How to Track the Carnivore Diet: Macros, Ratios, and Methods

To track the carnivore diet effectively, focus on three key metrics: total protein, total fat, and the ratio between them. Unlike standard diets where you juggle carbs, fiber, sugar, and dozens of micronutrients, carnivore tracking is refreshingly simple. Most successful carnivore dieters track protein in grams, fat in grams, and their protein-to-fat ratio to dial in energy and satiety.

What Should You Track on the Carnivore Diet?

The beauty of carnivore tracking is its simplicity. You only need to monitor a handful of metrics:

Protein (The Non-Negotiable)

Protein is the foundation of the carnivore diet. Your daily target should be approximately 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. For a 200-pound man at 20% body fat, that means roughly 160 grams of protein per day.

Here is what that looks like in real food:

• 1 pound of ribeye steak: ~90g protein, ~80g fat
• 1 pound of ground beef (80/20): ~77g protein, ~90g fat
• 6 large eggs: ~36g protein, ~30g fat
• 1 pound of chicken thighs: ~90g protein, ~45g fat

Fat (The Energy Source)

On carnivore, fat replaces carbohydrates as your primary fuel. Most people need 100 to 200 grams of fat per day, depending on their size, activity level, and goals. The most common beginner mistake is eating too lean. If you feel tired, cold, or hungry on carnivore, you probably need more fat.

Protein-to-Fat Ratio

This is the metric that separates experienced carnivore dieters from beginners. Your protein-to-fat ratio determines how you feel day to day:

• Higher protein (2:1 or more): Better for fat loss, muscle building, but can cause low energy if too extreme
• Balanced (1:1 to 1.5:1): The sweet spot for most people, good energy and satiety
• Higher fat (1:2 or more): Used by some for therapeutic protocols, not recommended for most people long-term

Calories (Optional but Useful)

Many carnivore advocates say you do not need to count calories. That is partially true. The high satiety of protein and fat makes overeating difficult. However, tracking calories for the first month provides useful data about your intake patterns and helps you troubleshoot if results stall.

Why Does Tracking Matter on Carnivore?

If carnivore is so simple, why bother tracking at all? Three reasons:

1. The adaptation period is tricky. During your first two to four weeks, your body is switching fuel systems. Tracking ensures you eat enough fat during this transition. Many people who feel terrible during adaptation are simply undereating.

2. Results require precision. If your goal is weight loss or body recomposition, the difference between eating 150g and 200g of fat per day is significant. Tracking lets you make informed adjustments instead of guessing.

3. You learn your foods. After 30 to 60 days of tracking, most carnivore dieters develop an intuitive sense of their portions and macros. Tracking is temporary, but the knowledge is permanent.

What Is the Best Method for Tracking Carnivore?

There are three main approaches, each with trade-offs:

Method 1: Dedicated Carnivore App (Recommended)

The best carnivore diet app is one built specifically for meat-based eating. Vore, for example, gives you:

• One-tap logging for common carnivore meals
• Automatic protein-to-fat ratio calculation
• AI photo logging that identifies cuts of meat
• Built-in carnivore meal plans with pre-calculated macros
• Barcode scanning for packaged meats

A dedicated app takes 30 seconds per meal to log. Download Vore for iOS or Android to try this approach.

Method 2: Generic Calorie Tracker

Apps like MyFitnessPal and Cronometer work but add friction. You will spend extra time filtering through plant-based foods, and you will need to manually calculate your protein-to-fat ratio. These apps also tend to flag your diet with warnings about fiber, vitamin C, and cholesterol that do not apply to a well-formulated carnivore approach.

Method 3: Pen and Paper

The simplest method. Write down what you eat, look up the macros, and keep a running tally. This works well for people with very consistent diets who eat the same few meals each week. The downsides are no trend analysis, no automatic calculations, and no barcode scanning.

How Do You Calculate Protein-to-Fat Ratio?

The protein-to-fat ratio is calculated by dividing grams of protein by grams of fat:

Ratio = Protein (g) / Fat (g)

For example, if you eat 180g of protein and 150g of fat in a day, your ratio is 1.2:1 (slightly protein-dominant).

Here are the ratios for common carnivore foods:

Notice how dramatically the ratio changes between cuts. This is why tracking matters. Eating chicken breast all day gives you a very different ratio than eating ribeye.

How Long Should You Track on Carnivore?

The general recommendation is to track diligently for 30 to 90 days, then transition to intuitive eating if your results are on track.

Here is a practical timeline:

• Days 1-14: Track everything. Learn what your meals contain. This is your data-gathering phase.
• Days 15-30: Start noticing patterns. You will begin to know instinctively that your usual dinner is roughly 80g protein and 70g fat.
• Days 31-60: Track loosely. Log meals when you try something new or when results stall.
• Day 60+: Most people can eat intuitively at this point, checking in with tracking for a week every month or two.

If you are new to carnivore, our beginner’s guide covers what to expect during the first weeks alongside tracking recommendations.

What Are Common Tracking Mistakes on Carnivore?

Tracking cooked weight instead of raw weight. Meat loses 20 to 30 percent of its weight when cooked. If a recipe calls for 1 pound of ground beef, weigh it raw. Most nutritional databases list values for raw meat.

Ignoring rendered fat. When you cook a fatty steak, some fat renders out into the pan. If you pour off the drippings, you need to subtract that fat from your total. If you eat the drippings (as many carnivore dieters do), count it all.

Obsessing over precision. Carnivore tracking should be directional, not obsessive. Being within 10 to 20 grams of your targets is perfectly fine. The goal is awareness, not anxiety.

Not tracking long enough. One week of data tells you almost nothing. Commit to 30 days minimum to see meaningful patterns and make informed adjustments.

How Do You Adjust Your Macros Based on Tracking Data?

After two to four weeks of consistent tracking, review your data and ask:

• Energy low? Increase fat by 20 to 30 grams per day.
• Not losing weight? Reduce fat slightly while keeping protein the same.
• Hungry between meals? Your meals may be too protein-heavy. Add more fat to improve satiety.
• Digestion issues? You may be eating too much fat at once. Spread it across more meals.

The science behind carnivore and weight loss explains why protein and fat levels affect your results differently, and tracking is the tool that lets you apply that knowledge.

For more tracking strategies and tools, visit the Carnivore Diet Tracking hub.