My FREE 3 Day Keto Diet Plan with menu and recipes will get you into ketosis FAST, so you can start losing weight immediately! Set yourself up for success and scroll down to get all of your how to start keto questions answered below.
Thousands have used this free keto diet plan as an easy way to get started on the ketogenic diet – then have gone on to achieve their long term goals with incredible weight loss by using my 12 weeks of free keto meal plans with recipes for ketogenic meals and shopping lists included.
You can do it too!
Read on to find everything you need to know about the keto low carb diet in an easy to understand format, and get started today!
Table of Contents
- How to Succeed on the Keto Diet Plan…
- Basic Strategy for Getting into Ketosis Fast
- Free Keto Diet Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions – How to Start a Keto Diet
- How Many Carbs Should I Eat to Get into Ketosis?
- How Long Will it Take me to Get into Ketosis?
- How Will I Know if I'm in Ketosis?
- What is Keto Flu? Will I have keto flu symptoms on this plan?
- Do I need to track my macros for this keto diet plan to work?
- What foods should you avoid on a keto diet?
- What CAN you eat on a Keto Diet?
- 3 Day Keto Diet Plan in Summary:
- 3 Day Keto Menu Plan for Getting into Ketosis
- What do I do now that I'm in Ketosis?
How to Succeed on the Keto Diet Plan…
Some of you may be new to keto eating, and whether you are following Atkins, Keto, or another low carb plan, there are a few basic things you should know. The following are some things that I’ve found to be true by my own experience with low carb or keto dieting.
EAT ENOUGH SALT
I’m going to say that again so pay attention.
Eat enough salt!
When you eat keto your body doesn’t retain water the same way, so sodium and other important electrolytes get flushed out quickly. You need to replenish these or you will feel awful – it can even lead to heart palpitations, panic attacks, and other scary things.
Salted bone broth or stock is a great way to replenish your electrolytes while on the ketogenic diet. In addition, you should supplement potassium (I use a light salt which is half sodium and half potassium – works great and you can find it in your spice aisle) and magnesium to avoid lightheadedness, cramps, headaches, etc. Vitamin C is also good.
DRINK A LOT OF WATER
How much water do you need to drink on keto?
A LOT.
Think you’ve had enough? Wrong.
GO DRINK MORE WATER.
You should slosh when you walk and be pee-ing every 10 minutes like you’re 9 months pregnant with an 11 pound baby bouncing on your bladder like a pogo stick (you moms know what I’m talking about).
This is important. I don’t want to hear any whining about how you don’t like the taste of water, etc. You can throw of few drops of mio in there if you need to, but put your big girl pants on and drink it.
Aim for at least 100 ounces a day – especially in the first couple of weeks until your body adjusts. Then you can lower it to 99 ounces a day if you’re feeling confident…
Just kidding. DRINK THE WATER.
(Necessary internet disclaimer: Use your heads people – there is such a thing as too much water so don’t get crazy about it and drink 5 gallons a day, but do aim for a minimum of 100 ounces a day – maybe more if you have a lot of weight to lose or are working out heavily.)
SIMPLIFY FOR SUCCESS
Don’t obsessively plan everything and overwhelm yourself so it feels harder than it has to. This may be controversial for some, but I’m here to tell you not to worry about calories, or nitrates, or Omega 3 vs Omega 6, or if the meat you’re eating skipped about on acres of lush pastureland, while being hand fed organic vegan feed by the tiny perfect hands of 1000 virgin milkmaids.
Get into ketosis using this simple keto diet plan. Give your body time to adapt to it so you can function. THEN you can worry about fine tuning, deciding if you need to count total carbs, or if you’re eating the healthiest fats (olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, etc.) and all the other stuff. Seriously.
Along the same vein, some of my recipes on the blog include hemp seeds, coconut flour, almond flour, and other not so easy to find ingredients – IGNORE THOSE RECIPES (for now).
The focus here is, again, simplicity. You will likely be irritable, fatigued, and not feeling awesome during the first three days to a week. Trust me on this – the last thing you are going to want to do is make complicated meals.
