🥩 The Ultimate High-Protein Meal Plan for Busy People

Backed by Science. Designed for Real Life. Built to Transform Your Body.

Let’s get honest for a second.

Trying to lose weight while juggling work, home, kids, stress, and zero time for meal prep? It’s exhausting. You start the week with good intentions—maybe a salad, a smoothie, a walk around the block—but by Thursday, you’re drained, starving, and standing in front of the fridge wondering why your results haven’t caught up to your effort.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right and still not seeing progress—you’re not alone.
But you’re also not stuck.

Because sometimes, all it takes is one smart shift. And for thousands of women and men around the world, that shift is protein.

🧠 The One Macronutrient That Changes Everything: PROTEIN

Protein is more than just a fitness buzzword or something gym bros talk about. It’s a metabolic powerhouse. When your meals are built around protein, you:

✅ Feel fuller for longer
✅ Curb cravings without relying on willpower
✅ Burn more calories (yes, literally—thanks to the Thermic Effect of Food)
✅ Build lean muscle while losing fat
✅ Prevent the dreaded yo-yo weight regain
✅ Boost your energy and mental clarity

And the best part? You don’t have to give up real food.
No bland chicken. No depressing meal prep Sundays. No sad Tupperware meals.

This high-protein plan is designed to work for you, not the other way around.

🧪 The Science Behind the Magic

Research has consistently shown that high-protein diets lead to:

• More fat loss while preserving muscle mass
• Reduced appetite and spontaneous calorie intake
• Better metabolic function and blood sugar control
• Enhanced workout recovery and muscle tone

But new studies are taking this even further. A 2024 study by Orford University introduced a revolutionary approach: remove the need to obsessively track every bite, and focus instead on protein-forward, intuitive meals.

Here’s what happened:

📉 Participants lost an average of 7.9% of body weight in just 6 months.
🎯 Over 60% dropped at least 5%, which is considered a huge win for metabolic health.
🔥 More than 30% lost 10% or more, a transformation level usually seen in intense programs.

This research is game-changing because it proves that simplicity and structure—not restriction and obsession—are the future of healthy eating.

🌍 Real-Life Role Models: Celebrities Who Swear by High-Protein Eating

You’re not the only one who’s tired of complicated diets. Even your favorite celebs are opting for high-protein meal plans that fit their real life.

Jennifer Garner
The ever-youthful actress and mom of three relies on protein-packed meals like turkey burritos, chicken bowls, and egg bites to keep her energy up while juggling Hollywood life and motherhood. She focuses on meals that are enjoyable, not restrictive.

Cody Rigsby
Peloton’s most iconic instructor credits protein as the foundation of his diet. Whether it’s grilled steak, egg whites, or protein smoothies, he emphasizes planning meals around protein first to reduce temptation and stay strong.

Tiffani Thiessen
At 51, Tiffani blends fitness with fun. She’s swapped dieting for living well—which includes protein-rich meals, stress-free eating, and active hobbies like hiking. She openly discusses the importance of mental wellness along with physical nutrition.

📊 How Much Protein Do You Need?

Your needs depend on your body size, activity level, and goals. But here’s a general guide:

• Sedentary adults: 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight (around 0.36g per pound)
• Active adults: 1.2–2.0g per kg (0.54–0.9g per pound)
• Post-workout: Aim for 20–25g of protein within 30–45 minutes after training

⚠️ Important: Your body can only utilize about 20–40g of protein per meal for muscle synthesis. That means spreading it out across the day is key.

So, instead of eating a giant steak at dinner and nothing all day—aim for 25g at breakfast, 30g at lunch, 20g in a snack, and 25g at dinner.

🍴 What to Eat: High-Protein Foods That Taste Amazing

Here’s a powerful, go-to list of protein-rich foods to keep stocked in your kitchen:

🥩 Lean Meats

• Chicken breast (100g) – 22.5g of protein
• Turkey breast (85g) – 25.6g
• Ground beef (90% lean, 100g) – 26g

🐟 Fish & Seafood

• Salmon fillet (178g) – 39.3g protein + omega-3s
• Tuna (canned, 107g) – 20.3g and shelf-stable convenience

🧀 Dairy & Eggs

• Greek yogurt (100g) – 10g
• Cottage cheese (100g) – 11g
• Eggs (1 large) – 6g
• Cheese sticks (1 serving) – 6–7g

🥦 Plant-Based Proteins

• Lentils (1 cup cooked) – 18g
• Quinoa (1 cup) – 8g
• Tofu (100g) – 10g
• Tempeh (100g) – 19g
• Edamame (1 cup) – 17g

🥤 Protein Supplements

• Whey or plant protein powder (1 scoop) – 20–30g
• Collagen peptides – 10–15g + skin, joint, and gut benefits

📅 How to Follow a High-Protein Plan (Without the Stress)

Here’s how to make it stick:

1. Plan, Don’t Wing It
   Start your week with a meal plan focused on protein. Make sure each meal hits 20–30g.
2. Shop Smart
   Stock your fridge with versatile, protein-rich staples like eggs, canned tuna, rotisserie chicken, Greek yogurt, and protein wraps.
3. Cook in Batches
   Make a big batch of protein-rich chili, stir-fry, or grilled chicken you can reuse in multiple meals.
4. Pack Protein Snacks
   Always have something on hand—beef jerky, cottage cheese cups, boiled eggs, or a protein bar in your bag.
5. Listen to Your Body
   Protein helps stabilize blood sugar and energy. If you feel tired or hungry after a meal—it probably wasn’t protein-packed enough.
6. Stay Hydrated
   Protein metabolism needs water. Aim for 8–10 glasses daily, especially if you’re increasing intake.
7. Try Something New
   Did you know insect protein is emerging as a sustainable, complete protein source? Yep—it’s packed with nutrients and great for the planet!

🧾 What’s Inside the 7-Day High-Protein Plan?

Here’s a sneak peek of what a week looks like:

🌞 Breakfasts

• Protein Banana Pancakes (30g)
• Cottage Cheese Berry Bowls
• Egg Muffins with Spinach & Turkey

🥗 Lunches

• Chicken Power Bowls with Avocado
• Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad Wraps
• Lentil & Quinoa Protein Soups

🍽️ Dinners

• Creamy High-Protein Alfredo with Chicken
• Baked Salmon with Garlic Green Beans
• Protein-Packed Tacos with Ground Turkey

🍫 Snacks & Treats

• Protein Brownies
• Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
• Chocolate Protein Bark with Almonds

🌟 Final Thoughts: Your Simpler, Stronger, Happier Life Starts Now

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life. You don’t need to go keto, vegan, paleo, or eat bland food all day.

You just need to start eating smarter—and protein makes that easier than ever.

More energy. Better results. Fewer cravings. Less stress.

So if you’re ready to try something that’s actually doable, designed for busy people, and backed by real science…

👇 Comment “PROTEIN PLAN” below and I’ll send you the full 7-day guide!

Let’s make eating well feel easy. You deserve this. 💪🔥

ou’ve probably heard about the low-carb, high-fat diet that’s so popular among actors and models, and with good reason: low-carb diets offer proper nourishment with whole foods while keeping your body burning fat for fuel. This is a great way to be, as it makes fat loss largely effortless! But where does this “ketogenic” word fit into the picture?

Well, ketogenic comes from the word “ketosis“, which is a state in which your body breaks down fat molecules into ketones to provide energy. This state is achieved through very low carbohydrate intake and higher than normal fat intake. The “normal” state of the body’s metabolism is called “glycolysis”, where carbs are burnt for energy. The long and short is that when your body is in carb-burning mode, it will use all available carbs for energy before it touches stored fat. In ketosis, your body is primed to burn fat, and this is great news for anyone trying to get trim and slim.

Benefits of Ketosis

By cutting carb intake significantly, we can drastically reduce insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes. In addition, low-carb diets, along with exercise, can be very effective at helping alleviate the symptoms and progression of type 2 diabetes. Beyond that, ketosis itself is appetite-suppressing, meaning your hunger will naturally check itself, increasing your caloric deficit and making you lose fat even faster.

Getting Started

Ketosis takes some time to get into – about two weeks of low-carb eating is required for the initial adaptation. During this time there will be bouts of sluggishness, fatigue, headaches, and some gastrointestinal issues as you adapt, often referred to as “keto flu“. Proper electrolyte intake will correct most of these issues. In addition, the “diet” aspect of this ketogenic diet plan – that is, the caloric restriction – shouldn’t be worried about. Weight loss will come as your body regulates appetite as it the addiction to sugar and processed food lessens, so restricting calories during the initial two weeks isn’t recommended.

The meal plan is designed to ensure you get three balanced, healthy meals a day that addresses fiber, satiation, and adequate protein intake. The greatest part of a ketogenic diet is the fact that it spares muscle loss, whereas a carb-based diet doesn’t. Weight lost in a high-carb, calorie-restricted diet will often come both from muscle and fat, whereas with keto, you can burn fat without sacrificing muscle. This is referred to often as “body recomposition” and leaves you with a much more preferred physique after weight loss.

