Keto Macro Calculator
Split your daily calories for a ketogenic diet — 5% carbs, protein from your target, the rest fat.
How it works
carbs = 5% of calories ÷ 4 · protein = g/lb × weight · fat = remaining calories ÷ 9
A ketogenic diet holds carbohydrate very low so the body burns fat for fuel. This split caps carbs at 5% of calories, sets protein from your grams-per-pound target (0.8 g/lb is a common default that protects muscle without stalling ketosis), and fills the rest with fat. Protein and carbs carry about 4 calories per gram, fat about 9.
Worked example
On 2,000 kcal at 0.8 g protein per pound for a 170-lb person: carbs = 5% × 2,000 ÷ 4 = 25 g, protein = 0.8 × 170 = 136 g, and the remaining 1,356 kcal of fat ÷ 9 ≈ 151 g.
Frequently asked questions
Total carbs or net carbs?
Most keto plans track net carbs — total carbohydrate minus fiber — because fiber has little effect on blood sugar. The 5% allowance here is meant as your net-carb ceiling.
Isn’t keto supposed to be low protein?
No — that’s a myth. Adequate protein (around 0.7–1 g/lb) preserves muscle; very high intakes only matter for ketosis at the extreme. Fat, not low protein, is what fills the calories.
Why is my carb number so small?
Ketosis generally needs carbs under about 20–50 g a day, far below a typical diet. That’s the whole point — low enough carbs push the body to make ketones from fat.
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General educational estimate, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor for anything about your health.