Keto Macro Calculator
Calculate your ideal keto macro ratios for weight loss with this personalized calculator.
Now What?
Sticking to a Keto diet is challenging. We recommend that all beginners follow a structured meal plan until you get the hang of it.
- 🏃🏽♀️ The Keto cycle has a comprehensive set of plans.
- Diet-to-go does delivered meals with keto macros.
- The popular Factor Meals also has keto delivered meals.
- Achieving ketosis can be helped by using Keto salts.
Is a keto diet right for you?
A keto diet can be difficult to stick to, but research suggests that it can help you lose weight faster than other diets.
It’s popular for people who:
- Are training for fitness competitions.
- Are losing weight for an event but have a shorter time window.
- Are unable to lose weight eating normal levels of carbohydrates.
How does keto work?
- Keto became popular among bodybuilders to cut fat before competitions.
- When you’re on a ketogenic diet, your body will use fat as its primary source of energy.
- You achieve this by limiting carbs and eating more fat.
- In the absence of carbohydrates, the body converts food and body fat into ketones for energy.
Are calories still important with keto?
Yes. A calorie deficit is still required for weight loss.
How do I calculate macros for keto?
To calculate your keto diet macros, you must establish your estimated TDEE (total daily energy expenditure).
Your TDEE accurately measures how much energy you expend each day (at rest and when exercising).
The calculator above measures your TDEE and then creates the optimum macro ratio.
Setting a Calorie Deficit
To achieve fat loss, you need a calorie deficit.
We recommend 20% of your daily calories.
This is automatically applied when setting the Weight Goal to Lose in the above calculator.
Achieving Ketosis
Taking your body into ketosis requires very low levels of carbs.
The process can also be induced with Keto salts. However, they should be consumed in moderation.
Testing for Ketosis
You don’t have to guess whether or not your body is in ketosis.
There are several over-the-counter testing methods to determine your ketosis status.
You want to be in the range of 0.5 – 3.0 for blood ketones with the optimal fat-burning target of 2.0.
How many carbs do I eat on the Keto Diet?
The keto diet isn’t carb-free but just really low in carbs.
5% of your total daily calories should be in the form of carbs.
For most people, this is 20-30 grams of carbohydrates per day depending on your stats and exercise-adjusted TDEE.
Net carbs
Carbs that don’t produce energy like certain types of fiber do not count towards your totals.
How much protein do I eat?
No more than 0.8 grams per pound of body weight should be consumed while on a keto diet.
The calculator default is set at .7 grams per pound.
Adjust lower or higher if it’s difficult to reach your macro targets.
Some macro calculators recommend higher fat (but less protein). However, protein is essential for muscle repair and preservation.
How much fat do I eat on Keto?
After carbs and protein have been calculated, your remaining calories should come from fat.
Example: A moderately active woman, 30 years old, 5’5″, and 180 pounds, would have a weight loss TDEE of 1908 calories.
Here are her keto macros:
- Protein: 126 grams (27%)
- Fat: 145 grams (69%)
- Carbs: 24 grams (5%)
How much fiber do I need while doing keto?
Fiber is essential for a healthy digestive system.
You still should consume green leafy and other low-carb veggies while on the keto diet.
Fiber supplements may be necessary. Psyllium husks are an excellent natural fiber choice if you aren’t getting enough.
The essential Keto-Friendly foods
These foods will help you reach your keto macros.
- Avocado
- Ground flax seed
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Grassfed butter
- Dark meat chicken
- Eggs
- Steak
- Pork
- Lamb
- Bacon
- Sour cream
- Hard cheeses
- Nuts (watch the carbs)
- Seeds (watch the carbs)
- Peanut Butter
- Almond butter
- Leafy greens and other low-carb veggies like cucumber, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, etc.
Symptoms you may experience with a ketogenic diet
There is an adjustment period when starting a ketogenic diet. You may experience some of the following symptoms:
- Brain fog
Your brain loves glucose and consumes a lot of it. - Lack of energy
Feeling tired and lethargic is an adjustment to using fat for energy instead of sugar. - Lack of strength during workouts
Without carbs replenishing your muscles’ glycogen supplies, your may tire more quickly. - Cravings
Your brain will not be happy and will want you to eat carbs. Be prepared for some intense cravings when you start.
