Keto was originally used for therapeutic purposes which is where nutrient ratios came from. First and foremost, fat intake doesn’t impact ketone levels. There are no essential carbs, so that percentage could be zero. But carbs need to be kept low to stay in ketosis.  Protein needs should be based on lean body mass, not as a percentage of caloric intake. If one is consistently low on proteins, the body has another source, most of the time by breaking down muscle tissue. Now people are using it for weight loss/nutritional purposes. When we see these 'keto recipes' with nice-looking pictures of grilled chicken, steak, fish, shrimp, vegetables on side, maybe some cauliflower mash or vegan pasta, you wonder how much carbs you take for one meal.

Carbs determine ketosis, keep them under 20g net

Weight loss is driven by calories, not ketosis. For nutritional ketosis, "levels" of ketosis and ratios are both irrelevant. Too much protein is not a practical concern and will not kick you out of ketosis. Carbs determine ketosis, keep them under 20g net. Ketosis doesn’t control weight loss, caloric deficit does. Fat is incredibly satiating, so it can help people eat at a deficit more easily. What isn’t so easily identifiable is the impacts that chronically undereating protein causes. And keep in mind ketosis is caused by carb restriction, not fat intake. People who fast and eat zero calories end up in ketosis. Maybe a salad with a bunch of chicken in it or something. It's usually a healthy-looking plate with a standard protein and some vegetables. The excess protein concern is a non-issue for most people. So, all of these keto products you see in stores touting certain oils, aren't really on point if you're using keto for weight loss.

Ketosis is maintained by carb restriction, not by consuming a certain amount of fat

You don’t get into ketosis by eating fat, you get into ketosis by restricting carbs. There is no real need to restrict protein intake, since protein doesn’t kick you out of ketosis. That's a biological fact. Your liver starts producing ketones in the absence of dietary carbs. Ketone levels are irrelevant for weight loss purposes. Most products branded for "keto" are just looking to cash in by selling overpriced, unneeded supplements and labeling them as keto. Apart from electrolytes, there really isn't anything you need to supplement on keto. I personally take a few vitamins but nothing keto-specific. The reason for tracking macros (proteins, and carbs in overall percent) usually in grams and tracking them to make sure you get adequate protein to maintain and build muscle, and keep your carbs in check. When it comes to fats, you only need between 30 and 70g a day.

Different levels of ketosis, protein intake and gluconeogenesis

The primary concern over protein intake is a process called gluconeogenesis vs. glucose-new-creation, in which your body creates glucose that it needs.  There is no moderate or partial ketosis, ketosis state of metabolism is binary. There are varying level of ketones in your blood, but there is no varying levels of ketosis. You are either in ketosis or you are not in ketosis. The level of ketones in the blood is affected by fat intake, apparently, just not achieving the base level of nutritional ketosis. Some amino acids are able to be used in this process, but this process is demand driven, not supply driven. There are definitely different levels of ketosis, though, from nutritional ketosis to therapeutic ketosis. Protein can slightly affect ketone levels in people with certain medical conditions, but for the average person protein amount is not an issue.

Factors that make diet sustainable

Over complicating keto is where so many people go wrong and fall off, they think they need to buy this and that, they think they need to hit these perfect macro numbers. If they have a bit of a slip up or accidentally eat the wrong thing it feels like it’s the end of the dam world and it makes eating stressful so they give up because why would you want something that you are supposed to enjoy to be stressful.

You'll be surprised how many calories you can consume

Don't weigh yourself every day. Weigh your food every day instead. Being positive you're in caloric deficit is the only way to be sure you're maximizing your time while dieting. Fat isn't a goal. Avoid fat bombs and MCT oil. Don't buy keto pee sticks or a blood meter. Buy a food scale and track food. You'll be surprised how many calories you can consume in cheese without paying attention. Skip MCT oil, keto coffees, or anything with “keto” on the label. Make only occasional attempts to recreate non-keto sweets and baked goods. The keto-field versions just aren’t as good. Empty calories and totally unnecessary. And for new folks, MCT oil can cause disaster pants. No, the answer is almost never “more fat”, but it’s almost always more electrolytes.

What micronutrients are essential in any diet?

Protein is the only goal macro, make sure to get at least 0.8g per lean lb of body weight. Going over is ok and won’t turn to glucose. Carbs are a hard limit. Keep as low as possible. Fat is a limit not a goal. Fat is the lever for controlling ones weight.

