Are you looking for the best keto meal plan for weight loss? You’ve come to the right place. Below you’ll find a free 1-week keto diet plan, as well as helpful recommendations for getting started.
When first following the keto diet, some people may find it difficult to decide which foods to eat and when to eat them. Meal plans can help people get used to and stick to the ketogenic diet.
The keto diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. Weight loss and fat loss are two potential benefits of the keto diet plan.
Though various sources report different Percentages, a ketogenic diet comprises approximately:
- 55–60% fats
- 30–35% protein
- 5–10% carbohydrates
A study in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism reports that those who follow a “well-formulated” ketogenic diet typically consume less than 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates and about 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Most experts agree that meal planning for a keto diet is necessary to stick to these macronutrient ratios.
Continue reading to learn more about the keto diet and to see an example of a 7-day keto meal plan.
What Is a Keto Meal?
A keto meal contains under 50 g of total carbs or contributes about 30 g of net carbohydrates per day. ( Net carbs are total carbohydrates minus fiber.)
Fiber is found in plants and is an important component of the keto diet since it protects good gut bacteria, aids digestion, and prevents constipation.
Fats make up the majority of daily calories on the keto diet, while proteins make up a smaller portion. The keto diet focuses on eating meat, fish, eggs and dairy products.
When the body cannot rely on carbs for energy, it must burn fat for fuel. This results in a buildup of acids called ketones in the body. This results in a bodily state of Ketosis.
According to a 2012 study, a ketogenic diet may reduce fat mass, waist circumference, and fasting insulin levels.
Additionally, a 2012 review of 23 studies found that following a low-carb diet, such as the keto diet, can reduce many of the major risk factors for heart disease, such as:
- High blood pressure
- Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
- Triglycerides
Many people stick to a keto plan for a specified period before switching to a more carbohydrate-heavy diet.
Keto Diet Meal plan
Switching to the ketogenic diet may seem difficult for some, but it doesn’t have to be.
The goal should be to cut carbs while increasing fat and protein in your meals and snacks.
Carbs must be reduced to achieve and maintain ketosis.
While certain people might only achieve Ketosis by eating 20 grams of carbohydrates per day, others may be successful with a much higher carbohydrate intake.
In general, the fewer carbohydrates you eat, the easier it is to get into and stay in ketosis.
This is why sticking to keto-friendly foods and avoiding foods rich in carbohydrates is the best way to successfully lose weight on the keto diet.
Related Post: What Is Ketosis? Symptoms & Side Effects
Keto Friendly Foods to Eat
When following a keto diet, snacks and meals should center around the following foods:
- Eggs: Pastured, organic whole eggs make the best choice.
- Poultry: Chicken and turkey.
- Fatty fish: Wild-caught salmon, herring and mackerel.
- Meat: Grass-fed beef, venison, pork, Organ Meats and bison.
- Full-fat dairy: Yogurt, butter and cream.
- Full-fat cheese: Mozzarella, cheddar, brie, cream cheese and goat cheese.
- Seeds and Nuts: Pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts, almonds.
- Nut butter: Natural peanut, almond and cashew butter.
- Healthy fats: Avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, coconut butter and sesame oil.
- Avocados: Avocado can be added to almost any meal or snack.
- Non-starchy vegetables: Greens, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers.
- Condiments: Pepper, salt, vinegar, lemon juice, fresh herbs and spices.
Foods to Avoid
Avoid foods high in carbohydrates while on the keto diet.
The following foods should be restricted:
- Bread and baked goods: White bread, whole-wheat bread, cookies, crackers, doughnuts and rolls.
- Sweets and Sugary foods: Sugar, candy, ice cream, maple syrup, agave syrup and coconut sugar.
- Sweetened beverages: Juice, soda, sweetened teas and sports drinks.
- Pasta: Spaghetti and noodles.
- Grains and grain products: rice, wheat, oats, breakfast cereals and tortillas.
- Starchy vegetables: Sweet potatoes, potatoes, butternut squash, corn, peas and pumpkin.
- Beans and legumes: Chickpeas, black beans, lentils and kidney beans.
- Fruit: Citrus, grapes, bananas and pineapple.
- High-carb sauces: Barbecue sauce, sugary salad dressings and dipping sauces.
- Certain alcoholic beverages: Beer and sugary mixed drinks.
