Table of contents
Navigating the App
The sidebar is the default start page and provides an overview of your day and access to the most frequently used features:
- View your daily macros and how far you are from your daily targets or limits.
- Quickly track water, weight or meals to today by tapping the icons in your today macros.
- Edit your day by tapping on your macros (add a meal, update your activity level, water intake, etc.)
- Access your macros and targets by tapping on Profile.
- Create your own recipes under My Meals or view the KetoDiet Recipes under Recipes.
- Track your weight and other measurements over time by visiting Progress
Note: You can access this sidebar from anywhere in the app by tapping the three lines in the top right.
Set up Your Profile & Macros
In Profile > Macros & Targets you can specify your Essential Data (age, weight, height, etc) and Goals (weight loss, weight gain, etc). KetoDiet can then calculate your optimal macronutrients (macros). As your weight, body fat etc change, KetoDiet will automatically recalculate your optimal macros.
To setup your profile tap on the main menu and select Profile. Tap on Macros & Targets, and then fill in your Essential Data (Gender, Age, Height, Weight, Body Fat, Activity Level, Net Carbs and your Goal) by tapping each item.
The Goal you select determines how your target macros are calculated. If you prefer to specify your target macros manually, then select Custom Targets under Goal.
Recipe Options
You can set your preferences for recipes under Menu > Profile > Recipe Options. You can specify any allergies, preferences and even exclude ingredients you don't like. All recipes that do not satisfy your criteria will be hidden in the Recipes & Diary sections.
Hint: You can quickly disable/enable your preferences by tapping on the button on top.
Note: You can also access your recipe options under Recipes & Planner sections.
Data Sync
If you are using the app on multiple devices, you can sync between them by signing in under Profile > Account. All devices using the same Data Sync account will be kept in sync. If you're a new user, you'll need to sign up for a Data Sync account.
Note: Syncing is available across iOS and Android devices.
Understanding Macros - How to Read the Macro Rings
Your macros can be found in the Main Menu and the Diary. Below we'll highlight some basic principles for understanding how macros work on a keto diet.
The macro rings in KetoDiet change colour to help you meet your macros. Your aim should be for your rings to be green or orange on average. Don't worry if you occasionally end up in the red zone, but it shouldn't happen consistently.
Some macros are limits while others are targets. That distinction is important to under how macros work on a keto diet.
Net Carbs are a Limit
Net carbs are total carbs with fibre deducted. You can find more information about net carbs and why it's best to track net carbs rather than total carbs in this post.
Net Carbs are a limit which means that you should be eating no more than the limit you set under Profile > Macros & Targets. Our recommended limit to begin with is 20 to 25 grams of net carbs.
You don't have to change anything as long as your Net Carbs are in the green or orange zones. If your net carbs get in the red zone, you can reduce them by cutting foods high in carbs or reducing portions.
Common sources of carbs are: vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, sweeteners, condiments, and dairy. Some foods like liver, seafood and processed meat are common sources of hidden carbs.
Protein is a Target
Unlike net carbs, your protein intake is a target. When your protein intake is in the orange zone, it means you are either under your target or slightly over. Your protein intake may turn red if you significantly exceed your intake.
Here are some tips to reduce your protein intake:
- Reduce your consumption of leaner meats and fish and instead increase your consumption of fatty fish and meat. You can do that by eating more fatty pork, lamb, beef, salmon, mackerel, herring or sardines, and less chicken, turkey, tuna or cod.
- Egg whites are a common source of protein. If you're making an omelet with 3 eggs, try swapping one of the eggs with just egg yolk.
- Certain types of cheese such as mozzarella, are high in protein. Try replacing mozzarella with cheddar.
Here are some tips to increase your protein intake:
- Same tips, just reverse, apply to increasing your protein intake.
- Other sources of protein include almonds, broccoli pumpkin seeds, peanut butter and yogurt.
- You can add whey protein powder isolate or egg white protein powder, plant-based protein powders or collagen.