Additional Points of Interest

Ketogenic diets often create a significant loss of water during the first phases. This is because carbs are converted to glycogen in your body, which is stored in water within the muscles and liver. As you deplete stored glycogen, your body flushes this water out. This is a huge part of the initial weight loss during the first few weeks of ketosis. While the rapid fat loss does occur at first, a lot of water weight is often dropped as well, but this is a great encouragement as it often results in both weight loss and less bloating, allowing clothes to fit better.

Foods Recommended on a Ketogenic Diet

• Meat: Beef, goat, lamb, turkey, pork, veal, chicken.
• Fish: Salmon, trout, catfish, sardines, tuna, haddock, and many others.
• Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, avocado.
• Vegetables: Broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, and many others.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, etc.
• Dairy Products: Cheese, Greek yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream.
• Fats and Oils: Peanut Butte, flaxseed oil, butter, sesame oil, olive oil, and almond oil. ( If you want to see more ketogenic diet foods, read this: The Ultimate List of Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Foods to Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet

• Grains: Grains: Wheat, oats, corn, barley, and rye. Includes bread and pasta.
• Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose, Equal, Acesulfame, Splenda, Saccharin, etc.
• Processed Foods: If it contains carrageenan, don’t eat it.
• “Low-fat” products: Atkins products, drinks, gluten, diet soda, etc.

7-Day Ketogenic Diet Meal Plan And Menu

So you have found the ketogenic diet, have figured out your macros and you are itching to get started. Here is a ketogenic diet meal plan for one week. If you are just getting situated use this basic plan to help get going.

I HAVE LOST 45 POUNDS IN 4 MONTHS WITH A KETOGENIC DIET

I just started MONTH five of a ketogenic diet(45 lbs lost). I’m by no means an expert. I am now 46 years old and I have spent my entire life trying to lose weight. Ironically I have also spent years learning about nutrition and exercise. Figuring out macronutrients just comes naturally to me as I have done it so much over my life. By following a keto diet this is the first time I have seen any real success in losing unwanted pounds. This is despite years of working out and being active.

I have had a very successful go of it so far, and I feel that a lot of you who are trying to get started with a ketogenic diet may get overwhelmed and confused with all of the numbers and information that is coming at you. Hence this ketogenic diet meal plan. It is what I am doing to keep things simple. I am a guy. I need simple.

For me, I think that success with a keto diet is found with having some base meals and adding some variety later on if needed. Hell, I eat the same thing pretty much every day. Not too exciting but losing 45 pounds in 4 months IS exciting, so I am sticking with it. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

7-DAY KETO DIET GROCERY LIST

The daily meals will be bacon and eggs, chicken with vegetables, and beef with vegetables. These are base meals and will provide good macros for some people. For others who need more food(fat), you can just add a keto-friendly snack or 2 to get your macros up to where they need to be. This is what I need to do.

• A dozen eggs.
• A package of bacon.
• Butter. (real butter)
• A pack of boneless SKIN ON chicken thighs
• 1 onion.
• 1 bell pepper (Green, red, yellow, that’s your choice.)
• Two bulbs of garlic. (Optional, but very heart healthy.)
• A big bag of mixed frozen vegetables, at least 12 cups worth. If you are not sure what to get, just pick something else that’s keto friendly like frozen broccoli.)
•  a bag of almonds, and a jar of almond butter (very expensive – the cheapest I can find is 10$ for 750g at Costco).
• A package of beef. You want to find some kind of beef that you can imagine cutting/dividing into 6 equal portions of about 5.5 ounces each(a bit bigger than a deck of cards.)

I AM ACTUALLY COOKING. WELL…SOME

I am not much for cooking but I am doing better. A ketogenic diet meal plan does work better when you have food ready to go. It takes the guesswork out and we need to keep this as simple as possible in order to have success.

• Put the 12 thighs into the oven with all the cloves from a bulb of garlic. You should separate the cloves, but you don’t need to skin them. The heat from the oven will do that nicely, and you can peel them when you eat them.
• While the thighs are cooking, hard boil the eggs. Then set them aside to cool.
• Take a skillet, put some butter in it, and then fry up the bacon. (Note: Some might argue that butter isn’t needed. In my experience, you can either grease up that pan somehow, or your first strips of bacon will come out burnt.)
• Dice up half the onion, and save the other half for next week.
• Cut up the pepper
• You might need to take the chicken out at this point. If it’s done, pull it out, and let it cool.
• In the skillet (I love to use the bacon grease as a base) sauté the pepper and half onion, and another bulb’s worth of garlic cloves. (leave the skin on, just like before.)
• Add the beef and brown it.

GETTING THE MEALS TOGETHER

• Wash/rinse out 12 containers.
• In 6 of them, put 2 chicken thighs each. Share the garlic between them, and evenly divide the fat juice.
• In the other 6 evenly spoon out the beef/pepper/onion mix.
• Take the veggie blend, and evenly pour it across the 12 containers, right on top of the meat.
• Put them all in your fridge. If you have minimal fridge space you could just put some in there, and then rest in your freezer. Just pull another out when you pull from the fridge.
• Pull out six plastic bags and put 2 hard-boiled eggs in each.
• Evenly divide your remaining bacon by 6.
• Now brown bag it, and put it in your fridge.

THE MACRONUTRIENTS OF THE KETOGENIC MENU PLAN

Right now you have 6 day’s worth of meals in your fridge

• 6 bags with 2 hard-boiled eggs and bacon
• 6 containers of thighs/veggies
• 6 containers of Beef/Veggies

Okay, so this is only 6 days. Make extra for day 7 OR you can try to get creative and plan your own meals. Ruled. I have some awesome keto recipes if you are feeling brave.

*I messed up. The macros of each “meal” above are too high in protein and too low in fat so reduce the amount of meat in each meal by about half AND add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to each meal(or some cheese). Please forgive me!!

For this base ketogenic meal plan I am going to use the following macronutrient profile that I helped someone set up for themselves:

TOTAL CALORIES- 1570

• Net carbs – 20g per day
• Protein  – 80 g per day
• Fat  – 130 g per day

Now divide each of those by 3(for 3 meals per day) and you get:

• ≈7 net carbs per meal
• ≈26 grams of protein per meal
• ≈44 grams of fat per meal

Omg, so much math! If you halve the protein in each meal you will be pretty close to these totals PER MEAL! 

Personally, I need more protein and fat each day and so will some of you. So I add in some snacks, cheese, or keto fudge during the day to get my macros up where they need to be. I also drink homemade Bulletproof coffee which for me is:

• 1 cup coffee
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tbsp full-fat coconut milk(in a can)

This adds about 25g of fat to my day.

If you got hungry on Day One between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and supper while you’re still at work eat more fat!

You may also want to consider adding these fat-boosting strategies:

• Full fat cream, butter, coconut oil, and MCT oil in your coffee.
• Put a tablespoon of mayonnaise on the chicken while it’s baking.
• Top the vegetables with some cheese before reheating.

SALT AND ELECTROLYTES WITH THE KETOGENIC DIET

It’s also worth pointing out that you may want to consider taking a multivitamin with the ketogenic diet meal plan. It is very low on Vitamins B1, D, E, and K. Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Potassium are also very low, but we need to manage those as part of our electrolyte strategy anyways on keto.

Do not omit essential electrolytes: Sodium (Na+), Chloride (Cl-), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg++), Calcium (Ca++), Phosphate (HPO4–), Bicarbonate (HCO3-). Lack of electrolytes or more pointedly the body’s primary electrolyte sodium (aka Salt) is responsible for lethargy, brain fog, and keto flu symptoms on high fats diets.

You should be aiming for at least 8 cups of water a day. I have a 600ml bottle and I empty it at least 10 times a day. That is a lot of water and yes I am going to the bathroom a lot. Carbs hold water, so with minimal carbs, this will speed up the flushing of water. So even more bathroom breaks.

BUT HOW DO I KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THIS?!

The “easiest” way to actually track your eating(and thus your macros)  for your ketogenic diet meal plan is to set up a free account with MyFitnessPal.

This app is both web-based and/or you can use it with your phone. I cannot stress the importance of tracking what you eat. Doing this has made all the difference in the world for me and is a huge part of my keto diet success.

Once you get your account set up you just enter the food you eat and the app calculates your total consumption for each macro and your total calories. There is also a “bar code scanner” as part of the app. You use your phone to “scan” the bar code of the food you are eating and it enters it into your daily eating plan. Genius!

SUMMARY

I am proof that a ketogenic diet works. I also know that it can be confusing as hell trying to deal with all of the numbers and then figuring out what to eat. I am hopi

ou’ve probably heard about the low-carb, high-fat diet that’s so popular among actors and models, and with good reason: low-carb diets offer proper nourishment with whole foods while keeping your body burning fat for fuel. This is a great way to be, as it makes fat loss largely effortless! But where does this “ketogenic” word fit into the picture?

