The idea that a 7-day weight loss low-carb diet can help you lose weight is fantastic. Who wouldn’t want to shed some pounds in only a week? However, is it possible? What’s the safest low-carb method for losing weight over seven days? Could you go longer than that?
Our 7-day weight loss low-carb diet is only the tip of the iceberg. We’ll give you options for different low-carb diets, discuss how to prolong your journey, and ideas on how much weight you may lose. Let’s start with the burning question! How can you lose up to 4.4 pounds in a week?
We have three 7-day weight loss low-carb diets to help you lose the most weight in a week, and other plans that last longer. However, you shouldn’t expect to lose 2 kg in a week. A more realistic goal would be around 1-2 pounds, or about 0.5-1 kg of weight lost per week. This will happen over the course of your weight loss journey, and won’t necessarily be linear. Each plan contains nutritionally dense low-carb foods (21, 11, 4). Here’s a sneak peek:
But first, let’s understand what healthy weight loss means and how low-carb diets potentially work.
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A simple low-carb meal plan may help you shed a few pounds. Still, it’s good to know the basics before diving head-first into any diet plan.
Our 7-day weight-loss low-carb diet focuses on nutrients to replace a lack of fiber found in some low-carb diets. Some carbs contain fiber, which is essential in a balanced diet. UCSF Health recommends 25-30 grams of fiber daily (8). Not all low-carb diets meet 30 grams.
However, low-carb diets vary. Keto is a famous very low-carb diet that encourages you to eat high-fat, lean protein, and low-carb foods, limiting daily carbs to under 50 grams (9). Meanwhile, the Atkins Diet is a high-protein plan that gradually lets you increase your daily calorie carbs up to 100 grams (7).
Still, the National Library of Medicine says a low-carb diet will mean you eat under 26% of your daily calories from carbohydrates, or under 130 grams of carbs per day on a 2,000-calorie plan (14). In some ways, all low-carb diets have a few things in common.
Some low-carb foods include various nutrients and sources (21, 11, 4):
Some foods contain higher carbs, but you can eat them in moderation (11, 4):
Some foods contain too many carbs to add to low-carb plans (11, 4):
WebMD says you’ll likely lose weight when suddenly cutting carbs because glycogen stores will decline, making you lose water weight (20). However, reaching ketosis is said to take 2-3 weeks. This means that you may regain the weight quickly if you only lose water weight.
A study from the Czech Republic found that diabetic type 1 children could have positive and negative effects on a low-carb diet (13). The children showed modestly improved blood glucose regulation. However, they tended to have more frequent hypoglycemia, which can be dangerous. Please consult a doctor before going low-carb if you’re diabetic.
The first week of a low-carb diet combined with aerobic exercise may help you lose ten pounds in a week. Spanish researchers found that every gram of glycogen in your muscles holds three grams of water (17). Meanwhile, WebMD says glycogen stores decline sharply when you lower or cut carbohydrates (20). Prolonged exercise can also deplete glycogen stores.
Depending on how much glycogen you have stored and how quickly you deplete it, you could lose a significant amount of weight in a short amount of time, but this will be mostly water which will come back when your glycogen stores are replenished. This rapid weight loss is not a goal to aim for, as it is not sustainable and it isn’t fat loss.
After the initial burst of weight loss in the first week, you should aim for the recommended weight loss weekly. The National Lung, Heart, and Blood Institute recommends losing 1-2 pounds weekly (10). You need a 500-750-calorie deficit to achieve this rate of weight loss.
A low-carb diet plan for weight loss can go for 7, 14, or even 30 days. You’ll discover three different low-carb diet plans, lasting different periods. Choose the one that suits your goals, but speak to your healthcare provider first if you have any medical conditions or are taking any medications. A low-carb diet is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Read more: 24 Weight Loss Smoothies, 2 Diet Plans, and 5 Belly Fat Smoothie Secrets
Our 7-day weight-loss low-carb diet helps you stay full with fewer fiber-filled carbs but more protein to account for the lack of fiber. The meal ideas are high-protein and low-carb, per the Atkins Diet (7). The plan is under 100 grams of net carbs daily.
You’ll also reduce your calories to around 1,500 for this meal plan. You may need to adjust the portion sizes, based on your individual calorie goal. It has three meals and two snacks daily to fuel you with nutrients. The daily macros and meal ideas are courtesy of Atkins (3, 12, 1). Each meal idea listed is for a single serving.