READ LABELS – Don’t assume anything is a free food!
All brands are not created equal. Sometimes (but not always) you have to pony up on the keto diet for the name brand over the generic because the carbs are less – this is generally true with cream cheese for example.
When buying heavy cream, go organic if you can find it because some brands use thickeners that add carbs.
Buy your cheese in blocks or slices rather than in shreds – the shredded cheese is coated with food starch to avoid clumping and that adds carbs.
Garlic, onions, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, mushrooms, berries, and yes even some herbs and spices – all contain carbs that add up. If you aren’t getting into ketosis there is a reason – it’s usually hidden carbs that you aren’t counting. When in doubt, look it up on sites like Calorie King or My Fitness Pal to be sure.
If you are not, or never have been, the proud owner of your very own uterus, then I suggest you skip over this one. You’ve been warned.
This one is strictly for the ladies out there.
The first month or two on keto you may experience some strange periods (aka. Shark Week.) Don’t be alarmed. When you lose weight and your body detoxes from sugar and excess carbs, all kinds of hormonal changes (for the better) occur. Initially though, you may experience heavier periods than normal, more extreme PMS symptoms, etc. This is normal, and while it’s inconvenient it shouldn’t last more than a few months at the most.If your weight loss is rapid on keto (let’s hope), you may also lose more hair than normal for a month or two. It can be disconcerting, but it’s not permanent and will stop when your hormones regulate.
I have experienced all of these things on keto since I started, and I can promise you that the increased energy, weight loss, better skin, and other pros far outweigh these few temporary issues. Stay the course unless something seems really wrong, in which case you should see your doctor just to be on the safe side.
Basic Strategy for Getting into Ketosis Fast
The basic strategy on this 3 Day Keto Menu Plan is:
a) never get too hungry
b) stuff your face full of delicious, high fat, very low carb foods often
c) eat until you are full
Once you open the door to hunger, your resolve can fly right out the window and you’re back to square one (sadly, I speak from experience on this.)
If you follow this plan you can be confident that you will get into ketosis quickly!
Free Keto Diet Resources
If you have anxiety about eating more fat, or wonder if going keto will raise your cholesterol, here is a list of links to some great resources on the science of the Keto Diet, how and why it works, testimonials & success stories, etc.
Everything about Keto (Reddit Forum)
Keto FAQ (r/keto)
Keto Video Compilation (collection of free videos from around the web)
Low Carb High Fat for Beginners (website)
Guide to Ketosis (website)
Frequently Asked Questions – How to Start a Keto Diet
How Many Carbs Should I Eat to Get into Ketosis?
Eat 20g or less of net carbs per day if you want to get into ketosis.
Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the fiber grams (or sugar alcohols in some cases) from the total carbs grams. Don’t guess – you’d be surprised how many grams of carbs there are in things you might have considered “free” like onions, garlic, tomatoes, and kale, just to name a few.
It won’t be easy at first, but you NEED to stay the course. Your body is going to be like an angry child having a tantrum – IT WANTS SUGAR, PASTA, PIZZA, POTATOES, OR RICE NOW, but you aren’t going to give it any are you? ARE YOU???
Just like with children, the key is to distract, distract, distract (oooh shiny!) Give it something else desirable, (keto friendly snacks like bacon, cheese, etc.) even if it isn’t what it really wants. Don’t give in thinking you’ll feel better if you just eat a little bit of carbs – there is no compromising!
Eat 20g net carbs (or less) a day on the Keto Diet. LEARN IT!
It’s tough love time people, trust me on this.
How Long Will it Take me to Get into Ketosis?
On average it takes most people about three days to get into ketosis using this free keto diet plan. If you are very resistant or have never done keto before, it may take you as much as five days so hang in there.
How Will I Know if I’m in Ketosis?
I recommend that you purchase some ketostix – they aren’t expensive and you can even cut them in half to get double the strips. Some people say they don’t matter, but when you are suffering as much as you will be in the first few days, it’s nice to get the validation that it’s working.
