The ketogenic diet — or keto diet — is a low-carb diet gaining popularity for its many health benefits including weight loss, disease prevention, energy, and longevity. Early human studies suggest the keto diet may help fight obesity, diabetes, metabolic disease — even cancer and Alzheimer’s disease . The short-term benefits of keto are also significant.
Fat loss, mental clarity, and higher energy levels are just a few of the benefits keto dieters report. If you’re ready to try it out for yourself, follow this detailed keto diet plan and grocery list so you know exactly what to buy.
Keto Meal Plan for Beginners: 2 Prep Steps
The goal of a healthy ketogenic diet is to help you reach the metabolic state of ketosis and improve your health.
That means your body goes from using carbohydrates (aka glucose) as fuel and starts burning fat (as ketones) for energy.
Once you’re in a state of ketosis, you’ll truly start to see and feel the benefits — from better mental clarity to more energy and maybe even weight loss.
But to start your diet and get into ketosis, you’ll need to prepare.
It all starts with calculating your ideal macronutrient intake.
Don’t worry — it’s super easy.
#1: Calculate Your Macros
First, use the keto calculator below to determine your specific carb needs.
For example, a common target on a keto diet is to limit your net carbs to under 20 grams per day.
But this is a general goal and may not be right for you, especially if your job keeps you on your feet all day or you enjoy working out 5-6 times per week.
Because of that, it’s essential you determine your unique carbohydrate needs so you can safely support your lifestyle while still getting into ketosis.
Using this calculator, you’ll be able to see how many grams of fat, carbs, and protein you’ll need to reach and maintain ketosis.
From there, it’s as simple as choosing the right foods and narrowing down the portions that will help you reach your targets each day.
#2: Supplement and Hydrate
Hydration and electrolyte supplementation are both critical to getting into ketosis quickly and painlessly.
When you cut carbs, your body will naturally start to deplete its glycogen stores.
When this happens, it’s natural to urinate more frequently. That means you’re losing water and electrolytes — mostly sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
And the more dehydrated you are, the more susceptible you are to the keto flu — a physiological response that some people experience when transitioning into ketosis.
The best way to combat keto flu is by staying hydrated and adding electrolytes back into your system through supplementation.
Light exercise, intermittent fasting, adding more dietary fat, and an exogenous ketone supplement can also help you get through the keto flu faster and make the process less painful.
The Best Keto-Friendly Foods for Your Diet Plan
When you’re first starting the keto diet, it may seem like you’re limited to a small list of foods. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
You can incorporate most vegetables, pastured, organic meat, eggs, and fish, and plenty of healthy fats.
Read on to find low-carb, high-fat foods to support your ketosis goals.
Fats: Top Healthy Fats on a Keto Diet
To keep your diet healthy, it’s important to choose high-quality fats — ones that come from nutrient-dense, whole food sources — not packaged ones.
There are plenty of fats and oils out there that you should avoid, including highly processed seed oils, conventional meat, and processed cheese.
If you stick to low-quality foods like these, you may never see the benefits of ketosis.
Not only that, you’re more likely to see adverse side effects like weight gain and high cholesterol when that doesn’t have to be the case.
Some of the best healthy fats on a keto diet include:
Grass-fed meats and organ meats
Wild-caught seafood
Grass-fed butter
Ghee
Eggs
Coconut oil
Coconut butter
MCT Oil and MCT oil powder
Cacao butter
Palm oil
Avocados and avocado oil
Macadamia nuts
Macadamia nut oil
Nuts and seeds
Protein: Best Protein Sources on a Keto Diet
Conventional animal protein contains hormones and antibiotics you won’t find in grass-fed, pastured meat, and eggs.
Plus, pastured protein tends to have more nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and vitamins A and E.
The best protein options to reach for are:
Grass-fed, fattier cuts of meat like steak and ground beef
Darker, fattier cuts of chicken, duck, or turkey
Pork options like tenderloin, chops, bacon, or ham
Fish, including mackerel, tuna, salmon, trout, halibut, cod, catfish, and mahi-mahi
Oysters, clams, crab, mussels, and lobster
Organ meats
Whole eggs
Grass-fed, full-fat dairy, including grass-fed butter, heavy cream, and cottage cheese
And lastly, while you won’t be enjoying the same carbs on keto, there are some carbs you’ll still want to include.
Carbs: Keto-Friendly Carbohydrate Sources
As you’ve probably seen in your macronutrient calculator results, somewhere between 5-10% of your calories will come from carbohydrates.
Reach for low-carb, nutrient-rich options such as:
Leafy greens like kale, spinach, Swiss chard, bok choy, and romaine
Radicchio
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Asparagus
Artichokes
Celery
Cucumber
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Kohlrabi
Onions
Bell peppers
Spaghetti squash
Nuts (almonds, macadamias, Brazil nuts, and walnuts)
Raspberries and blackberries
Chia and flax seeds
These healthy sources of carbs also have plenty of fiber, which can help you feel fuller faster so you’ll consume fewer calories.
High-fiber veggies, nuts, and seeds can also help balance your