The ketogenic diet, commonly known as keto, has become an increasingly popular way of eating over the past few years. The high-fat, low-carb diet helps the body reach a metabolic state called ketosis, which promotes fat burning and weight loss. But what exactly are macros, and why are they so important on keto?
What are Macros?
Macros are macronutrients – the three main nutrients that provide calories in food: fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Understanding macros is key to success on the keto diet, as it involves tracking and balancing macros to achieve ketosis.
Here’s a quick rundown of the three macros:
- Fat – The main energy source on keto. Healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish are emphasized.
- Protein – Important for building and repairing muscles and tissues. Protein sources include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy.
- Carbohydrates – Restricted to a very low intake, usually less than 5% of total calories. Found in grains, starchy veggies, sugar, and dairy.
Why Track Macros on Keto?
Tracking macros is essential on keto for a few key reasons:
- It helps ensure you maintain the key macronutrient ratio that induces ketosis – high fat, moderate protein, and very low carb.
- It helps you meet your individual calorie goals for weight loss or maintenance.
- It provides accountability and helps avoid “hidden” carbs and excess calories.
- It optimizes the benefits of keto like stable energy, appetite control, and mental clarity.
Without tracking macros, it can be nearly impossible to know if you’re truly adhering to a ketogenic diet.
Keto Macro Ratios
To achieve ketosis, most keto dieters aim for the following macro ratio:
- Fat: 60-75% of total daily calories
- Protein: 15-30% of total daily calories
- Carbs: 5-10% of total daily calories
This equates to:
- 50-80 grams net carbs per day
- 0.6 – 1 gram protein per pound of lean body mass
- Remainder of calories from fat
20-30 grams of net carbs is recommended for the first few weeks of keto to ensure ketosis is achieved. After that, carbs can be increased to 50-80 grams.
How to Calculate Your Personal Macros
Determining the best macro split for your body involves calculating your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and your macronutrient goals based on that number.
Follow these steps:
- Calculate your TDEE using a TDEE calculator. Enter your stats like age, weight, height and activity level.
- Multiply your TDEE by the keto ratio percentages to get your calories from each macro. For example, with a 2,000 calorie TDEE:
- Fat (70% of calories): 1,400 calories
- Protein (20%): 400 calories
- Carbs (10%): 200 calories
- Divide the calorie amounts by 4 (fat and protein) or 4 (carbs) to convert to grams.
- Fat: 1,400 calories / 9 calories per gram = 156 grams
- Protein: 400 / 4 = 100 grams
- Carbs: 200 / 4 = 50 grams
This provides your customized macro targets in grams for keto.
Keto Macro Calculator
Manually calculating macros can be tedious. Using an online keto macro calculator simplifies the process.
Here are some top macro calculators for keto:
Perfect Keto Macro Calculator
Perfect Keto provides a detailed macro calculator tailored to ketogenic diets. It offers preset ratios for standard and cyclical keto. You can also enter custom ratios, carb limits, and calorie goals.
MyFitness Pal Keto Calculator
MyFitnessPal has a macro calculator with options for keto and other diets. It calculates calories and macros based on your inputs and chosen carb limit.
Ruled.me Keto Calculator
Ruled.me’s calculator gives gram and percentage targets for keto. It provides pie charts showing the macro split.
KetoDiet Buddy Calculator
KetoDiet Buddy has a macro calculator delivering fat, protein, carb and calorie goals for keto. It includes quick presets or customization.
Using an online calculator makes it easy to determine your numbers in minutes. You simply provide details like weight, activity and goals for personalized keto macros.
Typical Keto Macros
While macros are individualized, the table below shows examples of typical keto macronutrient goals for different calorie needs:
| Calories | Net Carbs | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,200 | 15-50 grams | 60-90 grams | 90-100 grams |
| 1,500 | 20-60 grams | 75-115 grams | 115-125 grams |
| 1,800 | 25-70 grams | 90-140 grams | 135-150 grams |
| 2,000 | 30-80 grams | 100-160 grams | 150-175 grams |
| 2,500 | 40-100 grams | 125-190 grams | 190-225 grams |
These are just examples – use a macro calculator to determine the right numbers for your body and goals.