The sticks will confirm that ketones are being excreted through your urine. That’s all. They won’t change color at all for no ketones, then there is trace (light pink) and it goes up from there to dark purple. The darkness of the stick doesn’t matter. As long as you are showing even trace amounts, then you are in ketosis and good to go. In fact, if you are showing really dark on the stick, you may be dehydrated and need to drink more water (see below.)
If you decide to stay on a keto diet for a longer time, you may want to invest in a blood glucose monitor (I like and use the Keto Mojo model) that will give a more accurate picture of how much ketones and glucose are in your blood.
What is Keto Flu? Will I have keto flu symptoms on this plan?
Yes. But DON’T PANIC.
If this is your first time doing keto you may be blindsided by the detox symptoms. I’m not going to lie, depending on how carb heavy your diet is when you start, you may wish you were dead by day three of this Keto Kick Start Plan.
You may experience headaches, bone deep fatigue, irritability, dizziness, nausea, and more, depending on your body.
Hang in there, it’s worth it! The first three days on the Keto Diet are the hardest. Some of you have done it before and know to just ride it out and it will all get better soon.
Those of you who may be new to what they call “keto flu” might panic, thinking your death is imminent. I can assure you that it is highly unlikely that you will die from sugar/carb withdrawal – but just to be sure it’s always wise to consult your doctor before you embark on any new eating plan, or if something feels truly off it’s better to be safe than sorry – seek medical attention if you feel it’s necessary – especially if you have a pre-existing condition like diabetes and are on medication to control your blood sugar.
Most symptoms of keto flu can be alleviated by supplementing electrolytes and drinking enough water.
Do I need to track my macros for this keto diet plan to work?
In a word, no. Not on this plan anyway because I’ve done all the tracking for you.
This 3 day ketogenic meal plan is Low Carbohydrate / Moderate Protein / High Fat in order to get you into ketosis quickly. You can fine tune and track macros once you’ve gotten the hang of it – or continue with my 12 weeks of free keto meal plans which, like this one, have done all the counting and tracking for you – it couldn’t be easier.
To find out how much fat/protein you should be getting for your body, try this handy keto calculator.
If you’re going to do this thing you have to commit to eating fat – throw your old ideas about fat = bad out the window and embrace it.
What foods should you avoid on a keto diet?
This is not an exhaustive list but these are some of the main things you need to avoid eating when on a keto diet:
Beans and legumes
Potatoes and sweet potatoes
Grains like wheat, corn, rice, and cereals
Sugar and natural sweeteners like agave, honey, and maple syrup
High sugar fruits
Starchy vegetables like butternut squash, plantains, and yucca/cassava
What CAN you eat on a Keto Diet?
There are endless combinations of food and it really depends on your personal preference.
Here is a brief list of foods that are excellent on a keto diet (There are many more):
Animal proteins like chicken, beef, pork, lamb, turkey, fatty fish
High fat dairy (sour cream, heavy cream, aged cheeses, keto friendly ice cream)
Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, greens, cauliflower, and cucumbers
Low-sugar berries like raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries in moderation
3 Day Keto Diet Plan in Summary:
Consume 20g or less of net carbs per day on this keto menu plan, not too much protein, lots of fat, drink at least 100 ounces of water per day, get plenty of salt and supplement with potassium and magnesium. Boom, three days later you’re in ketosis (which you can measure with your ketostix,) and on your way!
3 Day Keto Menu Plan for Getting into Ketosis
This free keto diet plan should be more than enough to get you started on the ketogenic diet, and well on your way to losing weight and feeling great!
Remember, we’re not concerned about calories right now – it’s just about getting into ketosis – lots of satiating fat, not a lot of carbs. That is all.
