A first week of low-carb meals
30 October 2026
Seven days of simple plates, and what to expect.
The first week of eating low-carb is mostly a matter of knowing what to put on the plate. This plan is an example we put together, not a prescription. It keeps carbohydrate low with food that is easy to find and quick to cook.
How each plate is built
Start with a protein: eggs, fish, chicken or paneer. Add a generous helping of vegetables that grow above the ground, such as greens, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin leaves, aubergine or okra. Cook with ghee or coconut oil. Leave out rice, bread, roti, potatoes, sugar and sweet drinks.
The week
Day 1. A two-egg omelette with greens cooked in ghee. Grilled fish with sautéed cabbage.
Day 2. Paneer scrambled with tomato and chilli. Chicken curry with cauliflower in place of rice.
Day 3. Boiled eggs with avocado. Fish cooked in coconut milk with okra.
Day 4. Plain yoghurt with nuts and seeds. Chicken roasted with aubergine.
Day 5. An omelette with cheese and mushrooms. Paneer and spinach.
Day 6. Leftover chicken with a green salad. Prawns fried in ghee with garlic and greens.
Day 7. Eggs any way you like. A fish or chicken soup with plenty of vegetables.
Between meals, a small handful of nuts, a few seed crackers or one keto bite is enough.
What to expect
In the first days some people feel tired, headachy or dizzy. This is often called keto flu, and it usually passes within days to weeks. Drinking enough water and not cutting back on salt are the usual advice.
Before you start
A very low-carb diet is not suitable for everyone. People who are pregnant, and people who take medicine for diabetes, should not begin without speaking to their doctor.
This article is general information, not medical advice.
Sources
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source. Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/ketogenic-diet/
Masood W and others. Ketogenic Diet. StatPearls, National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/
Harvard Health Publishing. Should you try the keto diet? https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/should-you-try-the-keto-diet