Keto Calculator | Determine Your Personal Macros [Precise & Simple]

Starting on a ketogenic diet? Let’s calculate how much you should eat.
We use the information you put in to create an accurate keto nutrition profile for you.

How do I use your calculator to get my macros?

While inputting your information, you may find that some of the sections and terms are confusing. If this is the case for you, simply click the lower case “i” logo located near the title of each section of our keto calculator. After you click the lower case “i” logo, you will be directed to a brief explanation that should answer your questions.

If you are still unsure of how to use the keto calculator or if you think you aren’t getting the right keto macro numbers, read through the other Q&As and comments below, you will probably find the answer there.

If you still don’t find the answer, please submit a comment with the question and we will address it as soon as possible.

Why do you need my gender/age/height/weight?

Most people aim for a specific goal on a ketogenic diet. We aim to make sure the results of the calculator are accurate and can be used by anyone.

Our keto calculator uses the Mifflin-St.Jeor Formula which was the most accurate (versus the Katch-McCardle Formula or the Harris-Benedict Formula) in a few studies. In this formula, the gender, height, weight, and age are needed to calculate the number of calories to consume.

Why do you need my body fat percentage?

Our keto calculator uses body fat percentage to calculate your lean body mass. Using this number, we’re able to calculate how much protein you need to sufficiently lose weight without losing excess muscle. Eating too little or too much protein on a ketogenic diet (or any diet) can lead to dangerous or unwanted results.

DEXA scans are proven to be the most accurate measurement of body fat. They’re commonly available at gyms and some doctor offices when requested. If you don’t have access to this, you can always go the old-fashioned route and use a good quality caliper. The last resort is using a guide to visually estimate – this can sometimes be a little bit inaccurate, so try to over estimate your body fat percentage.

Why do you need to know my activity level?

This will give us an idea of how much the minimum amount of calories your body will burn in a day. Our keto calculator uses this to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). We use this number, along with your body fat percentage, to estimate how many calories you’ll need for your goals.

The BMR is simply a number of calories we burn while our bodies are at rest and from eating and digesting food. Together they form what’s known as TDEE, or total daily energy expenditure. This is the keto calculator’s estimate for your total calories burned per day. If you use a heart rate monitor or third party software to monitor your calories, you can use the custom input in the activity level section for an even more accurate macro profile.

What is a deficit/surplus?

A deficit or surplus just relates to the number of calories you want to intake. A surplus means you are eating more than your body needs. A deficit means you are eating less than your body needs.

Typically if you are losing weight, you want to have a deficit in calories. 10-20% is standard for people. 20-30% ranges are considered high deficits and are typically difficult to do (you will be fighting hunger). You can go up to a 30% deficit, but going past that can lead to metabolic damage in the long run (study).

Typically if you want to gain muscle, you want to have a surplus in calories. You need extra calories if you want to put on lean mass. Typically, 5-10% is suggested, but going over 10% can lead to excess weight gain.

Why should I eat so few carbs?

There are numerous benefits that are scientifically proven on the ketogenic diet. On keto, it’s a general rule of thumb to stay under 30g net carbs a day. We recommend for weight loss to stay at or below 20g net carbs a day.

The end goal of a ketogenic diet is to be in a metabolic state known as ketosis. We do this through starvation of carbohydrates.

How much protein should I be eating?

Protein intake is imperative when it comes to keto. Too much and you can lower your ketone levels, too little and you can lose excess muscle. You want to be in the sweet spot.

If you’re sedentary, we recommend having between 0.6g and 0.8g protein per pound of lean body mass.
If you’re active, we recommend having between 0.8g and 1.0g protein per pound of lean body mass.
If you want to gain muscle, we recommend having between 1.0g and 1.2g protein per pound of lean body mass. You should not need to consume more protein than that, according to these studies.

It can seem complicated, but it’s honestly not! It’s just a ratio of protein. If you are 100 lbs. of muscle and want to gain muscle (1.0g protein), you eat 100g protein.

If you’re still confused, don’t worry – the keto calculator automatically sets your protein based on your activity level.

I’m not sure about my macros, are they right?

Generally speaking, many people are concerned that the keto calculator results in too many calories to eat. It’s very common for the average person to lose weight on a 1600 calorie a day keto diet. If you’re not 100% sure or confused about anything, you can also read more about macronutrients on a keto diet >

You should try to eat according to the macros given and try to spread your meals out during the day. Don’t worry about getting exact numbers to the tee. You can afford a small fluctuation in your macros, but as long as you are close to your ranges, it will balance itself out.

If you’re just getting started and still want to learn more about keto, consider reading our extensive guide to keto >

Why do calories matter? Isn’t a keto macronutrient calculator useless if I am already limiting carbs?

After hearing about the keto diet and how it helps you burn fat, you may be wondering why we even have a keto calculator. According to many low carb diet proponents, all that really matters when it comes to losing fat is cutting the carbs — Isn’t this true?