Day One
Breakfast
Cream Cheese Pancakes with butter and sugar free syrup (if desired)
coffee with heavy cream (& no carb sweetener if desired)
bacon or sugar free breakfast sausage
Snack
2-3 String Cheese
Lunch
Ham and Cheese rolled in Cream Cheese Pancakes with mayonnaise and arugula or spinach
Snack
Half an avocado with lite salt and pepper
Dinner
Classic Buffalo Wings
sugar free blue cheese dressing
celery sticks
Dessert
1 serving Chocolate Truffles (optional)
Day Two
Breakfast
Eggs (any style)
bacon or sugar free sausage
coffee with heavy cream (& no carb sweetener if desired)
Snack
Half an avocado with lite (potassium) salt and pepper
Lunch
Easy Keto Tuna Salad
Romaine lettuce leaves (just spoon it in and eat like a taco)
1 cup chicken broth
Snack
12 almonds and/or 2 string cheese
Dinner
10 minute no-chop chili
cheddar cheese, sour cream, and pork rinds for dipping (optional)
Dessert
1 serving Chocolate Truffles (optional)
Day Three
Breakfast
Cream Cheese Pancakes
coffee with heavy cream (& no carb sweetener if desired)
bacon or sugar free breakfast sausage
Snack
12 almonds and/or 2 string cheese
Lunch
Leftover 10 minute chili, tuna salad, or ham and cheese/pancake rollups
Snack
1 cup chicken bro
half an avocado with lite salt and pepper
Dinner
Easy Cajun Chicken
Cheesy Cauliflower Puree
2 cups baby spinach with carb free dressing
Dessert
1 serving Chocolate Truffles (optional)
Feel free to mix and match or eat the same thing every day if you want to – as long as you stay under 20g net carbs. I hope that you will let us know how it works for you in the comments – I’m curious to see how you guys fare on it.
What do I do now that I’m in Ketosis?
Finished with the kickstart? Congratulations! Now continue on your keto journey with the Week One Keto 7 Day Meal Plan and Shopping List!
Kathy Webber says
So happy I found your site, out of all the keto sites I’ve clicked on yours is the best!! You actually give us a plan to get started and I love your humor :) I’ve tried living keto before but it was the diet along with a lot of supplements and nasty shakes…it wasn’t for me! I don’t like drinking my snacks and meals just to get into ketosis! Looking forward to trying this again and trying your recipes!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Keep us posted Kathy!
Sera says
Came for the info, stayed for the refreshing no-nonsense writing. Great Job.
Kelly says
I totally agree!
DIANA says
I’d like to add to your last point because my uterus hated me for a week! I have the IUD (Mirena) and I honestly don’t remember when my last period was, guesstimating I’d say 8 months ago. Since having the IUD I only spot and rarely have a period (I’ve had it since 2014), but OMG my hormones must’ve been all over the place because I not only got a heavy period but I had it for 9 days straight!
I am SO very thankful that I found your post because it answered so many questions, especially the whole uterus part. I was a little freaked! lol … I am new to Keto and I must say that I have been a little frustrated because I started this new keto lifestyle since the second week of February and I’ve been loosing and gaining the same freakin 5 lbs! I now realize that I have been overthinking the whole change and overwhelming myself. Thank you for all the great information and meal plans :)
PS) Sorry if I gave TMI but I hope it helps someone whos in the same dilemma as I was. lol
Darlene says
Thanks for all the good info! I continue to come back and re-read some posts to stay motivated and informed. I have been low carb for about 1.5 months and have lost about 18 pounds. But I continue to have awful night sweats and periods of “flashes” during the day. Would that be considered some of the hormonal changes you referred to? They are very aggravating and interrupt my sleep. BUT they are worth it for the positive effects!
Keep up your helpful tips and recipes! We love it!
Jessica says
I don’t see how this will be within the allowed protein retirements. I found this blog through the Senza app and have found most “meal plans” have a lot of protein and not enough fat. I should be eating 80g of protein a day. One string cheese is 6g and 2 eggs are 12g, plus the 25g protein per 6oz serving most meat contains. If I ate this 3 day start up plan, is be WAY over my protein and under on my fat. She even addressed that this isn’t a high protein diet but I don’t see how it’s not when almost every meal and stack contains at least 20g protein.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Everyone’s protein requirements are different on a keto diet, and when you are just starting out it’s less important than getting adapted to less carbs – this kickstart is designed to get people into ketosis as quickly and painlessly as possible and it does that very well. If you want to customize for your own macros with less protein you can certainly do that. I am working on some new meal plans with even less protein that I’ll be rolling out in the next few weeks for more advanced keto dieters.
ketogainer says
You don’t need to hit your fat macros, especially if the goal is weight loss. Remember that fat macros are 9 calories per gram. Protein and carb macros are 4 calories per gram. Going over protein is a non-issue, especially when it comes to keeping muscle mass (especially during weight loss), and especially if you are working out.
