What’s the first thing we learn as children? Our ABC’s. So, we thought it would be a fun idea to do the ABC’s of keto! This blog series looks at some of the main ideas and the not-so-main ideas of keto as we work our way through the alphabet. The next one in our series is: C is for calories. Do you count calories on keto?
Background on Calories on Keto
A calorie is just a unit of energy. It’s how we measure how much energy we need to survive and thrive. They are tricky little devils. You need enough of them to live – without enough your entire body will start to shut down but you take in too many without burning them off and your body stores them away for later – i.e. you gain weight.
How many calories should we eat in a day? Well, like most things with nutrition, it depends. You have to factor in your size, your lifestyle, and your overall health. There are calorie calculators online, which is great. They calculate your resting metabolic rate – how many calories you need to live without being active. Think sitting and watching tv all day.
The Math of Calories
The actual formula is tricky, and I prefer the online ones, but here is how you do it. For men: [9.99 X weight (in kg)] + [6.25 X height (in cm)] – [4.92 X age] +5. For women: [9.99 X weight] + [6.25 X height] – [4.92 X age] -161. See why we prefer online calculators?
Usually it comes out that women should have between 1600 and 2400 calories a day, depending on their age and activity levels. Men should have 2200 to 3000 calories a day. That seems like quite a lot, but on keto, you take in more calories because you eat more fat. Say what?
Fat has over double the amount of calories as protein or carbs. One gram of fat has 9 calories. On the other hand, one gram of carbs has 4 calories, and one gram of protein also has 4 calories. It’s one of the reasons why people on keto say you shouldn’t worry about your calories too much. It’s also why tracking macros gets a bit complicated. More math – ugh.
Myths and Facts of Calories on Keto
The biggest myth about calories is that they are all equal. If I have 100 calories of broccoli or 100 calories of chocolate, it’s all the same. Well, that’s not really true. I mean, sure, if you just look at calories and that’s it. But firstly, when you look at 100 calories of broccoli vs. 100 calories of chocolate, you’re going to enjoy a lot more broccoli.
Just for fun, I looked it up. You can eat 4.5 cups of broccoli and take in 100 calories. You get about ⅛ of a cup of milk chocolate for 100 calories. And here’s where it’s really different. The broccoli has a lot of nutrients, including fiber, that will keep you full. Chocolate is going to spike your blood sugars and you’ll be hungry and craving more within minutes.
Do You Track Calories on Keto?
So, we counted calories when we started keto. It gave us a good idea of where we were when it came to our nutritional needs. Later on, I found that I was gaining weight and didn’t feel as energetic as I had. When I took two weeks to count calories, I found I actually wasn’t taking in enough. My body was going into starvation mode because I was around 1400 a day.
One of the great things about keto is that you feel full a lot. The protein and fat keep you full for longer. The downside is that you forget to eat because you’re not hungry. Believe me, I never thought that would be a problem I would face. But, bottom line is, tracking all your macros and your calories can help keep you on track.
Wendy