Well, ketogenic comes from the word “ketosis“, which is a state in which your body breaks down fat molecules into ketones to provide energy. This state is achieved through very low carbohydrate intake and higher than normal fat intake. The “normal” state of the body’s metabolism is called “glycolysis”, where carbs are burnt for energy. The long and short is that when your body is in carb-burning mode, it will use all available carbs for energy before it touches stored fat. In ketosis, your body is primed to burn fat, and this is great news for anyone trying to get trim and slim.

Benefits of Ketosis

By cutting carb intake significantly, we can drastically reduce insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes. In addition, low-carb diets, along with exercise, can be very effective at helping alleviate the symptoms and progression of type 2 diabetes. Beyond that, ketosis itself is appetite-suppressing, meaning your hunger will naturally check itself, increasing your caloric deficit and making you lose fat even faster.

Getting Started

Ketosis takes some time to get into – about two weeks of low-carb eating is required for the initial adaptation. During this time there will be bouts of sluggishness, fatigue, headaches, and some gastrointestinal issues as you adapt, often referred to as “keto flu“. Proper electrolyte intake will correct most of these issues. In addition, the “diet” aspect of this ketogenic diet plan – that is, the caloric restriction – shouldn’t be worried about. Weight loss will come as your body regulates appetite as it the addiction to sugar and processed food lessens, so restricting calories during the initial two weeks isn’t recommended.

The meal plan is designed to ensure you get three balanced, healthy meals a day that addresses fiber, satiation, and adequate protein intake. The greatest part of a ketogenic diet is the fact that it spares muscle loss, whereas a carb-based diet doesn’t. Weight lost in a high-carb, calorie-restricted diet will often come both from muscle and fat, whereas with keto, you can burn fat without sacrificing muscle. This is referred to often as “body recomposition” and leaves you with a much more preferred physique after weight loss.

Additional Points of Interest

Ketogenic diets often create a significant loss of water during the first phases. This is because carbs are converted to glycogen in your body, which is stored in water within the muscles and liver. As you deplete stored glycogen, your body flushes this water out. This is a huge part of the initial weight loss during the first few weeks of ketosis. While the rapid fat loss does occur at first, a lot of water weight is often dropped as well, but this is a great encouragement as it often results in both weight loss and less bloating, allowing clothes to fit better.

Foods Recommended on a Ketogenic Diet

• Meat: Beef, goat, lamb, turkey, pork, veal, chicken.
• Fish: Salmon, trout, catfish, sardines, tuna, haddock, and many others.
• Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, avocado.
• Vegetables: Broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, and many others.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, etc.
• Dairy Products: Cheese, Greek yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream.
• Fats and Oils: Peanut Butte, flaxseed oil, butter, sesame oil, olive oil, and almond oil. ( If you want to see more ketogenic diet foods, read this: The Ultimate List of Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Foods to Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet

• Grains: Grains: Wheat, oats, corn, barley, and rye. Includes bread and pasta.
• Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose, Equal, Acesulfame, Splenda, Saccharin, etc.
• Processed Foods: If it contains carrageenan, don’t eat it.
• “Low-fat” products: Atkins products, drinks, gluten, diet soda, etc.

7-Day Ketogenic Diet Meal Plan And Menu

So you have found the ketogenic diet, have figured out your macros and you are itching to get started. Here is a ketogenic diet meal plan for one week. If you are just getting situated use this basic plan to help get going.

I HAVE LOST 45 POUNDS IN 4 MONTHS WITH A KETOGENIC DIET

I just started MONTH five of a ketogenic diet(45 lbs lost). I’m by no means an expert. I am now 46 years old and I have spent my entire life trying to lose weight. Ironically I have also spent years learning about nutrition and exercise. Figuring out macronutrients just comes naturally to me as I have done it so much over my life. By following a keto diet this is the first time I have seen any real success in losing unwanted pounds. This is despite years of working out and being active.

I have had a very successful go of it so far, and I feel that a lot of you who are trying to get started with a ketogenic diet may get overwhelmed and confused with all of the numbers and information that is coming at you. Hence this ketogenic diet meal plan. It is what I am doing to keep things simple. I am a guy. I need simple.

For me, I think that success with a keto diet is found with having some base meals and adding some variety later on if needed. Hell, I eat the same thing pretty much every day. Not too exciting but losing 45 pounds in 4 months IS exciting, so I am sticking with it. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

7-DAY KETO DIET GROCERY LIST

The daily meals will be bacon and eggs, chicken with vegetables, and beef with vegetables. These are base meals and will provide good macros for some people. For others who need more food(fat), you can just add a keto-friendly snack or 2 to get your macros up to where they need to be. This is what I need to do.

• A dozen eggs.
• A package of bacon.
• Butter. (real butter)
• A pack of boneless SKIN ON chicken thighs
• 1 onion.
• 1 bell pepper (Green, red, yellow, that’s your choice.)
• Two bulbs of garlic. (Optional, but very heart healthy.)
• A big bag of mixed frozen vegetables, at least 12 cups worth. If you are not sure what to get, just pick something else that’s keto friendly like frozen broccoli.)
•  a bag of almonds, and a jar of almond butter (very expensive – the cheapest I can find is 10$ for 750g at Costco).
• A package of beef. You want to find some kind of beef that you can imagine cutting/dividing into 6 equal portions of about 5.5 ounces each(a bit bigger than a deck of cards.)

I AM ACTUALLY COOKING. WELL…SOME

I am not much for cooking but I am doing better. A ketogenic diet meal plan does work better when you have food ready to go. It takes the guesswork out and we need to keep this as simple as possible in order to have success.

• Put the 12 thighs into the oven with all the cloves from a bulb of garlic. You should separate the cloves, but you don’t need to skin them. The heat from the oven will do that nicely, and you can peel them when you eat them.
• While the thighs are cooking, hard boil the eggs. Then set them aside to cool.
• Take a skillet, put some butter in it, and then fry up the bacon. (Note: Some might argue that butter isn’t needed. In my experience, you can either grease up that pan somehow, or your first strips of bacon will come out burnt.)
• Dice up half the onion, and save the other half for next week.
• Cut up the pepper
• You might need to take the chicken out at this point. If it’s done, pull it out, and let it cool.
• In the skillet (I love to use the bacon grease as a base) sauté the pepper and half onion, and another bulb’s worth of garlic cloves. (leave the skin on, just like before.)
• Add the beef and brown it.

GETTING THE MEALS TOGETHER

• Wash/rinse out 12 containers.
• In 6 of them, put 2 chicken thighs each. Share the garlic between them, and evenly divide the fat juice.
• In the other 6 evenly spoon out the beef/pepper/onion mix.
• Take the veggie blend, and evenly pour it across the 12 containers, right on top of the meat.
• Put them all in your fridge. If you have minimal fridge space you could just put some in there, and then rest in your freezer. Just pull another out when you pull from the fridge.
• Pull out six plastic bags and put 2 hard-boiled eggs in each.
• Evenly divide your remaining bacon by 6.
• Now brown bag it, and put it in your fridge.

THE MACRONUTRIENTS OF THE KETOGENIC MENU PLAN

Right now you have 6 day’s worth of meals in your fridge

• 6 bags with 2 hard-boiled eggs and bacon
• 6 containers of thighs/veggies
• 6 containers of Beef/Veggies

Okay, so this is only 6 days. Make extra for day 7 OR you can try to get creative and plan your own meals. Ruled. I have some awesome keto recipes if you are feeling brave.

*I messed up. The macros of each “meal” above are too high in protein and too low in fat so reduce the amount of meat in each meal by about half AND add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to each meal(or some cheese). Please forgive me!!

For this base ketogenic meal plan I am going to use the following macronutrient profile that I helped someone set up for themselves:

TOTAL CALORIES- 1570

• Net carbs – 20g per day
• Protein  – 80 g per day
• Fat  – 130 g per day

Now divide each of those by 3(for 3 meals per day) and you get:

• ≈7 net carbs per meal
• ≈26 grams of protein per meal
• ≈44 grams of fat per meal

Omg, so much math! If you halve the protein in each meal you will be pretty close to these totals PER MEAL! 

Personally, I need more protein and fat each day and so will some of you. So I add in some snacks, cheese, or keto fudge during the day to get my macros up where they need to be. I also drink homemade Bulletproof coffee which for me is:

• 1 cup coffee
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tbsp full-fat coconut milk(in a can)

This adds about 25g of fat to my day.

If you got hungry on Day One between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and supper while you’re still at work eat more fat!

You may also want to consider adding these fat-boosting strategies:

• Full fat cream, butter, coconut oil, and MCT oil in your coffee.
• Put a tablespoon of mayonnaise on the chicken while it’s baking.
• Top the vegetables with some cheese before reheating.

