Keto Egg Fast Diet

The keto egg fast is one of the most popular approaches for breaking through weight loss plateaus and accelerating fat loss.

It is essentially a short-term keto diet plan centered around eggs, cheese, and butter, with very few exceptions.

Though this method would make cardiologists gasp, there are plenty of low-carb and keto dieters that did the egg fast and achieved incredible results.

But is keto egg fast safe, healthy, and effective for you?

This guide will help you find the answer and show you how to implement a successful keto egg fast meal plan.

What is Egg Fast?

Egg fast is a (short term) diet that consists of eggs, cheese, and butter.

For each egg you eat, you should consume a corresponding tablespoon of pure fat in the form of butter, olive oil, or coconut oil. You can also consume a corresponding tablespoon of full-fat cheese per egg.

Doing this will result in an extremely low carb, high fat, moderate protein intake that will kickstart your body into a fat-burning mode.

It is assumed to help you get through stagnation when you’re looking to lose weight and have hit a plateau. Some people may also use it to help their bodies enter into ketosis for a traditional keto diet.

It’s a modified variant of the ketogenic diet, so it is also high in fat, reduced protein intake, and super low in carbs. You can eat eggs on keto, along with the full-fat dairy, too.

You need to have at least six whole eggs but can have more (which is a lot). You are cutting calorie intake, though, so that is also supposed to support weight loss from a 3-day egg fast or 5-day egg fast.

You will likely not go for more than five days, as it is a very restrictive diet.

Origin of Egg Fast Diet

The egg fast is a variation of the fat fasting technique that prioritizes one of the best keto foods: Eggs.

After learning that eggs have an ideal mix of amino acids and other nutrients that may boost fat loss, Jimmy Moore of Livin La Vida Low Carb devised a diet plan based around eggs and ketosis.

Each day, he would have at least six eggs with grass-fed butter and raw cheese, while following a precise meal timing schedule. With this simple diet shift, he could lose ~25 pounds (~11.4 kg) in 30 days.

Egg Fast Diet Rule

A typical egg fast lasts between three to five days as this will be enough to overcome a weight loss plateau and promote ketosis.

It is not recommended to follow this approach for longer than five days. Doing so will increase your risk of nutritional deficiencies and digestive issues.

Here are some rules to follow when getting started, according to Healthline:

  • Consume a whole egg within 30 minutes of waking up.
  • Eat at least six whole eggs per day.
  • Consume one tablespoon (15 grams) of butter, extra virgin olive oil, MCT oil, or any other healthy oil per egg consumed.
  • Consume up to 1 ounce (28 grams) of full-fat cheese per egg eaten.
  • Eat an egg-based meal every three to five hours, even if you aren’t hungry.
  • Stop eating three hours before bedtime.
  • Opt for the highest quality food when possible. Local pasture-raised eggs and 100% grass-fed, pasture-raised cheese and butter are most suitable.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Zero-carb drinks like coffee, tea, and diet drinks are allowed. For best results, stay away from diet drinks and zero-carb sweeteners.
  • All other calorie-containing foods and drinks are off-limits.

For best results, your egg fast should only include the following foods and drinks:

  • Eggs — Opt for local, pasture-raised eggs as much as possible.
  • Full-fat cheese — Stick to cheeses with less than 1 g of net carbs per ounce. This includes cheddar, parmesan, swiss, feta, mozzarella, brie, Monterrey jack, cream cheese, mascarpone, and blue cheese. Only eat one ounce per egg.
  • Grass-fed butter — Consume one tablespoon of butter (or oil) per egg.
  • High-quality oil — Extra virgin olive oil, MCT oil, coconut oil, or any other healthy oil for keto.
  • Zero-carb, unsweetened drinks — Water, coffee, and tea.
  • Make sure you follow the rules mentioned in the previous section for optimal results.

How Does Keto Egg Fast Diet Work?

Article after article declares extraordinary results from using this different approach. Anecdotal reports make it seem as if stubborn fat falls off, with weight-loss rates of 1 to 2 pounds per day.

Since not much research has been done on the egg fast, there are many promising (and not so promising) hypotheses regarding how it works.

One most popular explanation is that whole eggs contain high amounts of choline and amino acids that promote fat burning. This is what led Jimmy Moore to try his first egg fast experiment.

Choline, in particular, has been shown to play a crucial role in metabolizing fat in the liver. Recent research indicates that choline is essential for optimal liver function. It also prevents non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

That being said, it is unlikely that eating more eggs would contribute to a significant increase in fat loss for this reason. Plus, we must also consider the fact that the keto diet, in general, will provide us with the same array of amino acids and nutrients found in whole eggs.

This leaves us with explanations backed by science why keto egg fast can break weight-loss plateaus:

  1. The keto egg fast is more limiting than a typical keto diet. This leads us to eat less food than before, which stimulates the body to burn more stored fat.
  2. Whole eggs promote satiety. This naturally makes us eat less food at succeeding meals.
  3. The keto egg fast can lead to ketosis. This will help curb cravings and suppress appetite even further.