High-quality research studies have been published on this specific topic, and the data clearly shows that – regardless if you are on a high carb or low carb diet — you will lose weight if you are in a calorie deficit and gain weight if you are in a calorie surplus. For a closer look at the research and why calories matter, check out this article.

Due to the irrefutable importance of calorie consumption for weight loss and weight gain, a keto macro calculator is one of the most valuable tools that you can use to increase your chances of diet success.

Do I have to use the keto macro calculator to get results?

Simply by eating keto foods and cutting out the carbs, most people will eat fewer calories than usual and start losing weight consistently. However, following the diet in this way can increase your likelihood of hitting a weight loss plateau and not knowing what to do next.

One of the most efficient and effective ways to diet is by using a macronutrient calculator, like the ruled.me keto calculator, as a guide for how much you should eat. It will provide you with estimates for the fat, protein, carbs, and calories you should consume each day to get the results you want.

To help you stay on track to meeting your macro needs, we recommend using a calorie tracking app like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer. If you’d like to learn how to use these apps for the keto diet, read through our carb (and calorie) tracking guide.

By using our keto calculator, you will find out how much of each macronutrient (i.e., fat, protein, and carbs) you need to eat so that you can:

Significantly increase your chances of getting the results you want
Enter and stay in ketosis
Stay on track with your keto diet (especially if you track your macros as well)
Stop guessing how much you should be eating
Enjoy all of the benefits of keto dieting and ketosis

What exactly do the results mean?

After you entered all of your data and calculated your macros, you will get results that look something like this:

Example results from the keto calculator

Let’s start with the calories. Simply put, a calorie is a basic unit of energy that helps us understand how much energy we can potentially get from the food we eat. Calorie intake is one of the most critical variables to be aware of when you are trying to change your body composition.

If you eat fewer calories than you need to maintain your weight (which is also known as a calorie deficit) then you will lose weight. Conversely, eating more calories than you need to maintain your weight (which is also known as a calorie surplus) will cause you to gain weight.

Notice that I am saying “weight” loss and “weight” gain rather than “fat” loss and gain. By manipulating your calorie consumption, you will predictably change the numbers on the scale, but whether or not those numbers reflect a strong bias toward fat loss depends on the other numbers from your keto macro calculator results.

Fat, muscle, and water can all be lost and gained during the course of your diet. The proportion of weight you lose as fat, muscle, and water depends heavily upon the macronutrient content of your diet (i.e., how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates you eat). If you’d like to learn more about the macronutrients, check out our guide to macros.

Depending on the info that you enter into our keto calculator, you will get different ratios of fat, protein, and carbs. In general, carbs should remain low because they will prevent you from entering into ketosis and getting all of the benefits of the keto diet. By limiting carb consumption to this degree, many people will lose a considerable amount of water weight as well.

Protein is essential for maintaining and gaining muscle mass. Eating less protein than recommended by our keto calculator will typically cause you to lose more muscle mass while eating the right amount of protein will help you maintain or gain muscle mass (as long as you are doing some form of resistance training as well).

While you are restricting carbs, your fat intake will be used as a lever to increase and decrease calorie consumption so that you can gain, maintain, or lose weight. If you are eating the right protein along with the right amount of calories and fat, then the percentage of the weight you lose from fat will increase.

To find out how many calories of each macronutrient you should eat, make sure you convert the macro numbers that you get from our keto calculator to calories first. Here are the conversions for each macronutrient to make it easier for you:

1 gram of carbs = 4 calories
1 gram of protein =4 calories
1 gram of fat= 9 calories

My protein is higher than my fat recommendation. What should I do?

You may notice that the percentage of grams of protein you have to eat is much higher and fat is a lot lower than the percentages that are typically recommended for keto. This can happen for two reasons:

You didn’t convert grams to calories. You must convert the grams of fat and protein to calories and then calculate your macronutrient percentages. Calorie percentages, not gram percentages, are what the recommended keto percentages are based on. Usually, once you account for the fact that one gram of fat has five more calories than one gram of protein the calorie percentages will end up being what you expect from a typical keto diet.
Your goals and activity levels require you to eat more protein. Even after you convert grams to calories, you may find that your suggested protein intake is high (above 30%) and fat is a bit low for keto (less than 60%). This commonly happens for keto dieters who lift weights and won’t impair your progress with the keto diet.

The only problem that high protein intake can cause, however, is lower levels of ketone production. If this is the case for you and you want to maintain a higher level of ketosis, then try decreasing your protein intake to the lower end of the recommended range or restricting carbs a bit more.

In general, as long as you are restricting carbs enough and eating the right amount of protein for your body composition goals and activity levels, you should be able to get all of the benefits of the keto diet — even if your macro percentages don’t fit precisely into the recommended keto percentages.

Why does your keto calculator only calculate net carbs?