- Natural or artificial sweeteners: Maltodextrin, maltitol, honey, powdered sucralose (Splenda®).
While carbs should be limited, low-glycemic fruits like berries can be consumed in moderation as long as you stay within a keto-friendly macronutrient range.
Be sure to choose Healthy Food Sources and steer clear of processed foods and unhealthy fats.
The following items should be avoided:
- Unhealthy fats: Margarine, shortening and vegetable oils such as corn oil and canola.
- Fast food, packaged foods, and processed meats like hot dogs and lunch meats are examples of processed foods.
- Diet foods: Foods that contain Artificial Colors, preservatives and sweeteners such as Sugar Alcohols and Aspartame.
Keto Friendly Beverages
Sugar can be found in a wide variety of beverages including soda, juice, iced tea and coffee drinks.
So high-carb drinks, such as high-carb foods, should be avoided while following the ketogenic diet.
It’s no small matter that sugary beverages have also been linked to various Health Issues — from obesity to an increased risk of Diabetes.
Fortunately, for those on the keto diet, there are plenty of delicious sugar-free options.
Keto friendly beverage choices include:
- Water: Water is always the best option for hydration and should be consumed throughout the day.
- Sparkling water: Sparkling water can be used as an excellent alternative to soda.
- Unsweetened coffee: To add flavor to your cup of joe, use heavy cream.
- Unsweetened green tea: Green tea is tasty and has numerous health advantages.
Try different combinations of keto-friendly flavors to add extra flavor to the water if you want.
Tossing some fresh mint and lemon peel into your water bottle, for example, can help you stay hydrated.
Though alcohol should be restricted, enjoying a low-carb drink like tequila or vodka mixed with Soda water is perfectly fine on occasion.
Related Post: Is Tequila Keto-Friendly? Interesting Facts About Tequila
The Best 7-Day Keto Meal Plan for Weight Loss
To help you get started, here is the best keto meal plan for one week:
People can customize these meals and snacks to their liking, but they must be careful not to exceed 50 grams of total carbohydrates per day.
Remember that some people may have to cut carbs even more to achieve ketosis.
Note: The example macros are set for a person who is eating 1,600 calories per day and sticking to 100 grams or less of protein, 25 grams or less of carbs, and about 125 grams of fat.
Feel free to mix and match meals from different days and adjust your daily macros according to how your body feels. In the recipes below, consume one serving unless otherwise noted.
Day 1 Meals
—————————– Breakfast —————————–
Recipe: A Southwest omelet with bell peppers and chorizo
Fat: 28g | Protein: 17g | Carbs: 3g | Calories: 426
—————————– Lunch ———————————
Recipe: Super Simple Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice
Fat: 14g | Protein: 27g | Carbs: 5g | Calories: 260
—————————– Dinner ——————————–
Recipe: Superfood Meatballs and Keto Creamed Spinach
Fat: 36g | Protein: 36g | Carbs: 7g | Calories: 485
Day 2 Meals
—————————– Breakfast —————————–
Recipe: Chocolate Pancakes with Blueberry Butter
Fat: 50g | Protein: 27g | Carbs: 11.5g | Calories: 611
—————————– Lunch ———————————
Recipe: Zesty Chili Lime Keto Tuna Salad
Fat: 37g | Protein: 17g | Carbs: 1g | Calories: 406
—————————– Dinner ——————————–
Recipe: Lemon Herb Low Carb Keto Meatloaf
Fat: 29g | Protein: 33g | Carbs: 2g | Calories: 344
Day 3 Meals
—————————– Breakfast —————————–
Recipe: Three Quick n’ Easy Keto Egg Muffins
Fat: 12g | Protein: 12.9g | Carbs: 4.5g | Calories: 174
—————————– Lunch ———————————
Recipe: Italian Turkey Casserole
Fat: 44.5g | Protein: 28.8g | Carbs: 5.5g | Calories: 568
—————————– Dinner ——————————–
Recipe: Portobello Bun Cheeseburger with Celeriac Everything Oven Fries and Homemade Keto Mayo
