Free 7-Day Easy Keto Meal Plan—Minimal Cooking Required

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. 5 COMMON ROADBLOCKS ON A KETO MEAL PLAN
2. EASY 7 DAY KETO MEAL PLAN
3. KETO GROCERY LIST
4. BONUS KETO NUTRITION

Want a keto meal plan that takes the thought out of what to eat, gives your body tons of nutrition AND brings flavorful variety to your plate (without having to spend all day in the kitchen)? Look no further than this (free) 7-day Keto Meal Plan—low on cooking and extensive recipes, high on flavor, variety and nutrition foods that actually make you feel good (no bloating, constipation or hanger included).

Nutrition protocols, like the keto diet, can work well for some people who desire structure for what to eat, or a short-term health reset. In fact, the keto diet has been connected to several positive health outcomes such as:

• Resetting your metabolism or hormones
• Firing up your brain power
• Kicking sugar cravings to the curb
• Boosting energy
• Reversing, stalling or preventing neurological conditions
• Busting inflammation

However, no ONE diet is perfect for everyone and 5 common roadblocks people following a keto meal plan run into include:

1. Getting Stuck in a Food Rut
2. Constipation & Bloating
3. Going Through an Identity Crisis
4. Nutrient Deficiencies
5. Hormone Imbalances

If you follow a keto meal plan or you’re thinking about adding more fat into your diet to see how you feel, let’s hack these 5 roadblocks on a keto meal plan (to save you from running into them yourself).

Then we’ll set you up for success with a free 7-day easy keto meal plan (full of variety, flavor and nutrition, low on cooking and complicated recipes).

5 COMMON ROADBLOCKS ON A KETO MEAL PLAN

1. 1. Keto Roadblock #1: Getting Stuck in a Food Rut.

Eggs and bacon, butter coffee, MCT oil, cheese, avocado, some green things and protein. Sleep. Repeat. Eat. Since keto cuts out a vast majority of foods from one of the largest food groups (carbohydrates), it can be easy to resort to eating the same foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It’s not necessarily a “bad” thing to eat things you enjoy, but when we eat the same things day in and day out, food can become more like a chore (no wonder fasting and intermittent fasting becomes a go-to for many…they are bored with food anyway). Hello food rut! We also miss out on key essential nutrients our body needs for overall health. For instance, it’s one thing to know greens are good for us, but if we just eat broccoli or spinach every day as our greens, we are only getting one facet of nutrients greens provide. And butter is tasty, but provides a completely different fatty acid profile (saturated fatty acids, including butyric acid) than avocado (primarily monounsaturated fatty acids) or wild-caught salmon (omega-3 fatty acids)—all of which are necessary for optimizing brain function, digestion, cellular energy and metabolism.The result? Nutrient deficiencies, impaired digestion, and in some cases, food intolerances—eating the same things every day can form antibodies or intolerances to these foods. Variety is the spice of life!

2. 2. Keto Roadblock #2: Constipation & Bloating.

Xyilotol, stevia, erynhriol, almond flour, almond meal, nutbutter, butter coffee, cheese—bring it on! Many keto meal plans and keto diet advocates say “as long as it’s keto, you’re golden”—in other words, “If it doesn’t have carbs, it’s fair game’” Unfortunately, digestive health is rarely discussed. Things like:Artificial Sweeteners Cause Gas & Bloating.
Many man-made keto replacement shakes, pre-workout powders, bars and recipes are just as devoid of nutrients (or stocked with additives) as their mainstream processed counterparts, with similar side effects—like constipation and bloating (note: sweetenergas is for real ).

Lack of Soluble Fiber Can Cause Constipation
By nature, keto diets are low in soluble fiber—the kind of carbs that help you “go” #2. The “low carb” non-starchy keto staples (Like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, and cucumbers) are good for you too, but without “bulk” created by soluble fiber, some folks find they get backed up.

