Keto Macros: What the 70/25/5 Split Really Means
How to set keto macros by bodyweight instead of percentages, what counts as a net carb, and the mistakes that stall ketosis.
Keto is usually described as 70% fat, 25% protein, 5% carbs. Percentages are a poor way to set targets — 5% of 1,600 calories and 5% of 3,000 calories are very different diets. Set the numbers by bodyweight instead.
Here is the version that survives contact with a real kitchen.
Set carbs as a hard number
Most people enter ketosis between 20 and 50 g of net carbs per day. Start at 25 g total carbs while you learn where they hide, then loosen if your energy and training suffer.
Net carbs = total carbs − fibre (− roughly half of sugar alcohols). Fibre does not raise blood glucose, so leafy greens are effectively free.
Set protein by bodyweight, not by percentage
1.6–2.0 g/kg. The old fear that 'excess protein kicks you out of ketosis' is largely a myth for anyone training; gluconeogenesis is demand-driven, not supply-driven. Under-eating protein on keto is far more common and far more damaging.
Fat is the remainder, not the goal
Once carbs and protein are set, fat fills the rest of your calorie target. If you are eating in a deficit, that means less added fat — your body burns its own. Pouring butter into coffee while trying to lose fat is a self-cancelling habit.
Where keto plans quietly break
Hidden carbs in sauces, onions and tomatoes; too little sodium (the cause of most 'keto flu'); and not enough fibre. Track a normal day in the Procaaf scratchpad and you will spot the 15 g of carbs you did not know you were eating.
Frequently asked questions
- How many carbs a day is keto?
- Typically 20–50 g of net carbs. Lower body weight, lower activity and insulin resistance all push you toward the lower end.
- Can you build muscle on keto?
- Yes, though most trainees find it slightly harder because high-intensity training runs on glycogen. Keeping protein at 1.8–2.0 g/kg is essential.
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