Keto.app data · 2021–2026 · 66M+ food searches

The keto calendar: when people start (and quit) keto

Five years of food searches in the Keto.app app show exactly when people go keto: the January surge, the busiest day of the year, the mid-February fade and the holidays that stop everyone. And if you’ve slipped, the same data shows you’re far from alone.

2.1×more keto activity in January than in December, every year since 2022
Tuesdayis the busiest keto day of the week; weekends are the quietest
−28%from the January peak by mid-February

Key findings

What five years of data show

  • January doubles keto. In the US, January activity was 2.05×, 2.22×, 2.11×, 1.98×, 1.96× December’s in 2022–2026. It’s the most reliable pattern in our data.
  • The busiest keto day of the year is the first Tuesday or Wednesday of January, not January 1. Jan 4, 2022 (Tuesday); Jan 4, 2023 (Wednesday); Jan 3, 2024 (Wednesday); Jan 7, 2025 (Tuesday); Jan 6, 2026 (Tuesday). On those days activity is 2.5–3.0× the December daily average.
  • Resolutions fade by Valentine’s Day. Activity holds for about two weeks, then slides; by week 7 it is 28% below the peak.
  • Holidays stop keto. Christmas Day −65%, Thanksgiving −39%, the day after Thanksgiving −43%. January 2 is the comeback day at +29%.
  • Australia has a second keto season. Down under, activity climbs again in August–October as spring arrives, a peak the US and UK don’t have.

Fell off track?

You’re not alone. Here’s what everyone else does

Slipping isn’t a personal failure. It shows up in the data for everyone, every year. What matters is that people come back.

−28%

Motivation dips by mid-February

Across five years, keto activity drops by almost a third from the January peak. If February feels hard, you’re exactly where most people are.

−65%

Nearly everyone takes Christmas off

Christmas Day activity is down by two thirds, Thanksgiving by more than a third. A holiday meal doesn’t undo anything.

−13%

Weekends are lower, every week

Saturdays and Sundays are the quietest days, week after week. A looser weekend is normal, not a sign you’ve failed.

+29%

And then people come back

January 2 is busier than a normal day every single year. A break is part of the keto year, not the end of it.

Don’t wait for January

The keto year has 52 Tuesdays

Tuesday is the busiest keto day of every week. You don’t need a new year, a new month or a Monday to restart: your next meal is enough. And if you like a fresh start, Tuesday is when keto activity peaks every single week.

Get my targetsEasy 7-day plan

Month by month

Your keto year: what to expect

US activity index for each month (100 = an average month) and what it usually means.

January132

Peak season: activity is 32% above an average month. Everyone is starting, so if you are too, you have company. Pick one habit to keep rather than ten.

February116

The fade. Activity slides through February and bottoms out around Valentine’s week, 28% below the January peak. If your motivation dips now, you’re right on schedule. Get back to your next meal, not next Monday.

March119

A second wind: activity ticks back up from February (116) to March (119). A good moment to restart if February got away from you.

April113

Steady spring. In the UK this is peak keto season (April 123, May 122), ahead of summer.

May107

Activity eases slowly toward summer (107). Memorial Day dips 16%, then things return to normal.

June106

Summer starts: barbecues, travel, longer days. A gentle slowdown (106) is typical.

July101

An average month (101). July 4 dips 23%, and the next day looks like any other.

August101

Still average in the US (101). In Australia, keto season number two begins as spring arrives (112).

September91

Back-to-routine month: schedules change and US activity drops below average (91). Australians are at their spring high (115).

October83

Halloween barely registers (−5%), but the slow autumn slide continues (83).

November72

Holiday season starts: Thanksgiving −39%, the day after −43%. One day off is just one day.

December61

The quietest month of the keto year (61). Christmas Day is −65%: almost everyone takes a break. And almost everyone comes back: January 2 is +29%.

By month

The keto year, by country

Monthly keto activity index: 100 = an average month, with the long-term trend removed. Average of 2021–2025.

United StatesUnited KingdomAustralia
406080100120140JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnited States, Jan: 132 (100 = average month)United States, Feb: 116 (100 = average month)United States, Mar: 119 (100 = average month)United States, Apr: 113 (100 = average month)United States, May: 107 (100 = average month)United States, Jun: 106 (100 = average month)United States, Jul: 101 (100 = average month)United States, Aug: 101 (100 = average month)United States, Sep: 91 (100 = average month)United States, Oct: 83 (100 = average month)United States, Nov: 72 (100 = average month)United States, Dec: 61 (100 = average month)USUnited Kingdom, Jan: 130 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Feb: 109 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Mar: 111 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Apr: 123 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, May: 122 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Jun: 114 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Jul: 106 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Aug: 107 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Sep: 85 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Oct: 78 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Nov: 72 (100 = average month)United Kingdom, Dec: 45 (100 = average month)UKAustralia, Jan: 127 (100 = average month)Australia, Feb: 113 (100 = average month)Australia, Mar: 89 (100 = average month)Australia, Apr: 94 (100 = average month)Australia, May: 91 (100 = average month)Australia, Jun: 82 (100 = average month)Australia, Jul: 92 (100 = average month)Australia, Aug: 112 (100 = average month)Australia, Sep: 115 (100 = average month)Australia, Oct: 114 (100 = average month)Australia, Nov: 102 (100 = average month)Australia, Dec: 68 (100 = average month)Australia
Show the data
MonthUnited StatesUnited KingdomAustraliaCanadaGermany
Jan132130127134125
Feb116109113128114
Mar11911189129116
Apr11312394116106
May1071229198114
Jun1061148294115
Jul1011069295109
Aug10110711290103
Sep91851159488
Oct83781148684
Nov72721028679
Dec6145685556