Nuts & Cheese Are Hard to Digest (Especially in Large Quantities)
While many of the ingredients used in popular keto recipes ARE “real foods,” but just like anything, our body can only process (and digest) so much of them at once. Almond flour, for instance, contains “anti-nutrients” by nature’s design that bind to other nutrients in our gut, prevent complete absorption and may trigger bloating or constipation. Hence, heaping quantities of almond flour in brownies, breads, crackers, pizza crusts and beyond can trigger discomfort. Likewise, cheese is yummy, but it’s not for everyone—particularly if you are sensitive to gluten—a cross-contaminating food with casein. Putting cheese on everything may help you reach your fat macros, but leave your gut in knots, bloated or constipated. In other words, even though the label may say “keto,” it doesn’t always mean your gut is happy.

3. 3. Keto Roadblock #3: Going Through an Identity Crisis.

You are what you eat—at least if you strictly adhere or follow a particular dietary philosophy. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten-free, AIP or Keto, it can be easy to fall into the trap of eating, breathing, sleeping and becoming what you eat—sometimes to an extreme. In the name of rule-following, you do whatever it takes to live by your dietary rules, sometimes leading to extremes of obsession with food, ketosis and all things Keto (or vegan, vegetarian, Paleo, etc.).

I’ve had clients describe to me moments of complete breakdown—like the one woman who burst into tears when she realized she just wanted some oatmeal with nuts, cinnamon and blueberries for breakfast, but “couldn’t have it;” the girl who sat in my office for an hour and discussed her guilt over eating half a banana in her smoothie that day; and the guy who was experiencing extreme HPA-Axis Dysfunction (“adrenal fatigue”), but couldn’t understand WHY because he was intermittent fasting, drinking butter coffee, working out 5 days per week and in ketosis. In other words: Keto had become such an identity for these folks, that they became more disconnected from their own ability to listen to their body and how they felt, and found themselves wrapped up in Keto culture. Cultures, groups and movements are cool, but there is often times so much more to our lives than what we put into our mouths and the protocols and food rules we follow.

4. 4. Nutrient Deficiencies

Many Keto diet plans are concerned with one thing—getting into Ketosis, with nutrition often being secondary. Now, this somewhat makes sense since Keto is a “therapeutic diet,” and in its purest form was intended to be just that (a short term reset, or nutrition protocol for diseases like epilepsy, diabetes and Alzheimers, as well as metabolic reset).Today, however, Keto has become a “way of life” for many folks—with no end in sight. Beyond a therapeutic dietary intervention, adherents “go Keto” for an indefinite amount of time—sometimes giving way to nutrient deficiencies if essential nutrients are not accounted for. Just like if you were to eat an “all protein diet” (chicken for every meal with very little veggies or fats) or “high carbohydrate diet” (potatoes as the base of every meal) or “no protein diet” or “low fat diet,” EVENTUALLY, you will experience side effects. The reason each macronutrient exists in nature is because they each give our bodies a different set of essential nutrients. Your mother’s breast milk was the PERFECT food—a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as probiotic and digestive enzyme boosters. Then you grew up, and had to make adult decisions on how to best supply your body with nutrients essential for “thrival” (thriving and survival). While some may find they do feel better on a higher-fat diet, while others feel better on a higher carbohydrate diet, or balance of all three, if we are not mindful of eating nutrient-dense, real whole foods on any particular dietary philosophy, nutrient deficiencies can happen.

The RICHEST sources of vitamins and minerals are found in colorful foods—veggies and fruits—two things that happen to be lower in consumption on a Keto diet. In fact, only 1 in 10 Americans reportedly eats the recommended MINIMUM amount of 3 veggies per day. The result? Nutrient deficiencies, or in laymen’s terms: Less energy, digestive dysfunction, thyroid dysfunction, a “slow metabolism,” skin breakouts, and beyond—side effects that stem from a lack of nutrients.

5. 5. Hormone Imbalances.