SALT AND ELECTROLYTES WITH THE KETOGENIC DIET

It’s also worth pointing out that you may want to consider taking a multivitamin with the ketogenic diet meal plan. It is very low on Vitamins B1, D, E, and K. Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Potassium are also very low, but we need to manage those as part of our electrolyte strategy anyways on keto.

Do not omit essential electrolytes: Sodium (Na+), Chloride (Cl-), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg++), Calcium (Ca++), Phosphate (HPO4–), Bicarbonate (HCO3-). Lack of electrolytes or more pointedly the body’s primary electrolyte sodium (aka Salt) is responsible for lethargy, brain fog, and keto flu symptoms on high fats diets.

You should be aiming for at least 8 cups of water a day. I have a 600ml bottle and I empty it at least 10 times a day. That is a lot of water and yes I am going to the bathroom a lot. Carbs hold water, so with minimal carbs, this will speed up the flushing of water. So even more bathroom breaks.

BUT HOW DO I KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THIS?!

The “easiest” way to actually track your eating(and thus your macros)  for your ketogenic diet meal plan is to set up a free account with MyFitnessPal.

This app is both web-based and/or you can use it with your phone. I cannot stress the importance of tracking what you eat. Doing this has made all the difference in the world for me and is a huge part of my keto diet success.

Once you get your account set up you just enter the food you eat and the app calculates your total consumption for each macro and your total calories. There is also a “bar code scanner” as part of the app. You use your phone to “scan” the bar code of the food you are eating and it enters it into your daily eating plan. Genius!

SUMMARY

I am proof that a ketogenic diet works. I also know that it can be confusing as hell trying to deal with all of the numbers and then figuring out what to eat. I am hopi

ou’ve probably heard about the low-carb, high-fat diet that’s so popular among actors and models, and with good reason: low-carb diets offer proper nourishment with whole foods while keeping your body burning fat for fuel. This is a great way to be, as it makes fat loss largely effortless! But where does this “ketogenic” word fit into the picture?

Well, ketogenic comes from the word “ketosis“, which is a state in which your body breaks down fat molecules into ketones to provide energy. This state is achieved through very low carbohydrate intake and higher than normal fat intake. The “normal” state of the body’s metabolism is called “glycolysis”, where carbs are burnt for energy. The long and short is that when your body is in carb-burning mode, it will use all available carbs for energy before it touches stored fat. In ketosis, your body is primed to burn fat, and this is great news for anyone trying to get trim and slim.

Benefits of Ketosis

By cutting carb intake significantly, we can drastically reduce insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes. In addition, low-carb diets, along with exercise, can be very effective at helping alleviate the symptoms and progression of type 2 diabetes. Beyond that, ketosis itself is appetite-suppressing, meaning your hunger will naturally check itself, increasing your caloric deficit and making you lose fat even faster.

Getting Started

Ketosis takes some time to get into – about two weeks of low-carb eating is required for the initial adaptation. During this time there will be bouts of sluggishness, fatigue, headaches, and some gastrointestinal issues as you adapt, often referred to as “keto flu“. Proper electrolyte intake will correct most of these issues. In addition, the “diet” aspect of this ketogenic diet plan – that is, the caloric restriction – shouldn’t be worried about. Weight loss will come as your body regulates appetite as it the addiction to sugar and processed food lessens, so restricting calories during the initial two weeks isn’t recommended.

The meal plan is designed to ensure you get three balanced, healthy meals a day that addresses fiber, satiation, and adequate protein intake. The greatest part of a ketogenic diet is the fact that it spares muscle loss, whereas a carb-based diet doesn’t. Weight lost in a high-carb, calorie-restricted diet will often come both from muscle and fat, whereas with keto, you can burn fat without sacrificing muscle. This is referred to often as “body recomposition” and leaves you with a much more preferred physique after weight loss.

Additional Points of Interest

Ketogenic diets often create a significant loss of water during the first phases. This is because carbs are converted to glycogen in your body, which is stored in water within the muscles and liver. As you deplete stored glycogen, your body flushes this water out. This is a huge part of the initial weight loss during the first few weeks of ketosis. While the rapid fat loss does occur at first, a lot of water weight is often dropped as well, but this is a great encouragement as it often results in both weight loss and less bloating, allowing clothes to fit better.

Foods Recommended on a Ketogenic Diet

• Meat: Beef, goat, lamb, turkey, pork, veal, chicken.
• Fish: Salmon, trout, catfish, sardines, tuna, haddock, and many others.
• Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, avocado.
• Vegetables: Broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, and many others.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, etc.
• Dairy Products: Cheese, Greek yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream.
• Fats and Oils: Peanut Butte, flaxseed oil, butter, sesame oil, olive oil, and almond oil. ( If you want to see more ketogenic diet foods, read this: The Ultimate List of Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Foods to Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet

• Grains: Grains: Wheat, oats, corn, barley, and rye. Includes bread and pasta.
• Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose, Equal, Acesulfame, Splenda, Saccharin, etc.
• Processed Foods: If it contains carrageenan, don’t eat it.
• “Low-fat” products: Atkins products, drinks, gluten, diet soda, etc.

7-Day Ketogenic Diet Meal Plan And Menu

So you have found the ketogenic diet, have figured out your macros and you are itching to get started. Here is a ketogenic diet meal plan for one week. If you are just getting situated use this basic plan to help get going.

I HAVE LOST 45 POUNDS IN 4 MONTHS WITH A KETOGENIC DIET

I just started MONTH five of a ketogenic diet(45 lbs lost). I’m by no means an expert. I am now 46 years old and I have spent my entire life trying to lose weight. Ironically I have also spent years learning about nutrition and exercise. Figuring out macronutrients just comes naturally to me as I have done it so much over my life. By following a keto diet this is the first time I have seen any real success in losing unwanted pounds. This is despite years of working out and being active.

I have had a very successful go of it so far, and I feel that a lot of you who are trying to get started with a ketogenic diet may get overwhelmed and confused with all of the numbers and information that is coming at you. Hence this ketogenic diet meal plan. It is what I am doing to keep things simple. I am a guy. I need simple.

For me, I think that success with a keto diet is found with having some base meals and adding some variety later on if needed. Hell, I eat the same thing pretty much every day. Not too exciting but losing 45 pounds in 4 months IS exciting, so I am sticking with it. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

7-DAY KETO DIET GROCERY LIST

The daily meals will be bacon and eggs, chicken with vegetables, and beef with vegetables. These are base meals and will provide good macros for some people. For others who need more food(fat), you can just add a keto-friendly snack or 2 to get your macros up to where they need to be. This is what I need to do.

• A dozen eggs.
• A package of bacon.
• Butter. (real butter)
• A pack of boneless SKIN ON chicken thighs
• 1 onion.
• 1 bell pepper (Green, red, yellow, that’s your choice.)
• Two bulbs of garlic. (Optional, but very heart healthy.)
• A big bag of mixed frozen vegetables, at least 12 cups worth. If you are not sure what to get, just pick something else that’s keto friendly like frozen broccoli.)
•  a bag of almonds, and a jar of almond butter (very expensive – the cheapest I can find is 10$ for 750g at Costco).
• A package of beef. You want to find some kind of beef that you can imagine cutting/dividing into 6 equal portions of about 5.5 ounces each(a bit bigger than a deck of cards.)

I AM ACTUALLY COOKING. WELL…SOME

I am not much for cooking but I am doing better. A ketogenic diet meal plan does work better when you have food ready to go. It takes the guesswork out and we need to keep this as simple as possible in order to have success.

• Put the 12 thighs into the oven with all the cloves from a bulb of garlic. You should separate the cloves, but you don’t need to skin them. The heat from the oven will do that nicely, and you can peel them when you eat them.
• While the thighs are cooking, hard boil the eggs. Then set them aside to cool.
• Take a skillet, put some butter in it, and then fry up the bacon. (Note: Some might argue that butter isn’t needed. In my experience, you can either grease up that pan somehow, or your first strips of bacon will come out burnt.)
• Dice up half the onion, and save the other half for next week.
• Cut up the pepper
• You might need to take the chicken out at this point. If it’s done, pull it out, and let it cool.
• In the skillet (I love to use the bacon grease as a base) sauté the pepper and half onion, and another bulb’s worth of garlic cloves. (leave the skin on, just like before.)
• Add the beef and brown it.

GETTING THE MEALS TOGETHER

• Wash/rinse out 12 containers.
• In 6 of them, put 2 chicken thighs each. Share the garlic between them, and evenly divide the fat juice.
• In the other 6 evenly spoon out the beef/pepper/onion mix.
• Take the veggie blend, and evenly pour it across the 12 containers, right on top of the meat.
• Put them all in your fridge. If you have minimal fridge space you could just put some in there, and then rest in your freezer. Just pull another out when you pull from the fridge.
• Pull out six plastic bags and put 2 hard-boiled eggs in each.
• Evenly divide your remaining bacon by 6.
• Now brown bag it, and put it in your fridge.

