Curious about the keto egg fast? Find out what it is, and how it works.
This is an account of how I first heard about and experimented with Egg Fasting years ago. Since then I have done it many times, and have created this free 5 Day Egg Fast Meal Plan that has helped thousands of people break through plateaus and lose stubborn fat.
Ever since I had to take steroids this past Spring for my allergies, my system has completely rebelled. My hormones are out of whack, and my body has become completely resistant to losing weight. No matter how strict I am with keto – even counting calories and cutting out dairy, alcohol, etc. I have not been able to drop pounds.
Even worse, every time I go off plan for the weekend or some event, additional stubborn pounds creep on. I know that a lot of you are struggling with this same problem, so I thought I’d do some research on ways to break through a weight loss plateau.
Recently I started hearing about the Egg Fast and was intrigued. I’m planning to try it and track my results. I thought you guys might be interested in trying it too, so I’m posting some basics about it here for those of you who have never heard of it.
What is the egg fast?
The Egg Fast is a (short term) diet that consists of primarily eggs, cheese, and butter. For each egg you eat, you should eat a corresponding tablespoon of pure fat in the form of butter, olive oil, or coconut oil.
You can also eat 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 fat burning mode.
In my research on the egg fast diet I couldn’t find any scientific reasons as to why it works, but there are a lot of anecdotal cases of people who have had success with it.
The biggest issue people seem to have is gaining the weight back when you go back to regular LCHF or keto. Across the board it seems that at least 90% of the people doing it will gain at least a portion of the weight lost back – though there are some who have kept almost all of it off with a careful reintroduction to their normal keto diet.
The key to success with the egg fast seems to be cycling on and off for 4-5 days a week.
While on your off days, you should stick to LCHF (keto) and even then, don’t go nuts. It seems possible to lose 8-10 lbs (or more) a month this way and keep it off.
To be clear, while I’d love to do that, I’m not (at this time) planning to do the egg fast long term. I’m hoping that this one week egg fast will kickstart my metabolism, and get my body back in weight loss mode so that I can go back to my normal keto routine and start losing consistently again like I have in the past.
I had no trouble losing almost 60lb on keto the first year I started – and kept most of it off until I started having severe seasonal allergies in 2012 that wreaked havoc on my entire system. Stalls can be the result of medications, hormones, age, and other factors.
If you’re having issues losing on low carb now, even though you’ve had success in the past, you might need a reset like I do. Hopefully this egg fast will be the thing that works to get my body back on track, (and maybe yours too!)
I’ve customized the egg fast to my own preferences, and here are the basic guidelines of the egg fast that I plan to follow for the next 5 days:
- Bullet Proof Coffee within 30 minutes of waking (coffee with 1 tablespoon MCT oil, 1 Tbsp Kerrygold unsalted butter)
- Eat 3-5 meals of at least 2 eggs each, starting no later than 10am.
- Have 1 tablespoon of butter or sugar free mayo per egg consumed
- 6 ounces of full fat cheese (cream cheese, cheddar, brie, etc.) allowed per day (eaten with eggs or separately as a snack)
- No eggs after 7pm (1 string cheese allowed after 7pm if starving, counts as part of the 6oz daily limit)
- Don’t go more than 4 hours between meals or snacks between 10am and 7pm.
- Drink 100 oz of water per day (minimum)
- Supplement with magnesium and potassium (lite salt) daily.
- Small amounts of fresh herbs, hot sauce, no carb sweeteners, and spices will be allowed – as long as they are less than 1g net carbs per serving, not to exceed 5g net carbs per day.
This may sound unduly restrictive, but you’d be surprised how many delicious recipes/combos that you can come up with using eggs, cheese, and butter (cream cheese pancakes anyone?) For those of you that are interested in trying it and want some structure, I’m working on a one week egg fast meal plan that I will post next week. I will strictly adhere to that same meal plan and will update you with my results at the end of my first week.
Update: I lost 7.4 lbs in five days, then gained back .5 lbs over the next two days for a net loss of 6.9 lbs. in one week.
Click here for my 5 Day Egg Fast Menu Plan!
Egg Fast Recipes
Buffalo Omelette
Salted Caramel Custard
Easy Deviled Eggs
Snickerdoodle Crepes
Fettuccini Alfredo
A word of caution: If you are not already fat adapted and are eating hundreds of grams of carbs per day in your diet, you may not want to embark on an egg fast until you’ve been in ketosis for awhile. Jumping right in can make you feel really lousy, and may even be dangerous if you have other health conditions. Consider trying my 3 Day Keto Kickstart first and see how you do before trying something as low carb and high fat as this egg fast.
Stuck in a plateau? Is an egg fast something you’re interested in trying? Have you already tried it? I’d love to hear your results/thoughts in the comments!