Total carbs is not a precise indicator of the carb content of a food. When you see “total carbs” on a food label, the number beside it represents the cumulative total of grams of dietary fiber, sugar, and sugar alcohol that are in that food item or beverage. Net carb content, on the other hand, relates to the carb content of the food that is digested at four calories per gram and impacts your ketones levels.

By giving you your suggested carb consumption in net carbs, we are providing you with the most direct way of knowing how many carbs you need to eat to enter ketosis. Any dietary fiber or sugar alcohol that is added on top of that will usually have a little to no direct effect on your ketone levels and body composition.

For example, if we told you to eat 50 total carbs rather than 20-30 grams of net carbs, you could be eating anywhere between 0 and 50 grams of net carbs. At 0 grams of net carbs, most people will get into ketosis within the first week and experience deeper levels of ketosis as the weeks progress. On the other hand, while eating 50 grams of net carbs per day, many people will struggle to get into ketosis and sustain higher ketone levels.

By following a strict net carb limit, you will know exactly what you need to eat to get into ketosis reliably and what variable you should change if you want to stimulate more ketone production.

(Note: If you live in Europe, Australia, or Oceania, the carb content on the label reflects the net carbs in a serving of that food, so you will not have to subtract fiber from that number because it already has been done.)

Does your calculator have a fiber intake option?

Our keto calculator will only tell you your suggested carb, fat, and protein intake. The general recommendation for fiber intake is 14 grams per 1,000 calories consumed. The simplest way to meet your daily fiber needs are by eating more low carb vegetables, having some keto bread with your meals, or taking fiber supplements.

If you find that your fiber needs are difficult to meet with your current net carb limit, then simply eat enough fiber so that you have regular bowel movements one or more times a day.

What should I do after I use your keto macro calculator?

Once you get an estimate for your keto macros with our keto calculator, we recommend checking out our keto guide, keto recipes, keto food list, carb tracking guide, and our other keto blog posts.

Click on this link to check out our keto recipe catalog (with new keto recipes added every week). This will give you a good idea of what you can eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert while you are keto dieting. I also suggest checking out our keto food list so you have a better idea of what you should and shouldn’t eat.

Once you know what you will be eating on keto, you will probably be wondering how much of you should eat for each meal. Since meal size depends on the individual and his/her goals, we recommend using a calorie tracking app and our carb tracking guide to help you figure out the macronutrient content of your meals. As you track your macros, you will be able to figure out what adjusts you need to make to your diet to reach your goals.

How do I meet my macros with a ketogenic diet?

The simplest way to meet your macros is by cutting out non-keto foods and eating keto-friendly foods. Here’s a brief food list for you to start with:

Do Not Eat

Grains – wheat, corn, rice, cereal, etc.
Sugar – honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.
Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, etc.
Tubers – potato, yams, etc.

Do Eat

Meats – fish, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, etc.
Low Carb Vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, and other low carb vegetables >
High Fat Dairy – hard cheeses, high fat cream, butter, etc.
Nuts and seeds – macadamias, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
Avocado and berries – raspberries, blackberries, and other low glycemic impact berries
Sweeteners – stevia, erythritol, monk fruit, and other low-carb sweeteners >
Other fats – coconut oil, high-fat salad dressing, saturated fats, etc.

To see more specific advice on how to meet your macros on keto, click here for a comprehensive keto food list. Or, if you want a different idea of how to get to these macro calculations, you can also see our 14 Day Keto Diet Plan for ideas.

If you are looking for more specific suggestions on how to meet your protein and/or fat needs on keto, we will explore that in greater detail in the next two questions.

How do I reach the protein intake level that was recommended?

The easiest way to meet your protein needs is by making sure you are consuming a good protein source at each meal. Here is a list of some of the most common protein sources you can add to your keto meals:

Wild Caught Fatty Fish
Shellfish
Whole Eggs
Red Meat
Pork
Poultry
Organ Meat
Other Less Common Meats
Bacon and Sausage (without any added sugar, maltodextrin, or dextrose)
Nut Butter
Higher Protein Cheeses
Low Carb Protein Powders

Most keto dieters will be able to meet their protein needs with 2-3 keto meals that contain one or more of these protein sources. If keto recipes aren’t enough to help you meet your protein needs, all you need to do is add one of the high protein foods from the list above.

Here are a couple of examples:

To add as much protein as possible with minimal calories and fat:

Add an unflavored protein powder to your keto sauce or dressing. (caution: this may change the thickness of your sauce or dressing)
Add white meat chicken, turkey, or other lean meats or fish to your meal.
Have egg whites with your meal.
Make a quick protein shake with a low carb protein powder.

To add extra protein and fat to your meal:

Add higher fat meats like bacon, sausage, and fattier cuts of meat to your meals.
Have whole eggs with your meal.
Add extra high protein cheese (e.g., parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese) to your meal.
Have some high protein nuts and nut butters (e.g., almond butter, peanut butter).