Fat: 40g | Protein: 31g | Carbs: 13g | Calories: 539
—————————– Dessert ——————————–
Recipe: 1 Mocha Chip Cookie
Fat: 13g | Protein: 3g | Carbs: 2g | Calories: 127
Day 4 Meals
—————————– Breakfast ——————————
Recipe: Keto Avocado Egg Bowls
Fat: 27g | Protein: 10.5g | Carbs: 7g | Calories: 305
—————————– Lunch ———————————-
Recipe: Crispy Cheesy Chicken Salad
Fat: 36.5g | Protein: 55g | Carbs: 8g | Calories: 575
—————————– Dinner ———————————-
Recipe: 4 oz grilled ribeye steak, 2 tbsp grass-fed butter, and 2 cups of mixed leafy greens with 1 tbsp avocado oil
Fat: 62g | Protein: 20g | Carbs: 1g | Calories: 286
—————————– Dessert ———————————
Recipe: MCT Fat Bomb
Fat: 8g | Protein: 1g | Carbs: 2g | Calories: 81
Day 5 Meals
—————————– Breakfast ——————————–
Recipe: Avocado Breakfast Bowl
Fat: 40g | Protein: 25g | Carbs: 3g | Calories: 500
—————————– Lunch ————————————
Recipe: Keto Parmesan Chicken
Fat: 25g | Protein: 34g | Carbs: 5.5g | Calories: 369
—————————– Dinner ———————————–
Recipe: Cheesy Broccoli Meatza
Fat: 24g | Protein: 32g | Carbs: 7g | Calories: 375
—————————– Dessert ———————————-
Recipe: Easy No-Churn Keto Ice Cream
Fat: 46.05g | Protein: 7.45g | Carbs: 4.3g | Calories: 440
Day 6 Meals
—————————– Breakfast ——————————–
Recipe: Acai Almond Butter Smoothie
Fat: 20g | Protein: 15g | Carbs: 6g | Calories: 345
—————————– Lunch ————————————
Recipe: Keto Beef Stew
Fat: 18g | Protein: 25g | Carbs: 3g | Calories: 242
—————————– Snack ————————————
Recipe: Cucumber roll-ups with smoked salmon pate
Fat: 40g | Protein: 18g | Carbs: 5g | Calories: 450
—————————– Dinner ————————————
Recipe: Creamy Mushroom Chicken
Fat: 27g | Protein: 24g | Carbs: 3g | Calories: 334
—————————– Dessert ———————————–
Recipe: Keto Chocolate Mousse
Fat: 14g | Protein: 17.5g | Carbs: 6g | Calories: 248
Day 7 Meals
—————————– Breakfast ———————————
Recipe: Keto Boosted Coffee
Fat: 31g | Protein: 1g | Carbs: 0.5g | Calories: 280
—————————– Lunch ————————————-
Recipe: Low Carb Crispy Keto “Fried” Chicken and one cup steamed broccoli
Fat: 27g | Protein: 33.5g | Carbs: 6.5g | Calories: 494
—————————– Dinner ————————————-
Recipe: Low Carb Keto Lasagna
Fat: 21g | Protein: 32g | Carbs: 12g | Calories: 364
—————————– Dessert ————————————
Recipe: Collagen Mug Cake
Fat: 43.5g | Protein: 27g | Carbs: 4g | Calories: 535
Ketogenic meals can simply be varied and delicious, as you can see.
Although many ketogenic meals are made using animal products, there are plenty of vegetarian options available as well.
If you are on a more liberal diet on keto, adding a cup of berries to breakfast or a small serving of starchy vegetables to dinner will increase the number of carbohydrates in this meal plan. So pay attention to this
Healthy Keto Diet Snack Options
Snacking between keto meals can help you stay on track by suppressing your appetite and feeling full for a long time.
Because the keto diet is so filling, you may only need 1 or 2 snacks per day, depending on your activity level.
Here are some excellent, keto friendly snack options:
- Almonds and cheddar cheese
- Half an avocado stuffed with chicken salad
- Guacamole with low-carb veggies
- Trail mix made with unsweetened coconut, nuts and seeds
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Coconut chips
- Kale chips
- Olives and sliced salami
- Celery and peppers with herbed cream cheese dip
- Berries with heavy whipping cream
- Jerky
- Cheese roll-ups
- Parmesan crisps
- Macadamia nuts
- Greens with high-fat dressing and avocado
- Keto smoothie made with coconut milk, cocoa and avocado
- Avocado cocoa mousse
Try to eat these keto snacks in moderation between meals to avoid gaining weight on the keto diet.
It’s important to eat the appropriate number of calories for your exercise level, weight loss goal, age, and gender.
