What are macros anyway?
Success with Keto really comes down to one thing: your macros. What are macros? They’re the amount of grams of fat, protein and carbs you need to get to enter and maintain ketosis. So, we know we want to be in the 60% – 75% fat, 5% – 10% carbs and 15% – 30% protein – but how much is that for your weight, activity level, etc? This very simple keto macro calculator will figure all of that out for you and give you the foundation of where you need to be and set you up to get going!
I use MyFitnessPal to track my macros and make sure I hit them each day – it’s a simple app and you can use the free version…no need to pay for the upgrades!
Keto Macro Calculator
Here’s how to use this calculator to find your macros to get started with Ketology!
Enter your basic information:?for Activity Level, most folks recommend entering Sedentary regardless of how much you workout. Unless you’re an athlete or spend hours in the gym each day, Sedentary will give you the best results.
Body Fat Percentage: If you don’t know your body fat percentage (I didn’t when I got started), there are some ways you can estimate right now without having to invest in skin calipers, etc. If you have a tape measure, the Body Fat Calculator on Active.com works well. Otherwise, Ruled.Me has a great visual guide to guesstimate your body fat percentage. Take a look at one of those, and then head back here to get your macros!
Net Carbs: You want this to be 20 – 30 grams to start. I am now at around 16 net grams of carbs per day, but it takes a while to feel good at that level.
After you’ve put in your digits, the keto macro calculator will tell you how many calories and grams of Net Carbs, Protein and Fat you need to maintain weight (if you’re looking for the health and cognitive benefits) or for weight loss. For weight loss, you’ll get three options for cutting calories – small, moderate and large. Obviously, the larger the calorie deficit, the faster you’ll lose weight, but remember, this is not a marathon. This is a lifestyle change. I’m averaging a weight loss of about 2 pounds a week which is healthy and will help ensure I keep it off. Plus, we didn’t gain weight overnight so we shouldn’t expect to lose it overnight!
Ageyears
Weightstones lbs
Heightfeet inches
Body fat%
Net carbsgrams
Specify the amount of daily net carbs you'd like to consume. Typically, 20-30 grams is recommended to start with.
Results
Maintenance
Maintenance level is the level at which your weight remains stable.
| Your BMR is: | 1536 | kcal |
| Calories to consume: | 2027 | kcal |
| Your fat intake should be: | 184 | grams |
| Net Carbs | Protein | Fat | |||
| 25 | grams | 69 | grams | 184 | grams |
| 100 | kcal | 275 | kcal | 1653 | kcal |
| 5 | % | 14 | % | 81 | % |
Goal
Below is a range of calorie deficits to help you lose weight. For best results, it is recommended that you opt for a moderate calorie deficit of 10-20%.
Small calorie deficit (11%)
| Calories to consume: | 1804 | kcal |
| Your fat intake should be: | 159 | grams |
| Net Carbs | Protein | Fat | |||
| 25 | grams | 69 | grams | 159 | grams |
| 100 | kcal | 275 | kcal | 1430 | kcal |
| 6 | % | 15 | % | 79 | % |
Moderate calorie deficit (22%)
| Calories to consume: | 1581 | kcal |
| Your fat intake should be: | 134 | grams |
| Net Carbs | Protein | Fat | |||
| 25 | grams | 69 | grams | 134 | grams |
| 100 | kcal | 275 | kcal | 1207 | kcal |
| 6 | % | 17 | % | 77 | % |
Large calorie deficit (33%)
| Calories to consume: | 1358 | kcal |
| Your fat intake should be: | 109 | grams |
| Net Carbs | Protein | Fat | |||
| 25 | grams | 69 | grams | 109 | grams |
| 100 | kcal | 275 | kcal | 984 | kcal |
| 7 | % | 20 | % | 73 | % |
Now that you have your macros thanks to this keto macro calculator, sign up for MyFitnessPal (there’s a web-based version and a free app), plugin your target calories and macros and start planning your meals!
If you need more help getting started, download our 50-page getting started guide: The Ketology Kitchen filled with recipes, tips, grocery shopping lists and more!