How to Get Enough Calories on Keto for Weight Gain and Maintenance

October 24, 2025 •

4 min read

Paradoxically, some people find they consume fewer calories than needed on a ketogenic diet due to the satiating effect of high fat intake. This guide will explain how to get enough calories on keto, whether your goal is to gain weight, maintain a healthy weight, or simply fuel an active lifestyle.

Quick Summary

This article explains how to increase caloric intake on a ketogenic diet by focusing on nutrient-dense, high-fat foods. It offers practical strategies for meal planning, integrating healthy fats, and using supplements to support muscle growth and overall energy needs.

Key Points

Prioritize Healthy Fats: Focus on high-quality, energy-dense fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and full-fat dairy to increase calorie intake without consuming large volumes of food.
Increase Protein Moderately: For muscle gain, increase protein to about 0.8-1.0g per pound of lean body mass, but avoid excessive amounts that could trigger gluconeogenesis and disrupt ketosis.
Strategically Use Fat Bombs and Oils: Incorporate fat bombs, MCT oil, or extra virgin olive oil into your diet as easy, effective ways to add hundreds of extra calories.
Combine with Strength Training: Pair your high-calorie keto diet with resistance exercise to ensure the caloric surplus promotes muscle growth rather than fat storage.
Consciously Increase Portion Sizes: If appetite suppression is an issue, deliberately increase the portion size of your fatty cuts of meat, fish, and keto-friendly nuts and seeds.
Optimize Meal Timing: For those struggling to eat enough, breaking up your meals and snacks throughout the day can be more effective than relying on a few large meals.

Understanding Your Calorie Needs on Keto

Before you can effectively increase your caloric intake, you need to understand your baseline energy requirements. Unlike traditional diets, the high-fat nature of keto and the metabolic state of ketosis can suppress appetite, making it challenging to consume sufficient calories, especially for those aiming for weight gain. Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is a dynamic number influenced by your age, sex, weight, height, and activity level. Calorie counting is a useful tool, but on keto, the type of calories you consume is even more important.

The Importance of High-Quality Fats and Protein

The macronutrient ratio for a standard keto diet is typically around 70-80% fat, 15-25% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates. When increasing calories, the bulk of your additional energy should come from fat and, if aiming for muscle growth, a moderate increase in protein. Prioritizing high-quality fat sources ensures you get not just calories but also essential fatty acids and other nutrients. Excessive protein intake should be avoided, as it can be converted to glucose through gluconeogenesis, potentially hindering ketosis. Aiming for 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass is a good starting point for those looking to build muscle.

Strategies for Increasing Caloric Density

To boost your daily calories without feeling overly full, focus on the most calorically-dense keto-friendly foods. Small additions can make a big difference. For instance, an extra tablespoon of olive oil on your salad or avocado oil in your stir-fry adds about 120 calories with minimal volume. Integrating high-fat snacks and meals throughout the day can also help you hit your targets.

Here are some practical methods for boosting your keto calories:

Embrace Fat Bombs: These are small, bite-sized treats made with high-fat ingredients like cream cheese, coconut oil, nut butter, and cocoa powder. They are designed to be energy-dense and can easily add several hundred calories to your day.
Use Rich Sauces and Dressings: Creamy sauces, buttery toppings, and full-fat salad dressings are excellent ways to increase calories. Think hollandaise sauce on asparagus, melted butter on steak, or a rich avocado ranch dressing.
Rely on Full-Fat Dairy: Full-fat Greek yogurt, heavy cream, and various cheeses are all fantastic sources of calories and healthy fats. Add heavy cream to your coffee or tea, or use full-fat cheeses in your meals to add significant calories.
Increase Portion Sizes: This might seem obvious, but if you are consistently full on your standard meal plan, you may need to consciously increase your portion sizes of protein and fat. Eating an extra fatty cut of meat or a larger serving of nuts can help.
Add Healthy Oils: Oils like MCT oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are pure fat and can be seamlessly added to foods. Bulletproof coffee, for example, is a popular method that combines coffee, MCT oil, and grass-fed butter to deliver a significant energy boost.