For more high protein and/or high fat keto meal ideas, check out our keto recipes. Dishes that feature seafood or meat will typically have the highest protein content.

How do I eat all of the fat that the keto calculator recommends?

When you are first starting the keto diet, eating so much fat may seem like a daunting task.

How are you supposed to consume all of that fat and enjoy it at the same time? By knowing what keto-friendly options are available to you.

Here are some high-fat keto foods that you can eat to meet your fat needs:

Fatty Fish
High-fat Meats (such as pepperoni and bacon)
High-fat Cheese (like mascarpone and cream cheese)
Animal Fat (non-hydrogenated)
Lard
Tallow
Avocados
Egg Yolks
High-fat Nuts (like macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, and pecans)
Butter/Ghee
Mayonnaise
Coconut Butter
Cocoa Butter
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Avocado Oil
Macadamia Oil
MCT Oil
Heavy Cream
Sour Cream
Fat Bombs

To meet your macros most efficiently, try combining high protein with high-fat foods or have foods that are both high in protein and fat at every meal. For example, having a fatty fish or fatty cut of meat with high-protein cheese (and low carb vegetables) is a simple and easy way to have a keto-friendly meal that will help you meet your protein and fat needs. On the other hand, if you just want to increase your fat intake, then find ways to add oil, animal fats, butter, fat bombs, and/or high-fat cheeses to your meals or snacks.

Here are some specific examples for you:

To add more fat and protein to your meals:

Add higher fat meats like bacon, pepperoni, and fattier cuts of meat to your meals.
Have whole eggs or egg yolks with your meal.
Add extra high protein cheese (e.g., parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese) to your meal.
Have a keto milkshake or smoothie (with extra MCT oil if needed):

To add as much fat as possible to your diet:

Top your meals with high fat, low protein dairy like mascarpone cheese, heavy cream based sauce, or cream cheese.
Add sliced avocado to your meals or have it as a snack.
Have fat bombs whenever you are running low on fat.
Top off your meal with extra oil or animal fat.
Have high-fat nuts like macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, and pecans.
Add your favorite keto dressings when appropriate.
Here are some of our favorite high-fat keto dressings:

For more high fat and/or high protein keto meal and snack ideas, check out our keto recipes.

How do I track my net carbs?

The simplest way to make sure you are limiting carbs enough is by using an app like Cronometer that calculates net carbs for you. In our guide to carb tracking on keto, we teach you how to configure Cronometer (and MyFitnessPal) for keto diet success.

You can also track net carbs by calculating them yourself and adding them up throughout the day. If you need help finding the net carbs in the foods you are eating, read through this quick post.

Comments

[email protected] says

June 16, 2016 at 4:02 pm

Hey Brook – sorry for the late reply. Make sure that your macros are on point. For someone that’s exercising that much, 1500 cals seems low and might be negatively impacting your metabolism. Keep lifting, eat properly, and you should see a difference in a few weeks. Also keep in mind that to lose body fat at your current weight/BF, it takes much longer.

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[email protected] says

June 16, 2016 at 4:04 pm

I think making sauces from fats will help. I like to mix fats into meals so it doesn’t taste oily, but it will still have plenty of fat in each plate. Find things that you like to eat and no doubt you will be able to stand eating the fats 🙂

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[email protected] says

June 16, 2016 at 4:05 pm

You could slowly increase calories if you’re worried about metabolic damage in the long run, but it sounds like your ketone levels are quite good.

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[email protected] says

June 20, 2016 at 8:45 pm

I’d say just give it a try. Usually you want to give your body 3 weeks to adjust and give a result from any changes you make. Go for it 🙂

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comrat says

June 23, 2016 at 6:51 am

Greetings, Craig! Its wonderful that you have worked on your health and are now selflessly helping & motivating others. Am 41yr Female 5’3″ 85kgs Vegetarian. Have been following my macros 120F/60P/20C sincerely for almost 3 weeks now. MAJOR Issues (1) No weight loss (2) Hungry all the time (3) ketostix barely turn pink to the “small” level indicator (4) when I totally eliminate carbs, they turn purple (5) am past the keto flu (6) even tried 12/12 IF. Please let me know if you see light and can help 🙂 Thank you!

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- [email protected] says
  
  June 28, 2016 at 4:07 pm
  
  Since I’m not really well versed in the vegetarian side of things, I’d definitely suggest checking out the reddit (they’re awesome and super helpful). Try giving a look: https://www.reddit.com/r/ve…
  
  Reply
NikVln says

June 24, 2016 at 3:40 pm

Hi Craig. I’ve a question about the macros. I understand I’m trying to stay under 20 carbs, but for the fat and protein, are they targets that I’m trying to achieve or limits that I’m trying stay under.

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Thornha says

June 27, 2016 at 12:36 pm

I’m researching to see if this will be something I can do. I am allergic to Coconut and Lactose Intolerant. Are there good subs for these aspects of this diet and your meal plans?

