The idea behind a low-carb diet is that the sugar from carbohydrates increases glucose and insulin in your bloodstream, which prohibits the breakdown of fat because the body is using the glucose for energy. With a lack of carbohydrates, these levels are kept low, forcing the body to turn to fat for energy. This is said to prompt weight loss. However, the Mayo Clinic asserts that the loss of weight experienced on a low-carb diet is actually a result of other factors, including a decrease in appetite, loss of water weight and a reduction in calories. If you're suffering weight gain on a low-carb diet, there are a few things you can do to combat this.
Step 1
Reevaluate your caloric intake. Just because you're on a low-carb diet, doesn't mean that you don't need to watch your calories. To lose 1 lb. of weight, you need to create a deficit of 3,500 calories, advises the National Institutes of Health. Take a look at how many calories you're actually eating daily.
Step 2
Compare your caloric intake to your caloric need. Each day, your body needs a certain amount of calories to sustain its current weight. If you're eating more calories than you burn, even on a low-carb diet, you won't lose any weight, maintains the Mayo Clinic. There are a couple equations you can use to calculate this number.
Step 3
Adjust your caloric intake. Based on your body's caloric need, adjust your caloric intake to create a deficit in calories. If your body has a daily need of 1,850 calories, eating 1,500 each day creates a deficit that adds up to 1 lb. of weight loss every 10 days. Drop that caloric intake to 1,400 and you lose almost the same amount of weight every week. Caloric need and intake varies from person to person, so you'll need to do your own math to determine how many calories to eat on a given day.
Step 4
Increase your level of exercise. Diet isn't the only method of creating a deficit in calories. To stop weight gain on a low-carb diet, start exercising every day. Thirty minutes most days of the week is a good starting point, urges the Mayo Clinic. Add additional minutes to your workout when your fitness level improves. Better yet, amp up the intensity to burn more calories in a shorter amount of time.
Step 5
Note portion size. The weight gain you're experiencing on a low-carb diet may have something to do with your portion sizes. For example, look at a sirloin steak. Four ounces of sirloin contains anywhere between 200 and 300 calories, depending on fat content. But if you're eating an 8-ounce portion, it's twice as many calories. Double check your serving sizes; you may discover you're eating more than a single serving.
Tips and Warnings
- A man can determine his body's caloric need with the following equation: [(weight in pounds x 6.23) + (height in inches x 12.7) - (age in years x 6.8) + 66] x 1.2. A separate equation is used for women: [(weight in pounds x 4.35) + (height in inches x 4.7) - (age in years x 4.7) + 655] x 1.2.
- When adjusting your caloric intake, make sure not to go below 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 calories for men, recommends the National Institutes of Health.
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