The calculation of protein for keto (keto protein) is different at the beginning of the diet and during its active weight loss phase. Gluconeogenesis only occurs intensively at the beginning of adaptation, when the body cannot yet use fat as a new energy source.
It, therefore, tries to get glucose by all means possible. But every day gluconeogenesis decreases, we start to use ketones and triglycerides more effectively and become less dependent on glucose.
And being already very well adapted, even in a situation where the amount of protein exceeds the amount of fat, we will remain in ketosis.
Higher protein intake is convenient because it allows eating regular food – a lot of meat, eggs, fish. It is not necessary to drink coconut oil or MCT several times a day in the form of, for example, armor-piercing coffee to consume enough fat. You can supplement with good keto-friendly protein powder as shown on LeanOptimum.com on Lauren’s website.
How much low-carb protein do you eat after adaptation
In the transition to a restrictive ketogenic diet, i.e. complete burning of fat, where 80% of the energy and more comes from fat, other rules work. The blood sugar level should not exceed 4.5 mmol all day under any circumstances.
As a rule, the only fuel is fat. The need for proteins is drastically reduced because they are replaced by amino acids of ketogenic origin (lipoproteins), which have a structure similar to that of ketone bodies. This allows them to circulate freely in the blood, which guarantees proper muscle mass building. Therefore, if you lose weight on the ketone diet, the protein you eat is reduced, but the muscle mass is not reduced.
Calculating the protein for the keto diet
The calculation of protein for keto diets should be done taking into account the following factors:
Body fat
determining factors for keto protein calculation determining factors for keto protein calculation
The more fat in your body, the more effectively your body uses the fatty acids contained in subcutaneous fat, and thus saves amino acids (protein).
It is, therefore, better to calculate the amount of protein without considering the fat mass. For example, you weigh 100 kg in total, with 25 kg of this fat. So, if you plan to eat 2 g protein/kg, it will be not 200 g (100 kg body weight*2 g protein), 150 g (75 kg * 2 g).
Your goal and the sport you are engaged in
In case you have switched to a high-fat diet to improve your health, for example, to treat epilepsy, there may be a small amount of protein close to zero carbohydrates. Because here the ketone levels in the blood matter.
For a person who decides to switch to a healthy diet or lose weight, i.e. who needs to adapt to ketosis as soon as possible, the amount of protein can be 1 gram/kg dry weight and the standard 20 grams of carbohydrates.
And in sports, the patterns are not quite accurate. For example, you may eat carbohydrates before a workout when it helps your physical activity by eating foods with medium to high protein content. In bodybuilding, however, you can significantly increase the amount of protein by reducing fat.
common people 1 gram of protein per kg dry weight
Athletes – 1,5 – (without upper limit) gram of protein per kg of dry body weight
Calculations of all nutrients for keto diets
For slimming, the keto diet can be distinguished by such a formula for calculating all nutrients:
80-85% fat
up to 15% protein
up to 5% of carbohydrates (up to 15-30 g per day)
keto protein calculation – the percentage of fatty carbohydrate proteins
As for fats, it should be remembered that, unlike carbohydrates and proteins, they give 9 calories per gram. The percentage calculation refers to the calorie calculation. To make it clearer, let’s look at the example again.
Suppose the same person weighing 100 kg wants to lose weight and has to eat 2000 calories per day.
That way, he gets it:
- 100 calories from carbohydrates (5%)
- 300 calories from proteins (15%)
- 1600 calories from proteins (80%)
To calculate in grams, divide the caloric content of nutrients into 4 and 9, respectively:
- Carbohydrates give 4 calories per gram, so 100/4 = 25 grams
- Proteins give 4 calories per gram, so 300/4 = 75 grams
- Fats give 9 calories per gram, so 1600/9 = 177 g
- Now there are many online services for such calculations, so you do not have to break your head.
Where do you get protein from?
Calculating a protein for a keto and where to get it from. With ketosis, you can really forget about protein supplements because their use makes little sense. When you take care of enough fat you mainly eat foods rich in protein as well.
It is best to choose fatty pork and beef, sausage, eggs, fatty fish.If we lose weight and eat a little, i.e. 1,500 calories, it is worth eating poultry, cottage cheese, fatless cheese, and lean beef.