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Sarah says
I really admire the fact that you’re making an effort to take control of your health. However, I must warn you, this method is one of the most (if not THE most) dangerous of dieting methods I have ever heard. What I say, I say because I am concerned. Not because I’m trying to make you feel ashamed about what you’re doing. It’s just that this is so dangerous and people need to know this. First, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTfvdypnAgg. Also, for more on this, watch the film “Forks Over Knives.” (It’s available on Netflix). Even if you are skeptical about these sources, you are still going to run into one HUGE problem with only eating things like eggs/cheese for that long period of time. These things contain little to NO fiber at all. Fiber is found in plant foods. You will get MAJORLY constipated, short of breath, and just plain sick on a diet without foods that contain fiber, at least SOME carbohydrates (which are REQUIRED because without them the body receives NO energy!) and also, plant foods naturally contain water. Animal foods do not provide any of these things, but instead provide cholesterol, which is definitely not necessary to the body because our bodies create their own cholesterol. With that excess cholesterol, the body has to store it in our arteries because there’s nowhere else for it to go, hence “clogged arteries.” As I said, I admire your conviction in doing something you feel is right for your body. It just greatly concerns me for your health and I just wanted to offer another perspective on this. I wish you luck in your pursuit of health. :)
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and express your concern Sarah! I really appreciate it! I see that you are a vegan, so it must be hard to reconcile with my way of eating! I’ll just tell you that I have seen forks over knives and it was definitely an eye opener especially as to how irresponsibly animals are raised commercially! It changed the way I shop at least. I’ve done the vegan thing – in fact I’ve gone so extreme as to do raw vegan about six years ago. I felt tired all the time, and ended up with severe candida issues. This way of eating works for me, and I don’t think five days of eating eggs and butter is going to hurt me (my blood pressure is fantastic btw), though I’m looking forward to eating a salad and some cauliflower when I come off the fast for sure. The bottom line for me is that I choose not to be dogmatic about one right path to health. Any diet that eliminates processed foods and refined sugars, with a focus on whole foods (plant or animal) is going to be better than the alternative Standard American Diet. For my body, low carb, high fat gets the best results and makes me feel great! Thanks again for taking the time to comment and show genuine concern for my health! :)
Mihir says
I just wanted to chime in and say that carbohydrates are not required for energy. Some amounts of glucose may be required, that doesn’t necessarily need to come from carbohydrates. Check out the following article for a more in depth explanation:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-much-glucose-does-your-brain-really-need/#axzz36nDT9fb6
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for leaving that link!
Lia says
I want to try this too! I’m wondering if the fat can be in the form of organic heavy cream (0carb) in addition to butter and oil. I only really like eggs in the form of your cream cheese pancakes… so it would be a cream cheese pancake diet for me. Being able to count the cream in my coffee for the fat would make it more doable. What do you think?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I think it’s worth a try Lia – if you don’t get good results you can always try cutting out the heavy cream and see if that makes a difference!
Lyndsay says
I want to try this! The only thing that would concern me ( i know this could be tmi, but oh well) would be how do you stay regular? Or is it not really an issue as i hear that protein actually moves through fine without fiber etc. I eat LCHF mostly and don’t have issues but i still normally eat 25-30f fiber and worried this might seriously constipate me. eek. advice?
Mellissa Sevigny says
The high ratio of fat should help smooth things along, and supplementing with magnesium is also going to help that problem. So far I’m on day three and no issues!
Nikki says
I just got done with a 5 day egg fast (you actually “liked” my photo about it on my Instagram which kinda made my day btw!), and I found that I had the opposite problem… After Day 1, I found that my stomach got upset about 3-4 hours after eating breakfast, like clockwork. Quite embarrassing since I work with some slightly immature people. -_-
Would you have any ideas or suggestions about how to remedy this issue, since I definitely plan on doing more Egg Fasts, but I’d prefer to do them without the embarrassing side effect from this past round. :-(
Kim Watson says
Hi from Cape Town, South Africa!
I have been eating Keto for the last year now, inspired by your amazing blog & cook book. It was the best thing I ever did health wise! In the first 6 months I lost 30 lbs, I felt so encouraged. It has taken me another 6 months to lose only 6 lbs grrrr! & I am discouraged to say the least.
Then I saw this blog post.
Yay! I am going to start on this egg fast tomorrow… maybe it will kick start my metabalism again & I can start losing the last 6 lbs.
Thank you for all you do to share your keto-wisdom with the world.
You are an inspiration to so many!
Mellissa Sevigny says
You’re so welcome Kim! Hoping you had great success last week!
Randi Stellar says
I was eating keto for 3 months and never lost anything! I felt great, and liked the food, but the whole reason I was eating keto was to lose weight. I am almost 50, and hypothyroid, so I know I have issues. I also have only 10-15 pounds to lose, and those last few pounds seem to be the hardest for everyone. About 3 weeks ago, I stopped tracking and have been just eating low carb. I figured why bother with all the tracking and trying to hit my macros when I was just maintaining. I can do that without tracking! But I do want to lose some weight quick – trip to Hawaii in 2 weeks! So I am starting the egg fast today. Wish me luck!!
