Getting enough protein is important for everyone. Protein is a vital source of essential amino acids. Getting adequate protein is important for bone health and to preserve lean muscle mass, which also protects our metabolic rate. Most people need a minimum of 100 grams of protein per day, more if you’re taller, very active, or older.
The more variable macro is fat. If you’re getting your required protein each day and you’re not seeing success, you may want to consider lowering the amount of fat that you eat so you’re getting more of your calories from protein than from fat.
If you’re reading this because your progress is stalled and you’re interested in troubleshooting, consider this:
- The single most important gift you can give yourself is to be consistent. If you’re bumping along and not able to stay on plan, then you may need to start with just making a 2-week commitment to keep carbs super low. Begin with the basics that I review in the Getting Started Guide by eliminating food products (yes, I know other people use them, but they may be a huge obstacle for some of us). Chances are you’ve been introduced to “pop keto”, and that’s not necessarily a healthy way to lose weight. And if it ain’t working for you, try it old school with whole, minimally processed foods.
- Remember, a stall is not a stall unless you’ve gone several months without weight loss and without other measures of success. Too often, we become impatient and declare a stall after a week of not seeing the scales budge. Stay off the scales and focus on what you can control, and that’s giving yourself good nutrition. Use my Mile Markers of Success to help you look for measures other than the scale.
- Time to look at the numbers. Yes, I despise tracking my food, but… if you really want to know how what you’re eating may be impacting you, get a pen and paper and write it down. Keep track of hunger as well. My 5-day food log (printable PDF) can guide you. You can also use an app like Carb Manager or Cronometer that is keto friendly. Just make notes about hunger there. If you are in my Cooking Community, we have more in depth information regarding keeping food logs and also how to review them once you have a few days under your belt.
Finally, you’ve checked all of the boxes in the Getting Started Guide, you’ve kept a 5-day food log and you’re not making simple “pop keto” mistakes, but you’re hitting a wall. You’re frustrated. The same things you ate to lose weight are the things you’re eating now, but something is different. It may be time to consider higher protein keto.