THE MACRONUTRIENTS OF THE KETOGENIC MENU PLAN

Right now you have 6 day’s worth of meals in your fridge

• 6 bags with 2 hard-boiled eggs and bacon
• 6 containers of thighs/veggies
• 6 containers of Beef/Veggies

Okay, so this is only 6 days. Make extra for day 7 OR you can try to get creative and plan your own meals. Ruled. I have some awesome keto recipes if you are feeling brave.

*I messed up. The macros of each “meal” above are too high in protein and too low in fat so reduce the amount of meat in each meal by about half AND add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to each meal(or some cheese). Please forgive me!!

For this base ketogenic meal plan I am going to use the following macronutrient profile that I helped someone set up for themselves:

TOTAL CALORIES- 1570

• Net carbs – 20g per day
• Protein  – 80 g per day
• Fat  – 130 g per day

Now divide each of those by 3(for 3 meals per day) and you get:

• ≈7 net carbs per meal
• ≈26 grams of protein per meal
• ≈44 grams of fat per meal

Omg, so much math! If you halve the protein in each meal you will be pretty close to these totals PER MEAL! 

Personally, I need more protein and fat each day and so will some of you. So I add in some snacks, cheese, or keto fudge during the day to get my macros up where they need to be. I also drink homemade Bulletproof coffee which for me is:

• 1 cup coffee
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tbsp full-fat coconut milk(in a can)

This adds about 25g of fat to my day.

If you got hungry on Day One between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and supper while you’re still at work eat more fat!

You may also want to consider adding these fat-boosting strategies:

• Full fat cream, butter, coconut oil, and MCT oil in your coffee.
• Put a tablespoon of mayonnaise on the chicken while it’s baking.
• Top the vegetables with some cheese before reheating.

SALT AND ELECTROLYTES WITH THE KETOGENIC DIET

It’s also worth pointing out that you may want to consider taking a multivitamin with the ketogenic diet meal plan. It is very low on Vitamins B1, D, E, and K. Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Potassium are also very low, but we need to manage those as part of our electrolyte strategy anyways on keto.

Do not omit essential electrolytes: Sodium (Na+), Chloride (Cl-), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg++), Calcium (Ca++), Phosphate (HPO4–), Bicarbonate (HCO3-). Lack of electrolytes or more pointedly the body’s primary electrolyte sodium (aka Salt) is responsible for lethargy, brain fog, and keto flu symptoms on high fats diets.

You should be aiming for at least 8 cups of water a day. I have a 600ml bottle and I empty it at least 10 times a day. That is a lot of water and yes I am going to the bathroom a lot. Carbs hold water, so with minimal carbs, this will speed up the flushing of water. So even more bathroom breaks.

BUT HOW DO I KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THIS?!

The “easiest” way to actually track your eating(and thus your macros)  for your ketogenic diet meal plan is to set up a free account with MyFitnessPal.

This app is both web-based and/or you can use it with your phone. I cannot stress the importance of tracking what you eat. Doing this has made all the difference in the world for me and is a huge part of my keto diet success.

Once you get your account set up you just enter the food you eat and the app calculates your total consumption for each macro and your total calories. There is also a “bar code scanner” as part of the app. You use your phone to “scan” the bar code of the food you are eating and it enters it into your daily eating plan. Genius!

SUMMARY

I am proof that a ketogenic diet works. I also know that it can be confusing as hell trying to deal with all of the numbers and then figuring out what to eat. I am hopi

ou’ve probably heard about the low-carb, high-fat diet that’s so popular among actors and models, and with good reason: low-carb diets offer proper nourishment with whole foods while keeping your body burning fat for fuel. This is a great way to be, as it makes fat loss largely effortless! But where does this “ketogenic” word fit into the picture?

Well, ketogenic comes from the word “ketosis“, which is a state in which your body breaks down fat molecules into ketones to provide energy. This state is achieved through very low carbohydrate intake and higher than normal fat intake. The “normal” state of the body’s metabolism is called “glycolysis”, where carbs are burnt for energy. The long and short is that when your body is in carb-burning mode, it will use all available carbs for energy before it touches stored fat. In ketosis, your body is primed to burn fat, and this is great news for anyone trying to get trim and slim.

Benefits of Ketosis

By cutting carb intake significantly, we can drastically reduce insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes. In addition, low-carb diets, along with exercise, can be very effective at helping alleviate the symptoms and progression of type 2 diabetes. Beyond that, ketosis itself is appetite-suppressing, meaning your hunger will naturally check itself, increasing your caloric deficit and making you lose fat even faster.

Getting Started

Ketosis takes some time to get into – about two weeks of low-carb eating is required for the initial adaptation. During this time there will be bouts of sluggishness, fatigue, headaches, and some gastrointestinal issues as you adapt, often referred to as “keto flu“. Proper electrolyte intake will correct most of these issues. In addition, the “diet” aspect of this ketogenic diet plan – that is, the caloric restriction – shouldn’t be worried about. Weight loss will come as your body regulates appetite as it the addiction to sugar and processed food lessens, so restricting calories during the initial two weeks isn’t recommended.

The meal plan is designed to ensure you get three balanced, healthy meals a day that addresses fiber, satiation, and adequate protein intake. The greatest part of a ketogenic diet is the fact that it spares muscle loss, whereas a carb-based diet doesn’t. Weight lost in a high-carb, calorie-restricted diet will often come both from muscle and fat, whereas with keto, you can burn fat without sacrificing muscle. This is referred to often as “body recomposition” and leaves you with a much more preferred physique after weight loss.

Additional Points of Interest

Ketogenic diets often create a significant loss of water during the first phases. This is because carbs are converted to glycogen in your body, which is stored in water within the muscles and liver. As you deplete stored glycogen, your body flushes this water out. This is a huge part of the initial weight loss during the first few weeks of ketosis. While the rapid fat loss does occur at first, a lot of water weight is often dropped as well, but this is a great encouragement as it often results in both weight loss and less bloating, allowing clothes to fit better.

Foods Recommended on a Ketogenic Diet

• Meat: Beef, goat, lamb, turkey, pork, veal, chicken.
• Fish: Salmon, trout, catfish, sardines, tuna, haddock, and many others.
• Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, avocado.
• Vegetables: Broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, and many others.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, etc.
• Dairy Products: Cheese, Greek yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream.
• Fats and Oils: Peanut Butte, flaxseed oil, butter, sesame oil, olive oil, and almond oil. ( If you want to see more ketogenic diet foods, read this: The Ultimate List of Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Foods to Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet

• Grains: Grains: Wheat, oats, corn, barley, and rye. Includes bread and pasta.
• Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose, Equal, Acesulfame, Splenda, Saccharin, etc.
• Processed Foods: If it contains carrageenan, don’t eat it.
• “Low-fat” products: Atkins products, drinks, gluten, diet soda, etc.

7-Day Ketogenic Diet Meal Plan And Menu

So you have found the ketogenic diet, have figured out your macros and you are itching to get started. Here is a ketogenic diet meal plan for one week. If you are just getting situated use this basic plan to help get going.

I HAVE LOST 45 POUNDS IN 4 MONTHS WITH A KETOGENIC DIET

I just started MONTH five of a ketogenic diet(45 lbs lost). I’m by no means an expert. I am now 46 years old and I have spent my entire life trying to lose weight. Ironically I have also spent years learning about nutrition and exercise. Figuring out macronutrients just comes naturally to me as I have done it so much over my life. By following a keto diet this is the first time I have seen any real success in losing unwanted pounds. This is despite years of working out and being active.

I have had a very successful go of it so far, and I feel that a lot of you who are trying to get started with a ketogenic diet may get overwhelmed and confused with all of the numbers and information that is coming at you. Hence this ketogenic diet meal plan. It is what I am doing to keep things simple. I am a guy. I need simple.

For me, I think that success with a keto diet is found with having some base meals and adding some variety later on if needed. Hell, I eat the same thing pretty much every day. Not too exciting but losing 45 pounds in 4 months IS exciting, so I am sticking with it. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

7-DAY KETO DIET GROCERY LIST

The daily meals will be bacon and eggs, chicken with vegetables, and beef with vegetables. These are base meals and will provide good macros for some people. For others who need more food(fat), you can just add a keto-friendly snack or 2 to get your macros up to where they need to be. This is what I need to do.

• A dozen eggs.
• A package of bacon.
• Butter. (real butter)
• A pack of boneless SKIN ON chicken thighs
• 1 onion.
• 1 bell pepper (Green, red, yellow, that’s your choice.)
• Two bulbs of garlic. (Optional, but very heart healthy.)
• A big bag of mixed frozen vegetables, at least 12 cups worth. If you are not sure what to get, just pick something else that’s keto friendly like frozen broccoli.)
•  a bag of almonds, and a jar of almond butter (very expensive – the cheapest I can find is 10$ for 750g at Costco).
• A package of beef. You want to find some kind of beef that you can imagine cutting/dividing into 6 equal portions of about 5.5 ounces each(a bit bigger than a deck of cards.)