Do you have to track macros on keto?
It’s possible to go into ketosis without tracking macros, but tracking macros ensure the following three things:
- You aren’t eating too many carbs.
- You are eating the right amount of protein.
- You are eating the right amount of calories for weight loss.
How long should I keto diet?
Keto dieting is suitable for short-term fat loss but is difficult to sustain long-term.
After reaching your initial weight loss goals, you should transition to a normalized set of macros.
Don’t know where to start?
- You can get started in 60 minutes with the right app and plan.
- Keto cycle has personalized meal plans and step-by-step instructions.
References
- Yancy, W. S., Olsen, M. K., Guyton, J. R., Bakst, R. P., & Westman, E. C. (2004). A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia. A randomized, controlled trial. Annals of internal medicine, 140(10), 769-777. Ref
- Mifflin, M. D., St Jeor, S. T., Hill, L. A., Scott, B. J., Daugherty, S. A., & Koh, Y. O. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51 (2), 241-247. URL http://www.ajcn.org/content/51/2/241.abstract
- Yancy, W. S., Foy, M., Chalecki, A. M., Vernon, M. C., & Westman, E. C. (2005). A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet to treat type 2 diabetes. Nutrition & Metabolism, 2(1), 34. Study link
63 Comments
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Started change my diet Ketogenic diet until my 50th birthday 30th October 2041.
Started until I move in new home
Im 67, 5’6”, 218 lbs. my macros were set on the Carb Manager app at 1510 Calories, 19 carbs, 94 proteins, 117 fat, to lose weight. I’m allowed only 6 carbs per the three meals. I haven’t been to reach any of my macros except for the carbs… I hit my 19 carbs but then I still have a lot of fat, protein and at least 200-300 calories left to eat..but if I eat more, then I go over on my carbs.. What am I doing wrong ?
Hi Karen, Are you tracking net carbs or total carbs? It also seems like you need to focus more on foods that are either dominant in fat or protein or a combo of those two. It probably would help to invest in a few keto diet resources.
Make cream cheese pancakes… mix eggs with cream cheese and fry the mixture. These are high in fat, and have only 3.5 grams of carbs/3 oz. Gives you a really good boost on your fats and proteins though
Hi Ted,
I just came across your website and consumed bunch of articles. A lot of quality information and a really nice macro calculator – thanks for all that free content!
I have 2 questions regarding protein on keto diet, since the paragraph didn’t go deep into this:
1. “Your body can also convert protein to energy for the body. Eating more than is needed for muscle repair and preservation will cause your body to do this. (…) No more than .8 grams per pound of bodyweight should be consumed while on a keto diet.”
Isn’t that the case regardless of the diet/macros that we follow? If so, why don’t we use same protein coefficient (0.7-0.8) for any macro split? If that’s max that our body can use for a repair and building muscle, what’s the point of eating more of it? Or do we use more protein on other diets because of it’s satiety and higher thermogenic effect (ie. it makes us want to eat less and using it for energy burns more calories)?
2. “The goal is to burn body fat for extra energy, not extra protein.”
This is the more important one.
This sentence makes it seem like an order of body’s preferred source of energy, in a sequence, is: consumed fat -> consumed protein -> body fat (I skipped carbohydrates for obvious reasons). It seems logical, that body burns fuel that it receives on a regular basis for energy, first, then goes into stores (although I wonder if someone actually tested for the preference of metabolizing digested protein over stored fat, it also seems possible that burning stored fat is more efficient than turning protein into ATP).
But more importantly, it should still be irrelevant where does the energy comes from (whether we eat 0.7 protein ratio and the rest calories as fat, or if we eat more protein and less fat), as long as caloric balance is correct.
Let’s say that our TDEE is 2400 kcal (170lb, 6ft, 35 y/o), we want to eat 2000 kcal/day. Whether we eat (A) 119g of protein (170×0.7) and 169g of fat (I’m skipping carbs for simplicity) or (B) 150g of protein and 155.5g of fat, our body will use only 119g for muscles and the rest of food – (A) 169g of fat, or (B) 31g of protein and 155.5g of fat for energy, the body will still use our body for for the missing 400 kcal, right? Why is it then wrong to eat more protein on keto diet, if our calorie balance is in check?