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- [email protected] says
  
  June 28, 2016 at 3:59 pm
  
  For my meal plans, there won’t be any easy subs, so I’d suggest trying to make your own. I’m not a massive fan of coconut so I don’t incorporate coconut into many of my recipes. For the dairy, you’d have to find non-dairy subs or stick to avoiding it altogether.
  
  Reply
  - Thornha says
    
    June 28, 2016 at 4:05 pm
    
    Challenging. Thank you for your feedback.
    
    Reply
    - Rab says
      
      December 29, 2016 at 6:34 pm
      
      Not nearly as challenging as my diet constraints. I cannot eat cheese, tomatos or anything containing vinegar. Now try and find a keto recipe without at least 1 of those ingredients.
      
      Reply
      - [email protected] says
        
        December 30, 2016 at 5:54 pm
        
        Hi Rab! Try some of these:
        Low Carb Chicken Curry: http://www.ruled.me/low-car…
        Perfectly Crisp Baked Chicken Wings: http://www.ruled.me/perfect…
        
        I agree that it’s hard to find keto recipes without cheese. I think people just get so excited that it’s “allowed.”
      - Rab says
        
        January 2, 2017 at 5:53 pm
        
        Thanks Laura. It has always been a problem even before I went Keto and I have become fairly adept at designing my own recipe variants. I am doing a satay chicken tonight though I just noticed that the “B********” have substituted vegetable oils for butter in the Peanut Butter I bought…… Grrrrrr.
        
        My favourite Keto friendly food is my variation (mainly excludes the flour) on Oxtail Stew. Very High Fat, Moderate Protein, Virtually Zero Carbs and so delicious …….
Simoney718 says

June 27, 2016 at 2:13 pm

Hi Craig,
I am trying to set up my macros and I’m having some overall confusion on the weight deficit portion. I’m 5’9, 157 and my ideal goal weight is 150-155, I want to gain muscle along with losing overall body fat, which i’m currently at 23.8% and would like to be at 20%. I work out 3-4 days a week with 45-60 minute increments, 3 days strength training, along with 2 days cardio (which is mixed between my strength training days) Help please!

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[email protected] says

June 28, 2016 at 4:02 pm

Protein is generally a goal(to minimize muscle loss), fat is more a goal. If you’re full, don’t force eat.

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[email protected] says

June 28, 2016 at 4:07 pm

Since I’m not really well versed in the vegetarian side of things, I’d definitely suggest checking out the reddit (they’re awesome and super helpful). Try giving a look: https://www.reddit.com/r/vegetarianketo

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Darrell says

July 10, 2016 at 10:15 am

Hi Craig, LOTS of great info here, Thank You!

In the calculator it asks for Exercise per day (with kcal / min calculations). I workout with weights 5 days per week, so should I do 2 calculations for Macros? One based on my weight days, and one based on my non-weight days?

Have been doing Keto since Feb 8, 2016, and have lost 40lbs, 10%BF, so am loving what this does. Had my blood work done and my Doctor is amazed with my levels. I am close to Phase 2 (Gain Lean Mass).

Thanks again!

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Brayleigh Davis says

July 10, 2016 at 12:28 pm

1606kcal Daily Calorie Intake

20g Net Carbs (5%, 80 kcal)

63g Protein (16%, 253 kcal)

141g Fat (79%, 1272 kcal)

158.9 lbs

This is what the calculator says about me. I bought your accelerated program to give me a baseline. Eventually I want to start lifting weights again, but i thought i would do some light cardio during the week 30 minx 2-3x a week (due to my schedule). When I do decide to start weight lifting ( probably at the end of the 28 days) how do I adjust my daily intake to compensate my weight lifting? I want to get down around 135-140, but I’m always worried that if weight train while trying to reach those dreaded numbers that i will never get there.. I want to get rid of the last 15-20 lbs then start to trying to toning up, when my schedule allots for it. I was starting to lean out pretty good before school happened. lol.

here is a little history…I have been on a weight loss journey since feb 2011 (247lbs). I was 278 lbs (oct 2010) when I delivered my son and my lowest weight was last year at 146. I graduated LVN school December 2015 then got accepted in the RN program which started May 2016. I commute 1.15 hours one way 4 days a week which doesn’t give me much time or energy to get my workouts in. So doing your 28 day program will just reset my body to get ready for whats to come.

if you have any suggestions on working out or anything please feel free to give a recommendation. I’m excited to get back on track… I have all my food/groceries for week 1.

for your program. do you typically meal prep for the entire week? I planned to do that tonight.

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[email protected] says

July 11, 2016 at 2:17 pm

Hey Brayleigh – it really depends on what your final goals are. The general rule of thumb is to pick what you want. Muscle gain or weight loss. Besides in the first month or so, you can’t really do this over the long term. You need to eat a caloric surplus for muscle gain or a deficit for weight loss.

