What do my results mean?

When you get your free keto calculator results, they should look similar to this:

Based on your inputs, the calculator will suggest a total daily calorie count with a breakdown of each macronutrient (fat, carbs, and protein) to help you meet your desired goal. Take a closer look at what the keto calculator results mean.

Calories

Calories are essentially units of energy. They tell you how much energy you can expect from the food and beverages you consume. While calories aren't our main concern on Healthy Keto, they can help you stay on track with your weight loss goals. If you consume fewer calories than your body requires to maintain your current body weight, you will begin using stored body fat—thus, resulting in weight loss.

In the example above, you can consume 2471 calories per day to meet your goal weight. Let's break down what this looks like when we divide the calories into 70% fats, 3% carbohydrates, and 27% protein.

Fat

On keto, the majority of your calories will come from dietary fat. If you aren't losing weight while in ketosis, you may be consuming too much fat. Your body burns dietary fat before body fat. So if you consume too much, your body will not begin tapping into your fat reserves.

In the example above, you can consume 180 grams (1619 calories) of fat daily, which is about one avocado, three tablespoons of olive oil, two pieces of bacon, one 6-ounce steak, one cup of shredded cheese, and one 6-ounce piece of salmon.

Carbohydrates

If you can't seem to get into ketosis, it's likely you're not lowering your carbs enough. Generally, you want to stay under 50 grams of carbs each day on a keto diet. On Healthy Keto, we recommend not to focus too much on counting non-starchy vegetable carbs. You need plenty of leafy green vegetables to stay healthy, so don't limit your intake of these.

In the example above, you can consume 20 grams (107 calories) of carbs daily, which is about one cup of walnuts and seven cups of low-carb vegetables.

Protein

Protein is essential for maintaining and building muscle. However, if you aren't a bodybuilder, you may not need as much as you might think. In fact, excessive protein consumption can spike your insulin and glucose, making weight loss more difficult. Six ounces of protein with each meal is plenty for most people.

In the example above, you can consume 107 grams (431 calories) of protein daily, which is about four eggs, two pieces of bacon, one 6-ounce steak, and one 6-ounce piece of salmon.

Should I input total carbs or net carbs when using this keto calculator?

When you enter your carbohydrates into our keto calculator, always use net carbs. Total carbs are the number of carbohydrates when you include fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that isn't digestible, so it doesn't affect your blood sugar levels. We don't want to count these carbs. You get net carbs when you subtract the fiber from the total carbs.

Total Carbs - Fiber = Net Carbs

What is the ketogenic diet?

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When you're in ketosis, your body runs on fat (which is converted into ketones) instead of carbohydrates (which are converted into glucose). Keto allows you to utilize stored body fat for energy, making weight loss easier, giving you more energy between meals, and lowering cravings.

Foods to avoid on keto:

• • Grains (bread, pasta, cereal, crackers, biscuits, pancakes, rice, oatmeal)
• • Starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn)
• • Fruit (with some exceptions for berries)
• • Breaded or deep-fried foods (fried chicken, chips, fries)
• • Sugar (honey, brown sugar, juice, soda, candy, syrup)
• • Alcohol

Foods to consume on keto:

• • Non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, lettuce)
• • Healthy fats (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, nuts)
• • Full-fat meats (fatty fish, bacon, eggs, beef)
• • Full-fat dairy products (cheese, cream, unsweetened yogurt, kefir)
• • Certain berries in small amounts (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries)

Get a complete list of keto-approved foods here.

What are macros?

Macros—or macronutrients—are the three primary types of nutrients: fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Oil, avocados, and butter are high-fat foods. Starchy and sweet foods like bread, pasta, cereal, candy, and potatoes are high in carbohydrates. Foods like chicken, beef, and eggs are rich in protein.

What are the differences between keto and Healthy Keto?