I tried to be precise with my question, hence a long comment (I was thinking about it for 2 days and I still can’t seem to find an explanation for the “0.7-0.8 protein ratio max on keto” recommendation.
Thanks again for all your work!
Hi Bart, The protein requirement isn’t a single standard and depends on your lifestyle. For example, hardcore bodybuilders can use more than .8 because they have greater muscle turnover than someone that just does moderate exercise. People who aren’t active need only around .6. Since protein is an “expensive” macro, eating more than your body needs converts to energy and fat and macros are a much more affordable energy source. So, there’s some wiggle room with protein but .8 is just a good average amount for most people, which is why it’s used. I hope this helps.
Hi, I just did the wee test above and it said I should be eating 2296 cals a day, is that right?? I am morbidly obese, weighing in at 175.9kg, I have lost 20kg on my own but I recently joined my Fitness Pal and they set my cals at 1700 a day and my weightloss stopped, in fact I gained 1 kg the first week! I’m at the end of my 2nd week and I’ve stayed the same weight. I’ve felt very limited tbh. I need guidlines but I am on a low budget. Sorry, I digressed lol, so, are the calories correct given the data I entered, I’m female, 49, 5ft 6 inches and 175.9kg? Thanks in advance
Hi Rachel, If you have a lot of weight to lose then the fat tissue weight will skew traditional calculations. Here’s an article that I wrote on the subject: Determining Macros for Obese Individuals
Hey guys, I’ve taken so many keto calculator things and they are always different , some in the same range and others are way different from each other ,
I’m 21 , 163lbs, and want to get to 130 , moderately active , I’ve tried at least 10 other sites that do calculations on it but I’m not sure which ratio to stick with , help please
Hi Christina, Formulas can be different but all are providing an “estimate”. The main things are no more than 5% carbs and maintain a sensible deficit. My calculator uses a 20% deficit so that your muscle tissue won’t breakdown in the process.
I am a new to keto {2nd day} I want to lose about 60 lbs. I am a 56 yr old female and weight a disgusting 230 lbs. I want to get to 170. I did the calculator thing but I am still confused. Do I eat this much to lose or just maintain? I am not an active person but am working to change that…..Please advise.
Hi Halli, What did you choose? You have to select lose, lose 10, maintain, or gain. Also since you have more than 50 pounds to lose you may need a custom adjustment since fat tissue can skew calculator results. I can calculate things for you with my custom macro product. https://healthyeater.com/product/custom-macros-coaching
Hi there, I e just started keto. I’m managing to stay within my recommended carb amount however, I’m not meeting my recommended protein and fat intake. It’s always lower, sometimes by 20 grams of protein and fat for example. How will I be affected if consuming less than recommended amounts of fats and proteins? Thank you.
Hi Cheryl, Over time this will cause you to lose muscle mass and decrease your overall metabolic rate. It’s better to follow the recommendations and stay in a safe deficit.
i am so confused i dont know how much fat i have to eat my weight is 65 and i m 5.4 in height pls help me
Have you not used the calculator on this page?
Hell I am a 55 year old male, who is moderately active. I weigh 195 pounds and want to lose 10 pounds. What is The recommended macros? Also can I eat the same foods for breakfast every day? Also eat a similar lunch and dinner?
Thank you
Michael
Hi Michael, use the calculator to estimate your weight loss macros. You can eat the same foods but it seems like that would get boring plus nutritionally it’s better to eat a variety of foods.
Hi my name is Danielle I’m 21 and I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been. I currently weigh 254 pounds and I want to get down to 175 pounds. I go to the gym 5-6 times a week for about an hr.
Hi Danielle, Sorry to hear about your struggle but there is hope and you can transform yourself. You’re young and definitely have that to your advantage. Since you have 50+ pounds of fat tissue, calculators don’t do the best job of estimating your optimal TDEE for weight loss. I’d love to help you and get you started on the right path either by Keto or a balanced set of macros. Please consider the coaching options here: Personalized Macros Coaching
What app would you recommend to track keto and macros?