Does anyone have simple KETO meal plans they can share?

Sandypants2017
Sandypants2017 Posts: 27 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Whenever I look online I only find meal plans that are too costly or too complicated.

Replies

  • AllSpiceNice
    AllSpiceNice Posts: 120 Member
    Hi sandypants - a meal plan like you describe above is not necessary and certainly doesn't need to cost money or be complex.

    My suggestion: log all food and drink that goes in your mouth for a week or two. Focus just on learning how to log accurately. (Weighing food, measuring liquids, and finding accurate database entries for these in the MFP database.)

    Next, compare your daily calorie consumption with the calorie goal that you got from MFP. Find small ways to reduce your calorie consumption that work with you and your lifestyle. You might reduce portion sizes, or maybe substitute a higher calorie item like fried chicken with grilled skinless chicken instead.

    Whatever you do has to be something you can live with for the rest of your life, otherwise you are highly likely to gain the weight back. That's why it's so important to make slow, sustainable changes that work for YOU.

    Good luck to you! :smile:
  • AllSpiceNice
    AllSpiceNice Posts: 120 Member
    For the love of God, be sure you're logging all of those calories too. Keto seems to be effective for some folks, but not if you eat more calories than you burn. I learned that the hard way doing Atkins some years ago. ;-)

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Try here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

    Lots of knowledgeable folks there who can discuss keto and low carb diets with you.

  • stephmush
    stephmush Posts: 6 Member
    I am new to Keto too and we just did breakfast prep of small containers with scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon, and topped with shredded cheese. So in the morning we just heat it up and done. Starting with small easy prep work and going to build up to more once we get the hang of it. I think meal prep is always a work in progress!
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited October 2017
    Eating keto will be more expensive because you're cutting out carbs, which is cheap energy. On the other hand, it will be less complicated, because you're cutting out carbs. Sticking to it may or may not be easy - depends on whether you like that way of eating or not, whether it's compatible with your social life (if you eat out), whether it leaves you full and satisfied. Looking for meal plans online is a complicated way of doing it - you need to educate yourself about nutrition and how to eat healthy on keto, but you can and should eat food you like and can afford.

    Oh, and "keto" is not an acronym, it's an abbreviation for "ketogenic".
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Eating keto will be more expensive because you're cutting out carbs, which is cheap energy. On the other hand, it will be less complicated, because you're cutting out carbs. Sticking to it may or may not be easy - depends on whether you like that way of eating or not, whether it's compatible with your social life (if you eat out), whether it leaves you full and satisfied. Looking for meal plans online is a complicated way of doing it - you need to educate yourself about nutrition and how to eat healthy on keto, but you can and should eat food you like and can afford.

    Oh, and "keto" is not an acronym, it's an abbreviation for "ketogenic".

    our shopping bill has gone up by around £20 a week since my husband started eating low carb...
  • All1971
    All1971 Posts: 89 Member
    I like the recipes at https://www.wholesomeyum.com/ My other recommendation is to think about what you like to eat and then look for keto (or often paleo) versions of them - Google is your friend in this regard.
  • corgarian
    corgarian Posts: 366 Member
    When I started Keto my food bill went up but it's evened out since I got a Costco membership and buy all of our meat there. The meat is easily the most expensive part so I buy it in bulk now once a month, portion it all and freeze it.
    As for my daily meals:

    Breakfast: Coffee + Heavy whipping Cream + 1/2 scoop Protein Powder + Hard Boiled Egg = 238 calories

    Lunch: Any kind of meat slow cooked over the weekend with bbq sauce or salsa (4-7oz serving) + cup of frozen veggies = about 300-500 calories

    Dinner: This is the only meal of the day I dont pre-prep but I'll make fish, steak, burgers, sausage, meatloaf, taco salads, stews, pork chops, chicken wings.... anything really just remove the carbs and sugars.

    Snacks:
    peanut/almond butter (watch servings calories add up FAST with nuts)
    nuts
    avocados
    veggies and ranch dip or hummus
    apples with nut butter
    jerky
    pork rinds
    lunch meats wrapped in cheese
    this will sound gross but: pickles wrapped in cream cheese and turkey. I know, sounds gross.
    seaweed snacks
    boiled eggs
    fat bombs
    frozen fruit
    Halo Ice cream.
    bacon


    hope that helps some!!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I eat the same as before, and as the rest of my family, except I drop the starches and sugary foods (most fruits included).

    Breakfast is bacon and eggs (minus the toast), or just a coffee with heavy cream and maybe some protein powder. Leftovers are another favourite.

    Lunch may be tuna with celery and mayo - no bread; a salmon patty with some cucs and a cheese dip; leftover burger patty with some tomato; deli meats and cheese.

    Dinner is modified to remove the carbs like tacos - meat on lettuce with cheese, mayo, guacamole, sour cream. Last night was meatloaf stuffed with cheese and broccoli baked in cheese. Thanksgiving (and days after) was turkey, ham, some baked turnip, brussel sprouts, roasted veggies.

    There is no need to get creative. Just drop carbs and replace them with more fat and protein... or don't replace them all to create your caloric deficit.

    Good luck.
  • Lisa8823168
    Lisa8823168 Posts: 139 Member
    Hi Sandypants.
    Keto is not just counting carbs. There is a formula of calories, carbs, fat and protein. You can find a keto calculator online and adjust your MFP macros to the ranges suggested.

