Keto Macro Calculators: Personalized Diets, Different Results

There are many keto macro calculators available online, and they all have slight differences. This is because everyone's requirements are different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to keto. Some calculators ask for your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level, while others ask for your lean body mass and target weight. Some calculators are more advanced than others, with features that allow you to input your preferred amount of net carbs and protein. The results you get from these calculators will give you a daily calorie count with a breakdown of each macronutrient (fat, carbs, and protein) to help you meet your desired goal.

Activity level

There are several categories of activity levels, ranging from sedentary to athlete. Sedentary means little to no exercise, with most of the day spent at a desk job. Lightly active means you spend most of the day on your feet (e.g. teacher) or you exercise 1-3 times per week. A moderate activity level means you have a lightly active day job with some physical labour or scheduled exercise (e.g. cycling to work or weightlifting a few times a week). Active means you spend most of the day doing heavy physical activity (e.g. construction work) or intense exercise every day. Very active means very hard exercise, a physical job or sports 6-7 days a week. Finally, the athlete category is for those whose careers are centred around exercise and who train hard every day.

Your activity level is an important factor in determining your keto macros because the more active you are, the more calories your body burns. This, in turn, determines how many calories you need to eat per day to maintain or lose weight. For example, if you are in the 'athlete' category, you will need to consume more calories per day than someone who is sedentary, even if you are both aiming to lose weight.

Macronutrient ratios

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When you're in ketosis, your body turns fat into ketones for energy, instead of burning carbohydrates for glucose.

The standard keto macro ratio is 5% or fewer calories from carbohydrates, 70-80% of calories from healthy fats, and 20-30% of calories from protein.

However, these ratios are not set in stone and can vary depending on your goals and activity level. For example, if you are sedentary, a good starting point for net carbs is between 20-30 grams per day, and your protein ratio should be around 0.6-0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. If you are active, you may need more protein, up to 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass.

You can use a keto macro calculator to determine your ideal macronutrient ratios. These calculators take into account various factors such as your age, gender, weight, height, activity level, and body fat percentage to give you a personalised macro breakdown.

It's important to remember that keto is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and you may need to experiment with different ratios to find what works best for you. Additionally, make sure to prioritise whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods to ensure you're getting adequate vitamins and minerals while following a keto diet.

Calorie intake

To determine your calorie intake, you can use a keto calculator that takes into account your gender, age, height, weight, and activity level. These factors help calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the number of calories you burn while at rest, and your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including physical activity.

It is important to note that your calorie needs may vary depending on your activity level. Most keto calculators will categorise activity levels as sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, very active, or athlete. By inputting your information into a keto calculator, you can get a personalised estimate of your calorie intake to achieve your desired goal weight.

Body fat percentage

If you are unsure of your body fat percentage, you can measure it at home, at the gym, or at a health facility. Two of the most accurate methods are:

• Skinfold Calipers: Skin calipers are affordable and easy to get on Amazon. Your local gym most likely has them too. A skinfold caliper works by pinching one area of your skin that folds easily (like your belly and back), in three to ten different areas of your body to measure your subcutaneous fat. That measurement is then used in a formula to calculate your body fat percentage.
• DEXA (Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry): A DEXA scan will give you the most accurate results, but it is also the most expensive option. A DEXA is an X-ray treatment that measures body composition and can detect bone mineral density, lean body mass, and fat mass with great accuracy. However, they can only be done at a health facility, and a comprehensive session can cost up to $160.

It is recommended that you measure your body fat percentage every six to eight weeks.

Basal metabolic rate

Your BMR can be calculated using the Mifflin-St.Jeor Formula or the Harris-Benedict formula, which incorporates your height, weight, gender, and age. BMR = 655 + (9.6 × weight in kg) + (1.8 × height in cm) – (4.7 × age in years).

BMR is one of the factors that make up your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which is the number of calories your body burns in 24 hours. Your TDEE is calculated by combining your BMR with your physical activity level (PAL).

BMR is important for weight management. Some people use BMR to help gain, lose, or maintain body weight. However, weight loss isn’t necessarily all about calories. Many experts point to the fact that quality matters more than quantity, and different foods have different metabolic effects on the body. For example, sugar can lead to insulin resistance and an increase in body weight and fat.

The ketogenic diet can help maintain your BMR by switching your metabolism primarily to a fat-burning state instead of a sugar-burning state. This is because, on a ketogenic diet, your body is forced to rely on fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. People on a ketogenic diet burn an average of 300 extra calories per day compared to those on a higher-carb diet. Additionally, keto suppresses appetite, which can make it easier to lose weight without feeling hungry.

Frequently asked questions