaches, fatigue, or cramps in the early weeks. To prevent this and keep weight loss on track, you need to prioritise hydration and electrolytes. Supporting these two areas will help maintain energy, balance hormones, and keep your metabolism functioning well.

Content

Outside of managing your calories and macros, it’s critical to give your body the extra support it needs to stay healthy. This applies to all diets, but on keto it becomes especially important because your body no longer retains fluid the way it once did.

Hydration

At the start of keto, you should aim for 2–3 litres of water per day. Once your body adapts, you can reduce slightly to around 1.8–2 litres, depending on your activity levels and the climate you live in. Staying well-hydrated helps your body flush out waste products created when burning fat for fuel and reduces common symptoms like brain fog or sluggishness.

Electrolytes

With more water passing through your system, you also lose essential minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. This is why many people feel run-down, dizzy when first starting keto or stop losing weight while still following a healthy keto diet. To prevent this, you need to replace electrolytes daily. The easiest ways to do this are:

• Use a sugar-free & artificial-sweetener-free electrolyte supplement.
• Or add a mineral-rich sea salt such as Celtic Sea Salt to your meals or make Sole water out of it (a concentrated salt solution).

Balancing hydration with electrolytes ensures your body isn’t just losing fluid but is maintaining the minerals needed for energy, nerve function, and muscle recovery.

Together, these essentials give your body the foundation it needs to burn fat consistently without being slowed down by preventable side effects.

6. Assessment - Reasons why your not losing weight 

Overview

If you’re tracking the right markers and following keto correctly, here are the most common reasons I have identified why people struggle to lose weight on a Keto Diet. 

Content

• Time
• Inner Healing
• Weight Loss Cycle
• Too little calories
• Macro’s
• Hidden Carbs
• Diet Inconsistency
• Benchmark
• Stress

Time

Often we just need to wait, this is very anti-culture at the moment and we have become so use to demanding from our body what we want when we want it, but sometimes as hard as it is to accept, we just have to wait, trust the process and in reality humble ourselves to enjoy the process. However, if you are waiting 5+ days and seeing nothing, then it's a sign further testing is needed. 

Inner Healing

Ketosis is as much of a regeneration pathway as it is a weight loss tool, your body might be busy regenerating cells and healing things you are unaware of, so sometimes it takes time for your body to circle around to losing weight, or it pauses losing weight to address other issues, this is typically the case week 2 - 3. 

Weight Loss Cycle

After week one to two, you will typically move into a weight loss cycle, everybody has one and there are different weight loss cycles. Some lose one to half a kilo per week consistently, others lose one and a half kilos every two weeks and then some don’t lose anything for three to four weeks, then have a big three kilo loss. The key here is weighing yourself daily without the emotional tie to an outcome/ loss (I know very hard), writing your results and over one to three weeks identify what your weight loss cycle is, then you cal east weighting yourself. 

Too little calories

Most people will start the keto diet in starvation mode and get away with it for the first week or two, then their body will shut down and they will no longer lose weight but start to deplete their body, starving it and forcing it to plato and eventually become malnourished. Accompanying this will be fatigue, hunger or a feeling of feeling malnourished. 

Macro’s

As mentioned earlier, most people treat Keto as a low carb diet, of which you will get results for a week or two, but eventually your results will plato out and if you re not having the calories needed you will eventually become malnourished. Or if you are actually having enough calories and eating a healthy low carb and high protein diet, you won’t become malnourished, but you also won’t enter keto or lose as much weight either. The key here is having the right macro's will give you the energy, clarity, long term keto readings and weight loss, a low carb diet wont give you. 

Hidden Carbs

This is very common, especially for those either looking to follow a keto diet, while also have the pleasures of "no sugar" treats and drinks or "no sugar" supplements such as electrolytes . You don't want to have anything that has replaced sugar with sugar alcohols/ artificial sugar, as these still impact your insulin levels, so instead make sure it’s only 100% stevia or monk fruit. Supplementing fibre into your diet is a very common cause that adds un-calculated carbs, that will kick you out of ketosis. Eating out add's a whole lost of risk to consuming hidden carbs as you don't know what has been added to the dish, dressing or glaze. Lastly unrealised snacking is a big one here, snacking on veggies while cooking or low carb treats can quickly add up to enough carbs to kick you out of ketosis over the day.

Diet Inconsistency

You are eating the right calories, macros and following the correct hydration pathway, but every week or so you have a treat here, add carbs into a meal there, have a drink with a friend and without knowing it, you are kicking yourself out of ketosis. You are putting in all the work to follow a keto plan, but in reality you are only dating keto for a couple of days.

Benchmark

We all have a weight benchmark, that when we reach it, requires bigger adjustments to overcome it. Sometimes this can happen every ten killos or twenty killos, however, if you are closer to your weight loss goal with little to lose it can happen every five killos. To overcome this you are often needing to implement tools such as a fat fast, tighten up the calories for a period, implement a lifestyle change or start to implement training. You will know this, because you have ticked all the boxes (calories, macros, hydration, your in ketosis, your not stress stress) and still no movement. 