Stephanie says
Hi! Thank you for the 3 day jump start! Now I just have to stick with it for 3 days… Can you pre-make the pancakes the night before and eat them the next morning? Didn’t know if that would change the texture or the way they taste. I have no time in the morning to cook because I’d rather sleep lol
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes, I even freeze and reheat them!
Amanda says
Does she not deserve any pay for her labor to put together and host such a thing? :-/
That’s a pretty significant expectation. We’re all very lucky she creates and maintains her awesome content as it is. Not cool to feel entitled to more, IMO
Johnny L says
Mellisa,
I’m very thankful to have found this blog and plan, my main question has to do with the chart of percentages of fats/proteins/carbs you have listed early in the article….with so many fats containing protein too, how do you get to a 75%-20% ratio of fats to protein, short of drinking olive oil, melted butter, or coconut oils?
I’m very excited to get started on this and have a lot of motivation to accomplish my goal…just need to figure this out to get each phase of caloric intake broken down correctly…the carbs will be the easy part!
Erica B says
Bear in mind that those macronutrient ratios refer to calories from fat, protein, and carbohydrate, not actual grams of each. Protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram and fat has 9 calories per gram, so it’s actually a relatively easy task to let your fat calories pile up to keto-appropriate proportions if you consume fattier proteins and embellish your food with an extra bit of pure fat. To illustrate, if a portion of a particular food has 10 grams of protein, 10 grams of fat, and 0 grams of carbohydrate, that portion contains 130 calories, 90 from fat and 40 from protein, and is about 69.2% fat and 30.7% protein (allowing for rounding).
Ally says
Hi… thank you for posting these delicious recipes. The only thing I see is that there is no indication of the amount of the main dishes you should eat. How many “pancakes”. how many slices of bacon? Ham and cheese? How much ham and cheese? How much chicken?
I’m sorry for asking, maybe it’s something that sounds logical to ppl who know what keto is, but I’m a newbie and have NO idea how much I should eat a day.
Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I clearly state in the post that for the first three days you don’t worry about portion control. If you read the post I also explain why.
Ally says
Thank You.
You have a very peculiar way of answering your reader’s questions.
Good Luck
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’m happy to answer reader questions that aren’t already answered in the post. After you read it, you can let me know if you have any. Thank YOU.
Kara says
After reading this I have to say I am afraid to ask a question
Karessa says
I love how direct u are !!! I am so grateful and love how self reliant I can be with all the info u have provided the world!!! I have loved every recipe so far ?
lisa says
i am dairy sensitive and trying to avoid it. Any subs for me to make for the 3 day kick start?
Bonet Rios says
I have a question on sugar since I see it’s not allowed. Is splenda or any other sugar subsitute ok? What if one of the ingredients that is required for a keto recipe contains sugar, does it matter? I haven’t really seen any discussion on how some things may already contain sugar (even if in low doses) may affect the keto diet. Should they be avoided altogether?
Mellissa Sevigny says
You should count every gram of carbs that passes your lips no matter the source. If you keep those carbs below 20 per day you’ll get into ketosis and lose weight.
Nicole says
I just discovered you and I feel like a little girl on Christmas day. Thank you so much for all your help. This blog is amazing. Planning my Thanksgiving off your blog. Omg and its free!!!!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Welcome Nicole!
PAM NICHOLSON says
i APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT INTO ALL THIS!!! A HUGE THANKS FROM A NEWBIE KETO LOVER!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thank you Pam!