What 2,000 Calories Looks Like in a Day on a Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet is having a moment, since advocates claim it’s a fast and easy way to lose weight. By following a low-carb, high-fat diet, the plan aims to put your body into an altered metabolic state called ketosis, in which the body burns fat for energy. This can help some people lose weight and control blood sugar (which can be particularly helpful for those with Type 2 diabetes), but it requires consistent intake and a pretty restrictive diet, with about 70% of your calories coming from fat.

Hitting the necessary macros means eating moderate amounts of protein and cutting out foods like grains, starchy vegetables and most fruits. You can do this by loading up on higher-fat foods such as avocado, nuts, meats, oils, eggs, mayo, butter and cream. However, such a strict diet can be challenging to implement and people sometimes don’t eat enough food — which won’t help your body burn any type of fuel effectively.

To learn the pros and cons of going keto, read this article on the 10 things you need to know before trying the ketogenic diet. Sold? Then, try the recipes below (click on the image to link to the full recipe), which give you an idea of what a 2,000-calorie day on the keto diet might look like.