Do You Count Calories on Keto?

Counting calories on keto is an interesting topic! Calories aren’t the whole story when it comes to your weight or making choices about what to eat, but in certain cases, calories are worth paying attention to in terms of keto.

Before I go on about counting calories, know that this isn’t a practice meant for everyone. If you find tracking your diet and counting calories stressful, pay attention to that. If you find yourself making decisions about what to eat based on the calories instead of your hunger or fullness cues, pay attention to that. If you have a history of an eating disorder and tend to focus too much on the numbers that trigger unhealthy behaviors, pay attention. These are all important considerations when deciding whether or not a calorie counting exercise is right for you at this time.

If you are curious about the calorie component, I suggest tracking your food intake using an online app; track for at least 3-5 days, averaging your daily calories. This will also allow you to see your macronutrient ratios, which is very helpful especially at the beginning of the High Fiber Keto journey.

Counting calories can help you answer these questions:

Am I eating enough?

Eating a high-fat diet can greatly increase the feeling of fullness with a meal and decrease hunger throughout the day, especially compared to a high carb diet. Because of this, it is not uncommon for women to under-eat on a keto diet. Undereating is an issue, especially over the longer term, because it can lead to nutrient deficiencies. In addition, undereating can add stress to the body and too much of a calorie deficit can impact hormones and even make it harder to lose weight!

If you tend to under-eat, try adding in additional MCT oil and collagen protein to meals as a simple way to boost calories, nutrition and assist with ketosis.

Am I eating too much?

On the other hand, there may be some who eat too much on a keto diet. The fat bombs, extra oils, nuts and other snacks can certainly add up. While the amount of food and calories isn’t the whole picture, it does play a role. Someone who is overeating, even on keto, may have a harder time losing weight.

If you tend to overeat, try adding powdered greens, powdered reds or both to your daily routine. This is a great way to add nutrition to your diet and support your metabolism, without adding significant calories. Supplements that boost autophagy are also good additions here, especially while you find your sweet spot with your diet.

When developing my 22-day meal plan for High Fiber Keto, the question of calories and adequate nutritional intake while on keto kept coming up repeatedly. So, this was my answer – and the easiest and most convenient way to help you begin your keto journey with a 22-day practical guide. The meal plan is designed so that you aren’t eating too little and with optional snacks and desserts, you can add them in when you are hungry and skip them when you are not so as not to overeat. In addition, by building meals not only around quality fats but around high fiber veggies as well, you are ensured adequate nutrition that you need with each bite.

Sometimes I am asked personally, “do you count calories on keto?” And the truth is that I don’t. There have been times in the past when I’ve paid more attention to calories, and I might have occasionally looked at my calories and macros to make sure my diet is ideal, but I’ve really come to trust the wisdom of my body and ultimately rely on my body’s feedback as my #1 guide.

And I’ll let you in on a little secret; High Fiber Keto has strengthened my intuition and allowed me to fully trust my body’s needs. This is something that I seldom experienced when I was on the blood sugar roller coaster of a higher carb diet.

How Many Calories Should I Eat on Keto?

Now that you know that counting calories can sometimes be useful for making sure that you are eating enough High Fiber Keto foods, without overdoing it, I’m sure you are wondering, “But Naomi, how many calories should I eat on keto?”

First, consider these various factors that influence the calories that your body needs:

• Height
• Weight
• Sex
• Age
• Activity level
• Body composition goals
• Hormonal status

In addition to these factors, you may need to account for the composition of the calories that you are eating, your history of dieting and hormone levels as all can play a role in metabolism.

When I asked my team of registered dietitians about their approach to calculating calories, they recommended using the Mifflin St. Jeor equation and entering the factors I listed above. A quick internet search will get you to these results. But remember, that this calorie amount is only a starting estimate, and you might need more or less depending on various factors in your life. Working with a registered dietitian to zero in on the precise calories and macro goals appropriate for your unique body is a terrific option for anyone looking to perfect this approach.

Now that we’ve covered a lot of the ins and outs of calorie counting, you may be ready to take a wider view of nutrition and consider all of the benefits of High Fiber Keto, regardless of calories. I invite you to take my quiz, Is Keto Right For Me?, to answer that question for yourself and provide you some guidance and tools for personalizing your plan.

My High Fiber Keto book, and digital High Fiber Keto course are also helpful resources when it comes to understanding, implementing and personalizing your keto plan. I cover everything you need to know about macronutrients, tracking and ketosis. Ultimately, my wish for you is to let the numbers go and be able to truly tune in and trust the guidance from your body.

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