A 7-day Keto Diet Guide for Beginners

The Ketogenic (Keto) diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate and lower-protein diet to support Ketosis. The main idea is to shift your body away from using glucose as energy to using fat. To get and stay in Ketosis, you need to restrict your intake of carbohydrates. When you reach Ketosis after 2-4 days, your liver makes Ketones more rapidly from the fat you eat and your stored body fat.

There are signs you can watch out for  when you reach ketosis, these inlcude fatigue, ‘Keto breath’ and lowered appetite, but the easiest way to check is with a blood-testing meter.

Keto Diet - Is It Right for You?

If you can stick to an extremely low-carb diet, then a Keto diet plan may suit you. You need to be aware that it’s not one for the ‘weekend warriors’ - you really have to commit. The whole point of the diet is to be in Ketosis, which can easily be disrupted the next time you reach for a non-keto snack.

It is also very important to check with your doctor or dedicated medical practitioner before starting a keto diet to make sure it is right for you./p>

What’s the Macronutrient (Macro) Split?

Though sources vary, a Keto diet is approximately 70% fats, 5% carbohydrates and 25% protein. If you’re eating per Australia’s benchmark daily calorie intake of 2,000 calories, this would be around 155g of fat, 25g of carbohydrates and 125g of fat. For reference, this is just over ½ a cup of rice (23g of carbs) or around the same as 1 medium banana (27g carbs). What about fibre? For most people on a Keto diet plan, they count ‘net carbs’, which is the total carbs minus the fibre so they can maintain good levels in their diet.

Will Keto Help You Lose More Fat Than a Standard Diet?

There is some evidence that a Keto diet plan may suppress appetite, which can help with sticking to a calorie deficit, leading to weight loss. It should be noted that if you were previously eating carbs and then adopting a Keto diet, you may experience some fast weight loss due to a drop in water.

Foods to Incorporate Into Keto Meals:

• Lots of oils and fats like olive oil, coconut oil, butter, heavy cream, other plant-based oils and animal fats (Beware of trans fats, margarine and the overuse of vegetable oils, which can be pro-inflammatory)
• Meats, especially higher fat meats like chicken thighs, salmon, pork ribs, eggs, cut of meat like a scotch fillet
• Low-carb fruits like berries, coconuts and avocado
• Above-ground vegetables that tend to be lower in carbs
• Cheeses like cheddar cheese, blue cheese, feta cheese or low-carb vegan cheese
• Low-carb sweeteners like xylitol, stevia and erythritol
• Drink plenty of water, and you can enjoy low-carb milk (e.g. almond milk, coconut milk), teas, black coffee, Keto coffee & bone broth

Foods to Avoid or Restrict in Keto Meals:

• Anything high in carbs that will blow your limit
• Bread, rice, pasta and cereals
• High-sugar fruits such as grapes, cherries, figs and raisins
• Careful with below-ground vegetables (e.g. potatoes) as they contain higher carbs
• Watch out for going overboard on the protein – this is where a keto tracking app could help!
• No sugary sauces like ketchup and BBQ sauce
• No sugar-laden sodas, fruit juices and alcoholic drinks (especially cocktails that are loaded with sugar)

Keto Supplements

Sample 7-day Keto Diet Plan:

Monday: 

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with feta cheese, spinach and spring onion 

Lunch: Keto Smoothie using a Keto collagen creamer, avocado, coconut milk, avocado and blueberries 

Dinner: Keto fish and chips (use avocado instead of potatoes) 

Snacks: Broccoli chips, two small squares of 85% dark chocolate 

Tuesday: 

Breakfast: Pancakes using almond flour, eggs, baking powder and collagen or protein powder 

Lunch: Butter chicken salad 

Dinner: Baked salmon and pesto with a side of asparagus 

Snacks: 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter, salami with cheese 

Wednesday: 

Breakfast: Bulletproof coffee or Keto coffee (to get you through humpday!) 

Lunch: Oven-roasted chicken with zucchinis, cauliflower, pumpkin and onions 

Dinner: Grilled steak with white Keto cheese sauce and broccoli 

Snacks: ½ avocado topped with salmon roe, 1-2 boiled eggs 

Thursday: 

Breakfast: Poached eggs, bacon, mushroom and sauteed spinach 

Lunch: Bunless grass-fed burger 

Dinner: Beef pho using low-carb shirataki noodles 

Snacks: Keto mug cake with ½ scoop of (low-carb) protein powder, 1 tablespoon coconut butter 

Friday: 

Breakfast: Baked avocado eggs

Lunch: Spiced lamb skewers with tahini and cauliflower tabbouleh

Dinner: Scotch fillet with grass-fed butter and greens 

Snacks: 1-2 tablespoons of coconut butter, two squares of 85% dark chocolate

Saturday: 

Breakfast: Keto smoothie with protein powder, avocado, almond milk, coconut cream, chia seeds and MCT oil 

Lunch: Smoked salmon and avocado with a green salad 

Dinner: Satay chicken with zucchini noodles 

Snacks: 1-2 Keto fat bombs, a handful of nuts 

Sunday: 

Breakfast: Mushroom omelette 

Lunch: Tuna salad with boiled eggs 

Dinner: Keto Pizza made with a cauliflower base, topped with pesto and plenty of meat, cheese, and Keto approved vegetables like tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms and capsicum 

Snack: 1-2 scoops of Keto ice cream 

Final thoughts: 

This is, of course, an example and you may want to change keto meals based on your own tastes and preferences. It could also be easier to meal prep these meals too.

It is also ok to slip up, just stick to your keto diet plan, and you could soon see the results!