Speed Keto Meal Plan: 7-Day Healthy Recipe Ideas

You’ve probably heard of the traditional low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet. So what’s new with the speed keto meal plan craze?
You’ve probably heard of the traditional low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet. So what’s new with the speed keto meal plan craze?

Are you supposed to eat an avocado shrimp salad really fast – five bowls in under a minute? 

Or maybe it’s all about eating so fast that your body doesn’t have time to process the calories and they just magically disappear?

Not really.

Back in the day, the only diet that was making waves was keto, but then Dr. Harlan Kilstein came up with a diet program known as the speed keto program: a blend of a low-carb diet and intermittent fasting.

Before we share our speed keto meal plan – 7-day healthy recipe ideas – let’s try and understand what speed keto is and how it can help you.

What Is Speed Keto?

Speed keto combines a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet with intermittent fasting or one-meal-a-day fasting (OMAD). 

The main focus is to enter ketosis – to shift from the usual carb-burning mode to a more efficient fat-burning mode. So when carb intake and insulin levels are low, the fat is converted into molecules called ketones that fuel our cells. 

Here are the macronutrient ratios of a standard keto meal:

Fat 70–80%
Protein 10–20%
Carbs 5–10% (less than 50 grams a day)

Source: Harvard, Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss

For a 1,500-calorie diet, this translates to 125 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbs, and 56 grams of protein or 1,050 calories from fat, 300 calories from protein, and 150 calories from carbohydrates.

You’ll be consuming lots of healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and coconut oil, low-carb veggies like spinach and broccoli, and protein from sources like grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, and organic eggs.

Since you’ll only be eating one meal a day, it’s important to ensure that it contains all the necessary micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, as well as the appropriate macronutrients, such as fat, protein, and carbohydrates (less than 50 grams).

Speed Keto Benefits

Speed keto is the perfect way to get all the benefits of a traditional keto diet plan without spending all day in the kitchen. With one-meal-a-day intermittent fasting, you can cut down on cooking time and start seeing results faster.

Here are a few benefits of following a speed keto diet plan:

1. Faster transition into ketosis

Typically, it takes 2–4 days for someone to get into ketosis. 

When your carb levels drop and your body is still not accustomed to burning fat for fuel, you typically suffer from what’s known as keto flu. This can cause brain fog, fatigue, irritability, nausea, difficulty sleeping, and constipation.

With speed keto, intermittent fasting will help burn through your carb reservoir faster, reducing the keto flu window. Depending on your metabolism, you will be able to transition into ketosis faster – in just 1–2 days.

2. Accelerates weight loss

When your body uses ketones to fuel your body and brain, you feel less hungry due to the suppression of ghrelin. Now combine this with intermittent fasting, and you’ve got a winning weight loss combo.

When you are on a keto diet, your body burns fat, plus you’re on a high-fat, low-carb diet – perfect for weight loss.

Intermittent fasting makes it hard to consume extra calories. You can’t consume 2,000 calories in one sitting unless you’re The Rock. 

3. Reduces inflammation

A traditional keto diet and intermittent fasting help reduce inflammation. 

How? Ketosis leads to the secretion of β-hydroxybutyrate. This ketone body helps in promoting anti-inflammatory action.

Similarly, intermittent fasting reduces monocytes (cells that cause inflammation) in your blood.

Moreover, the speed keto diet program helps in reducing hypoglycemic stress, protects fasting-stimulated stem cells, and increases cellular renewal.

Dangers of Speed Keto

Just like not every shiny object is a treasure, the speed keto diet comes with its own set of downsides and potential health risks. Here are a few worth mentioning:

1. Speed keto may not be sustainable

It becomes increasingly hard to sustain speed keto in the long run. The inability to attend social events, having different food preferences, time constraints, and health conditions can make speed keto unsustainable. The strict rules of speed keto can make it challenging to follow the diet over the long term, leading to “yo-yo” dieting and weight regain.

Besides, there are downsides to observing OMAD for an extended period of time. It can cause higher blood pressure levels, higher chances of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, and increased LDL cholesterol levels.

In summary, it is not recommended to follow speed keto for an extended period of time without proper medical supervision.