A Simple Ketogenic Shopping List
Before you start shopping, throw out any tempting items rich in carbohydrates in your pantry and refrigerator, such as processed foods, breads, grains, starchy vegetables, sugar, and calorie sweeteners like jams, honey, jellies, agave nectars, etc.
The ingredients in a keto beginner’s grocery basket for our go-to keto recipes are listed below. To make your dishes at home, we recommend doubling up on the produce and proteins.
Meat and poultry:
- Beef,
- chicken,
- turkey
- and pork (choose organic, pasture-raised options whenever possible).
Fish:
- Fatty fish like salmon,
- sardines,
- Mackerel
- and herring are best.
Shellfish:
- Oysters
- Shrimp
- Scallops
Eggs:
- Purchase omega-3-enriched or pastured eggs whenever possible.
Full-fat dairy:
- Unsweetened yogurt,
- Butter,
- Heavy cream
- Sour cream.
Oils:
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Avocado oil
- MCT oil
Avocados:
- Buy a mixture of ripe and unripe avocados so that your supply will last.
Cheese:
- Parmesan
- Swiss
- Feta
- Cheddar
- Brie
- Monterey Jack
- Mozzarella
- Colby
- Goat cheese
- Blue cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Cream cheese
- String cheese
- Ricotta cheese
Frozen or fresh berries:
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
Nuts:
- Macadamia nuts
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Pistachios
Seeds:
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Chia seeds
Nut butters:
- Almond butter
- Peanut butter
Fresh or frozen low-carb vegetables:
- Mushrooms
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Greens
- Peppers
- Onions
- Tomatoes
Condiments:
- Sea salt
- Pepper
- Salsa
- Herbs
- Garlic
- Vinegar
- Mustard
- Olives
- Spices
Sweeteners:
- Monk fruit
- Stevia
- Erythritol
Note: It’s a good idea to plan your keto meals ahead of time and fill your grocery basket with the products you’ll need for a few days’ worth of healthy dishes.
Additionally, sticking to a keto shopping list can help you avoid tempting, unhealthy foods.
Supplements for the Keto Meal Plan
Supplements can help you get into a ketosis state and help you reach your goals on your keto meal plan. However, it’s important to use only safe, keto-friendly supplements.
Exogenous Ketones
Exogenous ketone supplements are designed to provide your body with more ketones (energy). When you’re going into ketosis or fasting, ketone supplements might be really beneficial.
Exogenous ketones allow you to return to ketosis at any time, rather than waiting a few days. You can take them between meals or before a workout to get a quick ketone boost.
Related Post: The Ultimate Guide to Exogenous Ketones – Benefits and Side Effects
MCT Oil and Powders
MCT is short for medium-chain triglyceride. MCTs are precursors to Ketones and help your body burn fat instead of burning carbohydrates.
They’re beneficial for energy, digestion and weight loss because they can be readily used for energy by your body and don’t have to be shuttled around your digestive system first.
You can try (to see what you like most):
- MCT oil powder
- liquid C8 MCT oil,
- and even MCT oil capsules.
Collagen Protein
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body.
It’s the most important component of connective tissues, which include tendons, ligaments, skin, and muscles.
Collagen supplements are generally safe, simple to use, and well worth trying because of their numerous advantages.
Micronutrient Supplements
When you follow the keto diet, you should limit your intake of too many fruits and starchy vegetables, which means that you lose a lot of vitamins, antioxidants and nutrients.
Here are the best supplements you can take with the keto diet:
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D
- Digestive Enzymes
- Greens Powder
- Electrolyte Supplements or Mineral-Rich Foods
- Supplements to Boost Athletic Performance like:
- Creatine monohydrate
- Caffeine
- Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)
- HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate)
- Beta-alanine
Final recommendations: Best keto meal plan for losing weight
The key to overall keto success is sticking to the best keto meal plan. Why is that?
Because sticking to a keto meal plan can help you meet your long-term objectives and stay in ketosis.
It’s important to properly plan keto meals and stick to macronutrient levels to achieve fiber goals and prevent hunger. It may also be helpful to consult a doctor or dietitian to ensure that nutritional deficiency does not develop.
Using this article as a guide to getting started on the keto diet will make your keto meal plan simple and successful.
The plan looks great but where are the recipes?
Thank you very much, recipes will be shared soon!