Video | Total (Not Net) Carbs | Menu #1 Cooking Required | Menu #2 Minimal Cooking | Menu #3 No Cooking

Keto diets are popular because they work for weight loss. Much of this benefit is because this way of eating keeps your blood sugar low, which keeps the fat-storing hormone, insulin, low. Those low values give your cells a break from the constant bombardment of insulin, allowing them to regain insulin sensitivity, release fat, and revitalize your metabolism.

But what does a keto diet look like, and how do you piece meals together when you only have 20 grams of carbohydrates to play with? This blog post shares three days of keto menus. One for those who love to cook. One for those who tolerate cooking. And one for those who want to stay out of the kitchen. 

Counting Carbs to Lose Weight: What 20g Looks Like (Video)

In this video, you’ll learn…

• Why 20 grams of carbs a day is a good weight loss strategy.
• Keto menus for those who love to cook and those who do not.
• Recipe inspiration for your health journey.

Total Carbs or Net Carbs? 

Each of the keto menus consists of three meals and contains 20 total grams of carbohydrates. I chose to demonstrate a 20-gram-per-day diet because it is the one that seems to have the most interest. However, everyone’s carb tolerance is different, and some keto dieters choose to count net carbs, which would increase the total count. 

I have explained why I count total, not net, carbs in multiple videos. My top reason is that when it comes to processed foods, net carbs open the door to deception at worst and wishful thinking at best. Those are two things you don’t want when your goal is weight loss. 

For example, the label of a keto brownie mix may say that there are only 3 grams of net carbs per serving. That means you can eat almost seven brownies and stick to your keto diet. It would be fantastic if that worked for weight loss – It won’t. 

I Love Cooking! 

For those who love to cook, here is what a day of eating keto can look like. 

• Mushroom & Spinach Omelet (4.8g)
• Tuna Salad on Greens (6.9g)
• Baked Cod & Veggies (4.3g)

You can have an omelet with low-carb vegetables like mushrooms and spinach in the morning. The eggs can be cooked in oil, which is pure fat. When it comes to cooking oils, I like to use avocado oil. 

For lunch, you can mix up tuna salad or use a packet of salmon to make salmon salad and place it on a bed of greens with non-starchy vegetables. I like to use tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion, and add an oil-based dressing. 

For dinner, think protein and non-starchy vegetables. For this menu, I included baked cod and veggies. 

The total carb count for this daily menu is only 16 carbs. That gives you 4 grams of wiggle room for the day, so you can elect to add another low carb veggie to a meal or have a low carb snack like cheese or raw nuts. 

Non-starchy vegetables are the best carb choice for keto dieters because they are naturally low in calories and carbs and add volume to your diet, which helps you stay full longer. 

Also, notice that this is a low-saturated fat diet. If your doctor told you to go on a Mediterranean diet, but you long for the quick weight loss of keto, you can do both simultaneously. You can Google recipes to find similar ones to those I am showing.

Most of the recipes in this blog post are from my Mediterranean Keto Cookbook.

I’m Willing to do Some Cooking

For those who are willing to cook but don’t love it, you can put together a healthy diet. Here is your keto menu number two. 

• Deviled Eggs (1.8g)
• Taco Salad (10g) 
• Shrimp Stir Fry (7.8g)

You can start your day with deviled eggs, made by hard-boiling eggs and mixing the yolks with mayo and mustard. 

For lunch, mix cooked ground meat with taco seasoning, put the meat on a bed of greens along with cheese and sour cream, and have a simple but satisfying taco salad. 

If you like to cook, you can mix up your own taco seasoning mix and take the health value up a notch. As you’ll see as we progress, the farther you get away from cooking, the more processed foods you’ll encounter. 

For dinner, stir fry is the ultimate quick and healthy keto-friendly meal. You can use whole vegetables, like zucchini ribbons or noodles, or use a bag of frozen vegetables and pre-cooked chicken or shrimp from the grocery store. 

These three meals add up to 19.6 grams. You can spread the meals throughout the day, or if you practice intermittent fasting, you can eat all three within a shortened eating window. 

I Cringe at Cooking

You can eat a keto diet without cooking.

• Raspberry Cheesecake Cup (6.3g)
• Grocery Store Salad Bar (10.5g) 
• Costco Pre-Cooked Beef (1g)
• Additional 1/4th of Grocery Store Salad (2.6g)

If you are willing to smash a few ingredients, you can make a Raspberry Cheesecake Cup for breakfast. It has only 6.3 grams of carbs and is made by mashing together raspberries and cream cheese until they are smooth and adding coconut milk, vanilla, and a pinch of Stevia. 

For lunch, visit the local grocery store salad bar. Salad is a great way to fill your stomach and acts as a wonderful vehicle for getting healthy fats into your body. Start with a bed of greens and add a few tomatoes, slices of hard-boiled eggs, feta cheese, green olives, sunflower seeds, and oil and vinegar dressing. 

Before leaving the salad bar, fill up a smaller container with the same ingredients as your lunchtime salad (2.6g). You can have that for dinner along with a pre-cooked meat from Costco or a similar store. 

This total day’s carb count is 20.4g, and your time in the kitchen is minimal. 

Final Word

There you go, three keto menus that keep your total carb intake at 20 grams or less per day. These are examples being presented to a worldwide audience. So your food choices and calorie requirements may need to be adjusted to meet your needs. 

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful week!

About the Author

Becky Gillaspy, DC, is the author of The Intermittent Fasting Guide and Cookbook. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with research honors from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1991.