If you’re keen on losing weight, do a weight lifting circuit with HIIT cardio prior. That should help! For calories, you will have to increase if you plan to do some exercise. For your job, as well, it may take some extra energy so you may need to adjust macros as needed. Feel free to send me an e-mail at [email protected] and I can always help out as well!

For the program, I don’t personally prep. I prefer to cook every day because it’s just something I enjoy doing. Though you’re welcome to prep. Do what makes things easiest for you 🙂

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Denise says

July 20, 2016 at 3:34 pm

Hi i have a question i keep trying to start on a keto diet but i am a mom of 4 and work full time and some times i forget to pack my food and end up eating too much carbs which i love carbs a lot. Could you give me tips to start off and keep going? I need to lose at least 20 to 30 pounds ive already lost 50 pounds but i have lost all motivation due to stress depression etc. But in ready to lose weight.

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[email protected] says

July 20, 2016 at 3:57 pm

I know it’s hard, but you’d just have to be strict and plan ahead of time. With such a busy schedule, being on top of planning is definitely going to be key.

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Michelle L says

July 21, 2016 at 1:28 pm

Hi Craig, I need some advice. I started the Keto diet 9 days ago. I have been very faithful to it, staying below 14-15 grams of carbs all coming from the correct vegetables or nuts. I didn’t start it to lose weight, I’m female, 56 years old, just under 5’10” and weigh 153 lbs. If I lose a few it’s okay, but my goal was increased energy and to break my life time sugar addiction. Here’s the good news, my chronic cough that I’ve had my whole adult life is gone! My digestion is no longer sluggish, i.e. I’m no longer gassy and constipated and my stomach has flattened out! Yay! The problem is that after 9 days I’m still weak as a kitten. I’m hungry literally all the time, hungrier directly after I’ve eaten than I was before I ate. This morning I had a cup of coffee with 2 TBS heavy cream, scrambled eggs made w/2 eggs, 3 oz 80/20 ground beef and spinach which I used to make lettuce wraps. I was still hungry afterwards so I ate 1 oz of pecans and 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk…still hungry. I actually went back to bed after that, which I never do, and slept for an hour. I have used the calculator and am eating according to the results except, it recommended 20 g of carbs and I’ve been doing <15. I’m very active, 30 min. cardio, + yard work, + moving doing something all day long. For the past 9 days I’m only doing the bare minimum, haven’t exercised, worked in the yard, nothing strenuous, I just can’t. And I’m so irritable, I snapped at my 3 year old granddaughter and made her cry! Albeit she was being a brat, but I’ve never, ever done that before. Can you help me figure out what’s going on? I’m going to up my carbs to =/< 20 starting today to see if that helps. Thank you in advance!

Reply
- [email protected] says
  
  July 30, 2016 at 12:41 am
  
  Hey Michelle – the two things that I’d almost instantly say may be wrong are these: calories and micronutrients. You may want to supplements with some multivitamins and magnesium/potassium. Alongside this, it may be in your best interest to track some based on the numbers via this calculator. Larger, dense meals are usually best – but it’s always good to make sure you have enough fat/protein per meal. Although your eggs sounded, perfect, it may give us a place to start.
  
  P.S. Tough love from grandma is sometimes a good thing! Keep up the good work 🙂
  
  Reply
Donald says

July 24, 2016 at 7:14 pm

Hello Craig,
I am just starting the Keto diet and was very grateful to find your site, thank you. I have some questions though. I am 5’11” and 300 lbs. Obviously I am interested in losing at least 60 lbs. I used your calculator and this is what it came up with.

2010 kcal Daily Calorie Intake

20 g Net Carbs (4%, 80kcal)

170 g Fat (76%, 1534 kcal)

99 g Protein (20%, 396 kcal)
2000 cal. seems like a lot, and if that is correct, how do I compensate for the extra cal. given that the recipes I have seen are based on 1600 cal.

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[email protected] says

July 29, 2016 at 11:28 pm

You could just make them slightly larger. Since you have a little extra body fat, you’re welcome to try the 1600 kcal plan. If you find that you’re hungry all the time, though, you would probably need to increase to at least 1800.

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Paige says

July 31, 2016 at 1:28 pm

Hi Craig, I am interested in the 28 weight loss keto plan, I lost 15 pounds in two months on keto previously and have another 10 or so to go. I do work out about 2-3 days a week. Will the 28 day plan be specific to my needs or is it a one size fits all plan? Thanks!

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Allysha dipasquale says

August 10, 2016 at 2:26 pm

How are you able to maintain energy at such a low carb deficit?

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Almond Joy says

August 16, 2016 at 7:53 am

So, I’m generally couch potato, so when completing the info for the calculator I put little to no exercise but I planned on starting some sort of cardio/aerobic workout, perhaps Zumba? So would so I answer little to no exercise for now, and I just change it until I start doing the workout regularly?