Macros: 1577 calories, 77 g carbs, 99.4 g fat, 129.9 g protein, and 16.8 g fiber (3, 12, 1)
Macros: 1520 calories, 27.8 g carbs, 92.1 g fat, 132 g protein, and 15.5 g fiber (3, 12, 1)
Macros: 1449 calories, 30 g carbs, 90.5 g fat, 114.4 g protein, and 13 g fiber (3, 12, 1)
Macros: 1553 calories, 28.2 g carbs, 97.3 g fat, 137.6 g protein, and 8.5 g fiber (3, 12, 1)
Macros: 1495 calories, 24.1 g carbs, 97.7 g fat, 117.6 g protein, and 16.9 g fiber (3, 12, 1)
Macros: 1500 calories, 34.2 g carbs, 96.1 g fat, 114.4 g protein, and 14.6 g fiber (3, 12, 1)
Macros: 1483 calories, 26.6 g carbs, 103.2 g fat, 103.4 g protein, and 9.7 g fiber (3, 12, 1)
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A low-carb diet weight loss in 2 weeks is good if you can manage another week. Let’s alter the calories to 1,200 daily for this plan if that is suitable for you (2). Please consult with your doctor before starting ultra-low-calorie plans. Also, this keto-style low-carb diet plan will use fewer than 50 grams of net carbs daily.
It uses low-carb ideas from the keto-style diet, with three meals and two snacks. Complete the seven days, and repeat. The meal ideas and macros are courtesy of Eat This Much (6). Each suggestion accounts for a single serving.
Macros: 1199 calories, 26.6 g carbs, 87.2 g fat, 69.4 g protein, and 19.6 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1203 calories, 18.6 g carbs, 101.2 g fat, 54.7 g protein, and 10.7 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1199 calories, 26.5 g carbs, 80.3 g fat, 83.8 g protein, and 19.1 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1205 calories, 25.9 g carbs, 80.7 g fat, 87.8 g protein, and 15.3 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1200 calories, 24.1 g carbs, 90.4 g fat, 63.4 g protein, and 15.9 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1204 calories, 23.6 g carbs, 89.5 g fat, 65.8 g protein, and 13 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1198 calories, 21.9 g carbs, 81.7 g fat, 89 g protein, and 8.4 g fiber (6)
Read more: Is the Plate Method for Weight Loss Effective?
The final 7-day weight loss low-carb diet plan works on repeat until you finish 30 days. However, we changed up the game to suit someone who wants to eat less than 1,600 calories daily. You’ll eat three meals and two snacks daily to keep your net carbs under 26% of your daily calories (14). You eat more carbs with more fiber, so some days may go to 100 grams.
You’ll aim for a higher fiber intake to prevent potential downsides to long-term low-carb dieting, such as constipation (15). You can swap and change days but keep the same daily meals together for the macros. The meal ideas and macros are for single servings and courtesy of Eat This Much (6).
Macros: 1594 calories, 97.4 g net carbs, 89 g fat, 79.6 g protein, and 32.9 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1594 calories, 80.8 g net carbs, 86.5 g fat, 100.2 g protein, and 34.7 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1603 calories, 68.5 g net carbs, 100.1 g fat, 89.7 g protein, and 40.7 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1595 calories, 72.3 g net carbs, 87.4 g fat, 119.6 g protein, and 31.6 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1602 calories, 83.6 g net carbs, 82.6 g fat, 98.2 g protein, and 53.2 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1599 calories, 88.3 g net carbs, 88.5 g fat, 100.8 g protein, and 33.6 g fiber (6)
Macros: 1594 calories, 88.3 g net carbs, 89.8 g fat, 95.7 g protein, and 33.9 g fiber (6)
It is highly unlikely that you will lose 10 pounds of fat in a week, but some people might lose that much water weight in a short amount of time. The first week of a low-carb diet combined with 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise in a humid environment may help you lose several pounds of water weight in a week.
Spanish researchers say every gram of muscle glycogen holds three grams of water (17). WebMD suggests glycogen stores decline fast when you suddenly lower or cut carbs (20). However, that weight is mostly water and will return once you replenish your glycogen stores.
Some people use the cyclical ketogenic diet (CKD) to eat low-carb for five days a week and high-carb for the remaining days when they want to exercise vigorously. Research from the Czech Republic found that CKD helped men lose weight with exercise similar to a nutritionally balanced reduction diet, however, the CKD diet had a neutral effect on muscle strength and endurance and slightly reduced muscle mass (18).
The rule is that you eat 30 grams of protein 30 minutes after waking, followed by a 30-minute low-intensity workout. The Mayo Clinic says the 30-30-30 rule is another FitTok trend (22). Eating 30 grams of protein for breakfast may keep you full longer, and the trend may encourage you to eat a nutritious breakfast in the morning.
Walking is a low-impact exercise that may help you lose weight, especially if you control your calories. Colorado scientists found that walking 10,000 steps a day with a calorie-restricted diet helped individuals lose weight in their study (16). 3,500 of the daily steps were performed as bouts of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Our 7-day weight loss low-carb diet plans give you options. Choose the high-protein diet if you exercise, or go for the lower keto-style plan to lose weight fast. Alternatively, pace yourself with the high-fiber 30-day diet plan to stay satisfied longer.
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