Calorie Counting On Keto: How Much Is Enough?

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that has been used for centuries to treat specific medical conditions. The diet has gained traction as a weight-loss strategy, but how many calories can you eat while in ketosis? Calories are a unit of energy, and each macronutrient provides a different number: carbs provide 4 calories per gram, protein provides 4 calories per gram, and fat provides 9 calories per gram. Generally, if you consume more calories than your body needs, you will store the excess as fat, and if you consume fewer, your body will release its fat stores and you will lose weight. However, it is not quite that simple, as hormonal regulation and insulin sensitivity also play a role in weight management. While calorie counting is not necessary on keto, it can be a helpful tool to get a rough idea of your caloric intake and ensure you are not overeating. For most women, calories on keto will be around 1400–1800 per day, but this will vary depending on individual factors.

Calorie counting on keto is not always necessary but can be useful for getting a rough idea of your caloric intake

Calorie counting on keto is not always necessary, but it can be a useful tool for getting a rough idea of your caloric intake. While it is not essential to count calories strictly when starting a ketogenic diet, it can be beneficial to have an understanding of your overall consumption. This is especially true for women, who typically require fewer calories than men and can aim for a range of 1400 to 1800 calories per day as a starting point.

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat approach that has gained popularity for weight loss and improving health markers such as heart health and blood sugar control. On keto, the body enters a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of glucose. To achieve and maintain ketosis, it is crucial to reduce carbohydrate intake, typically to 30-50 grams per day, or even as low as 20 grams. This is a significant contrast to standard dietary recommendations, which suggest 45-65% of calories come from carbs.

The focus on fat and protein in the keto diet naturally leads to increased feelings of fullness and satiety. As a result, people tend to eat less food and consume fewer calories overall. However, it is still possible to overeat and exceed your caloric needs, even on a keto diet. Many keto-friendly foods, such as avocados, olive oil, nuts, and full-fat dairy, are calorie-dense, so portion control is important.

Additionally, creating a calorie deficit is critical for weight loss. This can be achieved by reducing calorie intake, increasing physical activity, or a combination of both. Calorie counting can be a helpful tool to ensure you are eating an appropriate amount for your goals and can help identify mistakes if your progress stalls.

While calorie counting can provide valuable insights, it is not the only factor to consider. The quality of the food you eat is also essential. Relying solely on processed keto-friendly foods can hinder weight loss due to their high-calorie content. Instead, focus on whole, nutritious, low-carb foods, such as non-starchy vegetables, full-fat dairy, eggs, fish, poultry, and healthy fats like avocado and olive oil.

In summary, while calorie counting on keto is not mandatory, it can be a useful tool to ensure you are on the right track with your intake. However, the most successful strategy for sustainable weight loss is to eat highly satiating, nutritious foods that keep you satisfied as you lose weight.

Calories from carbs, protein, and fat are not all equal

The idea that "a calorie is a calorie" is a pervasive nutrition myth. While it is true that all calories contain the same amount of energy, the human body is a complex biochemical system with intricate processes that regulate energy balance. Different foods are metabolised differently, and some are more efficiently converted into energy than others.

Fructose vs Glucose

Fructose and glucose are the two main simple sugars in your diet, and they have the same chemical formula. However, they are metabolised differently in the body. Fructose is metabolised by the liver, whereas glucose can be metabolised by all body tissues. Fructose also leads to higher levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and does not suppress appetite as effectively as glucose. As a result, fructose causes increased hunger and a reduced feeling of fullness compared to glucose.

The Thermic Effect of Food

Different foods go through different metabolic pathways, and some are more efficient than others. Protein, for example, is less efficiently metabolised than carbohydrates and fats. As a result, a large part of protein calories is lost as heat during metabolism, and high-protein diets have a built-in "metabolic advantage" for weight loss.

Protein Kills Appetite

Protein leads to significantly reduced appetite, making you eat fewer calories automatically. Studies have shown that protein is the most filling macronutrient, and increasing protein intake can lead to weight loss without the need for calorie counting or portion control.

The Satiety Index

Different foods have different effects on satiety, or how full you feel after eating. Some foods are easier to overeat than others. For example, it is easier to eat 500 calories of ice cream than 500 calories of broccoli. Foods that are high on the satiety index, such as boiled potatoes, beef, eggs, beans, and fruits, will make you feel fuller and help you eat less overall.

Low-Carb Diets and Automatic Calorie Restriction

Low-carb diets lead to more weight loss than low-fat diets, even when calorie intake is the same. This is because low-carb diets lead to reduced appetite, causing people to eat fewer calories without trying. Additionally, low-carb diets tend to include more protein, which takes more energy to metabolise.

