A Week of the Keto Diet: 7-Day Keto Meal Plan

 

Ketogenic diets—a subset of low carb diets—have been around for decades, with different forms of ketogenic diets being used to help facilitate weight loss and manage conditions like diabetes and epilepsy. 1 Ketosis is when your metabolism starts to burn fat for fuel instead of carbs and sugar, and during this metabolic shift, the liver also produces ketones in a process known as ketogenesis. 2 Atkins 20® or Atkins 40® are ketogenic diets, but unlike the standard keto diet, these versions of Atkins are less restrictive because as you climb the carb ladder, you get more food choices and a better balance of macronutrients. 3

With Atkins 20®, net carbs are restricted to 20g or fewer per day for a two-week induction phase to guarantee that ketosis is achieved, before gradually adding small amounts of net carbs back into your diet. Consuming a well-constructed keto diet that’s low in carbs, moderate in protein, and high in healthy fats—as you do on Atkins 20® or Atkins 40®—has shown to be safe and effective. 4 Typical of Atkins 20®, this 7-day keto plan is broken down as follows:

60–70% fat: Keto diets replace the calories that typically come from carbs with an increase in the percentage of calories coming from fat. 5 But not all fat is created equal. Reach for healthy fats from high-quality plant and animal sources, such as olive oil and coconut oil as well as eggs, avocados, cheese, and fish.

20–30% protein: Following a keto diet requires eating an adequate amount of protein to supply your liver with amino acids, which help make new glucose for the cells and organs in your body that can’t use ketones as fuel. Eating too much protein can suppress ketosis, but not consuming enough can lead to a loss in muscle mass. 6

5–10% carbs: On a keto diet like Atkins, you’ll limit your net carb intake to 20 to 40 grams per day. To ensure you’re getting all of your required nutrients, especially fiber, it is important that the carbs you do eat come from vitamin and mineral-rich foundation vegetables.