Stress

The biggest impact on your insulin levels and body hormones is stress, stress comes in many forms stress from not eating enough, from worrying, from over working, from not having enough sleep, from over training, from trying to do more than you have time for or stress from menopause. We are holistic people, meaning we can’t expect change in an isolated part of our bodies, without the reality of adjusting another part of our life, for women 40+ this is often the root issue I find with weight loss stalls and ofter the hardest thing to address, because it comes with a life long habit of living stressed. This is identified by doing all the right things as above, then even training five, seven even twice a day without seeing any change in weight loss, belly or hip fat. 

It's also important to note, over training is the most common cause associated with not being able to lose weight, so if you don't need to train for mental health reasons, I suggest stopping or at least dropping back to very low intensity, such enough for mental stimulation. 

7. Quick Search Guide - Finding what reason relates to you

Here is a quick search guide to help you identify where you are at and link them to the most common reasons.

You're in the first week of keto and you are not losing any weight.

• Time
• Macro’s

If you are in day one to four, then you just need to wait a while as your body is undergoing heavy adjustments, however, if you are between day five and seven, then it typically is due to you having too many carbs in your meal planner, that you are consuming hidden carbs or you are not having enough fat.

You're in the second to third week of a new keto plan, week one you lost weight and the keto testing strips are showing you are in ketosis but you are not getting weight loss results anymore.

• Inner Healing
• Weight Loss Cycle
• Too little calories
• Macro’s

This is typically the week where your body is readjusting, you lost weight week one, so often your body is playing catch up, doing some inner healing and then figuring out its weight loss cycle, so just hold tight. However, if this is a DIY program and you are closer to the end of week 2 and still no movements, it would be worth reviewing your calories to make sure you are not having too many/ or enough and then review your Macro's. 

You're in the second to third week of a new keto plan, week one you lost weight and now the keto testing strips are showing you are not in ketosis and you are not getting weight loss results anymore.

• Macro’s
• Hidden Carbs
• Diet Inconsistency

You possibly lost weight through cutting calorie and sugar reduction, which is not Nutritional Ketosis (healthy keto), so you need to review your plan to make sure your getting the macros and calories you need, if you are, then I would review your food and supplementation for hidden carbs. 

You're in the fourth week of a new keto plan, week one you lost weight, the keto testing strips are showing you are not in ketosis and you are not getting weight loss results.

• Macro’s
• Hidden Carbs
• Diet Inconsistency

The ketosis testing strips should be showing you are in ketosis, it’s typically that you're not having enough fat or too many carbs, if you feel you are ticking the calories and macro box, then there is either a diet inconsistency or hidden carbs at work. 

However, if you were getting ketone readings and other signs of ketosis such as energy, mental clarity, improved sleep and emotions, of which you are still getting and the only thing that changed is your ketone testing strips, plus you are 100% certain nothing has changed in your diet, you could have become fat adapted and just in your weight loss cycle. If this is the case, I would suggest moving to a blood ketone reader. 

You're past the fifth week of a new keto plan, the keto testing strips/ blood reader are showing you are in ketosis, however, you are not getting weight loss results.

• Weight Loss Cycle
• Stress
• Benchmark

Weight Loss Cycle and Benchmarks are often displayed by a stall in weight loss, but not in another keto results, by now you should know your weight loss cycle, however, if you are unsure, I would wait five to seven days, and if no changes, I would suggest starting with a fat fast for 48-72hrs, then if after that you don't have change, try reducing your calories by 150 calories (one to two snacks) a day for 3 days (don't exceed a 450 cal drop) if no change, start to implement 20min fast power walking. One you see change, increase your calories by 150 calories every 2 days. 

However, if you are in ketosis, but not feeling like your on fire with energy and clarity, then it's often an issue of stress and I suggest cutting out training (see notes above on stress in reference to training) and looking at how you can reduce stress either practically through over exposure or emotionally through worry. 

Conclusion

Keto weight loss stalls usually trace back to tracking gaps, VLCD-style under-eating, macro slips, hydration/electrolyte issues, hidden carbs, inconsistency, benchmarks, or stress. 

Use your markers (energy, clarity, sleep, mood, ketones, weight) plus the Quick Search Guide to pinpoint the cause. Then adjust calmly—enough calories, correct macros, proper hydration/minerals, and consistency—to restart fat loss. Remember "adjust calmly", if you make too many changes at once or too close together, it makes it impossible to know what worked and what didn't.

• Track energy, clarity, sleep, mood, ketones, weight daily.
• Confirm true keto (fat replacing carbs), not VLCD.
• Set macros from BMR (65/30/5) and hit them.
• Prioritise hydration + electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium).
• Audit hidden carbs and consistency each week.
• If strips flatline long-term, consider blood ketone testing (fat adapted).

If you have any feedback, comments or if there is something I have missed that you would like me to add to the post - just comment bellow.