Fat and Calories
Fat should be eaten to satiety. Calories are determined by your fat intake, as fat is essentially the "filler" in terms of calories, while protein and carbs remain fixed. If you consistently exceed your calorie limit, you should reduce your fat intake.
Depending on your target, your fat (and calorie) intake can either be a limit or a target.
- If your goal is to lose weight, your fat (and calorie) intake is a limit.
- If your goal is to maintain your weight, your fat (and calorie) intake are a target, although you can generally be more relaxed about meeting your target on maintenance.
- If your goal is to gain weight, your fat intake is a target.
- As long as your fat (and calorie) intake are in the green or orange zones, you don't have to change anything.
If you need to reduce or increase your fat intake, focus on these sources of fat:
- Added fats such as olive oil, ghee, butter or mayonnaise are easily adjustable in most recipes.
- Other high-fat foods: nuts (especially macadamias), avocados, cheese, whipping cream, coconut cream and coconut milk, fatty meats such as pork belly, lamb ribs, beef ribeye, etc.
- If you need to reduce your fat (and calorie) intake, avoid fat bombs, "bulletproof coffee" and other beverages with added fats.
Note: If your calorie intake is over your limit while carbs, protein and fat remain below your limit, it may be down to alcohol consumption. Alcohol contributes 7 kcal (Calories) per gram.
Recipes in the KetoDiet App
All our recipes are trialed and tested by our team for best results. We never include any untested recipes and all nutritional data for our recipes is reliable.
There are 10 sample recipes in the free version, and over 2,000 fully customisable recipes are available to our subscribers. Subscribers can add any of our recipes to their Diary, clone and modify recipes.
Additionally, all of our users (including non subscribers) can access all recipes shared on our blog via Menu > KetoDiet Blog.
To favorite recipes that you like, tap on the heart icon. This will enable you to find and add the recipes you like under Recipes > Favorites.
Recipe Sorting and Filtering
Use the filtering tool to view recipes that match your preferences based on categories and allergies.
You also can sort recipes by net carbs, protein, fat, calories, overall time, etc.
Recipe View
Once you tap on a meal, you can view the full recipe including ingredients, serving size, time to prepare, number of servings, recipe instructions and allergy information.
To change the number of servings for any Recipe, tap on the plates icon at the top of the screen and change to the desired number of servings. All ingredient amounts will update automatically.
To add any recipe to the Diary, tap on the calendar icon at the top right.
Once you choose the recipe you want to cook, you can select some or all of the ingredients and add them to your Basket. This will make shopping for ingredients easier, and you can quickly print or export the shopping list.
Some recipes use homemade ingredients (e.g. pesto, mayonnaise, or ghee) which themselves are recipes. You can tap on them to see the full recipe for such ingredients.
You can view step-by-step photos or hide them with a single tap for a compact view.
Exclusive Recipes vs KetoDiet Blog Recipes
Exclusive recipes are recipes that are only available in our app and never shared on our blog. The KetoDiet app includes 350 exclusive recipes. You can find them under Menu > Recipes > Exclusive. All Exclusive recipes include allergy friendly suggestions where possible.
Additionally, we enable all users to access hundreds of recipes shared directly via our blog. You can find all the recipes under Menu > Recipes > From Our Blog and also under Menu > KetoDiet Blog.
When you use our filtering tool, all recipes that do not match your preferences will be hidden. You can quickly disable the filtering under Recipes > tap on the filtering icon on top right.
Note that while non-subscribers can view all of our Blog recipes via Menu > KetoDiet Blog, only subscribers to premium features can use all of the recipes to plan & track their diet, clone any of the recipes, and use other premium features.
Important: The vast majority of recipes we share via our integrated KetoDiet Blog include allergy-friendly options and swaps. To find all allergy options and recipe tips, make sure to tap on the green button below the list of ingredients to view the associated blog post. It is generally recommended that when you follow a blog recipe, always view the associated blog post for extra tips and clarifications.
Hint: You can find the latest recipes under Home section or under Menu > Recipes > New.
