How do you plan healthy meals that will help you lose weight? Start with a ketogenic (keto) or low-carb diet- the most effective approach for weight loss, based on science.
Following a meal plan can help make your weight loss journey easier.
You'll no longer need to spend time figuring out what to eat, searching for recipes, or making grocery lists.
To get started, just choose any of the meal plans that best fits your lifestyle and preferences. Better yet, use our personalized meal plan generator, which takes meal planning to the next level when it comes to simplicity and customization.
We've included our best meal planning tips in the next section. You can also go straight to the meal plans.
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How to plan meals for weight loss
When planning your meals, these are our top tips to help you lose weight:
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Build nutritious keto or low-carb meals:
- Start with protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, or tofu.
- Add vegetables like leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, or other low-carb vegetables.
- Include enough fat for flavor and fullness
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Use low-carb veggie substitutes in place of high-carb favorites:
- Try a wrap of lettuce in place of bread for sandwiches and burgers.
- Boil or steam cauliflower until tender, then blend with butter, cream, and salt to make cauliflower mash in place of mashed potatoes. Serve with steak, turkey, or any protein you like.
- Cut zucchini into spirals to make noodles, aka "zoodles" instead of pasta. Sauté them in olive oil and garlic. Then, top with your favorite pasta sauce, or with chicken, salmon, or another favorite protein.
- Shred cauliflower and pan-fry in olive oil to make cauliflower "rice" and serve alongside your protein of choice.
- Cook double portions: Save time planning, preparing, cooking, and cleaning up by making two dinner servings. Refrigerate half to enjoy for lunch the next day. All Diet Doctor meal plans have this option, as it is one of the easiest ways to keep on track and reduce meal prep stress.
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Plan keto meals for the quickest results: Although both keto and low-carb diets can help people lose weight, research suggests eating keto may be more effective. On a ketogenic (keto) diet, most people eat 20 or fewer grams of net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) per day.When you're planning keto meals, aim to stay below 10 grams of net carbs per meal.
*Note: If you're brand new to keto or low-carb eating, you'll likely need to boost your intake of fluids and salt the first week - and possibly the second as well - in order to minimize side effects known as the " keto flu." Salting food liberally or drinking bouillon or broth once or twice a day can really help.
- For more gradual weight loss and more variety, plan low-carb meals: While low-carb diets (30 to 50 grams of net carbs) generally produce slower weight loss results, they offer more flexibility than stricter keto diets. A low-carb breakfast might include some fruit, and a low-carb dinner might have below-ground vegetables like carrots or sweet potatoes.
Our 8 best weight loss meal plans
Diet Doctor has more than 150 different keto and low-carb weekly meal plans for weight loss and health improvement.
You can find low-cost meal plans for those on a budget or international-inspired meal plans for those who like a variety of culinary tastes. Egg-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian low-carb meal plans are also available.
We provide the weekly plans and recipes, generate shopping lists, and give you the complete nutritional breakdown. Although our meal plans are a Diet Doctor member benefit, we also offer a free keto meal plan ( see number 2 below).
Not yet a member? Sign up for a FREE 30-day trial and you'll have access to all of our meal plans for an entire month. Start FREE trial!
So, what are our most popular, tried-and-true weight loss meal plans? Here is our list of member favorites. First on the list is our new personalized meal planner.
1. Personalized meal plans
Do you want a meal plan that is made just for you?
To get your personalized meal plan, you just need to answer a few questions about your goals, food preferences, and health status.
We'll ask you questions like:
- How much weight do you want to lose?
- How active are you?
- How many carbs do you want to eat?
If you're unsure about how many carbs you want to eat, we'll pick the best choice for you. If you are on a food budget, the survey takes that into account.
You can also choose to remove dairy, eggs, seafood, pork, or nuts from your plan.
Short on time to prep or cook? No problem. Your meal plan will only have quick and easy recipes.
2. Two-week free keto meal plan
Why is a keto diet so effective for losing weight?
First, it usually suppresses appetite and helps you to naturally eat less without feeling hungry or deprived. Keto eating also lowers insulin levels, allowing you to burn fat more easily.
Our free keto meal plan will help you stay below 20 grams of net carbs a day while you enjoy tasty meals like our keto frittata with fresh spinach recipe that's great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
There's also our popular keto pizza, featuring a simple, crispy mozzarella crust with a zesty tomato sauce and cheese topping. For toppings, we suggest adding pepperoni, but you can customize it with your favorite low-carb meat or veggies.
Another dish in this keto meal plan is a Mexican-themed keto tortilla with ground beef and salsa.
Does this sound like diet food to you? That is one of the reasons why a keto diet works so well. It doesn't make you feel deprived. By keeping the carbs low, you can eat delicious and satisfying food - while still losing weight.
Ready to get started? Check out our complete, no-obligation two-week keto meal plan.
