Kick-Starting Your Keto: A Beginner's Guide To Keto Meal Planning

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat plan. It is based on a metabolic process called ketosis, which happens when your body does not have enough glucose for energy, so it burns fat instead. During ketosis, chemical molecules called ketones are produced in the liver when fat is burned, and they are sent into your bloodstream to be used as fuel for the brain, muscles, and tissues.

The keto diet deliberately reduces carbohydrate intake to encourage the body to burn fat instead. The keto diet usually breaks down into the following daily percentages: 60 to 75% of calories from fat, 15 to 30% of calories from protein, and 5 to 10% of calories from carbs.

To get started on the keto diet, it is recommended to cut out high-glycemic foods like bread, pasta, and rice. Instead, eat lots of non-starchy vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, and green leafy vegetables. Your proteins will be moderate, with only 15 to 30% of your total intake coming from healthy proteins like chicken, beef, fish, or tofu.

Fats will make up the rest of your daily intake. These should come from good fats like nuts or nut butters, olive oil, avocados, and cheese.

What to eat and what to avoid on a keto diet

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet. The aim is to drive the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body starts burning stored fat as a source of energy, instead of carbohydrates. To achieve ketosis, you should limit your net carb intake to between 20 and 50 grams per day. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fibre from the total carbohydrate count.

Foods to Eat

• Meat: beef, pork, lamb, and game
• Poultry: chicken and turkey
• Seafood: fish and shellfish
• Soy: tofu and tempeh
• Non-starchy vegetables: spinach, asparagus, cucumbers, and leafy greens
• Fats: butter, olive oil, and coconut oil
• Dairy: cheese, plain Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, and cream
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds
• Berries: blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries
• Unsweetened drinks: coffee, tea, sparkling water, and bone broth

Foods to Avoid

• Sugary foods: cakes, cookies, ice cream, and doughnuts
• Starchy foods: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, and beans
• Sugar-sweetened drinks: soda, sweet tea, punch, sports drinks, and fruit juice
• High-carb fruits: bananas, raisins, dates, mangoes, and pears
• Baked goods: crackers, cookies, cakes, and pastries
• Processed foods: chips, pre-packaged snacks, and convenience meals
• High-carb sauces and condiments: ketchup, BBQ sauce, and sweet dressings
• Alcohol: cocktails, beer, and wine (in large amounts)

How to create your own keto meal plan

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy.

What to Eat on the Keto Diet

There are several versions of the keto diet, and what you eat depends on the type. They include:

• Standard ketogenic diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. It typically contains 70% fat, 20% protein, and only 10% carbs.
• Cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD): This diet involves periods of higher-carb refeeds, such as 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carb days.
• Targeted ketogenic diet (TKD): This diet allows you to add carbs around workouts.
• High-protein ketogenic diet: This is similar to a standard ketogenic diet, but includes more protein. The ratio is often 60% fat, 35% protein, and 5% carbs.

The standard ketogenic diet (SKD) is the most researched and most recommended.

What Not to Eat on the Keto Diet

Make sure that your keto diet plan does not include these high-carb foods:

• Sugary foods: soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, etc.
• Starchy foods: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, and beans.
• Sugar-sweetened beverages: soda, sweet tea, punch, and sports drinks.
• Fruit juice: including 100% unsweetened juice.
• High-carb substitutes: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, candy, juice, and even most fruits.

What to Drink on the Keto Diet

The best keto beverages are carb-free or nearly carb-free. Include these drinks on your keto diet plan:

• Water: still or sparkling.
• Coffee: black, or with a splash of cream or milk.
• Tea: black, green, or herbal (unsweetened).
• Broth: chicken, beef, or vegetable.

Sample Keto Meal Plan for 1 Week

To help get you started, here's a sample ketogenic diet meal plan for one week:

