What are macronutrients?

After years of doing keto we’ve learned something, figuring out and tracking your macros stinks. How many grams of fat should I eat, should I use net or total carbs, how many calories do I need to eat. All of these numbers can make your head spin. Our goal is to make keto simple and that starts with the macros.

We’re going to try to make this really easy but the first step is going to really upset people. DON’T COUNT YOUR CALORIES, they don’t mater, especially protein. Instead of counting calories, we’re going to pay attention to grams of protein and grams of fuel. Now with that being said, these are not our ideas, they come from researching and learning from people who are a lot smarter than us. People like Dr. Ben Bikman, Dr. Ted Naiman, Amy Berger, Dr. Ken Berry, Dr. Eric Westman and Dr. Robert Cywes.

We all know there are three macronutrients; Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates, which is primarily what you track on a diet. We’re going to use Dr. Ted Naiman’s Protein to Energy Ratio. The idea behind it is that we prioritize protein and eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass and up to 1 gram of energy, which is the combination of carbs and fat, per gram of lean body mass. Now that we know that, lets get into calculating our macros. You can use our easy MACRO CALCULATOR but we’d like to explain where the numbers come from.

The first thing you need to do is figure out your body fat percentage The most accurate way would be with a DEXA scan, an InBody body composition or a BOD POD. You can also use pictures like on this page from tasteaholics.com to visually estimate it. Once you have your body fat percentage we can figure out our lean muscle mass. Simply use this formula: (Body weight * Body fat percentage = Body fat pounds). Then take Body weight – Body Fat pounds = Lean Body Mass.

Another way you can find your protein goal is by using your Goal Weight. So if your goal weight is 150 pounds, use that as your lean body mass number.

Now that we’ve done that we simple use a one to one ratio of Protein to Energy. For every pound of Lean Body Mass, eat AT LEAST one gram of protein and at least one gram of Energy. Remember, energy is the combination of Carbs and Fat. You want to keep your carbs as low as possible but do not exceed 20 net or 50 total carbs. So using the above example, this person would eat at least 150 grams of protein and at least 150 grams of fat and carbs. You do not have to reach your “energy” every day but you do need to reach your protein goal. For protein, you should be eating at lease 100 grams per day, regardless of age, or lean body mass.  We suggest eating at least 80% of your “energy” macro.

Now that you understand how we figure out our macros, head over to our MACRO CALCULATOR for your personalized results.

Disclosure: Before starting any new diet or lifestyle change, you should consult a doctor. We are not doctors or nutritionists. Any information on our website, social media or youtube channel is from our own personal experience and research that we have done. Although living a ketogenic lifestyle has benefited us, you may not have the same results..