Adjusting Keto Macros: How Often Should You Do It?

The keto diet is a challenging one to stick to, but it can help you lose weight faster than other diets. It involves limiting carbohydrates and eating more fat, which makes your body use fat as its primary energy source. On a keto diet, your macro ratio will be approximately 5% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 70% fat. However, this can be adjusted depending on your goals and activity level. For example, if you are very active, you may want to increase your carb and protein intake, whereas if you are less active, you may want to reduce your carb intake to accelerate the transition to burning body fat for energy. It is recommended that you adjust your macros when you have lost a large amount of weight, when your weight loss has slowed down, when you are not feeling your best, or when your goals have changed.

Adjust macros after losing a large amount of weight

Losing a large amount of weight is one of the most common reasons to adjust your keto macros. This is because the amount of energy you need to get through the day, also known as your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), will have reduced. In simple terms, there is less of you to move around, so you need less energy to do it.

It is recommended that you adjust your keto macros every 10 lbs (4.5 kg) as this is when you will need to recalculate your TDEE. The keto calculator can be used to determine your TDEE by taking into account your gender, age, height, weight, and physical activity level.

After losing a large amount of weight, you may also need to adjust your macros to ensure you are still getting enough protein. Protein is critical for muscular and hormonal health. It is recommended that you consume 0.8-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.

In addition to adjusting your macros after losing a large amount of weight, you may also need to adjust your macros if your weight loss has slowed down, you are not feeling your best, or your goals have changed.

Recalculate macros when weight loss slows down

When you start the keto diet, you will likely see a rapid drop in weight in the beginning. However, after the first week, your weight loss will slow down to a steadier rate of about 1-2 lbs per week. This is the time when you should start paying more attention to your macros and tracking what you eat.

When to Adjust Macros

• Large Weight Loss: If you have lost a large amount of weight (about 10 lbs or 4.5 kgs), it is a good time to adjust your macros. This is because your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) will have reduced as there is less of you to move around.
• Weight Loss Slowdown: When you have less weight to lose, you will lose it at a slower rate. At this point, it is recommended to adjust your macros more regularly to ensure you are eating the right amount to meet your goals.
• Not Feeling Your Best: If you are well into your keto journey and are not feeling your best, it may be time to consider adjusting your macros. This requires you to be in tune with your body and know what your "normal" energy levels and general well-being are.
• Goal Change: If your goal has changed, you should adjust your macros accordingly. For example, if your initial goal was to fit into a pair of skinny jeans and you have achieved that, you may want to set a new goal and adjust your macros to align with it.

How Often to Adjust Macros

There are differing opinions on how often you should adjust your macros. Some sources suggest doing so every 10 lbs (4.5 kg) of weight loss, while others recommend sticking with your calculated macros for 4-6 weeks before making any adjustments. Ultimately, it may depend on your individual needs and preferences.

Tips for Weight Loss Plateau

If you have hit a weight loss plateau, you can try strategies such as recalculating your macros, increasing your physical activity, and reassessing your habits to get past it. Additionally, consider taking body measurements and calculating your body fat percentage to get a more comprehensive picture of your progress beyond the scale weight.

Change macros if you're not feeling your best

If you're well into your keto journey and you're still experiencing side effects like the keto flu, or you're not feeling well, it may be time to adjust your macros. This requires you to be in tune with your body and know what 'normal' is for you. If you're feeling unwell for a prolonged period, consider recalculating your macros.

However, if you're feeling unwell after adjusting your macros, it's important to consult a doctor.

It's also crucial to understand your body's composition, as your lean mass and fat mass have different energy needs. For instance, lean mass requires energy even when you're at rest, burning a certain amount of calories. Therefore, if you have a higher lean muscle mass, you'll need a higher caloric intake.

To calculate your macros, you can use an online keto macro calculator. These tools consider various factors, such as your age, gender, weight, height, body fat percentage, activity level, and weight goal, to determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).

Once you've recalculated your macros, stick with them for 4-6 weeks to allow your body to adjust before making any further changes.

Macros can be adjusted if your goal changes

The keto diet is flexible and can be adjusted to suit your needs. If you are feeling unwell, have low energy levels, or are not feeling like yourself for a prolonged period, it may be time to adjust your macros.

The keto diet is typically made up of 5% carbs, 25% protein, and 70% fats. However, this can be adjusted to suit your goals and activity levels. If you are very active, you may benefit from increasing your carb and protein intake and reducing your fat intake. On the other hand, if you lead a more sedentary lifestyle, you may want to reduce your net carbs to 20-30 grams per day to accelerate the transition to burning body fat for energy.

It is important to remember that everyone's needs are different, and you may need to experiment to find the right balance of macros for your goals and physiology. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure you are getting enough protein, as this is critical for muscular and hormonal health.

Keep carbs under 10% of calories

Keeping your carb intake low is the number one rule of keto. If you exceed your carb macros, you will generally (but not always) fall off the keto wagon. Therefore, it is recommended to keep carbs under 10% of your total calories. For most people, this works out to be an average of 30g net carbs a day.

The exact amount of carbs you can have, however, depends on your age, activity level, goal, and daily calorie consumption. For instance, an active person may benefit from a Cyclical Ketogenic Diet that allows 1-2 high-carb days per week. On the other hand, an obese or overweight person may want to keep carbs under 5% of calories (20 to 30g net carbs per day) to promote ketosis, suppress appetite, and lose weight.

If you are unsure about your keto macros, you can use a keto calculator. These calculators use your gender, age, height, and weight to determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or the amount of energy you burn while at rest. They also take into account your physical activity level to determine your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), or the number of calories your body burns in 24 hours.

Once you have your TDEE, you can set a calorie deficit or surplus depending on whether you want to lose or gain weight. For example, if you want to lose weight, you can set a 10% calorie deficit, which means your total daily calories will be 10% lower than you need, helping you lose weight at a moderate rate.

In addition to keto calculators, you can also use keto-friendly nutrition apps to track your macros. These apps allow you to log your food choices and ensure you stay within your daily ranges.

Frequently asked questions