The keto diet is an incredible way to lose weight, control blood sugar levels, reduce cravings, and focus on whole, nutrient dense foods. BUT! It can feel a little overwhelming and intimidating at first. You’re changing the way you’ve been eating probably your entire life, to something that seems totally different. Something that on the surface, can seem kind of restrictive.
This is where tracking your macronutrients (macros) can help you transition into this new adventure in eating, and ensure that you actually get into ketosis. Because that’s where all the magic happens!
Macros is short for macronutrients which are the main energy supplying nutrients needed by the body to function. It is composed of the Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrates found in the foods we eat. The main goal of a ketogenic diet is to reduce the amount of carbohydrates that you eat to burn through the stored glycogen in the body, and allow your body to enter a state of ketosis. This is where the weight loss really happens as your body converts to using fat for fuel instead.
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MACRO BREAKDOWN FOR KETO
To get into ketosis and start reaping all the benefits of this incredible diet requires a specific ratio of macronutrients per day. These are the standard guidelines for a ketogenic diet and a great place to start, however you may need to adjust based on your body type and activity levels.
Fats - 70-75% of your total daily calories from fat
Protein - 20-25% of your total daily calories from protein
Carbohydrates - 5% of your total daily calories from carbohydrates
HOW DO I START TRACKING MACROS ON KETO?
The easiest way to start tracking your macros is to download a tracking App onto your phone or desktop such as CarbManager or MyFitnessPal. Personally, I prefer CarbManager because it’s free and automatically tracks net carbs vs total carbs.
Once you’ve done that, you will need to use a macro calculator to determine your personal macro breakdown. Some Apps have them already built in, or you can search for a macro calculator online.
Enter your current height, weight, gender, and activity level into the calculator and it will generate a breakdown of the amount of fat, protein, carbs, and calories you should consume every day. Make sure you check that the macros follow the percentages listed above, and that the calorie deficit is no more than 35% to ensure you’re losing weight at a safe and healthy pace.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO HIT MY MACROS EVERY DAY?
When you’re first starting out on a keto diet the most important thing to do is limit your carb intake to below 20-25g net carbs per day. You may want to only focus on this macro for the first few weeks as you get more comfortable with this way of eating and tracking so you don’t feel too overwhelmed.
A great way to think about it is this:
Carbs are a limit. You must stay under your allotted net carbs for the day to enter ketosis.
Protein is a goal. This is the next most important macro to reach when losing weight to help reduce cravings, feel full and satisfied, and prevent muscle and hair loss.
Fat is a lever. You do not need to reach this macro every day. If you’re still feeling hungry go ahead and add some healthy fats to your meal. If you’re not feeling hungry, don’t add more fat.
WHAT ARE NET CARBS?
Most people following a ketogenic diet will track net carbs versus total carbs. Net carbs refer to the total carbs minus fiber minus sugar alcohols (found in low carb baked goods).
Net Carbs = Total Carbs - Fiber - Sugar Alcohols
Net carbs are essentially the carbs that are actually digested by the body. When you look at a Nutrition Label you will notice that the fiber and sugar alcohols are already included in the total carbs of a food. However, our body doesn’t absorb certain fiber or sugar alcohols, and it has a neutral effect on our blood sugar.
Example: Half an avocado has 12g of total carbs, and 10g of fiber.
Putting that into the equation we get 12 - 10 = 2g net carbs for half an avocado.
GRAB YOUR FREE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO KETO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET BELOW!
WHAT ABOUT CALORIES?
If you’re just starting out on a keto diet, your main focus should be on getting used to tracking net carbs above all else. Once you’re more comfortable with tracking you can hone in further to start making sure you stay at or below your allotted calories for the day.
Eventually, YES calories will be important to consider (read Do Calories Matter For Weight Loss On Keto? here!) on your keto journey. But if you’re brand new to keto and tracking, give yourself a few weeks to transition into ketosis and get used to the basics before worrying about calories.
DO I HAVE TO TRACK MY MACROS EVERY DAY?
If you’re just starting a ketogenic diet, it’s important to ensure you’re eating the proper ratios of macronutrients to get into ketosis. It’s crucial that you know what foods to eat, what foods to avoid, and the quantity of those foods. And the best way to do that is to track everything you’re eating, at least for the first 3 weeks. After 3 weeks or so of consistent tracking every single day, you’ll be on your way to creating a repertoire of keto-friendly meals you know fit your macros perfectly.