Simply put, the keto egg fast supports us lose weight by ramping up the same mechanisms that support fat loss on a standard keto diet.

The Benefits of the Keto Egg Fast Diet

Given that this dietary approach restricts carbs and promotes ketosis, you will experience the same benefits as the keto diet. This includes fat loss, improved brain function, decreased inflammation, sustained energy levels, and reduced appetite.

Aids in weight loss

Since you are cutting back on calories, you are bound to lose weight. And since those eggs are filling, you won’t feel tempted to munch throughout the day, either.

What’s more, you may target and lose more belly fat in particular, thanks to the egg fast diet and ketogenic diet aspect, according to research.

May reduce insulin resistance

Insulin resistance happens when your body does not respond appropriately to insulin, which is a hormone that regulates blood sugar.

Several studies show that ketogenic diets may decrease insulin resistance. This allows your body to manage its blood sugar levels better.

In fact, in a small, 2-week study, those with type 2 diabetes ended up lowering insulin resistance on a ketogenic diet by 75%.

May reduce your appetite

An egg fast focuses on eating eggs for meals, and eggs are very filling so you won’t be hungry in the day and can be satiated with a lower amount of calories.

They are high in choline that promotes cognitive thinking and keeps you alert. It also has protein to fill you up. When you combine it with butter or cheese, you add in more fat to further boost satiety.

Egg fasting allows you to enjoy the following benefits:

Keep in mind, though, that this short-term plateau busting tool is not for everyone. Some individuals may worsen their health with this approach.

Risks, Side Effects, and Safety Concerns

Since the keto egg fast is a restrictive keto diet, it comes with relative risks and side effects.

Simply put, if following the keto diet for several months was not healthy and effective for you, then egg fast will likely have the same results.

In general, a keto egg fast will not be fit for those with the following conditions:

  • Hypothyroidism that isn’t improved by keto or low-carb dieting.
  • Anyone who has struggled with eating disorders or yo-yo dieting in the past.
  • Anyone with egg allergies or sensitivity to eggs.

The egg fast also is not feasible for vegans and those who avoid eggs for religious reasons.

If these considerations don’t apply to you, then the only side effects you may experience are keto flu-like fatigue and mental fogginess. Fortunately, many of these symptoms are remedied by increasing your intake of water and electrolytes.

Even those already accustomed to the keto diet can still experience a mild version of the keto flu due to increased food restriction.

Should You Try the Keto Egg Fast?

Now that you know the rules, potential benefits, results, and worst-case scenarios, let’s figure out if it will work for you.

In general, the keto egg fast will indeed work best for:

  • Those who have reached a weight loss plateau after following a keto diet.
  • Anyone who wants to kickstart their keto lifestyle with a simple meal plan.
  • Anyone looking to increase their ketone levels significantly.
  • Anyone looking to promote liver fat loss.

That being said, the only way to indeed find out if it’ll work for you is by trying it once. A 3-day trial is all you will need to know if egg fasting will help you boost your fat loss results.

To help you get started, let’s take a glimpse at some keto-friendly recipes and meal plans that you can apply for your keto egg fast.

Keto Egg Fast Recipes

If you think that egg fast will work well for you, here are some recipes you might want to try:

Ketoproof Coffee with Eggs

Creep in an egg within 30 minutes after waking up. Just add an egg yolk (or two, or three) before blending your creamy, delicious keto coffee. Don’t worry — it won’t taste eggy.

Feel free to cook up the egg whites and eat them with some cheese or save them for the next time you make an omelet or egg wrap.

The Feta Egg Wrap

Simply follow the directions on how to make the wrap. Add feta (or your favorite cheeses) as the filling, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil or melted butter, and skip the other ingredients.

You’ll find the wrap to be somewhere between an omelet and a crepe, with a unique texture that you won’t experience with other egg fast recipes.

Keto Scrambled Eggs

If you’d like to strictly comprehend the keto egg fast rules, eliminate the spinach and heavy cream. But keep in mind that heavy cream is very comparable to butter. So be considerate when using this ingredient.

Remember to consume one tablespoon of butter or oil for every scrambled egg. You can also add some extra cheese if you’d like, but don’t exceed 1 ounce per egg.

Hard-boiled Eggs

One of the simplest ways to follow the egg fast is by using hard-boiled eggs as the base of your meal. Drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil or melted butter per egg and add salt to taste.

You can also chop up the hard-boiled eggs to make an egg-fast-friendly egg salad.

Simple Egg Salad

Though most egg salad recipes call for many ingredients, all you need to do is keep the essential components in mind. These are hard-boiled eggs, egg yolks, and oil.

Surprisingly enough, the oil and egg yolks are all you need to make a satisfying keto mayo.

Simply whisk an egg yolk while adding oil a drop at a time to emulsify it into a creamy mayo.

Once you’d made the mayo, add a dollop of it in chopped up hard-boiled eggs. Add salt, pepper, and shredded cheese before mixing everything.

