Hey you Keto experts! Please answer this one for me?
I’d be MOST grateful for any expert advice on this. I started on the keto diet approximately three weeks ago. I am 5’2” and started at 150 pounds. The daily macros I chose for weight loss came out to 18g net carbs, 88g protein And 110g fat. My question is how exact do we have to stick to these macros per day. For instance if I eat half the amount of my allowed fats, let’s say 60g, but I have my full amount of daily carbs, 18g, will that throw thing off? I have no problem keeping up to or under my macros, but I’m not sure if I have to reach the maximum fat per day, or is that just a “don’t go over” suggestion? THANK YOU!
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hi. Keto vs the other diets is about the way we burn fat but It’s still all about the calories. No matter which diet you choose the macros change but the calories stay the same. So if you don’t meet the keto requirements it won’t effect whether you lose weight as long as you stay under the recommended calories. Less carbs and more fat make you feel less hungry. I think all the diets here will work, it’s all about the calories.
Pick a diet plan that makes you feel good while you’re on it, do the best you to stick to it and don’t stress over the exact macros just try to hit them as best you can, as long as you stay within the caloric recommendation you should be fine. If you’re not losing weight you may need to lower the caloric intake a bit and remember we all hit plateaus. Best of luck!
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I’ve been on Keto for just over a year and believe this works best for me (we’re all different). I don’t say this to force anything on any body, but this is what I did and I’ve dropped my A1C from 7.7 to 5.0; weight from 286 to 199, and my BP went from High to totally normal. And I’m off all meds.
Calories: Keep UNDER your calories - calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss.
Protein: Make sure your protein macro reflects your target weight and not your starting weight. Get close to your protein macro, but don’t worry if you’re a little below. Try hard not to exceed it.
Fat: There are two parts to this answers: at first try to stay somewhat below your fat macro. Being in a fat deficit, especially in the beginning, forces your body to find fat fuel elsewhere and it promotes burning stored fat. That’s where the weight loss comes from. But as you lose your weight and get closer to your goal, you’ll need to try to get closer to your fat macro (and your body will tell you when you’re ‘there’). With less stored fat to lose, you’ll need to eat more fat for energy. In either case, just eat enough fat to feel full.
Carbohydrates: THOU SHALT NOT EXCEED your carb macro. Below is good, and farther below the better.
And last, as a general thought, there’s NO need to ‘finish your plate’ every meal. If you leave a little, that’s fine (just subtract from your meal plan). This, to me, has been the key to it all - you don’t have to eat it all. Who knew?
again, not preaching, but I hope that by shedding light on what has worked for me, this might be of some use to inform how you approach it all.
I hope this helps and good luck.