Hormones and Keto get a bad “rep in mainstream health world. “Keto causes nutrient imbalances,” #saidKetoCritics. While Keto does NOT cause hormone imbalances for EVERYONE, it IS something to be mindful of when “going Keto”—particularly if you’re under a moderate amount of stress as it is (i.e. training hard or working out alot, not sleeping enough ). Add low carbs, fasting and/or dieting to the mix and you can bet your bottom dollar that your hormones (especially cortisol  —stress hormone) are going to react. Although Keto can ALSO help some folks reset their hormones, this is typically best observed in folks who had blood sugar imbalances or metabolic dysfunction to begin with. If you are a lean individual, or highly active, Keto may not be the best from a hormonal perspective. Likewise, in my practice working with women worldwide, I’ve observed women tend to do best on strict Keto as a short term (2-8 week) intervention for blood sugar imbalances, then “better,” with a reincorporation of moderate carbohydrate, carbohydrate cycling or Keto mimicking diet added back to the mix (i.e. eating higher fat, but not neglecting carbs in moderate doses).

THE BOTTOM LINE

Keto CAN be a great dietary approach for MANY PEOPLE, but like many dietary fads, roadblocks can arise when we take the diet out of context.

EASY 7 DAY KETO MEAL PLAN

Alright, so now what should you eat on a Keto diet?!

Here’s an easy 7 day Keto meal plan— chock full with a variety of nutrient-rich, digestive-friendly Keto eats—without spending hours in the kitchen, guzzling Keto meal replacement shakes, or eating tons of gut-irritating foods (like almond flour or cheese in everything) in order to get your daily fat macros.

Some Keto meal plans include 3 different recipes to cook every day! Not this one! You’re a busy individual, and instead of giving you 21 NEW recipes to cook for the week, how about 4 that you can stretch out for your meals?

Here are 4 of my faves from around the web:

4 EASY KETO MEAL PLAN RECIPES FOR THE WEEK

1. Spaghetti Squash Chicken Casserole by Lexi’s Clean Kitchen
2. Anti-Inflammatory Meat Balls by Grazed & Enthused with Braised Cabbage by Paleo Porn
3. Crispy Chicken Thighs by Nom Nom Paleo  with Cauliflower Mash by Every Last Bite
4. Turkey Breakfast Sausage  & Rainbow Carrot “Fries” by Delicious Obsession

KETO GROCERY LIST

Produce

• Spaghetti Squash
• 2 lbs. Rainbow Carrots
• Cauliflower
• 4-6 Large Containers Organic Greens
• Frozen or Fresh Broccoli
• Cucumbers
• Veggies of Choice (for roasted veggies: zucchini, yellow squash, Brussels sprouts, asparagus)
• 16 oz. Mushrooms
• 2 Sweet Potatoes (gasp, yes)
• 1 Yellow Onion
• Garlic
• Cabbage
• Collard Greens or Romaine Lettuce
• Cilantro
• Lemon & Limes
• 5 Avocados
• Fresh or Shelf Herbs: Thyme, Sage, Turmeric, Ginger, Oregano.

Proteins

• 3 lbs. Ground Turkey
• 3 lbs. Grass-fed Ground Beef or Bison
• 2 lbs. Chicken Thighs
• 1 Pastured Whole Chicken
• 1-2 lbs. Wild-Caught Salmon (or other fish of choice)
• 1 Dozen Pastured Eggs
• Bone Broth (minimum: 64 oz. or 4 packs  – use code THRIVE for $10 off)
• Easy “Grab & Eat” Proteins to keep on hand (Organic Deli Turkey or Ham, Organic Rotisserie Chicken, Canned Wild Salmon or Tuna, Organic Salami)

Fats & Sauces (good to keep on hand at all times)

• Coconut Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pastured Bacon
• Duck Fat or Lard
• Paleo Mayo
• Paleo Ranch and/or Cesar
• Ghee
• Grass-fed Cheddar or Goat Cheese
• Olives
• Coconut Butter 
• Sunbutter or Almond Butter
• Macadamia Nuts (or other nut or seed of choice)
• Coconut Flakes (bulk section)
• Coconut Aminos 
• Apple Cider Vinegar

Keto Diet Meal Plan

Day 1

Breakfast

• 3 Pastured Eggs (or egg yolks, scrambled if sensitive to eggs)
• 2 Slices Pastured Bacon
• Greens & Mushrooms
• 1/3 Avocado

