Keto Meal Planning: A Simple Guide To Success

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has become a popular lifestyle for weight loss and improved health worldwide. The keto diet can be challenging to follow, but with the right meal plan and preparation, it can be a successful way to achieve your health and fitness goals. Here are some tips and guidelines to help you create a keto meal plan that works for you:

- Understand the Basics: The keto diet is typically high in fat (70-75% of calories), moderate in protein (15-20% of calories), and very low in carbohydrates (5-10% of calories). This means you'll be eating a lot of healthy fats, moderate amounts of protein, and limiting your carbohydrate intake.

- Plan Your Meals: Start by creating a weekly meal plan that includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Focus on meals that are centred around keto-friendly foods such as eggs, meat, fatty fish, full-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy oils like olive oil and avocado oil.

- Stock Up on Keto Staples: Fill your pantry and fridge with keto-friendly staples such as seafood, meat, tofu, avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, nuts, leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and keto-friendly condiments.

- Batch Prep and Cook: Consider batch cooking and preparing meals in advance to save time and effort. Cook larger portions so you have leftovers for the next day or freeze them for later.

- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water and keto-friendly beverages like unsweetened coffee and tea. Avoid sugary drinks and juices, as they are high in carbohydrates.

- Be Mindful of Snacking: Snacking can increase your calorie intake and create insulin spikes. Try to limit snacking and choose keto-friendly snacks like nuts, cheese, avocado, or low-carb veggies with a high-fat dipping sauce.

- Calculate Your Macros: Use a keto calculator to determine your recommended macronutrient ratios (fat, protein, and carbohydrate intake) based on your body weight and activity level. This will help you adjust your meal plan to meet your specific needs.

- Be Prepared for the Keto Flu: As your body adapts to the low-carb diet, you may experience symptoms like dizziness, headache, fatigue, and nausea. Stay hydrated, increase your electrolyte intake, and add salt to your meals to help alleviate these symptoms.

- Seek Professional Advice: Consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian who understands the keto diet to ensure it is safe and suitable for your individual needs. They can also help you create a well-balanced meal plan that provides all the necessary nutrients.

Calculate your macros and adjust your plan

Calories are still something you need to consider on a ketogenic diet. While some people can get away with the “eat until full” philosophy, this doesn’t work for most people. There are tons of hormone, endocrine, and deficiency problems that we still need to take into account.

Use a keto calculator to figure out exactly how much you need to eat and adjust the plan to fit your needs. This meal plan averages 1538 calories, 120g fat, 24g net carbs, and 83g protein over the 2 weeks. If this is different from your macros, consider adjusting the plan to fit your needs.

To increase calories, add additional oil, cream, cheese, or cream cheese into your recipes; or drink coffee with cream with your first meal. If you need to increase protein, just increase the amount of lean meat that’s added into the recipe.

To decrease calories, remove oil, cream, cheese, or cream cheese from the plan. Similarly, if you need to decrease the protein intake of the plan, remove some lean meat.

Prepare and get ready ahead of time

To set yourself up for success on a keto diet, it's important to prepare and get ready ahead of time. Here are some tips to help you:

• Set a start date that is realistic for you and get your shopping ready so that you have all the ingredients you need.
• Re-organise your fridge and pantry to remove any high-carb snacks and tempting items that may hinder your progress. Stock up on keto-friendly ingredients such as meat, poultry, eggs, low-carb veggies, full-fat dairy, and healthy fats.
• Understand the "keto flu", which is a combination of symptoms that can occur when you first start the keto diet. These symptoms include dizziness, headache, fatigue, cramping, nausea, and fatigue, and they can last for a few days. To combat the keto flu, increase your water intake and electrolytes, and add salt to your food and/or water.
• Stop mindless snacking as it can increase your calorie intake and create insulin spikes. Instead, try to stick to your meals and only snack if you are regularly hungry.
• Be flexible and don't beat yourself up if you don't stick to your plan 100% of the time. It's okay to have something that isn't typically classified as "ideal" from time to time.