Cheese Chips with Egg Fast Mayo

You can also use the 2-ingredient mayo from the previous recipe as a dip for cheese chips.

Even without using the bacon that these cheese chips call for, the result will still be satisfying and crispy.

Use the leftover egg white from your mayo to make scrambled eggs or egg wraps later.

Egg and Cheese Baskets

If you’d rather have your eggs fried, sunny side up, or over easy, give the cheese basket section of this recipe a try.

While your cheese baskets are baking, cook your eggs in butter. You can use a ramekin or a muffin tin.

Once the baskets are done, lay a cooked egg on each basket. To follow the egg fast rules correctly, use approximately a quarter cup of shredded cheese, one tablespoon oil, and one tablespoon butter for each basket.

Ultimate Breakfast Roll-Ups

These are essentially omelet wraps with melty cheese oozing out. Simply omit the sausage and bacon and use whatever keto cheeses you’d like as the filling.

Since each roll-up is made of two eggs, use up to 2 ounces of cheese and two tablespoons of butter or oil per roll-up.

3-day Keto Egg Fast Diet Meal Plan

Most egg fasts will include 3-4 meals per day, so we created the following plan around four meals. When applying this meal plan, make sure you keep the egg fast rules in mind!

Day 1: Get Fancy with Feta Wraps

  • First meal (within 30 minutes after waking up): Ketoproof coffee with egg yolk(s) added. Scramble the extra egg whites or save them for your next meal.
  • Second meal (3-5 hours after the first meal): One Feta Egg Wrap (2.5 eggs).
  • Third meal (3-5 hours after the second meal): One Feta Egg Wrap (2.5 eggs).
  • Fourth meal (3-5 hours after the third meal): One Breakfast Roll-up (2 eggs).

Day 2: Mayo and Hard-boiled Eggs

  • First meal (within 30 minutes after waking up): Ketoproof coffee with one hard-boiled egg. Hard-boil at least five more eggs for later in the day.
  • Second meal (3-5 hours after the first meal): Simple Egg Salad (3-4 hard-boiled eggs).
  • Third meal (3-5 hours after the second meal): Cheese Chips with Egg Fast Mayo/
  • Fourth meal (3-5 hours after the third meal): Egg and Cheese Omelette or Egg Wraps. Use enough eggs to increase your intake to at least six whole eggs, and add any extra egg whites.

Day 3: Keeping it Simple, Easy, and Cheesy

If you are not a coffee or tea drinker (or you’d rather not add an egg yolk), feel free to replace the first meal with one of the other recipes. You can also use an egg cooked to your preference.

By the end of the day, make sure you balance your daily oil + butter consumption to 1 tablespoon per whole egg.

FAQs About Keto Egg Fasting

Before we bring this guide to a close, let’s take a look some common questions we’ve yet to address directly:

Should I be in ketosis before egg fasting?

The egg fast can be useful regardless of your current ketone levels. However, if you are not in ketosis before using this approach, you will have an increased chance of experiencing keto flu symptoms.

Can I practice this egg fast meal plan to kick start ketosis?

Like the fat fasting technique, the egg fast will help you enter ketosis more quickly than a standard keto diet.

I don’t like hard-boiled eggs, can I still do the egg fast?

Yes, prepare your eggs however you’d like or follow day one or 3 of the meal plan for 3-5 days.

Can I consume whatever I want after following the meal plan?

For optimal results, it is best to transition into a healthy, sustainable keto diet. After the egg fast, following a high-carb diet will support rapid weight gain that can exceed what was lost.

Can I use your meal plan for a 5-day fast instead?

Yes, you can. Feel free to repeat your favorite days or recipes. Just make sure you are doing the egg fast rules.

Can I follow the egg fast for longer than 5-days If I’m feeling good?

Given the limiting nature of the egg fast, it isn’t sustainable or healthy for long-term dieting. It is best to focus your efforts on developing a healthy and sustainable lifestyle rather than extending the fast.

How often can I implement an egg fast?

For optimal health and wellbeing, it may be best to use this technique sparingly. The egg fast has the potential to cause nutrient deficiencies and yo-yo dieting cycles.

We recommend focusing your efforts on formulating a keto lifestyle that improves your health, wellbeing, and body composition without feeling restricted.

Conclusion

The keto egg fast can carry incredible weight loss results, but the process behind its benefits aren’t new. This fat loss tool relies on many of the same factors responsible for keto success.

The only thing that gives it a slight edge over a standard ketogenic diet is that it is more restrictive. By following the egg fast rules, you can end up eating less food and promote ketosis, which will help you break through your weight loss stall.

But since this approach mostly consists of eggs, butter, and cheese, it should only be implemented for 3-5 days at a time. Once you’ve completed your keto egg fast, we recommend refocusing your efforts on formulating a healthy and sustainable keto lifestyle.

You don’t necessarily have to go on an egg fast to lose weight. Doing keto alone is safer and more flexible, and you can still lose weight.

Egg fasts are extreme. So if you do them, keep it short to five days max. And then transition into keto for the long-term instead.

Sources