Lunch

• Canned Wild Tuna
• Greens
• Paleo Cesar Dressing
• Olives
• Roasted Veggies of Choice (asparagus, broccoli, etc.)
• Dinner
• Spaghetti Squash Chicken Casserole 

Day 2

Breakfast

• Butter Golden Milk Tea (use this recipe by Wellness Mama as a baseline)
  (coconut milk + ginger tea + turmeric + collagen peptides  + 1 tbsp. ghee or MCT oil)
  Lunch
• Leftover Spaghetti Squash Chicken Casserole

Dinner

• Kitchen Sink Stir Fry
   (ground bison or ground beef with carrots, broccoli, asparagus and coconut aminos in ghee or lard with sea salt and fresh herbs of choice)

Day 3

Breakfast

• Turkey Sausage
• 1/2 Avocado
• Sauteed Greens in Coconut Oil
  Lunch
• Leftover Kitchen Sink Stir Fry

Dinner

• Coconut Flake Crusted Baked Salmon
• Crispy Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts in Duck Fat

Day 4

Breakfast

• Green Smoothie (greens + coconut milk + cucumber + 1/2 green apple or green tipped banana + 1/4 avocado + carob powder + collagen peptides)

Lunch

• Leftover Salmon
• Greens
• Olives
• Oil & Vinegar

Dinner

• Crispy Chicken Thighs
• Cauliflower Mash
• Sauteed Greens in Coconut Oil

Day 5

Breakfast

• Turkey Sausage
• Pan-Fried Mushrooms
• 1/2 Avocado

Lunch

• Leftover Crispy Chicken Thighs
• Crispy Brussels Sprouts
• Spoonful Coconut Butter

Dinner

• Ground Turkey or Bison “Tacos” with Cilantro, Turmeric, Oregano, Sea Salt, Coconut Aminos
• Collard Green or Lettuce Wraps
• Roasted Yellow & Zucchini Squash with Olive Oil
• Guacamole

Day 6

Breakfast

• Leftover Taco Meat & Squash
• 1/2 Avocado

Lunch

• Turkey or Ham Rollups
• 1-2 Slices Grass-fed Cheese
• Celery Sticks
• Sunbutter or Almond Butter
• Cherry Tomatoes

Dinner

• Anti-Inflammatory Meat Balls
• Braised Cabbage
• Sauteed Mushrooms

Day 7

Breakfast

• Butter Golden Milk Tea (use this recipe by Wellness Mama as a baseline)
  (coconut milk + ginger tea + turmeric + collagen peptides + 1 tbsp. ghee or MCT oil)

Lunch

• Leftover Meatballs
• Green Salad with Sauerkraut
• Roasted Asparagus Spears
• Paleo Ranch or Cesar

Dinner
Leftovers from the Week (anything you have leftover that you and/or others did not eat, have at it or invite friends over for dinner)

BONUS KETO NUTRITION

Daily Keto Meal Plan Nutrient Boosters
 *In addition to your meals, it’s recommended you consume:

• 1 cup bone broth/day
• Filtered water, 1/2 bodyweight in ounces
• 1 fermented food of choice (sauerkraut, low-sugar kombucha, kefir or full-fat yogurt)
• Basic Supplements (see below)

Keto Meal Plan Supplements

No need to waste your money on Keto supplement powders, bars and Keto meal replacements! All you need are a few basics to ensure you have optimal digestion and absorption of your nutrients (SO you can get the most out of the healthy fatty acids you’re putting in to your body and actually get into ketosis faster).

Healthy Gut Bacteria: Probiotic & Prebiotic

• Soil Based Probiotic 
• Prebiotic  (Fiber to support elimination and probiotic absorption)

Complete Digestion & Absorption: Digestive Enzymes & HCL:

• Beta TCP  (Supports bile formation, fatty acid break down and elimination)
  Reach for Ox Bile  if you’ve had your gallbladder removed.
• HCL Tablets or Apple Cider Vinegar (boosts stomach acid and aids in debating)