Jan says
Oh Randi, we’re singing the same song for the same #lbs!!! I have a huge event to go to in 3 weeks and NOTHING seems to be working! Starting Monday. Best of luck to you! –Jan
Mellissa Sevigny says
How’d you do Randi?????
Randi Stellar says
Well, I only ended up doing it for 2 says, and I thought it was quite easy. I had unexpected guests, and it just wasn’t working to do while they were here. I want to get started back on it tomorrow, and now with the meal plan, it should be a breeze! Hawaii here I come – ready or not.
Susan says
I am definitely going to try this. I really need a jump start. I have lost 54 pounds on low carb in the past but nothing seems to be working for me now ! Very frustrating!!! I have been on steroids & antibiotics for a sinus problem & thought those might be the culprits for no weight loss. We shall see!!!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sounds very similar to my problem Susan! I’m late replying to this but did you try the egg fast last week? If so, how did you do????
Nikki Parry-Wulff says
oh, this sounds very interesting indeed! I have not heard of it before and was thinking of using a fat fast to break my stall but this sounds even more do-able :) I am a slow loser and have been good with my low carb but am seeking to find the best thing that works for me. I did a whole30 in January, lost 6 kilos (!!!) and went back to low carb from there, lost another 3.5 kilos over the following 4 months but have been stalled at 80.4 kilos for ages now. Just finished my second whole30 and it did zip for my weight (feeling great otherwise though so all good there). I know I shouldn’t be doing it for weight loss alone and I am sleeping loads better and feeling good but it’s just getting on my wick being stuck just above that 80 kilo mark (I’l 5’2… I still have enough to lose). I am always a great fan of yours and will be watching you like a hawk to see how you do :) xxx from Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Mellissa Sevigny says
Let me know if you decide to go for it Nikki, and how you do! I finally posted the 5 day menu plan so check it out! I was happy with my results overall and plan to start another three days tomorrow!
Nikki says
Thanks Mellissa! I was waiting for your recipes and menu plan as I don’t get much further than the scramble and pancakes :) I have just had a ‘naughty’ weekend food wise (out of my hands as we ate out of doors at friends for the whole weekend). I’m LCHF it today and tomorrow, Wednesday I have mates over who also low carb so a three course home made lc meal is in the offering (ending with your delish chocolate cake and still to be made mint/chocolate chip ice cream :D and THEN I am diving head first into your menu plan!! Thanks so much for all you do and the feed back you give us too!
Mary I. says
Interesting stuff, Mellissa. I wish I could try this. I’ve got rheumatoid arthritis, so I’m on a more or less paleo diet for that, though I have eaten two fruits a week for nutrition’s sake. I’ve lost about 20 lbs. doing this, though I have lots left to lose, but my priority is anti-inflammatory. Soooo, I won’t be able to do the egg fast, since I’m allergic to eggs. I’ve also cut out dairy for the arthritis part. I have had no net loss for the past two months! I’ve gone up and down in a four pound range, but nothing stays off! That’s in spite of being pretty religious about my eating. I’m going to try dropping the two fruits for awhile to try to get back to it. We’ll see.
I love that you’re posting these ideas, and that others are commenting too. It makes me feel less alone in this. I’m 62, so I agree about age being a big factor. Rats! I’m not able to exercise much due to health problems, so that’s a factor too. But you and the commenters give me a push to keep trying, so thanks for all you do! xoxo Mary I.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sorry the egg fast won’t work for you Mary! I think experimenting with dropping the fruit is a good idea to start – have you ever tried the Whole 30? It’s a very strict Paleo plan that might help you lose – it’s dairy free, and eliminates a few other things that normal Paleo allows, It always works for me but I didn’t want to commit to a whole month! Another thing you may want to try is a dairy free fat fast to kickstart your losing again – you can do it with bacon, avocado, coconut oil, etc. If you google it you’ll find lots of info! Hope that helps – and you’re definitely not alone! We’re glad you’re here! :)
Mary I. says
Thanks so much, Mellissa — these sound like great suggestions. I’ll let you know if/when I see results!
Claire says
Hi from the UK!
I too am in my very early 40’s & weight loss has been slow & has now stopped. Carb creep set in after my sons birthdays (2 within 10 days of each other) but this egg fast might be just what I need to get back on track.
Thanks for all your fantastic ideas and funny chat!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Let me know if you decide to try it Claire! I’m thrilled with my results so far – hopefully you will be too!
Mary says
Hi Melissa! Great idea. I’m going to do this with you. I’ve been in ketosis for a few months, feeling great, but just not losing weight the way I could when I was in my thirties. Lately, I’ve suffered from “carb creep.” Time to get back on track! Thanks for the fabulous blog!
Mellissa Sevigny says
You’re so welcome Mary! Let me know how you do on it!