Electrolytes and water

Look at upping the big 3, sodium/potassium/magnesium. Grab some salt, no salt and magnesium citrate. Can add flavoring like Mio if you want. Mix up in water bottle and sip throughout the day. Should solve the issues. And just drink to thirst and pee color. Clear = too much water, causing the body to flush more vitamins and minerals(electrolytes). Slightly yellow = good to go. Dark yellow/brownish = dehydrated Unless you have time to master with all the keto recipes, just find what is easy for you to commit to and stick with it. For example, I have a salad with grilled pork chops or chicken tenders every day for lunch and a yogurt for an afternoon snack.. For breakfast, it's a yogurt or bacon and scrambled eggs (3-4 carbs max). All these things take less than 30 minutes to whip up, are relatively cheap, are easy for me, and keep me under 20 carbs/day, so I stick with them. Sodium – MOST IMPORTANT – 5000-7000 mg daily Potassium – SECOND MOST IMPORTANT – 3000-5000mg daily Magnesium – necessary to incorporate regardless of diet because we dun goofed and can’t get enough from food or drink anymore – 300-500mg daily

Fall in love with meat and veggies and huge meaty salads

Some people use a cheat day to keep themselves sane in the sense that having a cheat day here or there makes it so that they can sustain the diet that much longer that’s fine. Keto flu is electrolyte imbalance so it has to do with more than just water. You likely ate foods high enough in potassium, magnesium and sodium to prevent keto flu from setting in. That's a good thing. 1. Subtract fiber from carb count. 2. convert all your food into grams when weighing as this is much more accurate than "one medium avocado." 3. Avoid artificial sugar if you can, while its not something that will kick you out of ketosis, sticking to meat and veggies will help with cravings immensely. Stop snacking. Nuts are delicious but they're also 250 cals a handful and are very easy to eat like popcorn.

Buying "keto" branded food?

Pretty much anything branded as "keto" is not needed. In fact, there is nothing needed on keto that can’t be found at most grocery stores. All you are doing is taking one macro nutrient (carbs) and reducing, eliminating, or replacing it on your plate. THATS IT. Next time you think you can’t find something to eat remember that. Take any normal meal or recipes, subtract or replace the carbs with something else. Done. Nothing fancy, no crazy recipes or ingredients. Good mindset: Want a snack? Yes. Want a meal? No. You're not hungry. Find something to do. KEEP FOOD SIMPLE! fall in love with meat and veggies and huge meaty salads. You don't have to make elaborate meals to really enjoy keto. Breakfast for dinner is great!

Keto should not be rocket science: don't overthink it

KEEP FOOD SIMPLE! fall in love with meat and veggies and huge meaty salads. You don't have to make elaborate meals to really enjoy keto. Ease into it and don't be afraid of not getting it right at first. Also, it seems like everyone says the pee sticks aren't worth it, but when I was starting out, it's was a great indicator to make sure I'm wasn't over doing it on the carbs. For me, focusing on too many key factors at once makes me frustrated and more likely to quit. I guess my point is, just because it works for one of us doesn't mean it'll work exactly the same for you and that's okay. Don't let other's experiences dictate your outlook on your weight-loss journey. Learn to appreciate bitter food. Black coffee = good. 88% dark chocolate = better. Tannic red wine with low residual sugar = best. You can feel indulgent on this “diet” and still not come close to hitting your fat / carb macro. You’ll discover in just a few weeks how luxurious an ounce of high-quality dark chocolate paired with a neat scotch can feel. Train your tongue and it’ll  will reward you.

Be aware of hidden carbs

Be aware of hidden carbs. You'd be surprised how things like spices are full of them (e.g. cinnamon has 6 carbs per tablespoon).  I haven't once paid attention to calories. This works for me, but might not for others. I've found that by the nature of what tastes good to me and what I'm willing to do, I've kept my calories well below my needed amount.

Obsessing over macros: Weigh your food every day

Don't weigh yourself every day. Weigh your food every day instead. Being positive you're in caloric deficit is the only way to be sure you're maximizing your time while dieting. There are going to be times when you come across something that’s worth it. A special occasion, your grandmother’s homemade dessert, whatever. It is fine to treat yourself. But, IN MODERATION. Don’t do this all the time, or even frequently. But if doing this helps you keep going in the long term then have at it. This isn’t the same as having a cheat day, this is you deciding that something that’s worth it is ok in moderation.

Cheat days on a keto diet: they actually could help you sustain diet