Keto has a reputation of being the diet of bacon and butter- which seems too good to be true! But a quick browse through almost any keto Facebook group and you can see it’s saturated with people who “just eat keto” and the weight just falls off! But if you dig deeper there are the other posts… people who lose but then plateau or can’t seem to lose pound– or worse, they start gaining weight! The huge differences in their keto experiences begs the question: Do you need to count calories on keto? Or not? Read More
To figure out the answer to this question, it is important to understand the basics, so let’s start there.
What Is Keto
Keto is a way of eating that restricts carbohydrate intake. Instead, keto focuses on protein, healthy fats, non-starchy veggies, and full-fat dairy. The goal of the keto diet is to maintain ketosis, a state in which your body is burning fat for fuel.
Why People Count Calories
Typically, people tracking calorie intake and being mindful of physical activity are looking to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
The basic formula of calorie counting is simple, add calories in through food, subtract calories out through exercise. For those interested in weight loss, the goal is to burn more calories than you eat. Doing so creates a calorie deficit, which results in burning energy stores aka body fat.
How (and WHY) to Calculate Calories
The first step to count calories on keto is to know how many calories you need! Use an online calculator (you can find my favorite here) to determine how many calories your body requires to operate. The calculator takes into account your height, weight, activity levels, and goals in order to determine the correct number for you. If you find it a struggle to limit your calorie consumption you can always increase your activity, which will allow you more calories.
Calories & Keto
Regardless of your activity level or the diet you follow, you must be at a calorie deficit to lose weight. Therefore, if you are following the keto diet and consuming too many calories, you will not see results.
That doesn’t mean you aren’t in ketosis- remember ketosis is a state of burning fat as fuel! So your body is in ketosis and you are getting the health benefits of the Keto Lifestyle. However, your body is burning fat from the food you are eating instead of from the fat stored on your body. So if you aren’t losing weight on keto or have lost weight but stalled, counting calories could be the key to meeting your goals.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to re-calculate your calorie requirements as you lose! Taking the time to re-calculate ensures you continue to stay at a deficit and lessen your chances of plateauing.
So Does Counting Calories on Keto Help?
The decision to count or not really depends on you and your goals. If you are already at a healthy weight and just want to reap the health benefits of the keto lifestyle, you likely won’t need to count calories. If you aren’t seeing your weight loss goals realized, you would likely benefit from counting calories.