CAN I HAVE A CHEAT DAY?
If you’re serious about losing weight and improving your health, your first concern shouldn’t be “cheating” on your keto diet. This journey is about creating a healthy lifestyle that will get you results that last. Keto is not a quick-fix diet, and requires dedication to the process over time to lose weight and maintain it.
When you’re first starting out, it’s imperative that you stay within your daily carb intake every single day to enter ketosis and become fat adapted. If you want to enjoy a more indulgent meal once in a while it’s ok to go over your calories (example: a big plate of chicken wings) while keeping your carbs low.
After you’re a few months into the keto process you can consider incorporating the odd higher carb meal for special occasions, but usually by then people feel so great and are getting remarkable results that they don’t even care to!
If you DO want to have a “cheat meal” or eat something off-plan - STILL track that meal and hold yourself accountable. This is a great way to truly know the amount of carbs in particular foods, and can help you question if certain foods are even “worth it” or not. It’s important to be honest with yourself if you want to truly heal your relationship with food. And tracking even higher carb days can be a helpful tool to help you practice mindful eating instead of overeating or binge eating carbs.
DO I HAVE TO MEASURE EVERY SINGLE THING I EAT?
Tracking macros can feel a bit overwhelming and tedious at the start. But once you get the hang of it and your App is filled with foods you regularly eat it gets easier! At the very beginning you will want to measure out the proper portion sizes using measuring cups or a food scale. You may be tempted to just “eyeball it” - but I think we all know 1 TBSP of nut butter can easily be a lot more!
Using a food scale is the most accurate way to measure your food, as some measuring cups can vary in size. Once you’re more familiar with what proper portion sizes look like, you can transition away from weighing or measuring everything.
GRAB YOUR FREE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO KETO MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET BELOW!
TIPS FOR TRACKING MACROS ON KETO
Track your macros in advance -
Take some time the night before to track everything you’re going to eat the following day. You can easily do this in a few minutes while just watching TV or during some down time. This helps keep it super easy since it’s all planned and ready for you. You likely already know your schedule for the next day, and what foods you have on hand. No more wasting time standing in front of the fridge wondering what to eat, or stressing about being over/under a certain macro for the day. It’s already planned and ready to go, so you just have to follow through.
Sticking to whole foods makes tracking easier -
Simple, whole food meals are the easiest and fastest to track. Not to mention they tend to be healthier, full of nutrients and fiber, and better for weight loss overall.
Break up recipes into the individual ingredients -
If you come across a recipe you want to try but have no idea how it will measure up for your macros, just add each ingredient individually. Be sure to divide any larger recipes into single servings!
Use the barcode scanner -
Most tracking Apps have an integrated barcode scanner so all you need to do is scan the keto product, and the food will show up! If the App doesn’t have a particular product, you are able to enter the nutritional info and save it for future reference!
When in doubt, overestimate -
Sometimes when eating at a restaurant or food someone else has prepared we may not know exactly how much of each ingredient went into it. That’s ok! Just do your best to break up the meal into the individual components and find something in the App that sounds like the closest option.
If you’re unsure about the carbohydrates in a certain low-carb meal, a good rule of thumb is to add an extra carb or two just to make sure you’re staying in your allotted carb count for the day.
Adjust your macros every 10lbs you lose -
Once you start losing weight on keto, it’s important that your macros change too! Your body has gotten smaller, and therefore requires less food to produce energy. Be sure to adjust your macros for every 10lbs lost in your tracking App to keep you moving forward towards your weight loss goals.
Just remember that changing your way of eating from all the carbs to a keto is not easy, but it is possible - and oh so worth it! It’s a transition that takes time, and you’re learning new skills and new habits along the way. Be patient and compassionate with yourself. It won’t be perfect all the time, and that’s ok! Just remind yourself of the bigger picture, and know that it gets easier.
Tracking your macros is a crucial first step to learning what a new healthy and satisfying diet will look like for you. You won’t have to track forever if you don’t want to, but it’s an important tool to keep in your toolbelt any time you want to use it. If you’d like some support on getting started, click here to learn more about how 1:1 Keto Success Coaching can get you started off right that will get you some serious keto weight loss results that last!
