The keto diet has resurfaced in mass popularity over the last few years. “Keto” is short for ketogenic, and it is a diet that forces your body to burn fats instead of carbohydrates.
The success stories of the keto diet have been quite incredible. Some people claim to have lost 20 pounds in 20 days and even more over an extended time. Because of the extreme weight loss that sometimes results from this diet, there is a lot of controversy about whether it is healthy.
What it comes down to is where you are with your body. If you do not need to lose weight, then the keto diet isn’t good for you to try. If you have bad eating habits and are looking to get them under control and lose some pounds in the process, the keto diet may be for you. In the end, it varies from person to person whether the keto diet is healthy and the right choice for you.
Before deciding if you’re ready to dive into this diet, read on to learn more about what this diet means for women over the age of 50 – because your experience with this diet will be very different from the experience of a 20-year-old male going keto.
Where It All Started
Though new to some people, the keto diet has been around for a long time. A really long time. In fact, keto is a form of fasting, which is something that has been used as a method to treat epilepsy since 500 B.C. It wasn’t until diets became a thing in the 1970s that people started considering changing the way they ate simply to help them lose weight.
Over the next 30 years, the keto diet was in existence but wasn’t always called that and wasn’t very popular. Then, BAM. A study published in Science in 2013 about the keto diet coupled with a video created by Tim Ferriss, the famous author of The 4-Hour Work Week, shot this diet into a surge of popularity.
Next thing you know, it’s one of the highest Googled words. Chances are good that you’ve heard a success story or two about someone adopting the keto diet, but the question remains: will it work for you?
What is the Keto Diet?
The keto diet, characterized by a high-fat, low-carbohydrate intake, has gained popularity for its potential weight loss and health benefits. For women over 50, the diet may offer specific advantages, but there are also considerations to keep in mind. The primary goal of keto is to shift the body into ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, which can result in weight loss and improved metabolic health.
The keto diet is all about limiting the number of carbohydrates you eat in a day. Doing this signals your body to go into ketosis, which is a state where your body burns fat instead of burning sugar.
When we say that you are supposed to limit the number of carbs you eat in a day, we mean that you must remain under 50 grams a day which may sound like a lot, but when you start realizing how many carbs are in something like a handful of raspberries, you really start to rethink the concept of carbs.
In fact, fruit is primarily prohibited on a keto diet, and vegetables are kept to a minimum. Yes, we are saying very little fruit and only some vegetables.
Another thing you have to limit when doing a keto diet is protein. You are limited to around 100 grams a day.
So, when you take away carbs and take away protein, what are you left with? Fat.
And when you’re on the keto diet, you eat lots of fat. Think bacon, steak, butter, and more (though some should be limited in the amount you eat). The keto diet is 90% fat, 6% protein, and 4% carbs.
What to Eat
Here are some of the top foods to enjoy while you are trying out the keto diet.
- Unprocessed meat
- Fresh fish and seafood
- Eggs
- Vegetables that grow above the ground
- High-fat dairy
- Nuts
- Berries, in moderation
- Keto supplements, like Keto Friendly Bars, snacks, or granola.
Is Keto Right for You?
As a woman over the age of 50, you’ve likely started to discover your slowing metabolism. This may make you more interested in losing weight than you’ve ever been before, and many women of this age have found luck in the keto diet.
Some people claim that going keto helps to make your metabolism up to 10 times faster, which is a huge bonus as you age. The protein and healthy fats you consume when on a keto diet help to preserve the muscles that help with your metabolism while simultaneously getting rid of excess fat in your body.
Unlike other diets, many people on the keto diet claim they do not feel deprived of food. The likely reason for this is that the healthy fats you consume on this diet help you to feel fuller for a longer period. They also work to help curb cravings and help you maintain more balanced energy levels to help avoid crashes.
However, women over 50 need to approach keto with care. Hormonal changes during menopause can affect how the body responds to a high-fat diet. Some women may experience nutrient deficiencies or digestive issues, as keto can limit fiber intake. It’s important to include nutrient-dense, fiber-rich foods like leafy greens, avocados, and nuts, and consult with a healthcare provider to ensure the diet aligns with individual health needs and goals.
The hard part about the keto diet is staying on track for long. However, this is a good thing at your age. The super-strict part of the keto diet is not something that should be done for the rest of your life. Instead, as a woman over the age of 50, it is important to be strict at the beginning to get some results and then ease back on your regimen. Allow yourself a few more carbs a day and some more grams of protein.
Just be sure that you are getting these additional carbs and proteins from healthy, whole-food sources. Stay away from processed foods that will shoot you out of ketosis and into a state of cravings and low energy.
Want to give intermittent fasting a try? Take a look at Prime Women’s PLATE program. Now available in an app on Apple or Android with reminders to keep you on track.
If you’re worried about being hungry while intermittent fasting, try our program for 5-day ProLon fasting with food, or you can use FastBar to avoid temptation and help you find success! Use code PRIMEWOMEN to get $25 off your fasting kit!
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