Customizing Your Keto: Picking Meals To Fit Your Macros

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that can help with weight loss and improve glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes. To achieve the desired results, it is important to understand your macronutrient distributions and plan your meals accordingly. This involves tracking your protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake to ensure they align with the recommended keto macros ratio. By using tools such as kitchen food scales, measuring cups, and portion control methods, individuals can effectively portion their meals to fit their keto macros. Additionally, resources like keto calculators and macro meal planners can aid in determining personalized keto macros ratios based on factors such as age, activity level, and health goals.

Calculate your macronutrient ratios

Calculating your macronutrient ratios is an essential step in starting a keto diet. The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can help with weight loss and improve glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes. The diet involves significantly restricting carbohydrate intake and replacing those calories with fat and protein. The typical keto macros ratio is 70% fats, 5% carbohydrates, and 25% protein, but some dietitians recommend increasing fat intake to 75% and reducing protein to 20%.

To calculate your macros, you can use a keto macro calculator, which will take into account various factors such as your age, height, weight, gender, activity level, and BMI. These factors will help determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy your body needs to support its vital functions. After calculating your BMR, you can adjust it based on your activity level and target weight.

For example, if you want to lose weight, you would need to reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories per day to lose one pound per week. It is important to ensure that you do not go below 1200 calories a day for women and 1800 calories a day for men. Additionally, checking your BMI will help ensure that you do not become underweight during your keto diet.

Once you have calculated your calorie intake, you can use a keto macros ratio chart to determine how many grams of fats, carbs, and proteins you need each day. This information will guide you in creating a keto-friendly menu for the week.

Choose a keto diet type

There are several types of keto diets, and the one you choose will depend on your goals and lifestyle. Here is a breakdown of the most common keto diet types:

Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD)

The SKD is the most common and recommended approach for beginners. This diet is typically chosen by those looking to lose weight or improve symptoms related to mental health, inflammation, and cholesterol levels. To follow the SKD, you should limit your daily carb intake to 20-50 grams of net carbs, consume moderate amounts of protein, and high amounts of fat.

Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD)

The TKD is ideal for athletes or those with a high activity level who want to maintain exercise performance. This approach allows for glycogen resynthesis without interrupting ketosis for extended periods. To follow the TKD, consume 25-50 grams of carbs per day, including easily digestible carbs 30 minutes to one hour before a workout. Also, consume high amounts of fat and moderate amounts of protein.

Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD)

The CKD involves alternating days of strict keto and high-carb consumption. This diet is suitable for athletes following a high-intensity, high-volume training schedule. A typical week on the CKD includes eating 20-50 grams of carbs for five days, followed by two days of a high-carb diet (over 100 grams per day).

High-Protein Ketogenic Diet (HPKD)

The HPKD is designed for those who lift weights four or more times per week and require more protein in their diet. While the SKD limits protein intake to 20% of total calories, the HPKD allows for 35% of total calories to come from protein. To follow the HPKD, consume 35% of your calories from protein, 60% from fat, and 5% from net carbs.

Remember, before starting any diet, it is important to consult a healthcare professional to ensure it is safe and suitable for you.

Plan your meals

Planning your meals is an essential part of the keto diet. The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that causes the body to enter a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can be an effective way to lose weight and improve health, but it requires careful planning to ensure you're getting the right balance of nutrients.

• Calculate your macros: Use a keto macro calculator to determine your ideal ratio of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. The typical keto macros ratio is 70% fats, 5% carbohydrates, and 25% protein, but this may vary depending on your body composition, activity level, and goals.
• Choose keto-friendly foods: Focus on high-fat, low-carb foods such as fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel), full-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, oils (olive oil, avocado oil), avocados, meat, and non-starchy vegetables.
• Avoid high-carb foods: Stay away from bread, grains, starches, fruit (except for small portions of berries), sugary snacks, beans, starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes), alcohol, and processed meats.
• Meal prep and portion control: Plan your meals in advance and cook in batches to save time. Use a kitchen food scale or measuring cups to control your portion sizes and ensure you're staying within your macro goals.
• Be mindful of serving sizes: A serving of protein is about the size of your palm, a serving of starches is one fist, a serving of vegetables is two fists, and a serving of fat is the size of your thumb.
• Plan for variety: Include a variety of whole foods in your diet to reduce the risk of nutritional deficiencies. The keto diet can be restrictive, so it's important to mix up your ingredients and recipes to avoid boredom and ensure you're getting a range of nutrients.
• Stay hydrated: Eating a high-fat diet will increase your water intake, so make sure you're drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
• Seek professional guidance: Consult a doctor or dietitian before starting the keto diet, especially if you have any health concerns or chronic conditions. They can help you determine if keto is right for you and provide guidance on meal planning and portion sizes.