Both keto and Healthy Keto involve being in a state of ketosis. However, Healthy Keto places importance on consuming healthy, nutritious foods. You can get into ketosis while eating unhealthy, greasy, and heavily-processed foods, like fast-food and microwavable dinners. However, these foods contain little to no micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and may compromise your health with toxins and carcinogens. This can potentially lead to nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, and many other health issues.

The Healthy Keto diet focuses on consuming plenty of healthy foods—like organic vegetables—that are essential to replenish vital nutrients and support a healthy body.

Healthy Keto avoids:

• • Heavily processed foods
• • Genetically modified (GMO) foods
• • Gluten products
• • Unhealthy trans fats
• • Synthetic vitamins
• • Pesticides, herbicides, and antibiotics

Healthy Keto includes more:

• • Nutrient-rich vegetables
• • Organic, GMO-free foods
• • Wild-caught, grass-fed, pasture-raised meat, fish, fowl, and eggs
• • Full-fat organic dairy
• • Nature-made vitamins and minerals

What is the recommended macros ratio while on Healthy Keto?

The Healthy Keto diet is made up of 70% fat, 20% protein, 5% non-starchy vegetable carbs, and 5% other carbs. This allows for more non-starchy vegetable carbs than the standard keto diet to help support healthy vitamin and mineral levels.

Do I really need carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates convert to sugar in the body, and when your net carb intake is high, you are prone to weight gain and insulin resistance. You don't need high-carbohydrate foods to maintain a healthy diet. In fact, consuming high-carb foods can make it virtually impossible for the average person to stay at a healthy weight.

You do need the vitamins and minerals, which are abundant in vegetables. Non-starchy vegetables do contain some carbohydrates—but not enough carbs to kick your body out of ketosis. This is why we recommend 7 to 10 cups of non-starchy vegetables each day.

In summary, most carbs are unnecessary and only result in weight gain. However, non-starchy vegetables—which do contain small amounts of carbs—are crucial to a healthy diet.

How do I use this free keto calculator to get my macros?

Using our free keto calculator is easy. Start by selecting imperial or metric units and your gender. Next, fill in your age, height, weight, and activity level. Then, enter in your preferred amount of net carbs and protein. Finally, fill in your target weight to see your results.

Your results will show how many calories from fat, carbs, and protein you should have each day to achieve your target weight.

Why do you need my age, gender, weight, and height?

Everyone has a unique health goal and physique. Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all plan. Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation to accurately determine the ideal macros to help you reach your health goals. This equation requires your age, gender, weight, and height to calculate the correct calorie intake for your particular physique.

Why do you need to know my activity level?

The more active you are, the more calories your body burns. Knowing this helps our keto calculator determine how many calories you need to consume each day to maintain or lose weight.

Why do you need my body fat percentage? (*****not included in the calculator but was in the example calc—remove if not needed*****)

Your body fat percentage helps us calculate how much protein you should have in your diet to lose weight without lowering your muscle mass. Too much or too little protein can slow your progress or cause undesirable results.

You can accurately determine your body fat percentage with a DEXA scan, which is often available at your local gym or physician's office. Other options include calipers, visual estimations, or online calculators—though these options may be less accurate.

How can I tell if I'm in ketosis?

There are several tests you can take to see if you're in ketosis. Taking a blood ketone test is the most accurate. Urine and breath ketone tests can help you determine if you're in ketosis if you’re new to the keto diet. However, they are less effective when you become keto-adapted. As your body utilizes ketones more efficiently, they won't show up in urine or breath ketone tests.

If you don't have access to ketone tests, look for the following indications of ketosis:

• • Low hunger between meals
• • Fewer cravings for high-carb foods
• • Improved cognitive function and focus
• • Higher energy levels between meals
• • Improved mood and stress levels

How can I get started on the Healthy Keto diet?

The easiest way to get started on Healthy Keto is to download Dr. Berg's Beginner Guide to Healthy Keto & Intermittent Fasting Plan. This free guide will give you all the info you need to begin your Healthy Keto journey. Click the button below to get your copy.