How to Do an Egg Fast for Keto

Last Updated: May 25, 2021 References Tested

Though the name may sound a bit strange, an egg fast is a pretty common part of the keto diet. If you’re hitting a bit of a wall in your weight loss goals, an egg fast may help you start seeing results again. The premise is pretty similar to a real fast—for 3-5 days, your diet is restricted to only eggs, butter, and a small handful of other approved ingredients.^{[1]
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Research source} Once you’ve finished the fast and reached ketosis, you can return to your usual ketogenic diet.

Ingredients

Cheddar Cheese Omelet

2 eggs
¼ cup (25 g) cheddar cheese, shredded
1 US tbsp (15 mL) or more of butter
Salt and pepper (optional)

Homemade Egg Salad

1 to 2 US tbsp (15 to 30 mL) of sugar-free mayo
1-2 hard-boiled eggs

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Following the Fasting Rules

1
Eat an egg immediately in the morning. Check the time right after you wake up. If you take a long time to get ready, try to be up and out of bed within a half hour so you can eat at least 1 egg. This helps kickstart your fast for the day.^{[2]
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- You can prepare your eggs however you’d like, as long as you don’t use a lot of extra ingredients.
2
Plan to eat at least 6 eggs each day. Center all of your meals around eggs, however you like preparing them. Try to include eggs in your meals and snacks, so you eat a minimum of 6 eggs per day. You can also snack on eggs throughout the day, as well.^{[3]
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- During an egg fast, you’ll be eating only eggs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
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3
Enjoy 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of healthy fat with each egg. Eat or prepare every egg with a small spoonful of butter, olive oil, or another type of healthy oil. Fats are an important part of the fast, and may help you lose weight in the future.^{[4]
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4
Add up to 4 oz (112 g) of cheese each day. Jazz up your meals and snacks with a bit of your favorite cheese. Pick out cheeses that are high in fat, since the egg fast is all about eating fat.^{[5]
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- An egg fast is also known as a “fat fast.”
- Cheddar cheese is a great option to consider adding to your food.
5
Eat eggs every 3-5 hours even if you aren’t hungry. Create a fairly regimented schedule for yourself so you can be sure to eat at specific times. Eat a minimum of 3 meals, spaced at least 3 hours apart. If 5 hours pass and you’re still not hungry, eat another egg in order to maintain the fast.^{[6]
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- Eggs can help reduce your appetite and make you feel fuller for a long time.^{[7]
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  Trustworthy Source
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  Go to source}
6
Pause your egg fast at least 3 hours before going to bed. Think about when you’re planning on going to bed. Keep this time in mind as you eat and snack throughout the day. Around 3 hours before your desired bedtime, stop eating and end the fast for the day. Once you wake up, you can resume your egg fast as usual.^{[8]
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- For instance, if you go to bed at 11:00 PM, you’d pause your egg fast at 8:00 PM.
7
Drink water throughout the day. Stay hydrated throughout your egg fast. You can also enjoy coffee and tea while you’re on an egg fast. If you’re craving some sweetness in these drinks, mix in a sweetener without any carbs.^{[9]
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- Try to drink water throughout the day, instead of drinking a lot of water at one time.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Ways to Eat Eggs

1
Enjoy hard-boiled eggs for a quick meal. Boil a saucepan of water, then add in a few eggs. Leave the eggs to boil for 12 minutes, so they’re nice and firm on the inside.^{[10]
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- You can season your eggs with any low-carb seasoning, like oregano, coriander, rosemary, or basil.^{[11]
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2
Make deviled eggs as an easy snack. Boil several eggs and cut them each in half. Spoon out the yolk into a separate boil and mash it up. Stir 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of sugar-free mayo into the yolk is true, along with a dash of salt and pepper. Spoon the mashed yolk into each egg white to finish preparing your deviled eggs.^{[12]
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3
Sprinkle some cheddar cheese into an omelette. Whisk your eggs in a bowl, then pour the mixture into a greased skillet. Coat the bottom of the pan with the ggs, then sprinkle some cheese into the middle of the cooking eggs. Flip the omelette in half as it finishes cooking, and enjoy!^{[13]
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- You can also garnish your omelette with salt and paper.
4
Whip up a batch of egg salad with sugar-free mayo. Pick up a bottle of sugar-free mayo at the store, which will keep your egg salad keto-friendly. At this point, boil, peel, and cut 1-2 eggs into small chunks and mix them with 1 to 2 US tbsp (15 to 30 mL) of mayo.^{[14]
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- You can make an egg salad sandwich with keto-friendly bread.
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Warnings

Talk to your doctor before starting an egg fast, especially if you have hypothyroidism, or genetic cholesterol problems.^{[15]
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Only perform an egg fast for 3-5 days.^{[16]
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Research source} Ideally, you should enjoy eggs in a balanced diet.^{[17]
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