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Daily fat, protein, and net carb targets for a ketogenic diet. 70% fat, 25% protein, 5% net carbs with a hard 25g carb cap to keep you in ketosis.
Enter your details above to see your keto macro targets.
Keto is a high-fat, moderate-protein, very-low-carb diet. The goal is to shift your body from burning glucose to burning fat and ketones for fuel. When carb intake drops below roughly 50g per day for long enough, liver glycogen depletes and the body starts producing ketones from fatty acids.
The standard split is 70% of calories from fat, 25% from protein, and 5% from net carbs. On a 2,000 calorie plan that is roughly 155g fat, 125g protein, and 25g net carbs. Fat becomes the main energy source. Protein is kept moderate because too much protein can convert to glucose and blunt ketosis.
Net carbs = total carbs minus fiber minus sugar alcohols (for erythritol and allulose specifically). Fiber does not raise blood sugar because the body cannot digest it, so it does not pull you out of ketosis. Counting net carbs lets you eat more vegetables, nuts, and seeds without blowing through your carb budget.
When to count total carbs instead
If you are stalled after two weeks at 25g net carbs, or you have significant insulin resistance, switch to counting total carbs at the same 25g cap. Some people respond to total carb load, not just glucose spikes.
Your body stores about 400 to 500g of glycogen (carbs) in the liver and muscles. Drop carb intake below daily glycogen needs, and within 2 to 4 days the liver runs out. At that point it starts breaking down fatty acids into ketones: beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, and acetone. Your brain, which normally runs on glucose, can use ketones for up to 70% of its energy needs.
Keto works for fat loss the same way any diet does: calorie deficit. What keto adds is appetite control. High fat and moderate protein are deeply satiating, so most people eat less without counting. That is why keto gets described as effortless.
If you track macros and the scale is not moving, you are eating at maintenance. Keto does not override math. Drop calories by 15 to 20% of TDEE (this calculator does that for you when you pick "Lose Fat"), hit your protein to protect muscle, and let fat fill the rest. Expect 1 to 1.5 lbs of loss per week once the initial water drop settles.
Most people enter and stay in ketosis at 20 to 50g of net carbs per day. This calculator uses a hard 25g net carb cap, which works for nearly everyone. If you are very active or new to keto, you can start at 50g and work down. Go under 20g only if you are stalled at 25g after a few weeks.
A standard ketogenic split is about 70% of calories from fat, 25% from protein, and 5% from net carbs. The carb cap is the most important rule. You can flex protein a little higher if you are training hard, but keeping net carbs under 25 to 30g per day is what actually triggers and sustains ketosis.
Percentages are useful for context, but you eat in grams. A 70% fat target means nothing until you translate it into a number you can hit at the grocery store. This calculator shows both. Track grams day to day and let the percentages fall where they land.
Keto flu is the fatigue, headache, and brain fog some people feel in the first week as the body shifts from glucose to ketones. It is usually electrolyte loss, not carb withdrawal. Drink more water, add 2 to 4g of sodium per day (salt your food heavily), and eat potassium and magnesium rich foods like avocado and leafy greens.
Three options. Urine ketone strips are cheapest but get less accurate over time. Breath meters (like a Ketonix) work well and are reusable. Blood ketone meters are most accurate but cost more per strip. A blood reading of 0.5 mmol/L or above confirms ketosis. Most people can also tell by reduced hunger and steady energy.
Dirty keto hits the macros regardless of food quality: bacon, cheese, diet soda, processed keto snacks. It works for fat loss but can spike inflammation and stall progress long term. Clean keto prioritizes whole foods: fatty fish, avocado, eggs, olive oil, grass-fed meat, leafy greens. Start clean, use dirty as a fallback when traveling.
Steady state cardio and strength work are fine after a 2 to 4 week adaptation period. High intensity work (sprints, CrossFit, team sports) takes a bigger hit because those rely on glycogen. Targeted keto (15 to 30g of carbs around training) or cyclical keto (one higher carb day per week) can help if performance matters more than strict ketosis.
Net carbs for most people. Net carbs = total carbs minus fiber minus sugar alcohols (for erythritol and allulose). Fiber does not raise blood sugar, so it does not kick you out of ketosis. If you are stalled or have insulin resistance, switch to counting total carbs and see if it moves the needle.
FitCommit tracks keto macros with camera-based food scanning. Point, shoot, log. Fat, protein, and net carbs update in real time so you know before dinner if you have room for the avocado. Free 1-month trial.
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