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.

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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:

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 gut microbiome, help prevent constipation, lessen symptoms of IBS, lower blood sugar, reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes, and can decrease your cardiovascular and stroke risk[*][*][*][*][*].

But, that’s only if you practice portion control.

Just because these carbs are safe on keto doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all. You will still have to monitor your carbohydrate intake.

To help you get started, below is a sample 7-day keto diet plan which also includes a free printable grocery list.

Super Simple 7-Day Keto Diet Plan For Beginners

This keto diet plan contains recipes that won’t take long to whip up and they’re so delicious that everyone in your family — including picky eaters — will enjoy them.

You can see a week’s worth of meals first, then below are some shopping lists. Print them out or save them.

Here’s the sample keto meal plan:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 7:

With this information and sample meal plan under your belt, you’re ready to take the next step.

Keto Beginner Grocery List for Your Diet Plan

Take this printable grocery list with you when you go shopping so you can fill your cart with keto-friendly options and you’re not tempted by unnecessary carbs. After a few weeks of this, it will all become second nature.

Keto Beginner Grocery List

Produce

1/2 cup strawberries

4 large zucchinis

6 stalks green onion

4 cups romaine lettuce

1 medium tomato

2½ cups spinach

2½ cups romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

8 cherry tomatoes, sliced

3 small onions

1 cabbage

Juice of 1 lime

2 large cloves of garlic

2-inch nub of ginger root

4 baby bella mushrooms

1 tbsp. lemon zest

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

12 oz. frozen riced cauliflower

1 pack of frozen wild blueberries

1 medium green pepper

2 cups cauliflower rice

1/2 cup cilantro

1 large avocado

1/2 cup favorite salsa

2 small limes

1 cup chopped cucumber

Meats

1/2 lb. spicy Italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 lb. chicken breast, cooked

14 pieces of bacon

16 oz. (1lb.) shrimp (peeled, tail on)

12 slices pepperoni

4 lbs. 85% lean grass-fed ground beef

Dairy and Eggs

15 oz.full-fat ricotta cheese

40 oz.of shredded mozzarella cheese

10 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup parmesan cheese

¼ cup bleu cheese

8 oz. cream cheese

4 oz. cheddar cheese

29 large eggs

3 tbsp. grass-fed butter

7 oz. heavy whipping cream

4 oz. sour cream

Oils and Condiments

Butter, ghee, coconut oil, or lard

MCT oil or liquid coconut oil

Avocado oil

Chili paste

Coconut aminos

8 oz. beef bone broth

Herbs and Spices

Fresh basil

Vanilla extract

Ceylon cinnamon

Garlic powder

Chili powder

Cumin

Salt & Pepper

Mixed Italian herb seasoning

Red pepper flake (depending on how spicy you want the dish)

Psyllium husk

Nutritional yeast

Chili powder

Paprika

Baking Goods

1 box of unsweetened almond milk

Stevia or monk fruit sweetener

Cacao nibs

1 package of coconut flour

1 package of almond flour

16 oz. Rao’s marinara sauce

No-salt-added tomato sauce

1 can of tomato paste

1 can of diced tomatoes

Baking powder

Baking soda

Cream of tartar

Hemp hearts

Flax meal

Chia seeds

Coconut flakes

Cacao powder

Sesame seeds

Supplements

More Resources to Kickstart Your Keto Diet

Want even more ideas, tips, and tricks on how to get into ketosis and stay there?

Be sure to check out the Keto Kickstart program.

It includes everything you need, from printable food lists to grocery guides.

You’ll also learn how to eat out, stay in ketosis while traveling, and remain keto in the long-term. Even better, all this helpful information is completely free.

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