I AM ACTUALLY COOKING. WELL…SOME

I am not much for cooking but I am doing better. A ketogenic diet meal plan does work better when you have food ready to go. It takes the guesswork out and we need to keep this as simple as possible in order to have success.

• Put the 12 thighs into the oven with all the cloves from a bulb of garlic. You should separate the cloves, but you don’t need to skin them. The heat from the oven will do that nicely, and you can peel them when you eat them.
• While the thighs are cooking, hard boil the eggs. Then set them aside to cool.
• Take a skillet, put some butter in it, and then fry up the bacon. (Note: Some might argue that butter isn’t needed. In my experience, you can either grease up that pan somehow, or your first strips of bacon will come out burnt.)
• Dice up half the onion, and save the other half for next week.
• Cut up the pepper
• You might need to take the chicken out at this point. If it’s done, pull it out, and let it cool.
• In the skillet (I love to use the bacon grease as a base) sauté the pepper and half onion, and another bulb’s worth of garlic cloves. (leave the skin on, just like before.)
• Add the beef and brown it.

GETTING THE MEALS TOGETHER

• Wash/rinse out 12 containers.
• In 6 of them, put 2 chicken thighs each. Share the garlic between them, and evenly divide the fat juice.
• In the other 6 evenly spoon out the beef/pepper/onion mix.
• Take the veggie blend, and evenly pour it across the 12 containers, right on top of the meat.
• Put them all in your fridge. If you have minimal fridge space you could just put some in there, and then rest in your freezer. Just pull another out when you pull from the fridge.
• Pull out six plastic bags and put 2 hard-boiled eggs in each.
• Evenly divide your remaining bacon by 6.
• Now brown bag it, and put it in your fridge.

THE MACRONUTRIENTS OF THE KETOGENIC MENU PLAN

Right now you have 6 day’s worth of meals in your fridge

• 6 bags with 2 hard-boiled eggs and bacon
• 6 containers of thighs/veggies
• 6 containers of Beef/Veggies

Okay, so this is only 6 days. Make extra for day 7 OR you can try to get creative and plan your own meals. Ruled. I have some awesome keto recipes if you are feeling brave.

*I messed up. The macros of each “meal” above are too high in protein and too low in fat so reduce the amount of meat in each meal by about half AND add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to each meal(or some cheese). Please forgive me!!

For this base ketogenic meal plan I am going to use the following macronutrient profile that I helped someone set up for themselves:

TOTAL CALORIES- 1570

• Net carbs – 20g per day
• Protein  – 80 g per day
• Fat  – 130 g per day

Now divide each of those by 3(for 3 meals per day) and you get:

• ≈7 net carbs per meal
• ≈26 grams of protein per meal
• ≈44 grams of fat per meal

Omg, so much math! If you halve the protein in each meal you will be pretty close to these totals PER MEAL! 

Personally, I need more protein and fat each day and so will some of you. So I add in some snacks, cheese, or keto fudge during the day to get my macros up where they need to be. I also drink homemade Bulletproof coffee which for me is:

• 1 cup coffee
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tbsp full-fat coconut milk(in a can)

This adds about 25g of fat to my day.

If you got hungry on Day One between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and supper while you’re still at work eat more fat!

You may also want to consider adding these fat-boosting strategies:

• Full fat cream, butter, coconut oil, and MCT oil in your coffee.
• Put a tablespoon of mayonnaise on the chicken while it’s baking.
• Top the vegetables with some cheese before reheating.

SALT AND ELECTROLYTES WITH THE KETOGENIC DIET

It’s also worth pointing out that you may want to consider taking a multivitamin with the ketogenic diet meal plan. It is very low on Vitamins B1, D, E, and K. Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Potassium are also very low, but we need to manage those as part of our electrolyte strategy anyways on keto.

Do not omit essential electrolytes: Sodium (Na+), Chloride (Cl-), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg++), Calcium (Ca++), Phosphate (HPO4–), Bicarbonate (HCO3-). Lack of electrolytes or more pointedly the body’s primary electrolyte sodium (aka Salt) is responsible for lethargy, brain fog, and keto flu symptoms on high fats diets.

You should be aiming for at least 8 cups of water a day. I have a 600ml bottle and I empty it at least 10 times a day. That is a lot of water and yes I am going to the bathroom a lot. Carbs hold water, so with minimal carbs, this will speed up the flushing of water. So even more bathroom breaks.

BUT HOW DO I KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THIS?!

The “easiest” way to actually track your eating(and thus your macros)  for your ketogenic diet meal plan is to set up a free account with MyFitnessPal.

This app is both web-based and/or you can use it with your phone. I cannot stress the importance of tracking what you eat. Doing this has made all the difference in the world for me and is a huge part of my keto diet success.

Once you get your account set up you just enter the food you eat and the app calculates your total consumption for each macro and your total calories. There is also a “bar code scanner” as part of the app. You use your phone to “scan” the bar code of the food you are eating and it enters it into your daily eating plan. Genius!

SUMMARY

I am proof that a ketogenic diet works. I also know that it can be confusing as hell trying to deal with all of the numbers and then figuring out what to eat. I am hopi

You’ve probably heard about the low-carb, high-fat diet that’s so popular among actors and models, and with good reason: low-carb diets offer proper nourishment with whole foods while keeping your body burning fat for fuel. This is a great way to be, as it makes fat loss largely effortless! But where does this “ketogenic” word fit into the picture?

Well, ketogenic comes from the word “ketosis“, which is a state in which your body breaks down fat molecules into ketones to provide energy. This state is achieved through very low carbohydrate intake and higher than normal fat intake. The “normal” state of the body’s metabolism is called “glycolysis”, where carbs are burnt for energy. The long and short is that when your body is in carb-burning mode, it will use all available carbs for energy before it touches stored fat. In ketosis, your body is primed to burn fat, and this is great news for anyone trying to get trim and slim.

Benefits of Ketosis

By cutting carb intake significantly, we can drastically reduce insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes. In addition, low-carb diets, along with exercise, can be very effective at helping alleviate the symptoms and progression of type 2 diabetes. Beyond that, ketosis itself is appetite-suppressing, meaning your hunger will naturally check itself, increasing your caloric deficit and making you lose fat even faster.

Getting Started

Ketosis takes some time to get into – about two weeks of low-carb eating is required for the initial adaptation. During this time there will be bouts of sluggishness, fatigue, headaches, and some gastrointestinal issues as you adapt, often referred to as “keto flu“. Proper electrolyte intake will correct most of these issues. In addition, the “diet” aspect of this ketogenic diet plan – that is, the caloric restriction – shouldn’t be worried about. Weight loss will come as your body regulates appetite as it the addiction to sugar and processed food lessens, so restricting calories during the initial two weeks isn’t recommended.

The meal plan is designed to ensure you get three balanced, healthy meals a day that addresses fiber, satiation, and adequate protein intake. The greatest part of a ketogenic diet is the fact that it spares muscle loss, whereas a carb-based diet doesn’t. Weight lost in a high-carb, calorie-restricted diet will often come both from muscle and fat, whereas with keto, you can burn fat without sacrificing muscle. This is referred to often as “body recomposition” and leaves you with a much more preferred physique after weight loss.

Additional Points of Interest

Ketogenic diets often create a significant loss of water during the first phases. This is because carbs are converted to glycogen in your body, which is stored in water within the muscles and liver. As you deplete stored glycogen, your body flushes this water out. This is a huge part of the initial weight loss during the first few weeks of ketosis. While the rapid fat loss does occur at first, a lot of water weight is often dropped as well, but this is a great encouragement as it often results in both weight loss and less bloating, allowing clothes to fit better.

Foods Recommended on a Ketogenic Diet

• Meat: Beef, goat, lamb, turkey, pork, veal, chicken.
• Fish: Salmon, trout, catfish, sardines, tuna, haddock, and many others.
• Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, avocado.
• Vegetables: Broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, and many others.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, etc.
• Dairy Products: Cheese, Greek yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream.
• Fats and Oils: Peanut Butte, flaxseed oil, butter, sesame oil, olive oil, and almond oil. ( If you want to see more ketogenic diet foods, read this: The Ultimate List of Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Foods to Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet

• Grains: Grains: Wheat, oats, corn, barley, and rye. Includes bread and pasta.
• Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose, Equal, Acesulfame, Splenda, Saccharin, etc.
• Processed Foods: If it contains carrageenan, don’t eat it.
• “Low-fat” products: Atkins products, drinks, gluten, diet soda, etc.

7-Day Ketogenic Diet Meal Plan And Menu

So you have found the ketogenic diet, have figured out your macros and you are itching to get started. Here is a ketogenic diet meal plan for one week. If you are just getting situated use this basic plan to help get going.

