CARBS ARE A LIMIT, PROTEIN IS A GOAL & FAT IS A LEVER

The most important key to getting into ketosis is restricting carbohydrates, but there is more to it. Your other macros, which is short for macronutrients, play a role as well.

In a nutshell, here is how to understand macros for the keto diet:

CARBS ARE A LIMIT.

This means you set the maximum that you can consume per day – typically up to 20 to 30 grams per day for most people. If you go under this number, that’s okay! It’s not a hard goal, just a limit.

PROTEIN IS A GOAL.

This means you want to reach this number each day, so try not to go below the goal. Going over a little bit is also okay, but a large excess in protein might convert to glucose and kick you out of ketosis; how easily this happens varies from person to person.

FAT IS A LEVER.

After your carb limit and protein goal, the remaining calories you need for the day come from fat. This is what keeps you satisfied and provides the majority of your energy source.

You can use fat as a lever, increasing it up or down, based on your goals. Increase it if you’re hungry, decrease it to lose weight, but remember you can’t go too low (don’t get caught in the outdated “fat is bad” trap), since it’s your main energy source.

HOW DO I DETERMINE MY MACROS?

Download CARB MANAGER app. It will tell you how much macros you should have on a keto diet.

HOW MUCH FIBER DO I NEED?

There is some controversy around this. USDA guidelines say 25-31 grams per day [*] and the National Academy of Science recommends 25-38 grams per day [*].

Several studies show that eating more fiber reduces risk of heart disease and cancer, but they were conducted with lower fiber levels than the recommendations (14-26 grams per day instead of 25-38). [*][*][*][*] So, you might actually be fine eating less than the “official” recommendations.

Start with 15-20 grams of fiber per day and add more a few grams at a time if needed, based on how you feel. Get as much fiber as possible from whole foods (vegetables, seeds, etc.) before you try a supplement.

HOW TO KNOW IF MY MACROS ARE RIGHT?

You’ll know if your macros are correct based on the results you see.

As a few group members said, “measure, measure, measure” and take pictures. Don’t just rely on the scale. Sometimes you might see improvement in how your clothes fit or your body measurements before the scale catches up.

If you don’t notice any results after a few weeks, first make sure you are actually in ketosis and not getting carbs sneaking in. If you are, take a look at that fat lever and see if you can nudge that down.