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A Keto Diet Meal Plan That Will Help You Lose Weight in 30 Days

If you find yourself in a conversation about dieting or weight loss, chances are you will hear of the ketogenic, or keto, diet regime.

That’s because the keto diet regime has turn out to be one of the most popular approaches worldwide to shed excess weight and boost overall health.

Research has demonstrated that adopting this low-carb, high-fat diet regime can promote fat loss and even boost certain conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline (1, 2).

This article explains what to eat and avoid while following a keto diet regime and also delivers a one-week keto meal plan to get you started.

The keto diet regime, as a rule, is really low in carbs, high in fat and moderate in protein.

When following a ketogenic diet regime, carbs are generally decreased to 20 to 50 grams per day, although looser versions of the diet regime exist (3).

Fats must replace the majority of cut carbs and provide roughly 75% of your total calorie intake.

Proteins must account for about 10-30% of energy needs, while carbs are typically restricted to 5%.

This carb reduction forces your body to rely on fats for its primary energy source instead of glucose — a process known as ketosis.

While in ketosis, your body uses ketones — molecules produced in the liver from fats when glucose is limited — as an alternate fuel source.

Though fat is generally avoided for its high-calorie content, research shows that ketogenic diets are drastically more effective at promoting weight loss than low-fat diets (4).

Plus, keto diets lessen hunger and increase satiety, which can be specifically helpful when trying to lose weight (5).

Summary

The ketogenic diet regime relies on a really low-carb routine. Carbs are generally restricted to 20-50 grams per day, replaced mainly with fat and moderate amounts of protein.

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Switching over to a ketogenic diet regime can seem overwhelming, but it does not have to be hard.

Also Read: Why Detoxing is Must for Your Body?

Your focus must be on reducing carbs while increasing the fat and protein content of meals and snacks.

In order to attain and stay in a state of ketosis, carbs ought to be restricted.

While certain people might only achieve ketosis by eating 20 grams of carbs per day, others might be successful with a much higher carb intake.

Generally, the lower your carbohydrate intake, the easier it is to reach and stay in ketosis.

This is why sticking to keto-friendly foods and avoiding products rich in carbs is the best way to effectively lose weight on a ketogenic diet regime.

Keto-Friendly Foods to Eat

When following a ketogenic diet regime, meals and snacks 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: Cheddar, mozzarella, brie, goat cheese and cream cheese.
  • Nuts and seeds: Macadamia nuts, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, peanuts and flaxseeds.
  • Nut butter: Natural peanut, almond and cashew butters.
  • Healthy fats: Coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut butter and sesame oil.
  • Avocados: Whole avocados can be added to just about any meal or snack.
  • Non-starchy vegetables: Greens, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers.
  • Condiments: Salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, fresh herbs and spices.
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Foods to Avoid

Avoid foods rich in carbs while following a keto diet regime.

The following foods should be restricted:

  • Bread and baked goods: White bread, whole-wheat bread, crackers, cookies, doughnuts and rolls.
  • Sweets and sugary foods: Sugar, ice cream, candy, maple syrup, agave syrup and coconut sugar.
  • Sweetened beverages: Soda, juice, sweetened teas and sports drinks.
  • Pasta: Spaghetti and noodles.
  • Grains and grain products: Wheat, rice, oats, breakfast cereals and tortillas.
  • Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, corn, peas and pumpkin.
  • Beans and legumes: Black beans, chickpeas, 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.

Though carbs should be restricted, low-glycemic fruits such as berries can be enjoyed in limited amounts as long as you are maintaining a keto-friendly macronutrient range.

Be sure to pick healthier meal sources and steer clear of processed foods and unhealthy fats.

The following things should be avoided:

  • Unhealthy fats: Margarine, shortening and vegetable oils such as canola and corn oil.
  • Processed foods: Fast food, packaged foods and processed meats such as hot dogs and lunch meats.
  • Diet foods: Foods that contain artificial colors, preservatives and sweeteners such as sugar alcohols and aspartame.
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Keto-Friendly Beverages

Sugar can be found in a wide variety of beverages including juice, soda, iced tea and coffee drinks.

Also Read: 7 Diet Secrets of the Stars (Staying Fit Naturally)

While on a ketogenic diet regime, high-carb drinks must be avoided just like high-carb foods.

It’s no small matter that sugary beverages have also been linked to a variety of health issues — from obesity to an increased risk of diabetes (6, 7, 8).

Thankfully, there are many tasty, sugar-free options for those on the keto diet regime.

Keto-friendly beverage choices include:

  • Water: Water is the best choice for hydration and must be consumed all through the day.
  • Sparkling water: Sparkling water can make an excellent soda replacement.
  • Unsweetened coffee: Try heavy cream to add flavor to your cup of joe.
  • Unsweetened green tea: Green tea is delicious and provides many health benefits.

If you want to add some added flavor to your water, try experimenting with different keto-friendly flavor combinations.

For instance, tossing some fresh mint and lemon peel into your water bottle can make hydration a breeze.

Though alcohol should be restricted, enjoying a low-carb drink like vodka or tequila mixed with soda water is perfectly fine on occasion.