2. Contributes to muscle breakdown

A speed keto plan may hinder muscle-building efforts due to its restrictive nature and limited protein intake. Reduced carbohydrate intake in the eating window in speed keto and traditional keto leads to muscle breakdown, making it increasingly difficult to build muscle.

Moreover, sustaining the appropriate protein intake (0.5–0.8 grams per pound of body weight) is difficult when you eat one meal a day. For example, if someone weighs 150 pounds, they need to consume 120 grams of protein in just one meal.

7-Day Speed Keto Meal Plan Recipe Ideas 

If you are ready to take on speed keto, you must make sure your daily meals are easy to prepare, packed with healthy fats, and nutrient-rich. 

Your speed keto meal plan should have all the necessary nutrients since you’ll only be eating one meal a day and burning fat. 

If you don’t want to look like a wilted vegetable just because you skimped on the good stuff, plan your macros and micronutrients carefully as per keto food pyramid.

Here are our 7-day speed keto recipes you should integrate into your speed keto marathon.

Monday: Salmon, Bell Pepper, and Zucchini Skewers 

Salmon, bell pepper, and zucchini skewers.

If you are mon-dazed after rocking it on the weekend, we have a salmon, bell pepper, and zucchini skewer surprise for you.

Fresh veggies, flaky salmon, and a punch of flavor from the garlic powder and smoked paprika – this 840-calorie recipe has all the ingredients to take you to the palate paradise.

This meal can be prepared in just 15 minutes, so even if you oversleep on a typical Monday morning, you won’t need much effort to make it.

Depending on your eating window, you can also whip up this meal for dinner or lunch.

What you can serve with this meal:

Tuesday: Ramen With Zucchini Noodles and Beef

Ramen with zucchini noodles and beef

Who needs Taco Tuesday when you can have Ramen Tuesday?

By swapping traditional noodles with zucchini noodles, this ramen becomes a low-carb and keto-friendly option that still hits all the right spots. 

And the tender slices of beef filet on top? Just the extra flavor punch you need during speed keto.

If you strictly follow the Samurai approach to eating ramen, this dish would be the perfect fit for lunchtime on a cold day. Although, you can eat it whenever you want, depending on your eating schedule. 

What you can serve with this meal:

Wednesday: Sesame Beef Filet With Vegetables

Sesame beef filet with vegetables.

Eating sesame beef filet with vegetables on Wednesday is like having a midweek party in your mouth.

This speed keto meal is packed with protein and healthy fats, making it a perfect meal for a quick Wednesday lunch or a light and refreshing dinner. 

What’s so great about this recipe? The vegetables! Apart from fulfilling all the keto requirements, you get tons of essential vitamins and minerals too.

It takes just 20 minutes to cook sesame beef filet with vegetables and doesn’t require Master-chef-level expertise. 

The 563-calorie count might not be enough for some people, so we suggest combining this dish with cauliflower rice or roasted Brussels sprouts. You can also have a keto snack after having a meal to bump up your calorie intake.

What you can serve with this meal:

  • Keto Brussels sprouts
  • Roasted broccoli
  • Garlic broccoli
  • Avocado slices with salt and pepper
  • Hard-boiled eggs

Thursday: Tuna and Egg Bowl With Veggies 

Tuna and egg bowl with veggies.

Treat yourself to a delicious tuna and egg bowl with veggies meal to power through your Thursday.

Tuna is rich in protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Combine it with an egg bowl and some colorful veggies, and you’ll have a full-blown keto meal that is easy to make. These low-carb veggies won’t spike your blood sugar, so they’re perfect for staying in ketosis.

You don’t need a lot of time and effort to prepare eggs and veggies. So even if you are in a hurry, you only need 15 minutes to throw together this keto goodness.

Plus, with a whopping 44.20 grams of fat per serving, you’ll be speeding down the keto highway with your hands in the air!

If 561 calories are too low, you can drizzle some extra virgin oil on top or sprinkle some shredded cheese. If that still doesn’t cut it, you can take a keto snack like keto cereal or keto crackers after the meal.

What you can serve with this meal:

Friday: Chicken Stir-Fry With Sesame Seeds

Chicken stir-fry with sesame seeds.