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Ro says

August 19, 2016 at 1:46 am

Hi All — I need help.

I have come off of a huge surgury an since Feb I have lost about 30 pounds… just getting my toes wet with Keto. But, now I am really ready to start and/or try to understand, but, a bit overwhelmed. I am good with keeping carbs around 20-30g. But, with the calculator above its saying I should eat 2618kcal Daily Calorie Intake. OMG I am not a huge foodie… I have been logging my food on “my fit pal” and the majority of the time I am eating anywhere from 1400 – 1900 per day. How can I eat that much in calories. Help. Also, I need a simple easy way to star… any ideas?

Never measured the amount of Protein/Fat – but I will start that too….
20g Net Carbs (3%, 80 kcal)
99g Protein (15%, 395 kcal)
238g Fat (82%, 2143 kcal)

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Kendra Houston says

August 21, 2016 at 4:12 pm

Hey Craig! So I have a question…
I have been on the keto diet for two months now with a 10lb loss total so far, but for a few weeks I haven’t so much as lost a pound or even half an inch off of any part of my body. I stuck to my macros pretty strictly save for one “fudge” day once in a while to eat something like oatmeal.
I’m 5’1″ at 152lbs and my work is seditary but I go to they gym five days a week, working weights for at least an hour then 20min of walking at a steep incline at a 3mph speed on the treadmill. I also take fat burners so I am stumped….
Is there anything that you recommend ? I need to lose at least either 20 lbs in the next three months or at the very least another three inches from my waist… Heck anything would be wonderful at this point since it seems I’m not losing anything at the moment.

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TigerAngel2 says

August 22, 2016 at 10:32 pm

Hi Craig,
First, thank you for this site and all the work you do. It’s greatly appreciated.

I’ve been doing severe keto for a month and am having pretty good results. However, I’m just a bit confused and was hoping for your opinion. I used Maria Emmerich’s calculator. I’ve seen you both talk about each other’s recipes, so I feel you’re both on the same page re: keto. I’m a 34 y/o female, 5’11”, and now at 280lbs (down from ~300). According to her site, the fat to protein ratio is way different than when I calculate here. For example, for a 30% loss, yours has me at 1785 calories, 20g net carbs, 101g protein, 145g fat.

On the other hand, hers has me at 1562 calories with 8 carbs, 58 protein & 144 fat (very accelerated loss) or 1812/14C/77P/161F (accelerated loss). The lower levels of protein are killing me. (And yes, this is the readjustment I’m doing here a few later.)

See the difference I’m confused about? Your ratios seem to have more protein vs fat even for sedentary lifestyles. Any ideas? Is there a thing I should read that may explain it more? Thanks, again, for what you do.

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Syl says

August 23, 2016 at 6:48 pm

Hi Craig,

I started keto four weeks ago using macros calculated from a different website. I lost 10 pounds in week one. I’m assuming just water weight as I had also started drinking a gallon of water each day. Weeks two and three I lost nothing, pounds nor inches. Then someone linked me to your site. From your site, the macros I got were 20g carbs, 138g fat and 61 protein. I lost two pounds in that fourth week, but I was hungry all the time. And as a newbie, I found it difficult to hit my fat macros without going over in protein. At one point I’m contemplated eating tablespoons of butter. Any insight on how I could get my fat in without exceeding protein? Each day I’m eating bacon, eggs cooked in butter, BPC, and macadamia nuts.

Thanks!

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[email protected] says

August 24, 2016 at 9:16 pm

Hey Paige – sorry for the slow reply here. All of the plans are one-size-fits-all, and generally made for sedentary people (~1600 kcal average).

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RebeccaOG says

August 28, 2016 at 3:17 pm

Was wondering if there was a green smoothie recipe that could be used as a meal replacement when short on time? I see there are a lot of recipes online but want to make sure I wouldn’t be messing up on the 30 day diet plan if I chose to do a smoothie rather than make a meal.

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Federico Soler says

September 3, 2016 at 12:18 am

Hi Craig! one quick question… can I take an “Isopure” protein shake after exercising? Is it compatible with this diet?

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[email protected] says

September 8, 2016 at 4:23 pm

You would have to adjust the meal plan if you introduced a smoothie as it would add other nutrients into the mix. There’s tons of recipes online so I’d suggest trying whichever sounds best to you 🙂

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[email protected] says

September 8, 2016 at 4:45 pm

Yes, you could. Just add in 100-200 calories from fat and protein if needed.

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[email protected] says

September 8, 2016 at 4:50 pm

Your body switches to fat as the main source of energy.

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[email protected] says

September 8, 2016 at 5:24 pm

Just keep reading through recipes and find ones you like. Fat can be cooked into meals well, you just have to practice and practice 🙂

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[email protected] says

September 8, 2016 at 5:25 pm

Get rid of the fat burners and most likely eat more. If you’re working out, you most likely need 200-400 more calories than you’re eating now. I know it sounds backwards, but eating more can usually lead to more weight loss, especially when working out.