By weekday

Keto starts on Tuesday

US activity by day of week, 100 = weekly average. Weekends are the low point.

Mon: 105105MonTue: 116116TueWed: 110110WedThu: 103103ThuFri: 9393FriSat: 8787SatSun: 8686Sun
Show the data
DayUnited StatesUnited KingdomCanadaAustraliaGermany
Mon105117108120110
Tue116111115110106
Wed110105110103105
Thu103991039598
Fri9388908390
Sat8786869091
Sun86948998100

New Year fade

How long resolutions last

US activity in weeks 1–13 of the year as % of that year’s January peak, average of 2022–2026.

60%70%80%90%100%W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10W11W12W13Week 1 of the year: 94% of the January peakWeek 2 of the year: 99% of the January peakWeek 3 of the year: 90% of the January peakWeek 4 of the year: 85% of the January peakWeek 5 of the year: 83% of the January peakWeek 6 of the year: 79% of the January peakWeek 7 of the year: 72% of the January peakWeek 8 of the year: 77% of the January peakWeek 9 of the year: 78% of the January peakWeek 10 of the year: 80% of the January peakWeek 11 of the year: 77% of the January peakWeek 12 of the year: 78% of the January peakWeek 13 of the year: 75% of the January peak72%
Show the data
Week% of peak
Week 194%
Week 299%
Week 390%
Week 485%
Week 583%
Week 679%
Week 772%
Week 877%
Week 978%
Week 1080%
Week 1177%
Week 1278%
Week 1375%

Holidays

The days keto stops

US activity on each holiday vs the same weekday in the three weeks before and after, average of 2021–2026.

Christmas DayChristmas Day: -65% vs a normal same weekday-65%Christmas EveChristmas Eve: -57% vs a normal same weekday-57%Day after ThanksgivingDay after Thanksgiving: -43% vs a normal same weekday-43%ThanksgivingThanksgiving: -39% vs a normal same weekday-39%New Year's EveNew Year's Eve: -27% vs a normal same weekday-27%July 4July 4: -23% vs a normal same weekday-23%Easter SundayEaster Sunday: -19% vs a normal same weekday-19%Valentine's DayValentine's Day: -19% vs a normal same weekday-19%New Year's DayNew Year's Day: -18% vs a normal same weekday-18%Labor DayLabor Day: -17% vs a normal same weekday-17%Memorial DayMemorial Day: -16% vs a normal same weekday-16%Super Bowl SundaySuper Bowl Sunday: -8% vs a normal same weekday-8%HalloweenHalloween: -5% vs a normal same weekday-5%January 2January 2: +29% vs a normal day+29%

FAQ

Keto seasons, answered

When do most people start keto?

In the first week of January. In Keto.app data, January activity is 1.96–2.22× December every year from 2022 to 2026, and the single busiest day is the first Tuesday or Wednesday of January.

What is the best day to start a keto diet?

Tuesday is the busiest keto day of the week: activity is 16% above the weekly average in the US, while Saturday and Sunday are 13% below it.

How long do New Year keto resolutions last?

Activity stays near its January peak for about two weeks, then declines. By week 7 (mid-February) it is 28% below the peak, and it settles around 78% of the peak through March.

Is it normal to fall off keto?

Yes. In Keto.app data, activity drops by about 28% from the January peak by mid-February, falls by two thirds on Christmas Day and is lower every weekend. It happens to almost everyone, every year, and activity picks up again afterwards.

When is the best time to restart keto?

Your next meal. You don’t need to wait for January or a Monday: Tuesday is the busiest keto day of every week, and January 2 is busier than a normal day, which shows people restart right after a break.

Do people stop keto over the holidays?

Largely, yes. On Christmas Day keto activity drops 65% and on Thanksgiving 39% compared with a normal day.

Methodology

How we measured it

  • Source: 66M+ anonymous food searches made in the Keto.app app between March 2021 and October 2026, aggregated by day and country. No personal data is used.
  • Why searches: people search for a food right before logging it, so search volume tracks how actively people follow keto.
  • Indexes, not counts: monthly values are divided by a 12-month moving average to remove long-term growth or decline; weekdays and holidays are compared with nearby days.
  • Updated: October 12, 2026.

Cite this data: Keto.app Keto Calendar, 2021–2026. https://keto.app/keto-calendar/

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