Balancing Macros On Keto: A Guide To Getting It Right

The ketogenic diet is a regimented way of eating that involves a high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein intake. The keto diet is tricky to follow, but it can be an effective way to lose weight without hunger, cravings, and muscle loss. To follow the keto diet, you need to understand your macros – the energy-supplying nutrients that the body needs in large quantities. Macros, or macronutrients, are fat, protein, and carbohydrates. The keto diet involves a different ratio of macros to a standard diet, with a higher fat intake, lower carbohydrate intake, and moderate protein intake.

To balance your macros on keto, you need to understand your body's nutritional needs. This will depend on your fitness goal, whether that's losing weight, gaining weight, or maintaining your weight. You can use a keto macro calculator to help you work out the right ratio of macros for your body and goals. Typically, the keto diet involves 5% of calories from carbs, 25% of calories from protein, and 70% of calories from fat. However, the exact ratio will depend on your body and goals.

Once you know your macros, you can build your food choices and portions around them. You can use a keto food list, a macro meal planner, and a portioning guide to help you. Alternatively, you can track your macros using a keto-friendly nutrition app.

Calculate your calorie needs based on your fitness goal

Your calorie needs will depend on whether you want to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight, you will need to eat fewer calories than you burn each day. This is called a calorie deficit. If you want to gain weight, you will need to eat more calories than you burn. This is called a calorie surplus.

To calculate your calorie needs, you first need to determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy your body spends per unit of time while resting. This can be calculated using the Mifflin-St. Jeor Formula, which takes into account your gender, age, height, and weight.

Once you have your BMR, you need to multiply it by a factor corresponding to your physical activity level:

• Sedentary lifestyle (little or no exercise): 1.2
• Slightly active lifestyle (light exercise or sports 1-2 days/week): 1.4
• Moderately active lifestyle (moderate exercise or sports 2-3 days/week): 1.6
• Very active lifestyle (hard exercise or sports 4-5 days/week): 1.75
• Extra active lifestyle (very hard exercise, physical job or sports 6-7 days/week): 2.0
• Professional athlete: 2.3

This will give you your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), or the number of calories your body burns in 24 hours.

If you want to lose weight, you can create a calorie deficit by eating 10% fewer calories than your TDEE. For example, if your TDEE is 2,000 calories, eating 1,800 calories per day will help you lose weight.

If you want to gain weight, you can create a calorie surplus by eating more than your TDEE. For example, if your TDEE is 2,000 calories, eating 2,200 calories per day will help you gain weight.

It is important to note that a safe and sustainable rate of weight loss or weight gain is typically considered to be around 0.5-1 kg (1-2 lbs) per week. Faster weight loss may be dangerous, and losing or gaining weight too slowly can require a lot of patience.

Additionally, it is recommended that women should not go below 1,200 calories per day and men should not go below 1,800 calories per day. It is also important to check your BMI to ensure you do not become underweight.

Limit your carbs to 20-50 grams per day

Limiting your daily carbohydrate intake to 20-50 grams is a critical component of achieving and maintaining ketosis, the metabolic state in which your body burns fat instead of glucose for energy. This typically equates to just 5% of your daily calories coming from carbs, with the rest derived from fats and proteins.

The specific number of carbs you can consume while staying in ketosis may vary depending on factors such as age, activity level, and daily calorie consumption. However, staying within the 20-50 gram range is a good starting point for most people.

To ensure you don't exceed your carb limit, it's important to track your macros and choose your food sources carefully. Avoid bread, pasta, rice, cereal, starchy vegetables, and most fruits, as these are high in carbohydrates.

By limiting your carb intake, you encourage your body to burn fat for energy, which can lead to weight loss and various health benefits associated with the keto diet.

Eat enough protein to maintain muscle mass

Protein is an essential macronutrient for muscle growth and repair. It is also important for other bodily processes, including the creation of key enzymes and hormones, supporting healthy bones and joints, promoting healthy skin, hair, and nails, and maintaining the pH of blood and bodily fluids.