Shop for ingredients

Shopping for keto-friendly ingredients can be challenging, especially if you're new to the diet. Here are some tips to help you shop for ingredients that fit your keto macros:

Understand Keto-Friendly Foods:

Before heading to the grocery store, familiarize yourself with keto-friendly foods. These typically include:

• Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, or trout.
• Meat and poultry such as beef, chicken, turkey, pork, and organ meats.
• Eggs, preferably organic or conventional.
• Full-fat dairy products like unsweetened yogurt, butter, heavy cream, and sour cream.
• Healthy oils such as olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil.
• Avocados, both ripe and unripe.
• Cheese, including Brie, cream cheese, cheddar, and goat cheese.
• Nuts and seeds, such as macadamia nuts, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds.
• Low-carb vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, greens, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes.
• Condiments and spices such as salt, pepper, garlic, vinegar, herbs, and mustard.

Read Labels Carefully:

When shopping for keto ingredients, it's crucial to read nutrition labels carefully. Look for hidden carbs and sugars in packaged foods. Dairy products, for example, often contain carbs, so choose unsweetened and full-fat options. Check the labels on condiments and sauces as well, as these can sometimes contain added sugars.

Choose Whole Foods:

Whenever possible, opt for whole, unprocessed foods. Processed foods, including many pre-packaged snacks and fast food, tend to be high in carbs and unhealthy trans fats. By choosing whole foods, you can better control your macronutrient intake and avoid unwanted additives.

Plan Your Meals:

Before going grocery shopping, take some time to plan your meals for the week. This will help you create a detailed shopping list and ensure you buy only the ingredients you need. Consider the number of servings you'll need, whether you want leftovers, and your daily meal structure.

Stock Up on Essentials:

Make sure your pantry and fridge are well-stocked with keto essentials. This might include items like olive oil, avocado oil, nuts, seeds, spices, and condiments. Having these basics on hand will make meal prep easier and more convenient.

Be Mindful of Portion Sizes:

Remember that portion sizes matter on the keto diet. While keto is not necessarily a calorie-restricted diet, it's important to be mindful of your calorie intake, especially if you're trying to lose weight. Use portion control methods or a kitchen food scale to ensure you're not overeating, even with keto-friendly foods.

Consider a Shopping List App:

There are many apps and websites that provide keto-specific shopping lists and meal plans. These can be incredibly helpful in ensuring you buy the right ingredients and stay on track with your keto diet. Some apps even allow you to input your own recipes and calculate the macros for you.

Remember, the key to successful keto shopping is planning and education. Take the time to understand keto-friendly foods, read labels, and plan your meals and shopping list accordingly.

Cook and store meals

Cooking and storing keto meals is a great way to stay on track with your diet and ensure you always have something delicious and nutritious to eat. Here are some tips to help you cook and store keto meals like a pro:

Plan and Prepare:

Before you start cooking, take some time to plan your meals for the week. Choose a variety of recipes that you can batch cook or bulk prep ingredients for. Make a grocery list of all the ingredients you need and shop with a plan. When you get home, organise your kitchen and prep your ingredients before starting to cook. Chop vegetables, marinate proteins, and make any sauces or seasonings you need.

Cook in Bulk:

Cooking in large batches is a time-saving technique. Cook complete keto recipes in large batches and then divide them into individual servings, or bulk prep ingredients separately and then combine them to create your meals for the week. For example, cook 2-3 keto proteins and a few low-carb vegetables, which you can mix and match to create different meals.

Store Properly:

Invest in good-quality meal prep containers to store your cooked meals. Look for containers with dividers if you want to keep your meals separated, or go for larger containers if you plan to mix your ingredients. Label your containers with the name of the dish, the date it was prepared, and the reheating instructions.

Freeze for Later:

If you've cooked more than you can eat in a week, don't worry! Many keto meals freeze well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Freeze your meals in portion-sized containers so you can easily grab a meal when you need it.

Reheat and Enjoy:

When you're ready to eat, simply take your meal out of the fridge or freezer and reheat it. You can use a microwave, stovetop, or oven, depending on the type of meal and your personal preference.

Sample Keto Meal Ideas:

• Keto chicken parmesan
• Keto beef stew
• Chicken bacon ranch casserole
• Low-carb cauliflower mac and cheese
• Keto salmon sushi bowl
• Chicken meatballs with cauliflower rice

Frequently asked questions