High-Calorie Keto Food Comparison

When choosing foods to increase your caloric intake, it is helpful to compare the options available. The table below highlights some popular, high-calorie keto foods and their nutritional benefits.


Food Item	Primary Fat Source	Macronutrient Ratio (approx.)	Calorie Density	Key Benefits
Avocado	Monounsaturated	High fat, moderate fiber	~230 kcal per 100g	Rich in potassium, Vitamin K, and fiber
Macadamia Nuts	Monounsaturated	Very high fat, low carb	~718 kcal per 100g	Good source of manganese, thiamin, and copper
Salmon	Omega-3 Polyunsaturated	High fat, high protein	~205 kcal per 100g	Excellent source of omega-3s, Vitamin D, and B vitamins
Extra Virgin Olive Oil	Monounsaturated	100% fat	~900 kcal per 100g	High in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds
Full-Fat Cheese	Saturated	High fat, moderate protein	~414 kcal per 100g (cheddar)	Good source of calcium, B12, and phosphorus

Integrating High-Calorie Foods into Your Day

Start by incorporating these foods into your existing meal plan. A breakfast of scrambled eggs cooked in butter and topped with cheese provides a solid caloric base. For lunch, a salad with fatty fish like salmon, avocado, and a generous olive oil dressing is a great choice. Dinner can feature fatty cuts of meat such as steak or pork belly, served with non-starchy vegetables roasted in coconut oil. Snacks like macadamia nuts, seeds, or homemade fat bombs can fill any remaining calorie gaps throughout the day.

The Role of Exercise in Your Calorie Goals

Combining a high-calorie keto diet with regular exercise, particularly strength training, is the most effective way to ensure weight gain is primarily muscle mass rather than excess body fat. While a caloric surplus can lead to fat gain even on keto, resistance training directs that surplus towards building and repairing muscle tissue. Two or three 30-60 minute weight training sessions per week are enough to stimulate muscle growth. Remember that intense exercise can increase your calorie needs, so you may need to adjust your food intake on heavier training days to accommodate this.

Conclusion

For those looking to gain or maintain weight on a ketogenic diet, the solution lies in conscious meal planning and the strategic selection of calorically-dense, nutrient-rich foods. By focusing on healthy fats, moderate protein, and incorporating high-calorie keto-friendly options, it is entirely possible to meet your energy requirements. Listening to your body’s hunger and satiety cues, while being mindful of portion sizes and the quality of your food, is key. When combined with a suitable exercise routine, this approach allows you to achieve your weight management goals effectively while reaping the metabolic benefits of ketosis. For more in-depth information on the keto diet, you can refer to authoritative sources like the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) on the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate diets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can gain weight on a ketogenic diet by intentionally consuming more calories than you burn. While many use keto for weight loss, increasing intake of calorically-dense fats and protein can lead to healthy weight gain, especially when combined with strength training.

Some of the most calorie-dense keto-friendly foods include olive oil, macadamia nuts, avocado, full-fat cheeses, fatty cuts of meat like steak and pork belly, and heavy cream.

Consuming excessive amounts of protein can potentially lead to gluconeogenesis, a process where the body converts protein into glucose. This can raise insulin levels and reduce ketone production, so it is best to keep protein intake at a moderate level when maintaining ketosis.

You can add more fat to your meals by cooking with generous amounts of butter or coconut oil, drizzling olive oil over vegetables and salads, or adding heavy cream to your coffee and sauces.

Initially, many people on keto do not need to count calories due to natural appetite suppression. However, if your weight loss stalls or you are trying to gain weight, tracking your calorie intake can be very helpful to ensure you are meeting your specific goals.

Keto fat bombs are small, high-fat snacks typically made from ingredients like cream cheese, nut butter, and coconut oil. They are useful for adding a concentrated boost of calories and fat to your diet, helping you meet your macros when you aren't feeling very hungry.

Regular exercise, particularly resistance training, can increase your overall energy expenditure. For those seeking weight gain, this means you will need to consume even more calories from fat and protein to create a caloric surplus and build muscle mass.