OK ya'll I need some major Keto help.

Archercc
Archercc Posts: 37 Member
I need a tried, tested, and trusted macro calculator for Keto (weight loss). I goggled one and each one told me something different for macros. Some had higher protein then fat, most had fat above protein. I'm lost ya'll. Please help.

Replies

  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,948 Member
    The 2 things I find keto calcs useful for are:
    1. Figuring out calorie deficit.
    2. Figuring out protein range. Which is in grams and based upon LBM and activity level, to preserve muscle mass during weight loss.

    We already know how many carbs. Fat is supposed to fill in the rest of calories once you've met your protein requirement and hit your carb ceiling.

    Reading the Reddit Keto FAQ is illuminating. https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq
    Macro priority is as follows:
    1. Carbs are a ceiling in grams
    2. Protein is a range in grams (based on ht, wt, activity level)
    3. Fill the rest of calories with fat


    As far as a calc, google "keto calc ankerl."
    It will give you your protein range (probably upwards of 100g) and help you figure out a calorie deficit.
    You know what your carbs should be (20-50g).
    Others will recommend other calcs but as long as you get a protein gram rec based on height, weight, and activity, one is as good as another.

    I'm a 5'9.5" active female, and protein is at least 100g for me.
  • qweck3
    qweck3 Posts: 346 Member
    Wrote this initially for an out of town family member to help them out after they asked how I lost the weight I did. Going to drop this here not knowing your whole story but hopefully it can help you and others.

    This is an easy road using science and available data points but it takes some time and requires an investment:

    - Take an RMR test to determine individual calorie needs at a Dexafit type facility. This will establish your closest TDEE based on activity level as well as well as current sugar/fat burn ratios so you have an idea of how much work you have to do.
    - Subtract a 250-500 calorie deficit from the TDEE to get some CICO action going when you are ready but not on day 1!
    - Start inside the following ranges of what you can handle: 5-10% carb/60-70% fat/30-35% protein (Carb is a hard limit unless you are very exercise heavy/fat should be used to get to satiety/protein should be hit and exceeded daily). I suggest 5%/60%/35% but that is just my two cents. It's going to be hit and miss until you find your good spot and even then you adjust to keep things moving.
    - Get a ketone/blood sugar meter like a Keto-Mojo and check your GKI to see what foods etc stabilize you into ketosis then consume those foods as primary items. Lots can be done daily with cauliflower/chicken etc.
    - Ignore the first two weeks of "weight loss" since it's mostly water. Read up on the keto flu to avoid it. (Powerade Zero is your friend with salt).
    - This one is critical: Dump the bathroom scale in the garbage where it belongs.
    - Try on a tight piece of clothing and take pics and repeat on the the same day each week. Losing inches a month in? Great!: Continue macro %. Not losing? Up protein, lower fat macros.
    - Add in an exercise regiment you enjoy after your body gets over the initial adjustment period as if you do this right you will have some nice excess energy.
    - 4 months later retake the RMR to update TDEE needs and establish if you are now a true fat for fuel burner.
    - Now a fat burner? Up carbs again to a moderate level if you want to that doesn't cause weight gain as the body uses it now as instant fuel.
    - Start intermittent fasting a few months into being fat adapted for even more fat loss long term.

    An extra first step that is worth it: Start LCHF first if you have been a long time high carb eater. Target 125-150g for a few weeks slowly reducing until you get inside of 10% total carbs. Much less "shock" to the body that way.

    **The suggestions given are not medical advice. This is simply a process that successfully worked for me in losing 60+ pounds in a fairly short period of time and is shared as a cheat sheet after seeing so many folks struggling to get off the starting line recently.


  • KetoZandra
    KetoZandra Posts: 132 Member
    I suggest Keto Karma, She has lost a lot of weight and has her own page and calculator.
    https://ketokarma.com/keto-calculator/
  • MyriiStorm
    MyriiStorm Posts: 609 Member
    Keep in mind that the macros you get from any of the online calculators will only be a starting point for you. Your macros will not remain constant forever. I suggest trying the recommendations of the one that makes the most sense to you now, then re-calibrate after six or eight weeks depending on the results you're getting and how you are feeling.

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I would err on the side of slightly high protein rather than slightly low - especially early on when lean tissue loss is most likely to happen.

    For a man, 100g of more is probably smart. Each gram pf protein has 4 calories in it so 100g is 400 calories. 125 g of protein is 500 calories. If you eat 1500 calories total, that is 33%. If you eat 2000 calories total, that is 25%. How much you eat will affect your protein total. Protein is usually 20-35%, with 20-25 often better for maintenance, IMO

    I think a good place to start for some men is to have protein grams roughly equal your fat grams. Each gram of fat is 9 calories so 100g of fat is 900 calories. If you eat 1500 kcal (with 100g protein), your fat would be 60%. 125 g of fat is 1125 calories, so if you paired that with 125 g of protein (500 kcal), that is 1625 kcal which would leave plenty of room for some carbs (25g is 100 calories).

    There is no perfect macro. ;) Experiment until you find a good fit. :)
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
    What is it Mark Twain said? "Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint". The same is even more likely to apply to reading blogs, forums, etc. JMHO.

    My mode tends to be to gather the opinion and/or facts. Kick out the high and low then average the rest. There is no one true way. Especially for weight loss. Tweak in a month or so.