Keto Macro Calculator
Find your personalized fat, protein, and carb targets for the ketogenic diet — based on your body and goals.
What Is the Ketogenic Diet?
The ketogenic diet — commonly called keto — is a high-fat, very-low-carbohydrate eating pattern designed to shift your body’s primary fuel source from glucose to fat. When carbohydrate intake drops low enough (typically below 20–50g per day), the liver begins converting fatty acids into molecules called ketones, which the brain and muscles can use as fuel. This metabolic state is called ketosis.
The standard keto macro split is approximately 70% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. This is a dramatic departure from standard dietary guidelines, which typically recommend 45–65% carbohydrates. The practical effect is that staple foods like bread, pasta, rice, and most fruit are eliminated, while fats from meat, dairy, nuts, and oils become the cornerstone of every meal.
Standard Keto (SKD)
The most common approach: 70% fat, 25% protein, 5% carbs. Best for most people starting out and those primarily focused on fat loss or metabolic health.
High-Protein Keto
Shifts to roughly 60% fat, 35% protein, 5% carbs. Popular with active individuals wanting to preserve or build muscle while staying in ketosis.
Cyclical Keto (CKD)
5–6 days of strict keto followed by 1–2 high-carb refeed days. Used by athletes to replenish muscle glycogen without permanently leaving ketosis.
Targeted Keto (TKD)
Small amounts of fast-digesting carbs consumed around workouts only. Designed for people who struggle with performance during training on standard keto.
How This Calculator Works
Your daily calorie needs are calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, one of the most accurate formulas for estimating resting metabolic rate (RMR) in healthy adults, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1990).
BMR (women) = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
Your BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor to produce your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — the number of calories your body burns on a typical day. Your goal adjustment (e.g. −500 kcal/day to lose approximately 0.5 kg per week) is then applied to produce your target calorie intake.
Finally, those calories are divided into fat, protein, and carbohydrate grams based on your chosen macro split. Fat contains 9 kcal per gram, while protein and carbohydrates each contain 4 kcal per gram.
What to Eat and What to Avoid
Eat freely
- Fatty fish — salmon, tuna, mackerel
- Meat and poultry — beef, chicken, pork
- Eggs — whole eggs, any style
- Cheese — all full-fat varieties
- Butter and heavy cream
- Avocados and avocado oil
- Olive oil and coconut oil
- Nuts and seeds — almonds, walnuts, chia
- Low-carb vegetables — spinach, broccoli, cauliflower
- Greek yogurt (full-fat, unsweetened)
Avoid
- Bread, pasta, rice, and grains
- Sugar — all forms including honey and syrup
- Most fruit — except small portions of berries
- Starchy vegetables — potatoes, corn, peas
- Beans and legumes — chickpeas, lentils
- Milk and low-fat dairy products
- Sweetened drinks — soda, juice, sports drinks
- Most condiments and sauces with added sugar
- Alcohol — most types are high in carbs
- Processed “low-fat” packaged foods