I HAVE LOST 45 POUNDS IN 4 MONTHS WITH A KETOGENIC DIET

I just started MONTH five of a ketogenic diet(45 lbs lost). I’m by no means an expert. I am now 46 years old and I have spent my entire life trying to lose weight. Ironically I have also spent years learning about nutrition and exercise. Figuring out macronutrients just comes naturally to me as I have done it so much over my life. By following a keto diet this is the first time I have seen any real success in losing unwanted pounds. This is despite years of working out and being active.

I have had a very successful go of it so far, and I feel that a lot of you who are trying to get started with a ketogenic diet may get overwhelmed and confused with all of the numbers and information that is coming at you. Hence this ketogenic diet meal plan. It is what I am doing to keep things simple. I am a guy. I need simple.

For me, I think that success with a keto diet is found with having some base meals and adding some variety later on if needed. Hell, I eat the same thing pretty much every day. Not too exciting but losing 45 pounds in 4 months IS exciting, so I am sticking with it. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

7-DAY KETO DIET GROCERY LIST

The daily meals will be bacon and eggs, chicken with vegetables, and beef with vegetables. These are base meals and will provide good macros for some people. For others who need more food(fat), you can just add a keto-friendly snack or 2 to get your macros up to where they need to be. This is what I need to do.

• A dozen eggs.
• A package of bacon.
• Butter. (real butter)
• A pack of boneless SKIN ON chicken thighs
• 1 onion.
• 1 bell pepper (Green, red, yellow, that’s your choice.)
• Two bulbs of garlic. (Optional, but very heart healthy.)
• A big bag of mixed frozen vegetables, at least 12 cups worth. If you are not sure what to get, just pick something else that’s keto friendly like frozen broccoli.)
•  a bag of almonds, and a jar of almond butter (very expensive – the cheapest I can find is 10$ for 750g at Costco).
• A package of beef. You want to find some kind of beef that you can imagine cutting/dividing into 6 equal portions of about 5.5 ounces each(a bit bigger than a deck of cards.)

I AM ACTUALLY COOKING. WELL…SOME

I am not much for cooking but I am doing better. A ketogenic diet meal plan does work better when you have food ready to go. It takes the guesswork out and we need to keep this as simple as possible in order to have success.

• Put the 12 thighs into the oven with all the cloves from a bulb of garlic. You should separate the cloves, but you don’t need to skin them. The heat from the oven will do that nicely, and you can peel them when you eat them.
• While the thighs are cooking, hard boil the eggs. Then set them aside to cool.
• Take a skillet, put some butter in it, and then fry up the bacon. (Note: Some might argue that butter isn’t needed. In my experience, you can either grease up that pan somehow, or your first strips of bacon will come out burnt.)
• Dice up half the onion, and save the other half for next week.
• Cut up the pepper
• You might need to take the chicken out at this point. If it’s done, pull it out, and let it cool.
• In the skillet (I love to use the bacon grease as a base) sauté the pepper and half onion, and another bulb’s worth of garlic cloves. (leave the skin on, just like before.)
• Add the beef and brown it.

GETTING THE MEALS TOGETHER

• Wash/rinse out 12 containers.
• In 6 of them, put 2 chicken thighs each. Share the garlic between them, and evenly divide the fat juice.
• In the other 6 evenly spoon out the beef/pepper/onion mix.
• Take the veggie blend, and evenly pour it across the 12 containers, right on top of the meat.
• Put them all in your fridge. If you have minimal fridge space you could just put some in there, and then rest in your freezer. Just pull another out when you pull from the fridge.
• Pull out six plastic bags and put 2 hard-boiled eggs in each.
• Evenly divide your remaining bacon by 6.
• Now brown bag it, and put it in your fridge.

THE MACRONUTRIENTS OF THE KETOGENIC MENU PLAN

Right now you have 6 day’s worth of meals in your fridge

• 6 bags with 2 hard-boiled eggs and bacon
• 6 containers of thighs/veggies
• 6 containers of Beef/Veggies

Okay, so this is only 6 days. Make extra for day 7 OR you can try to get creative and plan your own meals. Ruled. I have some awesome keto recipes if you are feeling brave.

*I messed up. The macros of each “meal” above are too high in protein and too low in fat so reduce the amount of meat in each meal by about half AND add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to each meal(or some cheese). Please forgive me!!

For this base ketogenic meal plan I am going to use the following macronutrient profile that I helped someone set up for themselves:

TOTAL CALORIES- 1570

• Net carbs – 20g per day
• Protein  – 80 g per day
• Fat  – 130 g per day

Now divide each of those by 3(for 3 meals per day) and you get:

• ≈7 net carbs per meal
• ≈26 grams of protein per meal
• ≈44 grams of fat per meal

Omg, so much math! If you halve the protein in each meal you will be pretty close to these totals PER MEAL! 

Personally, I need more protein and fat each day and so will some of you. So I add in some snacks, cheese, or keto fudge during the day to get my macros up where they need to be. I also drink homemade Bulletproof coffee which for me is:

• 1 cup coffee
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tbsp full-fat coconut milk(in a can)

This adds about 25g of fat to my day.

If you got hungry on Day One between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and supper while you’re still at work eat more fat!

You may also want to consider adding these fat-boosting strategies:

• Full fat cream, butter, coconut oil, and MCT oil in your coffee.
• Put a tablespoon of mayonnaise on the chicken while it’s baking.
• Top the vegetables with some cheese before reheating.

SALT AND ELECTROLYTES WITH THE KETOGENIC DIET

It’s also worth pointing out that you may want to consider taking a multivitamin with the ketogenic diet meal plan. It is very low on Vitamins B1, D, E, and K. Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Potassium are also very low, but we need to manage those as part of our electrolyte strategy anyways on keto.

Do not omit essential electrolytes: Sodium (Na+), Chloride (Cl-), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg++), Calcium (Ca++), Phosphate (HPO4–), Bicarbonate (HCO3-). Lack of electrolytes or more pointedly the body’s primary electrolyte sodium (aka Salt) is responsible for lethargy, brain fog, and keto flu symptoms on high fats diets.

You should be aiming for at least 8 cups of water a day. I have a 600ml bottle and I empty it at least 10 times a day. That is a lot of water and yes I am going to the bathroom a lot. Carbs hold water, so with minimal carbs, this will speed up the flushing of water. So even more bathroom breaks.

BUT HOW DO I KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THIS?!

The “easiest” way to actually track your eating(and thus your macros)  for your ketogenic diet meal plan is to set up a free account with MyFitnessPal.

This app is both web-based and/or you can use it with your phone. I cannot stress the importance of tracking what you eat. Doing this has made all the difference in the world for me and is a huge part of my keto diet success.

Once you get your account set up you just enter the food you eat and the app calculates your total consumption for each macro and your total calories. There is also a “bar code scanner” as part of the app. You use your phone to “scan” the bar code of the food you are eating and it enters it into your daily eating plan. Genius!

SUMMARY

I am proof that a ketogenic diet works. I also know that it can be confusing as hell trying to deal with all of the numbers and then figuring out what to eat. I am hopi

ou’ve probably heard about the low-carb, high-fat diet that’s so popular among actors and models, and with good reason: low-carb diets offer proper nourishment with whole foods while keeping your body burning fat for fuel. This is a great way to be, as it makes fat loss largely effortless! But where does this “ketogenic” word fit into the picture?

Well, ketogenic comes from the word “ketosis“, which is a state in which your body breaks down fat molecules into ketones to provide energy. This state is achieved through very low carbohydrate intake and higher than normal fat intake. The “normal” state of the body’s metabolism is called “glycolysis”, where carbs are burnt for energy. The long and short is that when your body is in carb-burning mode, it will use all available carbs for energy before it touches stored fat. In ketosis, your body is primed to burn fat, and this is great news for anyone trying to get trim and slim.

Benefits of Ketosis

By cutting carb intake significantly, we can drastically reduce insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes. In addition, low-carb diets, along with exercise, can be very effective at helping alleviate the symptoms and progression of type 2 diabetes. Beyond that, ketosis itself is appetite-suppressing, meaning your hunger will naturally check itself, increasing your caloric deficit and making you lose fat even faster.

Getting Started

Ketosis takes some time to get into – about two weeks of low-carb eating is required for the initial adaptation. During this time there will be bouts of sluggishness, fatigue, headaches, and some gastrointestinal issues as you adapt, often referred to as “keto flu“. Proper electrolyte intake will correct most of these issues. In addition, the “diet” aspect of this ketogenic diet plan – that is, the caloric restriction – shouldn’t be worried about. Weight loss will come as your body regulates appetite as it the addiction to sugar and processed food lessens, so restricting calories during the initial two weeks isn’t recommended.

The meal plan is designed to ensure you get three balanced, healthy meals a day that addresses fiber, satiation, and adequate protein intake. The greatest part of a ketogenic diet is the fact that it spares muscle loss, whereas a carb-based diet doesn’t. Weight lost in a high-carb, calorie-restricted diet will often come both from muscle and fat, whereas with keto, you can burn fat without sacrificing muscle. This is referred to often as “body recomposition” and leaves you with a much more preferred physique after weight loss.

