Keto diets are hot right now, and it’s clear why. Dozens of weight-loss studies have shown this method of eating—which emphasizes a very low amount of carbs, a moderate amount of protein, and a relatively high amount of dietary fat—can lead to significant and rapid weight loss, as well as health benefits such as improved blood sugar and insulin levels.
“The scientific community is finally coming around to the idea that all fat isn’t bad and that excessive consumption of carbohydrates like sugar is actually what is behind the growing obesity crisis,” says Kristen Mancinelli, R.D., author of The Ketogenic Diet. In a keto diet, about 75 to 80% of your calories come from fat, 10 to 15% from protein, and just 5 to 10% from carbs. The premise: Severely limiting carbs forces your body to burn fat for fuel, a process called ketosis. “Ketosis is the gateway to rapid fat loss,” Mancinelli notes. By keeping your carb intake low, your body will continue to keep burning fat for energy.
The high fat content of your meals (which comes from both animal and plant sources) also helps suppress your appetite and keeps you feeling fuller longer, so you naturally eat less throughout the day. Since it requires more energy to burn stored fat, you’ll also increase resting energy expenditure, while stabilizing blood sugar and lowering insulin levels. This, in turn, reduces fat storage, explains Mancinelli. Ready to get started?
What follows are a few guidelines to keep in mind as you kick off your plan. One big caveat is that you should try to begin your keto diet at least one to two weeks before you undertake a comprehensive new workout program. That’s because, for the first couple of weeks on a keto diet, you’re apt to develop what some call “the keto flu,” a feeling that can leave you lethargic and a little foggy.
“There is definitely a transition period as your body makes the switch into ketosis,” Mancinelli says. “Your workout performance may suffer until you are keto adapted, so it makes sense to take it a little easy at first.”
Don’t worry, this keto flu won’t last too long, and by the time your body is fully fired up on fat, you’ll be able to take on new workout challenges with ease.
Protein: You’ll need to include a main protein in at least two of your three meals a day. Options can include meat (beef, pork, lamb, buffalo, venison), poultry (chicken, turkey, duck), fish (mackerel, salmon, trout), shellfish (lobster, shrimp, calamari), tofu and tempeh, and eggs. You should also aim to have protein elements in snacks and smaller meals, such as cheese and cucumbers, almond butter and celery sticks, or yogurt and nuts.
Non-starchy Vegetables: Most of your carbs will come from these foods, which also provide your main source of fiber, as well as water-soluble vitamins and minerals. For options, think broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, mixed greens, spinach, cucumbers, zucchini, kale, cabbage, and mushrooms.
Fats: Include two or more sources of fat at each meal and in at least one snack. Options include avocado, nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans) or nut butter, seeds (pumpkin, flax, chia, sesame), cheese, cream, bacon, egg yolk, fatty fish, oils (olive, coconut, sesame), and butter.
2 of 7
SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty
Foods to Avoid
Sweeteners (sugar, honey, agave, syrup, juice)
Foods containing flour (bread, pastries, pasta)
Grains (rice, oats, quinoa, couscous)
Fruit (small amounts of some berries like strawberries and blueberries are OK)
Starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and peas Lactose-rich dairy products (milk, ice cream)
Fried foods
3 of 7
Images Courtesy Of The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen, Victory Belt Publishing. Food Styling By Susan Ottaviano.
Breakfast
What follows are some suggestions from Mancinelli’s book, The Ketogenic Diet: The Scientifically Proven Approach to Fast, Healthy Weight Loss. Try these meal ideas to kick-start your keto program, and modify as needed.
Two eggs fried in olive or coconut oil with sautéed onions, mushrooms, asparagus, chopped broccoli, spinach, or other nonstarchy vegetables; season with turmeric, oregano, thyme, or other spices.
Two eggs fried in olive or coconut oil and topped with avocado and bacon; salad greens.
Open-faced cheddar or Swiss cheese sandwich on slices of baby cucumber or flax crackers; sprinkle cucumbers with salt before topping with cheese.
Smoothie: Use unsweetened almond or hemp milk and low-carb protein powder plus spinach leaves; experiment with adding hemp or chia seeds or flax powder, coconut or almond butter, avocado, stevia, cinnamon, ginger, or other flavors.
More breakfast options:
Chia pudding with coconut milk and vanilla bean or vanilla extract.
Plain Icelandic or Greek yogurt mixed with almond butter.
Cottage cheese topped with nuts and/or seeds.
Bulletproof or keto coffee.
4 of 7
Courtesy Of The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen, Victory Belt Publishing. Food Styling By Susan Ottaviano.
Lunch
Arugula or baby spinach salad with blue cheese, chopped walnuts or roasted pumpkin seeds, and chopped tuna; olive oil dressing. (Go heavy on the dressing.)
Dark meat chicken salad with mayo; cucumber slices and flax crackers with sliced hard cheese.
Kelp noodles with pesto sauce; wild mushrooms sautéed in butter and herbs; coconut milkshake with ice and cinnamon for dessert.
More lunch options:
Salmon with a touch of spicy tomato sauce and guacamole; asparagus with mustard-mayo.
Steak with sliced avocado; sautéed spinach.
Keto salad: 2 cups of arugula or spinach; chopped red cabbage; avocado; chicken, tuna, or sardines; sliced olives; sesame, sunflower, or hemp seeds; freshly grated cheddar or Parmesan cheese; olive oil vinaigrette.
5 of 7
Courtesy Of The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen, Victory Belt Publishing. Food Styling By Susan Ottaviano.
Dinner
Half-portion of a well-marbled steak (such as rib eye) topped with butter sauce made from pan drippings; cauliflower mashed potatoes rich with butter, oil, and/ or heavy cream; small portion of brussels sprouts roasted in a good amount of oil and topped with Parmesan cheese.
Two chicken thighs with skin on; small portion of roasted broccoli topped with tahini sauce; whole sliced avocado or side of guacamole.
Pan-seared salmon with crispy skin; asparagus smothered in hollandaise sauce; kale chips cooked in coconut oil.
More dinner options:
Spice-rubbed pork chops and broccoli cooked in coconut oil. Use cumin, red pepper, paprika, or other spices for the rub.
Italian spicy sausage and broccoli rabe.
Chicken sautéed in olive oil, tamari, squeeze of lemon juice; cauliflower mashed potatoes.
6 of 7
Edelweiss Spykerman / EyeEm / Getty
Good Keto Snacks
Flax crackers and sliced cheese
Celery sticks and almond butter
Avocado and tomato slices with salt
Mixed nuts and seeds in unsweetened almond milk
Cucumber sticks and tahini
Broccoli with baba ganoush
Asparagus with aioli dipping sauce
Endive with herbed goat cheese
Mixed vegetables with guacamole
Prosciutto-and cheese rollups
Zucchini sticks with red pepper spread
Boiled eggs with salt
Plain Greek yogurt with chopped walnuts
Seaweed snacks
7 of 7
Images Courtesy Of The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen, Victory Belt Publishing. Food Styling By Susan Ottaviano.
Keto Dessert
Avocado Chocolate Mousse
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
3 tbsp xylitol
2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp bourbon (optional)
Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth. Chill at least 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
Per Serving
Calories: 105
Protein: 2g
Fat: 8g
Carbs: 9g
Fiber: 5g
For more recipes: Pick up Mancinelli’s book, The Ketogenic Diet: The Scientifically Proven Approach to Fast, Healthy Weight Loss.