When following a ketogenic diet, it is important to consume adequate protein to support these functions and maintain muscle mass. The recommended amount of protein on a keto diet is typically between 20-30% of your total daily calories. This can be calculated as 1.2-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, depending on your lifestyle and goals. For example, a male who lifts heavy weights regularly may require a higher protein intake than a smaller female who doesn't do much weight lifting.

To ensure you are consuming enough protein on a keto diet, focus on high-quality protein sources such as eggs, whole-fat milk, Greek yogurt, cheese, chicken, turkey, pork, beef, lamb, fish, and seafood. These foods provide your body with the essential amino acids needed to preserve and build muscle mass.

It is also important to space out your protein intake throughout the day, aiming for 3-4 meals with a fairly consistent amount of protein in each. This will help you reach the "leucine threshold," which is essential for maximizing muscle growth. Additionally, staying in a calorie surplus is crucial for muscle growth, even while following a keto diet.

By consuming enough protein and combining it with regular resistance training, you can effectively maintain and build muscle mass while in ketosis.

Increase your fat intake to 70-80% of your calories

To achieve ketosis, the keto diet requires a significant increase in the percentage of fat in your diet, with most sources recommending that 70-80% of your calories should come from fat. This is because the keto diet is not a high-protein diet, but an extremely high-fat diet.

On a 2,000-calorie diet, this would mean consuming around 144-177 grams of fat per day. However, the exact amount of fat you need may vary depending on your age, activity level, gender, and other factors.

• Include fatty cuts of meat, such as ribeye, chuck roast, and lamb leg.
• Cook low-carb vegetables in oils like coconut oil or butter, and use olive oil as a salad dressing.
• Add MCT oil to your diet, which is derived from coconut and quickly turns into ketones in the liver.
• Make "fat bombs", which are bite-sized treats made with high-fat ingredients like cream cheese, nut butters, and coconut oil.
• Try bulletproof coffee, which is a mixture of brewed coffee, grass-fed butter, and MCT oil.
• Enjoy creamy soups and sauces made with full-fat dairy.
• Use multiple fat sources at each meal. For example, add a fried egg and cheese to avocado toast.
• Dip low-carb vegetables in high-fat dips like creamy onion dip, ranch, or blue cheese dressing.
• Roast vegetables in healthy oils like olive oil or avocado oil.
• Include nuts and seeds in your diet, such as almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, and pumpkin seeds.
• Make smoothies with full-fat dairy like heavy cream, full-fat yogurt, or whole milk.
• Add shredded coconut to snacks and sweets, as coconuts are among the highest-fat fruits.
• Eat avocados, which are high in monounsaturated fats and can be added to many recipes.

Use a keto macro calculator to determine your optimal diet plan

To balance your macros on keto, you can use a keto macro calculator. This will help you determine your optimal diet plan by taking into account your body's needs and your fitness goals. Here are the steps to using a keto macro calculator:

Step 1: Provide Information About Yourself

Input your gender, age, height, weight, and activity level. These factors will affect your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy your body needs to support its vital functions. Women typically have a lower calorie intake than men, and younger people need more energy from food. Your height and weight are also important, as a petite person will need fewer calories than a tall, well-built person.

Step 2: Calculate Your Calorie Intake

Use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to calculate your BMR. Then, multiply it by a factor corresponding to your physical activity level to get your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) or the number of calories your body burns in 24 hours.

Step 3: Set Your Weight Goal

Decide if you want to maintain, lose, or gain weight. If you want to lose weight, create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your TDEE. If you want to gain weight, create a calorie surplus by consuming more calories than your TDEE.

Step 4: Determine Your Macronutrient Ratio

The typical keto macro ratio is around 70-80% of calories from fat, 5% or fewer from carbohydrates, and 20-30% from protein. However, this may vary depending on your specific goals and activity level.

Step 5: Plan Your Meals

Once you know your recommended calorie intake and macronutrient ratio, you can plan your meals accordingly. Focus on including keto-friendly foods such as fatty fish, dairy products, nuts, seeds, oils, meat, and low-carb vegetables.

Remember to consult a professional dietitian or healthcare provider before starting a keto diet, especially if you have any health conditions or chronic diseases.

Frequently asked questions