Additional Points of Interest

Ketogenic diets often create a significant loss of water during the first phases. This is because carbs are converted to glycogen in your body, which is stored in water within the muscles and liver. As you deplete stored glycogen, your body flushes this water out. This is a huge part of the initial weight loss during the first few weeks of ketosis. While the rapid fat loss does occur at first, a lot of water weight is often dropped as well, but this is a great encouragement as it often results in both weight loss and less bloating, allowing clothes to fit better.

Foods Recommended on a Ketogenic Diet

• Meat: Beef, goat, lamb, turkey, pork, veal, chicken.
• Fish: Salmon, trout, catfish, sardines, tuna, haddock, and many others.
• Fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, avocado.
• Vegetables: Broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, and many others.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, etc.
• Dairy Products: Cheese, Greek yogurt, sour cream, heavy cream.
• Fats and Oils: Peanut Butte, flaxseed oil, butter, sesame oil, olive oil, and almond oil. ( If you want to see more ketogenic diet foods, read this: The Ultimate List of Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Foods to Avoid on a Ketogenic Diet

• Grains: Grains: Wheat, oats, corn, barley, and rye. Includes bread and pasta.
• Artificial Sweeteners: Sucralose, Equal, Acesulfame, Splenda, Saccharin, etc.
• Processed Foods: If it contains carrageenan, don’t eat it.
• “Low-fat” products: Atkins products, drinks, gluten, diet soda, etc.

7-Day Ketogenic Diet Meal Plan And Menu

So you have found the ketogenic diet, have figured out your macros and you are itching to get started. Here is a ketogenic diet meal plan for one week. If you are just getting situated use this basic plan to help get going.

I HAVE LOST 45 POUNDS IN 4 MONTHS WITH A KETOGENIC DIET

I just started MONTH five of a ketogenic diet(45 lbs lost). I’m by no means an expert. I am now 46 years old and I have spent my entire life trying to lose weight. Ironically I have also spent years learning about nutrition and exercise. Figuring out macronutrients just comes naturally to me as I have done it so much over my life. By following a keto diet this is the first time I have seen any real success in losing unwanted pounds. This is despite years of working out and being active.

I have had a very successful go of it so far, and I feel that a lot of you who are trying to get started with a ketogenic diet may get overwhelmed and confused with all of the numbers and information that is coming at you. Hence this ketogenic diet meal plan. It is what I am doing to keep things simple. I am a guy. I need simple.

For me, I think that success with a keto diet is found with having some base meals and adding some variety later on if needed. Hell, I eat the same thing pretty much every day. Not too exciting but losing 45 pounds in 4 months IS exciting, so I am sticking with it. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

7-DAY KETO DIET GROCERY LIST

The daily meals will be bacon and eggs, chicken with vegetables, and beef with vegetables. These are base meals and will provide good macros for some people. For others who need more food(fat), you can just add a keto-friendly snack or 2 to get your macros up to where they need to be. This is what I need to do.

• A dozen eggs.
• A package of bacon.
• Butter. (real butter)
• A pack of boneless SKIN ON chicken thighs
• 1 onion.
• 1 bell pepper (Green, red, yellow, that’s your choice.)
• Two bulbs of garlic. (Optional, but very heart healthy.)
• A big bag of mixed frozen vegetables, at least 12 cups worth. If you are not sure what to get, just pick something else that’s keto friendly like frozen broccoli.)
•  a bag of almonds, and a jar of almond butter (very expensive – the cheapest I can find is 10$ for 750g at Costco).
• A package of beef. You want to find some kind of beef that you can imagine cutting/dividing into 6 equal portions of about 5.5 ounces each(a bit bigger than a deck of cards.)

I AM ACTUALLY COOKING. WELL…SOME

I am not much for cooking but I am doing better. A ketogenic diet meal plan does work better when you have food ready to go. It takes the guesswork out and we need to keep this as simple as possible in order to have success.

• Put the 12 thighs into the oven with all the cloves from a bulb of garlic. You should separate the cloves, but you don’t need to skin them. The heat from the oven will do that nicely, and you can peel them when you eat them.
• While the thighs are cooking, hard boil the eggs. Then set them aside to cool.
• Take a skillet, put some butter in it, and then fry up the bacon. (Note: Some might argue that butter isn’t needed. In my experience, you can either grease up that pan somehow, or your first strips of bacon will come out burnt.)
• Dice up half the onion, and save the other half for next week.
• Cut up the pepper
• You might need to take the chicken out at this point. If it’s done, pull it out, and let it cool.
• In the skillet (I love to use the bacon grease as a base) sauté the pepper and half onion, and another bulb’s worth of garlic cloves. (leave the skin on, just like before.)
• Add the beef and brown it.

GETTING THE MEALS TOGETHER

• Wash/rinse out 12 containers.
• In 6 of them, put 2 chicken thighs each. Share the garlic between them, and evenly divide the fat juice.
• In the other 6 evenly spoon out the beef/pepper/onion mix.
• Take the veggie blend, and evenly pour it across the 12 containers, right on top of the meat.
• Put them all in your fridge. If you have minimal fridge space you could just put some in there, and then rest in your freezer. Just pull another out when you pull from the fridge.
• Pull out six plastic bags and put 2 hard-boiled eggs in each.
• Evenly divide your remaining bacon by 6.
• Now brown bag it, and put it in your fridge.

THE MACRONUTRIENTS OF THE KETOGENIC MENU PLAN

Right now you have 6 day’s worth of meals in your fridge

• 6 bags with 2 hard-boiled eggs and bacon
• 6 containers of thighs/veggies
• 6 containers of Beef/Veggies

Okay, so this is only 6 days. Make extra for day 7 OR you can try to get creative and plan your own meals. Ruled. I have some awesome keto recipes if you are feeling brave.

*I messed up. The macros of each “meal” above are too high in protein and too low in fat so reduce the amount of meat in each meal by about half AND add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to each meal(or some cheese). Please forgive me!!

For this base ketogenic meal plan I am going to use the following macronutrient profile that I helped someone set up for themselves:

TOTAL CALORIES- 1570

• Net carbs – 20g per day
• Protein  – 80 g per day
• Fat  – 130 g per day

Now divide each of those by 3(for 3 meals per day) and you get:

• ≈7 net carbs per meal
• ≈26 grams of protein per meal
• ≈44 grams of fat per meal

Omg, so much math! If you halve the protein in each meal you will be pretty close to these totals PER MEAL! 

Personally, I need more protein and fat each day and so will some of you. So I add in some snacks, cheese, or keto fudge during the day to get my macros up where they need to be. I also drink homemade Bulletproof coffee which for me is:

• 1 cup coffee
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tbsp full-fat coconut milk(in a can)

This adds about 25g of fat to my day.

If you got hungry on Day One between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and supper while you’re still at work eat more fat!

You may also want to consider adding these fat-boosting strategies:

• Full fat cream, butter, coconut oil, and MCT oil in your coffee.
• Put a tablespoon of mayonnaise on the chicken while it’s baking.
• Top the vegetables with some cheese before reheating.

SALT AND ELECTROLYTES WITH THE KETOGENIC DIET

It’s also worth pointing out that you may want to consider taking a multivitamin with the ketogenic diet meal plan. It is very low on Vitamins B1, D, E, and K. Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Potassium are also very low, but we need to manage those as part of our electrolyte strategy anyways on keto.

Do not omit essential electrolytes: Sodium (Na+), Chloride (Cl-), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg++), Calcium (Ca++), Phosphate (HPO4–), Bicarbonate (HCO3-). Lack of electrolytes or more pointedly the body’s primary electrolyte sodium (aka Salt) is responsible for lethargy, brain fog, and keto flu symptoms on high fats diets.

You should be aiming for at least 8 cups of water a day. I have a 600ml bottle and I empty it at least 10 times a day. That is a lot of water and yes I am going to the bathroom a lot. Carbs hold water, so with minimal carbs, this will speed up the flushing of water. So even more bathroom breaks.

BUT HOW DO I KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THIS?!

The “easiest” way to actually track your eating(and thus your macros)  for your ketogenic diet meal plan is to set up a free account with MyFitnessPal.

This app is both web-based and/or you can use it with your phone. I cannot stress the importance of tracking what you eat. Doing this has made all the difference in the world for me and is a huge part of my keto diet success.

Once you get your account set up you just enter the food you eat and the app calculates your total consumption for each macro and your total calories. There is also a “bar code scanner” as part of the app. You use your phone to “scan” the bar code of the food you are eating and it enters it into your daily eating plan. Genius!

SUMMARY

I am proof that a ketogenic diet works. I also know that it can be confusing as hell trying to deal with all of the numbers and then figuring out what to eat. I am hopi