• Breakfast: veggie and egg muffins with tomatoes.
• Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, feta cheese, olives, and a side salad.
• Dinner: salmon with asparagus cooked in butter.
• Breakfast: egg, tomato, basil, and spinach omelet.
• Lunch: almond milk, peanut butter, spinach, cocoa powder, and stevia milkshake with a side of sliced strawberries.
• Dinner: cheese-shell tacos with salsa.
• Breakfast: nut milk chia pudding topped with coconut and blackberries.
• Lunch: avocado shrimp salad.
• Dinner: pork chops with Parmesan cheese, broccoli, and salad.
• Breakfast: omelet with avocado, salsa, peppers, onion, and spices.
• Lunch: a handful of nuts and celery sticks with guacamole and salsa.
• Dinner: chicken stuffed with pesto and cream cheese, and a side of grilled zucchini.
• Breakfast: sugar-free Greek, whole milk yogurt with peanut butter, cocoa powder, and berries.
• Lunch: ground beef lettuce wrap tacos with sliced bell peppers.
• Dinner: loaded cauliflower and mixed veggies.
• Breakfast: cream cheese pancakes with blueberries and a side of grilled mushrooms.
• Lunch: Zucchini and beet "noodle" salad.
• Dinner: white fish cooked in olive oil with kale and toasted pine nuts.
• Breakfast: fried eggs with mushrooms.
• Lunch: low-carb sesame chicken and broccoli.
• Dinner: spaghetti squash Bolognese.

Tips and Tricks for the Keto Diet

Although getting started on the ketogenic diet can be challenging, there are several tips and tricks that you can use to make it easier:

• Familiarize yourself with food labels and check the grams of fat, carbs, and fiber to determine how your favorite foods can fit into your diet.
• Plan out your meals in advance to save time throughout the week.
• Look into healthy frozen keto meals when you're short on time.
• When going to social gatherings or visiting family and friends, consider bringing your own food to make it easier to stick to your meal plan.
• Reading food labels, planning your meals ahead, and bringing your own foods when visiting family and friends can make it much easier to stick to the ketogenic diet.

How to start keto

Starting a keto diet can be challenging, but there are several tips and tricks that can make it easier. Here are some steps to help you get started:

• Familiarize yourself with food labels and check the grams of fat, carbs, and fiber to determine how your favorite foods can fit into your diet.
• Plan your meals in advance to save time and effort throughout the week.
• Use websites, food blogs, apps, and cookbooks to find keto-friendly recipes and meal ideas.
• Consider using a meal delivery service for quick and convenient keto meals.
• When going to social gatherings or visiting family and friends, bring your own food to make it easier to stick to your meal plan.
• When eating out, opt for meat-, fish-, or egg-based dishes and replace any high-carb foods with extra vegetables.
• Drink plenty of water and get enough salt to minimize symptoms of the "keto flu."
• Eat until you're full and don't restrict calories too much, especially at the beginning of the diet.
• Supplement with minerals like potassium and magnesium to avoid side effects like lightheadedness, cramps, and headaches.
• Don't be discouraged if you feel sluggish during the first few weeks—this is normal as your body adjusts to using fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.

Keto tips and tricks

• Familiarise yourself with food labels and check the grams of fat, carbs and fibre to determine how your favourite foods can fit into your diet.
• Plan your meals in advance to save time throughout the week.
• Many websites, food blogs, apps and cookbooks offer keto-friendly recipes and meal ideas.
• Look into healthy frozen keto meals when you're short on time.
• When going to social gatherings or visiting family and friends, consider bringing your own food to make it much easier to stick to your meal plan.
• Most restaurants offer some kind of meat or fish-based dish. Order this and replace any high-carb food with extra vegetables.
• Egg-based meals are also a great option, such as an omelette or eggs and bacon.
• Bun-less burgers are another favourite. You could also swap the fries for vegetables instead. Add extra avocado, cheese, bacon or eggs.
• At Mexican restaurants, you can enjoy any type of meat with extra cheese, guacamole, salsa and sour cream.
• For dessert, ask for a mixed cheese board or berries with cream.
• The keto diet is usually safe for most healthy people, but before starting, check with your doctor if you take medication for diabetes or high blood pressure. If you're breastfeeding, you should not follow a keto diet.
• Drink lots of fluids and get enough salt, especially during the first week of the meal plan, to minimise symptoms of the initial 'keto flu'.
• A ketogenic diet can be tailored to fit your food preferences, budget, how often you like to eat, and more.

Tips for eating out on a ketogenic diet

Meat, fish, or egg-based dishes

Most restaurants offer some kind of meat or fish-based dish. Order this and replace any high-carb food with extra vegetables.

Egg-based meals

Egg-based meals are also a great option, such as an omelet or eggs and bacon.

Bunless burgers

Another favorite is bun-less burgers. You could also swap the fries for vegetables instead. Add extra avocado, cheese, bacon, or eggs.

Mexican restaurants

At Mexican restaurants, you can enjoy any type of meat with extra cheese, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.

Cheese for dessert

For dessert, ask for a mixed cheese board or berries with cream.

Frequently asked questions