Summary

A healthy ketogenic diet plan must revolve around high-fat, low-carb food choices and restrict highly processed items and unhealthy fats. Keto-friendly beverage options must be sugar-free. Consider water, sparkling water or unsweetened green tea and coffee.

The following menu gives less than 50 grams of total carbs per day.

As mentioned above, some individuals may have to reduce carbohydrates even further in order to reach ketosis.

This is a general one-week ketogenic menu that can be altered depending on individual dietary needs.

Monday

  • Breakfast: Two eggs fried in pastured butter served with sauteed greens.
  • Lunch: A bunless grass-fed burger topped with cheese, mushrooms and avocado atop a bed of greens.
  • Dinner: Pork chops with green beans sauteed in coconut oil.

Tuesday

  • Breakfast: Mushroom omelet.
  • Lunch: Tuna salad with celery and tomato atop a bed of greens.
  • Dinner: Roast chicken with cream sauce and sauteed broccoli.

Wednesday

  • Breakfast: Bell pepper stuffed with cheese and eggs.
  • Lunch: Arugula salad with hard-boiled eggs, turkey, avocado and blue cheese.
  • Dinner: Grilled salmon with spinach sauteed in coconut oil.

Thursday

  • Breakfast: Full-fat yogurt topped with Keto granola.
  • Lunch: Steak bowl with cauliflower rice, cheese, herbs, avocado and salsa.
  • Dinner: Bison steak with cheesy broccoli.

Friday

  • Breakfast: Baked avocado egg boats.
  • Lunch: Caesar salad with chicken.
  • Dinner: Pork chops with vegetables.

Saturday

  • Breakfast: Cauliflower toast topped with cheese and avocado.
  • Lunch: Bunless salmon burgers topped with pesto.
  • Dinner: Meatballs served with zucchini noodles and parmesan cheese.

Sunday

  • Breakfast: Coconut milk chia pudding topped with coconut and walnuts.
  • Lunch: Cobb salad made with greens, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, cheese and turkey.
  • Dinner: Coconut chicken curry.

As you can see, ketogenic meals can be diverse and flavorful.

Although many ketogenic meals are based around animal products, there is a wide variety of vegetarian options to choose from as well.

If you are following a more liberal ketogenic diet plan, adding a cup of berries to your breakfast or a small serving of a starchy vegetable to your dinner will boost the quantity of carbs in this meal plan.

Summary

A ketogenic meal plan, like any healthy diet plan, must include whole foods and many fiber-rich, low-carb vegetables. Choose healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado, olive oil and pastured butter to boost the fat content of dishes.

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Snacking between meals can help moderate hunger and keep you on track while following a ketogenic diet plan.

Because the ketogenic diet plan is so filling, you might only need one or two 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

Though these keto snacks can maintain fullness between meals, they can also contribute to weight gain if you’re snacking too much throughout the day.

It’s important to consume the acceptable number of calories based on your activity level, weight loss goal, age and gender.

If you are unsure how many calories you should be consuming, check out this article to learn how to calculate energy needs.

Summary

Keto-friendly snacks should be high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbs. Increase your fiber intake by snacking on sliced, low-carb vegetables with a high-fat dipping sauce.

A well-rounded ketogenic diet plan should include lots of fresh produce, healthy fats and proteins.

Choosing a mixture of both fresh and frozen produce will ensure that you have a supply of keto-friendly vegetables and fruits to add to recipes.

The following is a simple ketogenic shopping list that can guide you when perusing the grocery aisles:

  • Meat and poultry: Beef, chicken, turkey and pork (pick organic, pasture-raised options whenever possible).
  • Fish: Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring are best.
  • Shellfish: Oysters, shrimp and scallops.
  • Eggs: Purchase omega-3-enriched or pastured eggs whenever possible.
  • Full-fat dairy: Unsweetened yogurt, butter, heavy cream and sour cream.
  • Oils: Coconut and avocado oils.
  • Avocados: Buy a mixture of ripe and unripe avocados so that your supply will last.
  • Cheese: Brie, cream cheese, cheddar and goat 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 and tomatoes.
  • Condiments: Sea salt, pepper, salsa, herbs, garlic, vinegar, mustard, olives and spices.

It’s always worthwhile to plan your meals ahead of time and fill your cart with the ingredients needed for a few days’ worth of healthy dishes.

Plus, sticking to a shopping list can help you avoid tempting, unhealthy foods.

Summary

Preparing a shopping list can help you decide what foods will fit into your ketogenic meal plan. Fill your cart with meat, poultry, eggs, low-carb veggies, full-fat dairy and healthy fats.

A healthy ketogenic diet should consist of about 75% fat, 10-30% protein and no more than 5% or 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day.

Focus on high-fat, low-carb foods like eggs, meats, dairy and low-carb vegetables, as well as sugar-free beverages. Be sure to restrict highly processed items and unhealthy fats.

The popularity of the ketogenic diet plan has made it easier than ever to find a wide array of interesting and healthy keto meal ideas online.

Also Read: Why High Fiber Foods Are Important For The Body

Using this article as a guide to get started on the keto diet plan can set you up for success and make transitioning to a high-fat, low-carb diet plan a breeze.

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