The Glycemic Index

Refined carbohydrates, such as added sugars and refined grain products, are quickly digested and absorbed, leading to rapid spikes in blood sugar. This can cause a "blood sugar rollercoaster," with crashes a few hours after eating that lead to cravings for more high-carb snacks. In contrast, whole, unprocessed carb sources that contain fibre can help slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream, reducing cravings and the potential for overeating.

Calories on the Keto Diet

While counting calories is not strictly necessary on the keto diet, it can be helpful to get an idea of your caloric intake. The key to weight loss is maintaining a calorie deficit, and this can be achieved by eating highly satiating foods that keep you satisfied as you lose weight.

For women, calorie intake on keto is typically around 1400-1800 calories per day, while men usually require more. However, the exact number of calories needed can vary depending on individual factors such as current weight and activity level.

You can eat unlimited amounts of certain foods on keto without gaining weight

While it is not advisable to eat unlimited amounts of food on the keto diet, there are some foods that you can eat in larger quantities without gaining weight. These include nutrient-dense, low-carb foods such as:

Green Leafy Vegetables

Keto-friendly leafy greens include salad greens like lettuce, baby spinach, arugula, and frisee. Cooking greens such as spinach, Swiss chard, and cabbage are also great options. Herbs like oregano, rosemary, basil, and lemongrass add flavour with minimal carbs.

Peppers

Peppers are technically fruits but are treated as vegetables in cooking. They are rich in vitamin C and add spice and flavour to keto dishes.

Summer Squash

Yellow squash and zucchini are versatile and low in carbs. Zucchini noodles are a popular keto-friendly substitute for pasta or noodles. Grated zucchini can be used as a rice alternative or added to baked goods.

High-Fat Veggies

Avocados and olives are unique among vegetables due to their high-fat content. They are also good sources of fibre and low in net carbs. Avocados have been linked to improved heart health risk factors.

Other Non-Starchy Vegetables

Low-carb veggies like cauliflower, spaghetti squash, jicama, and turnips can be used as substitutes for high-carb foods like potatoes or french fries.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are healthy, high in fat, and low in carbs. They are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and depression. They are also high in fibre, which helps with satiety and natural calorie control.

Berries

Berries, especially raspberries and strawberries, are low in carbs and high in fibre. They are loaded with antioxidants that may reduce inflammation and protect against disease.

While it is important to monitor your overall calorie intake and ensure a caloric deficit to lose weight, these foods can be incorporated in larger quantities into your keto diet without hindering your progress.

Calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss on keto

The ketogenic diet is highly effective for weight loss and has helped thousands of people. However, to lose weight, you need to force your body to use its fat stores, which means maintaining a calorie deficit over a few weeks or months. This is true of any diet, and even on keto, calories count.

The keto diet is based on the idea that eating fewer carbohydrates will reduce the insulin that processes these carbs and turns them into fat stores. This is true, but it does not mean that calories are irrelevant. A calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss, and keto helps by acting as an appetite suppressant, making it easier to eat fewer calories without feeling hungry.

The number of calories you need to eat to lose weight depends on your maintenance calories, which is the number of calories your body burns in a day, including during exercise. This will vary from person to person and day to day, but you can estimate it using an online calculator. Once you have this number, you need to eat less than this amount, typically 10-25% less, to lose weight.

It is important to remember that weight loss takes time and is not linear. You may need to experiment to find the right number of calories and percentage deficit for your body and goals. Additionally, it is a good idea to give yourself a break from dieting by returning to maintenance calories for a week after four to six weeks of dieting. This makes it easier for your body and your mind.

Keto is a great tool for weight loss, but it is still important to maintain a calorie deficit to drop body fat.

Keto may be less effective for weight loss if you are stressed or not getting enough sleep

Stress and lack of sleep are two factors that can affect your weight loss progress while on a keto diet. Here's how:

Stress

Stress can affect your weight loss directly and indirectly. Directly, stress causes the release of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, which has been shown to hinder weight loss by encouraging fat storage. Indirectly, stress might cause you to overeat, leading to an increase in calorie intake. Continuous stress might also discourage you from exercising, which can affect your weight loss efforts.

Sleep

Sleep can also affect your weight loss progress directly and indirectly. Directly, sleep can slow down metabolism, reducing the number of calories the body burns. Lack of sleep can also stimulate the production of cortisol, which encourages fat storage. Indirectly, sleep deprivation can promote the production of ghrelin, the hunger hormone.

Tips to Minimize Stress and Improve Sleep

• Be more mindful of your surroundings to protect your mental health.
• Try meditation or journaling.
• Exercise to induce the release of 'feel-good' chemicals like endorphins and dopamine.
• Surround yourself with loved ones who support your goals.
• Follow a regular sleep schedule by going to bed at a similar time every day.
• Establish a nightly routine to train your body to fall asleep faster.
• Avoid caffeine towards bedtime, limit screen time, and eliminate noise.

Frequently asked questions