Keto Macros: Hitting The Right Numbers For Weight Loss

The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. Typically, a keto diet restricts carbs to between 0-50 grams per day, with the moderate amount being protein (around 25%) and the highest amount being healthy fats (around 70%). While it is important to track your macros, hitting your macros is not an exact science. As long as you are close to your macro needs and are losing weight, you are on the right track. There are various ways to add more fat to your keto diet, including adding homemade cheese sauce to your veggies, making fat bombs, choosing high-fat proteins, and snacking on high-fat nuts and seeds.

Fat is a lever, not a limit

When people start a keto diet, they often wonder how to include healthy fats in their meals. This is because the ketogenic diet is a low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. The body enters ketosis when it is in short supply of glucose, which comes from carbs. In ketosis, the liver breaks down fats to produce ketones.

The key to ketosis is carb restriction. By keeping carbs low, you keep blood sugar and insulin levels low. This signals to your liver, which then gets busy burning fat and making ketones.

While fat is not a goal, it is important to include a fair amount in your diet. If you only consume protein and very low carbs, this is not healthy and can kick you out of ketosis. The fats that you want to consume on keto are healthy fats, which include avocado, grass-fed butter, ghee, lard, mayonnaise, cocoa butter, coconut butter, coconut oil, and MCT oil.

• Add homemade cheese sauce to your veggies
• Make fat bombs
• Choose high-fat proteins like pork, 80/20 ground beef, chicken legs and thighs, duck, chicken with the skin on, and sausage
• Indulge in heavy cream sweet treats
• Use grass-fed butter/ghee—cook your eggs in it, veggies, and even add it to a freshly grilled steak or fish
• Drink bulletproof coffee—adding grass-fed butter, coconut oil, MCT oil, or heavy cream to your coffee is a great way to get in that extra fat
• Drizzle some olive oil over cooked veggies, meats, avocado, and more
• Make your own dressings and dips using mayonnaise, sour cream, heavy cream, etc.
• Save your bacon grease and use it to cook your eggs or veggies
• Try coconut butter—eat a tablespoon of homemade toasted coconut butter
• Buy full-fat ingredients when you buy cream, cream cheese, butter, cheese, coconut milk, etc.
• Eat high-fat nuts and seeds like pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and Brazil nuts

Protein is a goal

Protein is an essential macronutrient for anyone following a keto diet. It is the most important macro to hit, and for good reason. Protein is the building block of muscle, bone, connective tissue, organs, hormones, and enzymes. It is also the most satiating macronutrient, meaning you will feel fuller for longer and be less likely to overeat. This makes it a critical component of any weight loss journey.

On a keto diet, it is recommended that you consume around 25% of your calories from protein. This equates to around 0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass on a normal day, and around 1 gram per pound of lean body mass on active days. For the average person, this means consuming between 100-180 grams of protein per day.

It is important to note that therapeutic keto diets, such as those used to treat epilepsy, cancer, or Alzheimer's, require lower protein intakes. However, for those following a keto diet for weight loss or general health, a higher protein intake is beneficial and will not interfere with ketosis.

To ensure you are consuming enough protein, it is important to prioritize protein-rich foods. This includes meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. By weight, a proper keto meal should be about half protein and half fat. You can also use a macro tracker, such as the MyFitnessPal app, to log your meals and keep track of your protein intake.

In addition to whole foods, there are also keto-friendly protein powders and supplements available that can help you hit your protein goals. However, it is always best to prioritize whole food sources of protein whenever possible.

Remember, while fat is an important part of a keto diet, protein should always come first. This will ensure that you are not only losing weight but also maintaining and supporting your muscular and hormonal health.

Carbs are a limit

When it comes to hitting your keto macros, carbs are a limit that should not be exceeded. This is because the keto diet is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. By keeping your carb intake low, you can maintain ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.

Typically, on a keto diet, your calorie intake should be around 70% fat, 25% protein, and only 5% carbohydrates. This means that carbs should make up a very small portion of your daily calorie intake. To achieve this, you should aim for a carb intake of 20 to 50 grams per day, with 20 grams being a good starting point. If you find it challenging to stick to this amount, you can start at 50 grams and gradually reduce your carb intake.

It's important to track your net carbs, which are calculated by subtracting dietary fiber and some sugar alcohols from your total carb intake. Net carbs are generally recommended because they have minimal impact on blood sugar levels. To calculate your net carbs, take your total carbs for the day and subtract the amount of fiber you consumed.

While it's crucial to stay within your carb limit, you don't need to be overly concerned about falling slightly short of your fat and protein macros. As long as you're losing weight at a healthy pace and getting close to your macro needs, you're on the right track.

In summary, when following a keto diet, carbs are a limit that should be closely monitored and kept at a minimum to ensure ketosis and promote fat burning.

Track your macros with an app

Tracking your keto macros with an app is a great way to stay on top of your diet and ensure you're hitting your goals. Here are some tips to help you get started:

Choose the Right App:

There are many keto apps available, such as Carb Manager, Keto.app, Total Keto Diet, KetoDiet, Senza, Lifesum, Cronometer, and Stupid Simple Keto. These apps offer various features, such as macro tracking, barcode scanners, recipe databases, and keto calculators. Choose an app that fits your needs and preferences.

Set Your Macro Goals:

Before you start tracking, input your height, current weight, and goal weight into the app. The app will then calculate your daily calorie, carb, fat, and protein targets. You can also set custom goals, such as fasting or carb cycling, on some apps.

Track Your Meals:

The key to successful macro tracking is consistently logging your meals. Most apps offer a barcode scanner or a photo feature that allows you to snap a picture of your plate to log your food. You can also manually search for foods in the app's database. Be sure to track your meals throughout the day to stay on top of your macros.

Visualise Your Progress:

Many keto apps provide visual representations of your macro intake, such as charts or graphs. Visualising your progress can help you stay motivated and make adjustments as needed. Some apps also offer community features, allowing you to connect with others on similar journeys.

Experiment with Different Macros:

Don't be afraid to experiment with different macro ratios to see what works best for you. You can use the app to track your progress and make adjustments as you learn what your body responds best to. Remember, keto is typically high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbs.

Consider Upgrading to Premium:

While many keto apps offer free versions, upgrading to premium can unlock additional features. Premium versions may include customised meal plans, advanced tracking features, and a larger selection of recipes. If you're serious about your keto journey, consider investing in a premium app.

By utilising these tips and choosing an app that suits your needs, you'll be well on your way to hitting your keto macros and achieving your health and weight loss goals.

Calculate your macros as a percentage

To calculate your keto macros as a percentage, you need to divide the calories from each macro into your daily calorie needs and multiply by 100%.

• First, calculate your calorie needs. This will depend on your fitness goal: losing weight, gaining weight, or maintaining weight.
• Next, calculate your keto carb needs. Research suggests a carb intake of less than 20 to 50 grams per day is sufficient to promote ketosis.
• Then, calculate your protein needs. This is important as protein supports your lean body mass and other essential bodily functions.
• Finally, calculate your keto fat needs. Each gram of fat contains about nine calories.
• Now, calculate the percentage of calories from each macro. For example, if your daily calorie intake is 1800:

• For carbs: (80/1800) x 100% = 5% of calories from carbs
• For protein: (600/1800) x 100% = 33% of calories from protein
• For fat: (1,120/1800) x 100% = 62% of calories from fat

The total amount should equal 100% (5% + 33% + 62% = 100%).

Remember, you don't need to hit your macros perfectly every day. It's okay to be flexible and adjust your intake as needed. The most important thing is to stay consistent and make sure you're getting close to your macro needs each day.

Frequently asked questions