If you are an Asian cuisine lover, this keto recipe will be the perfect dish to kick off your Friday night feast as part of your 7-day keto plan. Believe it or not, this homemade keto meal is much better than your average sesame chicken takeout!

Chicken for protein and sesame seeds for healthy fats – this speed keto meal is packed with all sorts of keto-friendly goodies. 

The superstars of this recipe are sesame seeds. These little guys are packed with healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which help to keep your heart and brain healthy.

If you want to stack up some more calories, you can add a cup of cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles or two tablespoons of coconut cream.

What you can serve with this meal:

Saturday: Salmon With Avocado Salsa

Salmon with avocado salsa.

Drained from all work-related stuff during the weekdays? This dish is going to give you a headstart into the weekend.

Salmon is a great source of protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids, while avocado provides a dose of healthy fats and fiber. Plus, the recipe is easy and quick to prepare (only 15 minutes), making it a great option for busy weeknights.

If you want to make things interesting, try adding some low-carb vegetables like zucchini or bell peppers to the avocado salsa for extra fiber and nutrients.

If you are in a calorie deficit and want to stack up some more calories, you can take some other keto-friendly side dishes like roasted Brussels sprouts or keto garlic bread with this meal.

What you can serve with this meal:


Sunday: Shrimp Skewers With Vegetable Salad

Shrimp skewers with vegetable salad.

Protein, healthy fats, and low-carb veggies come together to create this delicious meal for you to end the week with a bang.

Shrimp is an excellent source of protein and healthy fats, while the veggies in the salad provide fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Whether you’re looking for a hearty Sunday lunch or a light and refreshing dinner before the Monday madness, this keto meal is perfect.

If you want extra calories, throw some cheesy cauliflower breadsticks, cauliflower rice, or keto garlic bread with your meal.

What you can serve with this meal:

What to Drink on Speed Keto

During the fasting window, you can take the following keto-friendly drinks

  • Water 
  • Mineral or sparkling water
  • Black coffee
  • Tea or herbal tea 

All these drinks will help in keeping your metabolism in fat-burning mode. Also, make sure you don’t use milk, sugar, or any other additives.

As for your speed keto eating window, you can consume the following calorie-containing drinks:

  • Keto smoothie
  • Keto coffee
  • Butter, ghee, heavy cream, and coconut oil with tea or coffee
  • Keto hot chocolate with unsweetened cocoa powder, heavy cream, and a low-carb sweetener
  • Keto milkshakes with almond milk, heavy cream, low-carb protein powder, and a low-carb sweetener

Why Do People Practice Speed Keto?

People want results, and they want them fast. Speed keto is like traditional keto on wheels, and people love trying out diet plans that can yield results quickly. Moreover, keto combined with intermittent fasting offers some great health benefits. 

Here are a few reasons why people practice speed keto:

  • They are tired of counting carbs and want to switch things up with a new approach to keto.
  • They want to lose weight while enjoying high-fat foods. The fasting period helps deplete glycogen stores in the body, forcing the body to turn to stored fat for fuel.
  • The secretion of β-hydroxybutyrate and reduction of monocytes in the blood helps their bodies promote anti-inflammatory action.
  • Speed keto may improve insulin sensitivity in people, which is important for managing blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
  • Intermittent fasting or time-restricted feeding like speed keto helps with autophagy (cellular renewal).

Conclusion

Speed keto is like a keto diet on steroids – you get the same benefits of a traditional keto diet but with the added benefit of entering ketosis more quickly.

If you’re looking for a fun and challenging way to jumpstart your weight loss journey and don’t want to sacrifice delicious, fatty foods, the speed keto program might be just the thing for you. 

With its strict feeding window and our speed keto meal plan, you’ll be able to enjoy your speed keto weight loss journey to the fullest.

If you’ve decided to try speed keto but are worried about how you’ll track your meals, the Keto Cycle app offers personalized ketogenic diet plans, easy progress tracking, and smart insights to keep you on track. Plus, with access to a nutritionist and a supportive community, you’ll be unstoppable.

Happy speed keto-ing!

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Category: Meal Plans