Understand the keto flu

The keto flu is a combination of symptoms that occur when you transition to a low-carb diet. Symptoms can include dizziness, headache, fatigue, cramping, nausea, and constipation. It is important to note that this is not a medical diagnosis and is simply a term used to describe the experience of some people when they first start the keto diet.

The keto flu can happen within the first two days of starting the diet and can last for several weeks. It is caused by your body adapting to a new way of eating, specifically the reduction of carbohydrates. This reduction forces your body to burn ketones for energy instead of glucose.

There are several ways to reduce the symptoms of keto flu:

• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Eat more often and include plenty of colourful vegetables.
• Do not give up on the diet too quickly; give your body time to adjust.
• Ease into the diet gradually, rather than stopping carbs 'cold turkey'.
• Increase your water intake and electrolytes.
• Add salt to your food and water.
• Avoid strenuous exercise until the symptoms subside.
• Replace electrolytes, especially sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
• Get enough sleep and reduce caffeine intake.
• Make sure you are eating enough fat and carbohydrates.

The keto flu is usually temporary, and the symptoms will decrease as your body adjusts to the new diet. However, if you are feeling particularly unwell or experiencing a fever, prolonged diarrhea, or vomiting, it is best to consult a doctor.

Stop mindless snacking

Mindless snacking is a common habit that many of us are guilty of. It can be easy to reach for the snack bag while answering emails or watching Netflix, but this can lead to extra calories, sugar, and sodium intake. Here are some tips to help you stop mindless snacking:

• Timing is everything: Plan your meals for the day, including snacks. If you skip a meal, you are more likely to give in to mindless snacking.
• Treat snacks as meals: When you do snack, put it on a plate, sit at the table, and pay attention to the food. This helps you recognize when you are full.
• Make sure you are truly hungry: Sometimes we think we are hungry, but we are actually dehydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and try to recognize the difference between hunger and dehydration.
• Brush your teeth: This may sound strange, but it works! When you have leftover flavors in your mouth, you may continue to crave them. Brushing your teeth can help curb those cravings.
• Distract yourself: Find an activity that changes your mindset and distracts you from snacking. This could be reading a book, doing yoga, taking a bath, or starting a new craft project.
• Control your environment: Stop buying snacks that you know you cannot resist. You cannot eat what is not there! If you must have snacks, store them out of sight or in hard-to-reach places.
• Understand your emotions: Often, we turn to food when we are feeling certain emotions such as boredom, loneliness, or stress. Try to recognize when this is happening and find a different outlet for those emotions.
• Portion sizes: Always put your snack into a bowl or container instead of eating directly from the bag. This helps you be mindful of how much you are consuming.
• Set aside time for eating: Allocate time in your day specifically for eating. Tell yourself you can watch your favorite show or do another enjoyable activity after you are done with your meal.
• Opt for protein-rich snacks: Snacks high in protein and fiber will keep you fuller and more satisfied for longer. Some examples include almonds, lean cold cuts like turkey and chicken breast, cheese, and peanut butter.

Stock up on keto staples

Stocking up on keto staples is essential for staying on track with your keto meal plan. Here are some key items to have in your pantry and fridge:

Protein Sources

• Seafood
• Meat
• Tofu (in moderation)
• Yogurt

Healthy Fats

• Avocado
• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Nuts
• Eggs
• Coconut milk

Vegetables

• Kale
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Onions
• Asparagus
• Peppers
• Eggplant

Condiments

Keto-friendly versions of mayonnaise, hot sauce, and ketchup

Many of these items can be frozen or have a long shelf life, so you can stock up and always have the basics on hand for keto recipes. In addition to these staples, don't forget to include some keto-friendly snacks like cheese sticks, salami, nuts, and avocados to help you stay on track when cravings strike!

Frequently asked questions