The ketogenic diet demands precision. Getting into and staying in ketosis means tracking net carbs closely—usually under 20–50 grams per day. Calorix's AI is built to handle keto tracking with net carb calculations, fat-to-protein ratios, and a coach that understands ketogenic nutrition.
What is a keto diet?
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, very-low-carbohydrate eating pattern. By drastically reducing carb intake, your body shifts from burning glucose to burning fat for fuel—a metabolic state called ketosis. Your liver converts fatty acids into ketone bodies, which become the primary energy source for your brain and muscles.
Standard keto typically limits carbs to 20–50g net carbs per day, with about 70–75% of calories from fat and 20–25% from protein. This rigid macronutrient balance is what makes accurate tracking essential for keto success.
How Calorix adapts to keto meals
When you select keto as your diet type, Calorix prioritizes net carb tracking front and center. The dashboard shows your daily net carb count prominently alongside total calories. The AI coach understands ketosis—it won't suggest a banana when you ask for a snack, and it knows that 30g of carbs from a "healthy" smoothie can kick you out of ketosis.
The food recognition engine calculates net carbs automatically (total carbs minus fiber) for every meal you log. It recognizes keto-specific foods like fathead dough pizza, cauliflower rice, and zucchini noodles with accurate carb counts that reflect their keto-friendly preparation.
Typical macro targets for keto
Keto macros are distinctly different from standard nutrition guidelines. Getting the ratios wrong means you might not achieve or maintain ketosis:
- Fat: 70–75% of calories — avocado, olive oil, butter, coconut oil, nuts, fatty fish, and cheese form the caloric base
- Protein: 20–25% of calories — moderate protein prevents gluconeogenesis (converting protein to glucose). About 1–1.5g per kg of lean body mass
- Net carbs: 5–10% of calories — 20–50g net carbs daily, primarily from leafy greens and low-carb vegetables
Calorix displays net carbs as a percentage of your daily limit, so you always know how much room you have left.
Example meals the AI recognizes
Keto meals often look different from standard fare. The AI handles these accurately:
- Bacon and eggs with avocado and bulletproof coffee
- Grilled salmon with asparagus and butter sauce
- Cauliflower mac and cheese
- Bunless cheeseburger with lettuce wrap
- Chicken thighs with creamy garlic spinach
- Keto fathead pizza with pepperoni
- Steak with roasted broccoli and compound butter
- Egg salad lettuce wraps with mayo
Tips for tracking keto meals with AI
Keto tracking requires extra attention to hidden carbs and accurate fat counting. Here's how to optimize your logging:
- Always mention sauces and dressings. Many sauces contain hidden sugars that can add 5–10g carbs. Tell the AI about any condiments when logging
- Track net carbs, not total carbs. Calorix automatically calculates net carbs (total minus fiber), but double-check when logging high-fiber foods like avocado or flax
- Be specific about cooking fats. Keto meals use a lot of butter, oil, and cream. Mention "cooked in butter" or "with olive oil" for accurate fat tracking
- Log before you eat. With such tight carb limits, logging ahead helps you avoid accidentally going over. Ask the coach "how many net carbs does X have?" before eating
- Watch for carb creep. Small amounts of carbs from vegetables, nuts, and dairy add up. Calorix shows a running carb total so you can catch this early