When I started Keto I wanted to keep it simple because there can be an overload of information which becomes overwhelming. For the first few weeks I had a staple 7-day keto meal plan that I used to set the tone. The goal as you are starting keto is to set a routine that you can follow through successfully. If you over complicate it you will fail.
This 7-day keto meal plan is designed to keep meal prep easy and at under 30 minutes especially for dinner and lunch. For people like me who have busy work weeks spending hours in the kitchen is not an option. The recipes are simple and can be downloaded. So if you are starting or restarting keto this meal plan is perfect for you.
Keto is a low carb diet where you lose weight by getting into ketosis. For me after trying work out plans and diet plans this is the only thing that worked for me. I fully believe that anyone trying to lose weight in the new year should give keto a shot.
Table of Contents
Keto Meal Plan Breakdown
For this 7-day keto meal plan to work and you can repeat it over a month before changing it up you must follow keto macros. Keto macros include fats, proteins and carbs. For this low carb meal plan your goal is to ensure that you consume net carbs that are under the guideline below. Net carbs are total carbs minus fiber and non-digestible sugars such as alcohol.
The keto diet macros are as follows:
- 70% Fats
- 25% Proteins
- 5% Carbs
The most important thing you are watching for in the beginning is net carbs. This is one thing that I learnt that was key when I started keto. Food labels matter and when you begin to understand keto you realize not all food or drinks that are labeled ‘healthy’ are healthy.
For example, if you want to drink something that’s marked healthy check out the carbs and minus the fiber. Whatever is left over is sugar and you do not want to consume sugar on keto.
Do not be afraid of eating fats because you will be eating ‘good’ fats as you’ll see below. Keto is based on quality over quantity. The quality of food you eat will impact your weight loss progress. I was hesitant to eat 70% fats and then I realized it was slowing down my weight loss and I was plateauing.
As you consume fewer carbs your body is forced to use fats for energy. This essentially is when your body is in ketosis. Your body starts to use your fat stores for energy which leads to weight loss. At this stage you also start to produce ketones and your body uses it instead of glucose.
Signs That You Are in Ketosis
Getting into ketosis is not as easy as people like to make it sound. Depending on your body type it may take a little longer than others to get into ketosis. Once you get into ketosis though the weight loss over the first few weeks can be dramatic.
If it seems like you aren’t losing weight as fast as you thought be persistent. They say that it takes 21 days for people to adopt a routine and for me the biggest loss happened in week three. This is what they call the ‘whoosh’ effect. When you start to lose weight on keto the old fat cells get filled with water as the body waits to get more fat replacements. When this doesn’t happen the fat cells release this water and almost overnight you lose a dramatic amount of weight.
By this time you should be seeing or feeling the signs that you are in ketosis. These include:
- Urine has a sweet smell
- You have ketosis breath
- You experience the ketosis flu
- Decrease in appetite
- Dramatic weight-loss
- Insomnia
- Dry mouth
- Energy levels increase
- More mental focus
You can use this strips that I use to measure your ketosis levels and adjust accordingly.
Keto Food List
Below is a list of the foods that are allowed and not allowed when you are on keto. The keto food list is focused on low carbs and healthy fats. These again are foods that I eat. I recently had a physical and it was good. Make sure that you consult a doctor or nutritionist because what works for me may not work for you.
They are a general guide of what you should be eating, and you can substitute one low carb vegetable for another. The image is pinnable for future reference or to share with a friend or group.
Did you know that starting a keto group may help you meet your weight loss goal faster? Consider starting one and sharing resources with each other.
7-Day Keto Meal Plan
As you start to use this meal plan remember if you like something more than you like the other you can always substitute it or eat it more. Also if you like to meal prep most of these meals can be cooked in bulk and stored in the fridge for the week.
For lunch and dinner I have simplified it in the sense that you will have leftovers to avoid cooking all the time. Alternatively you can make 4 dishes of day 1 lunch and 4 dishes of day 2 dinner over the weekend for example. That way you’ll have 8 meals for the week.
For the recommended water intake the idea is to drink half your weight in ounces. If you are 100 pounds then you should drink 50 ounces of water. Water is very important to stay healthy.
Day 1
- Breakfast: Egg Bowl
- Lunch: Steak with Zoodles . This recipe serves 4 which could be 4 lunches.
- Dinner: Beef & Broccoli
- Snack: Macadamia Nuts. I like Trader Joes or this ones.
Day 2
- Breakfast: Smoothie
- Lunch: Steak with Zoodle
- Dinner: Creamy Garlic Salmon
- Snack: Lily’s Chocolate
Day 3
- Breakfast: Chia Pudding
- Lunch: Creamy Garlic Salmon
- Dinner: Asian Chicken Salad
- Snack: Almonds
Day 4
- Breakfast: Keto No-Oatmeal
- Lunch: Asian Chicken Salad
- Dinner: Pork in Garlic Sauce
- Snack: Lily’s Chocolate
Day 5
- Breakfast: Bacon & Eggs
- Lunch: Pork in Garlic Sauce
- Dinner: Sausage, Egg & Bacon
- Snack: Macadamia Nuts
Day 6
- Breakfast: Blueberry Bread One of my favorites.
- Lunch: Sausage, Egg & Bacon
- Dinner: Garlic Butter Chicken & Asparagus
- Snack: Almonds
Day 7
- Breakfast: Blueberry Bread
- Lunch: Garlic Butter Chicken & Asparagus
- Dinner: Beef & Broccoli. Bonus Pork Recipe
- Snack: Keto Fat Bombs
Shopping List
Some of the stuff you buy for breakfast will apply to lunch and dinner. So check out the recipes before shopping. To avoid waste always make sure you check your fridge before shopping .
Breakfast Ingredients
- Eggs – A dozen
- Bacon
- Spinach
- Avocado
- Lemon Juice
- Sweetener – Erythritol
- Unsweetened Frozen Raspberries
- Chia Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Flax Meal
- Cocoa Powder
- Almond Milk/Coconut Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Flour
- Blueberries
- Baking Powder
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Butter
- Pepper
- Salt
Lunch and Dinner Ingredients
- Flank Steak
- Zucchini – 4
- Olive Oil
- Garlic Cloves
- Butter
- Pepper Flakes
- Chicken Broth
- Broccoli
- Organic Chicken Breast
- Napa Cabbage
- Purple Cabbage
- Carrot
- Onion
- Avocado
- Ginger – minced
- Cilantro
- Almonds
- Paprika
- Allspice
- Coconut Oil
- 3 Pork Chops
- Yellow Onion
- Sausage
- Asparagus
I hope that this meal plan starts you off well. Remember this is meant to be simple because you are just starting out.
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