My Meals (Custom Meals)
You can find all of the meals you have created under Menu > My Meals. Your meals are also accessible via the Diary section when you add a meal to your day.
Creating a Custom Meal
When creating a Custom Meal, first specify the name of the meal. Then choose how you want to create the meal. Custom Meals can either be defined by Ingredients, or by specifying Nutrition Data.
Note: Please keep in mind that we can't guarantee that recipes you find online have accurate nutrition facts. It's always better if you let KetoDiet calculate them for you by adding individual ingredients.
Custom Meal Defined by Ingredients
When you create a Custom Meal based on ingredients, it's important that you specify the correct number of servings for the amount of ingredients you define.
Specify the number of servings and ingredients to create your meal. You can add ingredients by searching through our extensive food database. if you cannot find the ingredient you are looking for, tap on Create to create a Custom Ingredient, or tap on the barcode icon at the top to use the barcode scanning feature. To remove an ingredient, swipe right. To change the amount needed, tap on the ingredient.
You can also add any notes and recipe steps to the meal. Note that this is a subscription only feature.
Custom Meal Defined by Nutritional Data
You can select this option when adding ready-made meals that include nutrition facts on the label. Simply select a serving size and values per which the nutrition facts are listed. Then enter the nutrition facts. If you get any errors, it means that you have entered incorrect values. Here are a few tips:
- Carbs + protein + fat in grams cannot be more than "Values per"
- Fiber cannot be higher than total carbs
Once you have entered all the required values, you can tap to save your custom meal. Values with exclamation marks are essential and have to be entered.
Cloning, Editing or Deleting a Custom Meal
To clone a custom meal, switch to My Meals, tap on the custom meal and then on the clone icon in the toolbar. This will enable you to create a copy of your meal.
To delete a custom meal, switch to My Meals, tap on the custom meal you want to delete and then tap on the trash icon in the toolbar. From this screen you can also edit the meal by tapping the pencil icon. When editing after you make the edits, tap the save icon at the top right.
To create a custom meal, go to Menu > My Meals and tap the Add icon.
Ingredients
You can search through our extensive food database to find keto-friendly ingredients. Each ingredient can be added directly to the Diary by tapping on the plus icon on the right of each ingredient.
If you want to see full nutrition facts, simply tap on the name of the ingredient.
Creating, Editing or Deleting a Custom Ingredient
Can't find what you are looking for? KetoDiet enables you to create your own Custom Ingredients similar to the way you create Custom Meals.
Enter the name of the ingredient and select the food group (Beef, Dairy & Eggs, etc.). Selecting the food group will help you organise your shopping basket as the ingredient will be grouped with similar foods. Follow the same steps as when creating a custom meal based on nutritional data above.
To edit or delete a Custom Ingredient, switch to Ingredients and tap on the custom ingredient you want to delete or edit and then tap the pencil tool at top right. After you make the edits, tap the Save icon at the top right. To delete, tap on the Delete icon at the top right.
Generic Foods vs Barcode Scanning
When using ingredients for planning and tracking, try to always select generic foods rather than branded products. Nutritional data for generic foods are far more accurate and complete than for branded products.
Unlike branded products, generic foods are independently tested and verified so the accuracy is not disputed. Additionally, food databases such as the USDA food database keep updating and improving their entries on a regular basis.
To make this easy for you, we display Trust Levels in the form of badges to reflect the accuracy & quality of the data for each food.
Note: This doesn't mean that you shouldn't be using any of the foods with lower trust level, but you should be cautious when using such foods. If you find any discrepancies, you can easily correct them in the app.
Planning & Tracking Your Diet
Once you set your Macros and Targets in the Profile section, you can start using the Diary to plan and track your diet.
On the top level of the Diary section you can browse through your daily overviews. You can scroll up and down or use the date control at the top right to jump to a specific day.
You can add ingredients to your Basket directly from the Planner. To add ingredients for any given period to the basket, simply tap on the basket icon, set the Start Date and the End Date, and then tap on the basket icon.