Foods to Fit Your Macros
Choosing the right foods to hit your personalized macros is key. Here are some of the top keto foods for each:
Fat
- Oils – olive, coconut, avocado, MCT
- Nuts and seeds
- Nut butters
- Avocados
- Fatty fish like salmon
- Bacon
- Eggs
- Full-fat dairy like butter, cheese and heavy cream
Protein
- Meat – beef, chicken, pork, lamb
- Fish and seafood
- Eggs
- Full-fat Greek yogurt
- Cheese
- Tofu and tempeh
- Protein powder
Carbs
- Low-carb vegetables – leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers
- Berries
- Avocado
- Nuts and seeds
- Low-carb dairy like cheese and plain Greek yogurt
Tracking Your Macros
To stay on track with your macro targets daily, consistent tracking is key. Here are some tips:
- Use a tracking app like MyFitnessPal, Chronometer or Carb Manager.
- Weigh and measure your food portions for accuracy.
- Plan meals and snacks ahead of time.
- Log foods before eating to ensure macro balance.
- Stay under carb, protein and calorie limits.
- Reach the minimum fat intake.
Apps with macro tracking make the process much easier. But taking the time to weigh, plan and log food is essential for optimal results.
Adjusting Your Macros
As you lose weight on keto, your macro needs will change and calories can be reduced. Re-calculate your macros every 10-15 pounds lost or every few months. Adjust your intake accordingly to keep progressing.
Some cases where macro adjustment is beneficial include:
- Weight loss stalls
- Fat loss slows down
- Feeling overly hungry or low energy
- Hitting a plateau
- Starting a new training program
Listen to your body and recalculate macros any time weight loss pauses or other issues arise. This ensures you’re feeding your body appropriately.
Common Keto Macro Myths
Some common misconceptions about macros on keto include:
Myth: Protein Should Be Restricted
Fact: Moderate protein is important on keto for preserving muscle and keeping you full. The recommended intake is 0.6 – 1 gram per pound of lean body mass.
Myth: Too Much Protein Kicks You Out of Ketosis
Fact: Eating excessive protein doesn’t affect ketosis in most people. Gluconeogenesis converts only the amount of protein needed into glucose.
Myth: Fat Doesn’t Need to Be Hit If Weight Loss Is the Goal
Fact: Consuming adequate fat keeps you satiated, helps sustain ketosis and supports energy levels for activity.
Myth: Carb Limit is a Goal To Reach Daily
Fact: Net carbs are an upper limit, not a goal. It’s optimal to keep intake at the lowest point that sustaines you.
Benefits of Tracking Macros on Keto
Here are some of the top benefits of tracking macros on the keto diet:
- Helps maintain ketosis by balancing macros properly
- Makes it easier to meet weight loss or maintenance goals
- Increases satiation from adequate protein and fat
- Ensures sufficient calories for energy levels and activity
- Improves body composition by retaining lean mass
- Prevents weight loss plateaus
- Enhances mental clarity from stable ketone levels
- Provides nutritional accountability
Tracking macros takes the guesswork out of keto. By understanding your numbers, you can get into ketosis faster, avoid missteps, and experience optimal benefits.
Conclusion
Macros represent the optimal ratio of fat, protein and carbs to support ketosis. Calculating your personal macros based on your body, activity levels and goals is key to thriving on keto.
Accurately tracking macros keeps your body fueled, helps burn fat and retain lean muscle, and boosts energy. Adjusting as needed based on progress and changes supports continued success.
Understanding macros is empowering – it provides clarity for what to eat daily to look and feel your best in ketosis. By making macros a priority, you make your health a priority and set yourself up for lastingresults on keto.