    I have done Keto for some time, even works with my 50/50 travel job. No outrageous high daily calorie count and my LDL/HDL is outstanding. It is a different learning curve because your considering multiple macros in food and not just counting calories. Once you get the hang of it, like anything else, it becomes easy.

    I eat a balanced diet everyday that include veggies and fruit. Healthy fats from fish rather than dairy are a part of my routine but I do like cheeses. Tonight I am having Oven Baked Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Brussels Sprouts and Cheese Cake (from an internet recipe) with strawberries for dessert.

    I have allergies so avoiding flour and wheat work in my favor, using substitutes commonly found at Kroger and Publix. I am a fan of Hemp Hearts (nut taste), chia seeds in various forms, almond flour and flax, also in various forms. Doing your cooking and baking will net better rewards but knowing exactly what is in my food is something that matters to me. It may not be your thing. You can do it with grocery store packaged food, but that is not my passion...eating out for work related travel is more than enough risk for me (again-the allergies).

    When I crave something, I Google "low carb recipe for XXX" and choose from a host of recipes just on the net. I take what I like to eat and research the best keto form of that food for me...also aiming for a typical balanced diet from various food groups. A meal plan is really not what you need as much as learning and researching the marco's of what you like to eat.

    I recognize this works for me and my life but it is not for everyone. However, I am healthier than I have been in years and really enjoy an active life...that body in my pic is a fifty-something and it makes me proud!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    lisawolfinger wrote: »
    Hi Sandypants.
    Keto is not just counting carbs. There is a formula of calories, carbs, fat and protein. You can find a keto calculator online and adjust your MFP macros to the ranges suggested.

    I have done Keto for some time, even works with my 50/50 travel job. No outrageous high daily calorie count and my LDL/HDL is outstanding. It is a different learning curve because your considering multiple macros in food and not just counting calories. Once you get the hang of it, like anything else, it becomes easy.

    I eat a balanced diet everyday that include veggies and fruit. Healthy fats from fish rather than dairy are a part of my routine but I do like cheeses. Tonight I am having Oven Baked Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Brussels Sprouts and Cheese Cake (from an internet recipe) with strawberries for dessert.

    I have allergies so avoiding flour and wheat work in my favor, using substitutes commonly found at Kroger and Publix. I am a fan of Hemp Hearts (nut taste), chia seeds in various forms, almond flour and flax, also in various forms. Doing your cooking and baking will net better rewards but knowing exactly what is in my food is something that matters to me. It may not be your thing. You can do it with grocery store packaged food, but that is not my passion...eating out for work related travel is more than enough risk for me (again-the allergies).

    When I crave something, I Google "low carb recipe for XXX" and choose from a host of recipes just on the net. I take what I like to eat and research the best keto form of that food for me...also aiming for a typical balanced diet from various food groups. A meal plan is really not what you need as much as learning and researching the marco's of what you like to eat.

    I recognize this works for me and my life but it is not for everyone. However, I am healthier than I have been in years and really enjoy an active life...that body in my pic is a fifty-something and it makes me proud!

    Congrats on your success!

    I do think that the bolded is not exactly right though. Keto is about counting carbs - keeping carbs under 50g a day or lower so you are in ketosis almost all of the time. That can be done on low (for medical reasons) to high protein, and with moderate to high fat. It can include lots of veggies and a bit of fruit, all the way to a vegan diet, or down to no plant matter eaten at all. Diets can be entirely whole food based or included lots of processed foods. The only common trait is sometimes low carbs... A good thing as it makes the diet more accessible to a wider variety of people. :)
  • Lisa8823168
    Lisa8823168 Posts: 139 Member
    I don't know how to respond to a specific post, as you did to mine...but I wanted to say that I don't disagree with you at all...but, regardless of the formulas you pointed out, it is about more than counting carbs, which is why I said-Keto is not just counting carbs.

    Everyone has their unique formula for their unique situation and carbs matter but the macro balance each person needs is an important factor.

    I think we are on the same page, just a different way of expressing it.
  • India411
    India411 Posts: 20 Member
    I have a family with 3 kids so have to work around that. One of my faves is taco salad..on taco night! Everything but the shell..so it's of romaine, hamburger, some cheese, sour cream, avacado, salsa ...oh man it's yummy n I don't miss the shell! Pork chops cooked in avacado/butter m olive oil over sauteed spinach/onions/muchrooms with ranch to dip chops in...
    Linquica or keilbasa chunks mixed in with scrambled eggs n cheese..all cooked 8n Kerigold grass fed butter...tell me that doesn't sounds amaze-balls! I'm Cape Verdean so like my food and loving keto so far! Hope this helps! Oh and cheeseburger (no bun) with bacon slices, thin tomatoes, dill pickles, mayo and side of salad or broccoli....yum-yum..
  • India411
    India411 Posts: 20 Member
    With a family, which includes a 19, 15 and 4yr old wreaking havok I have to keep it simple and affordable! So I'm right with you...all the recipes cost so much to get all the stuff. Keep it simple and it will keep u smiling!! Even just lunch met sliced ontoo of salad with greens, cuces, celery, feta, avacado, olive oil and ranch!!
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