Adding Meals & Editing a Day
To view and edit a day simply tap on it. When editing a day the following tabs are available:
- Meals - Add your meals for the day
- Macros - Overview of daily macros
- Water - Add your water intake for the day
- Activity - Optionally, specify your daily activity
- Body Stats - Optionally, update your weight, measurements, etc
- Readings - Optionally, add your glucose, ketones or blood lipids
- More - Track your energy, mood and add a note for the day
Meals is the section where you'll be spending most of your time when adding foods to your day. At the top of the Meals section you will find a quick overview of your daily macros. This is to help you plan your meals quickly.
You can jump to the next/previous day by tapping on the arrows at the top right or you can pick a day directly by tapping on the date button.
To delete a meal from a day, swipe right. To move a meal between breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, tap on the meal and you can update the type of mean.
You can edit any of your planned meals by tapping on them.
To add meals for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or Snack, tap on the Add button in the bottom right. You'll see a list of recently eaten foods as well as a search option. When you search you can can choose from:
- My Meals - These are all the meals you've created that can be found in the My Meals section
- Recipes - These are the KetoDiet Exclusive and Blog recipes
- Ingredients - To add individual ingredients such as avocado, eggs, or nuts. This option is best used for adding quick snacks.
- Restaurants - Add low-carb meals from hundreds of restaurants.
Note: If you're eating prepared food, you can tap the barcode icon in the top right to access the barcode scanner, which will retrieve the nutrition information from the food.
Daily Macros
You can view your daily stats and how close you are to your daily targets under Macros. From the Meals tab in the previous section, you can also tap the information icon next to Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or Snack and see your macros per meal.
Note: Please see the section on macro rings for more info.
Tracking Glucose, Ketones & Blood Lipids
You can track your Glucose, Ketones & Blood Lipids under Menu > Diary > Readings.
Tracking Water, Mood & Energy
You can track your water intake under Menu > Diary > tap on any day > Water.
You can track your mood & energy under Menu > Diary > tap on any day > More.
Tracking Daily Activity
Daily activity tracking lets you track days where you are either more or less active than your baseline long term activity level.
Here is how it works:
- Under Profile > Macros & Targets you calculate your target macros based on your long term activity level. Your long term activity level captures how active you are on an average day.
- For days that you are significantly more or less active, you can specify your Daily Activity Level in the Planner. This will override your Long Term Activity and recalculate your daily target macros.
To enter your Daily Activity, Use the slider to specify your approximate activity level from sedentary to extremely active. As long as you have your Profile set up, KetoDiet will calculate your new daily macro targets.
To learn why we don't we use an exercise database and track "calories burnt", read this post.
Tracking Your Progress
You can view progress for your Net Carbs, Macros, Body Stats etc. under Menu > Progress.
To change the period for the charts, tap on the date range button at the top right. For any Body Stat or reading, the summary card will show you the change over the selected time period. You can tap this card to see the change as a graph.
Shopping List
KetoDiet allows you to arrange your basket by Ingredient, Food group, Meal or Time added by tapping on the Arrange button at the top-right.
You can print or export (share) your shopping basket. To do so, tap on the print or share icons on the top right. To delete any entries from your basket, swipe right.
Guide
KetoDiet includes a complete and comprehensive guide to the keto diet. Browse through chapters or search for keywords to quickly find what you are looking for.
KetoDiet Blog
Discover thousands of low-carb recipes, expert articles, video tutorials and more!
All recipes shared via our blog are fully integrated in the KetoDiet app. This means you can easily add them to the Diary, clone them, add ingredients to the basket etc. All blog meals can also be found under Recipes > From Our Blog.
To favorite any Blog posts (recipes, articles, etc), tap on the heart icon on the bottom right corner of any post, or top right if you are inside the post.
To print or export any Blog post, tap on the print or export icons at the top right.
Changing Units
To change the units for measurements and readings, tap on Settings > Body & Readings Units.
Note: You can also change measurements from the overview screen.