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[email protected] says

September 8, 2016 at 5:28 pm

That sounds like a ton of calories for the average person – what are you currently doing workout wise? That amount of fat would be difficult to reach, so you’d have to incorporate things like bulletproof coffee.

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[email protected] says

September 8, 2016 at 10:19 pm

Lower levels of protein and lower calories does mean faster weight loss, but it also means some muscle loss too. I generally calculate TDEE based on muscle mass, and most calculators don’t (they estimate it vs. knowing it). Protein is important to get to as a goal as it keeps muscle loss minimal; fat isn’t as important as you still have some body fat you can use. Carbs, obviously, you can eat as little as you want.

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BobGyro says

September 9, 2016 at 4:54 pm

yeah remember weight loss is not linear

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Rosa Coover says

September 11, 2016 at 6:21 pm

Hi Craig, ,I started the 30 days meal plan 3 weeks ago . I’m very happy with it. I have always had digestive problems. The reflux is much better, but constipation seems is the same. I really want to continue, what would you recommed me? Thanks very much.

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Elvis says

September 23, 2016 at 10:13 am

My weight 153lb and at night 159, i have cancer and keto diet. 20 carbs a day. Is that normal i drink a lot of water. Its been like this for weeks. 5’11 and i am pretty skinny. My body Fat is 6%.

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ML says

October 1, 2016 at 1:09 pm

Hi, I was trying to use the macro calculator on your site, and I am confused by the number of calories (kcal?) I am supposed to consume after putting in my info: 13886. Thirteen THOUSAND? What have I done wrong? I have been staying within 1200 calories daily, eating 5% carbs, 25% protein and 70% fats. I have lost 17 pounds in 6 weeks, but have stalled (which is why I am looking at calculating my macros).

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Denene McCloud says

October 9, 2016 at 3:11 pm

Hi Craig, should we recalculate macros as the weight comes off. Also I have a hard time deciding on activity level, for example if I sit down all day at work but exercise 3-5 days a week do I just choose sedentary?

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[email protected] says

October 12, 2016 at 1:59 pm

Yes, you should. I recommend every 10 lbs or so. You should choose lightly active or active for that, depending on your workout routine.

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[email protected] says

October 12, 2016 at 2:16 pm

Sounds like a number may have been put in wrong? 13k calories would be far too much for most people.

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[email protected] says

October 12, 2016 at 2:32 pm

For someone with low body fat a few pounds in a day would be normal. 6 pounds is quite a lot to fluctuate though, especially on keto. I am not well versed on cancer and cancer treatment though, so I don’t feel comfortable giving any advice on this.

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[email protected] says

October 12, 2016 at 2:52 pm

Protein intake ranges greatly on LBM and activity, so I try to leave that up to the user to decide.

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Katelynn says

November 7, 2016 at 11:33 pm

Hi Craig, thank yo so much for all of this wonderful information. I did my macros calculation and it says I should be eating 3500 cal/day for weight loss. That is sooo many calories!! It is very hard to keep up with that. I do hope to lose a significant amount of weight – will eating a lot less calories help me or hurt me in losing??

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Angie Ware says

November 9, 2016 at 11:07 am

Hi Craig. I didn’t understand the part of the calculator that asks about exercise. I put in the number of minutes but then it looks as though I’m supposed to figure out how many kcals I’m burning for the minutes I put. How do I do that?

Thanks!

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Tedi Davidson says

November 16, 2016 at 2:27 pm

Hi Craig. I purchased your 30 day Keto Diet meal plan and so far I am experiencing minor set backs. I am only on the first week, so perhaps I just need to give it more time. However, I want to bring up my issues early so I don’t end up giving up yet another diet and finding myself back at square one. The trouble I am having is staying full. I am constantly fighting the urge to snack, and a couple times I have been unable to fight it and reached for a handful of almonds, cashews, or pork rinds. I read somewhere on your site that snacking should be avoided. Am I doing something wrong? Will my snacking habits inhibit the ketogenic process? Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated. And if I need to just suck it up and push on, maybe I just need to hear it straight from the horses mouth.
Thank you.

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[email protected] says

November 27, 2016 at 9:54 am

I’d recommend going with my calculator. It may take some extra time to lose weight since you’re already relatively light, but keep in mind that weight loss is a process. You should lose a bit more than that upfront just from water weight, too.

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[email protected] says

November 27, 2016 at 10:06 am

You need a heart rate monitor for that. If you use that section, you can mark “sedentary” on activity levels. It is just a way to get a more accurate mark on your TDEE. If you use the activity level section, just forgo filling out the exercise portion.

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[email protected] says

November 27, 2016 at 10:14 am

What kind of exercise are you doing? It may be very intense for the calculator to give you those numbers, or something was inputted incorrectly.

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