Since the Keto diet requires strict adherence to the percentages of carbs/fat/protein , there is a need to track these numbers closely (at least when starting out the diet). The general guidelines for a Keto diet breaks down roughly as follows:
Carbs = 5 - 10 %
Fat = 60 - 75 %
Protein = 15 - 30 %
In my experience I have had better results staying in ketosis when I aim my carbs to be around 5%. To me always shooting lower also allows some wiggle room on days when you can not be as strict. For ways to track what works, please read my previous post here.
There are many apps out there that can help calculate and track your macro percentages. Once of the best I have found is called Carb Manager. It allows you to generate your macros based on the keto diet and track what you eat. It will track your carbs and net carbs and easily show where your numbers are and how much you have left of each to eat. The free version works fine and is what I use, it also allows you to scan bar codes for easy lookup and entry of food.
My suggestion is to use Carb Manager or similar to get an idea of what foods and amounts fit into the guidelines. I have found that after tracking for a month or so you can get a good idea of what to eat in order to stay in the right zone for ketosis. You will be surprised at times to see what items do have more carbs than you might originally think, the app helps make you aware of this. Using the app also helps to confirm you are not wasting your time , as the goal is to be in ketosis and your macro numbers are of vital importance. Just one higher carb food can kick you out of ketosis for half a day or more. After tracking what you eat you will become more in tune with what works for you and instinctively knowing what you are allowed to eat an the portions. I HIGHLY recommend tracking what you eat with the help of one of these apps, especially for the first few months and then again if you stop seeing results.
In my next post I will talk about a few hacks/tricks that can help get you back into ketosis quicker.
