Most people could benefit by beginning to track what they currently eat, if they don’t already. Personally, I was surprised that I was eating as much fat as I was. Liberally using butter, soft cheeses, cream cheese, olive oil, bacon fat, avocado oil, cream, and fatty meats had me eating nearly double the fat grams to protein grams at nearly every meal. Even though my carbs stayed under 20 total carbs per day. 

Don’t misunderstand. Some fat is necessary for higher protein keto, but if you want to dial back the fat, you need to begin by taking account of how your meals look. Just as Jonathan assessed his level of carbs before starting keto, assessing the fat you’re consuming can be very helpful. Use my 5-day food log or an app like Carb Manager to get a better idea. https://cookingketowithkristie.com/2018/05/30/keeping-food-logs/

Once you’ve assessed what you’re eating, use that as a starting point. Again, a really simple way to look at intake is to add the grams of carbs to grams of fat. That number should be less than or equal to the grams of protein you’re consuming. For example, let’s say my meal has 32 grams of protein, 24 grams of fat, and 5 grams of carbs. The ratio is 32:29, that’s a great place to start.  

What if my protein was 32 grams and my fat and carbs added together total 48 grams? Then I probably need to reduce the fat (or carbs) in my next meal. Also, don’t beat yourself up over a higher fat meal now and then. It’s likely better to eat a higher fat meal than a higher carb meal, so remember the first principle of “Count all the carbs and keep them low” in my Getting Started Guide, then prioritize protein, and add fat for satiety. When you track, use the amount of protein you eat as a general guide for adding fat. 

What does it mean to prioritize protein? Priorities are the things you do first, right? If the roof is leaking, you put the bucket where the biggest leaks are or where the water is doing the most damage. You choose that which is most important. 

When you prioritize protein, you pick protein for your meals first. Imagine standing in front of the fridge. Pick the chicken, bacon, fish, eggs before the vegetables or the fat. Even if you’re making a big salad, begin by considering what protein you can add. 

Be aware that some protein is higher in fat than others. Eggs and bacon are often roughly equal in fat and protein. When I was cooking my eggs in butter, topping them with cheese (most cheeses are higher in fat than protein with a few exceptions), and then adding heavy cream to my coffee, I was easily getting more fat than protein in my meals. The same is true for chicken wings with a lot of high fat Blue cheese or Ranch dressing.  You can still eat those things, but mindful that may be a higher fat meal than you think. (Yes, I’ll give you some strategies to help.)