The Keto diet has been suitable for people of all ages for a long time because it is a way of eating that humans have followed since prehistoric times. However, this does not mean that Keto cannot showcase its potential advantages for certain age groups, including women over the age of 50. In this article, you will discover more about Keto for this specific age group.
When women reach the age of 50, they usually go through or have gone through a sequence of hormonal changes that lead to the end of their menstrual cycle, known as menopause. If menopause is combined with the natural process of getting older, it results in a variety of frequently vexing changes occurring simultaneously.
First, we will review that topic. After that, we will discuss how Keto may be beneficial.
Health Issues for Women Over 50
During their late 40s to early 50s, a majority of women undergo perimenopause, the period preceding menopause. Throughout this phase, women may encounter symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, decreased sexual desire, mood fluctuations, irregular menstruation, difficulty sleeping, and an increase in weight.
Menopause is defined as the cessation of the menstrual cycle for a continuous period of 12 months, typically occurring around the age of 51 on average.
During the transition to menopause, women often experience a change in their weight distribution pattern as their body tends to store fat more around the abdomen, rather than the thighs and buttocks. Researchers attribute this shift to the decrease in estrogen levels, the primary female sex hormone.
The alterations that take place are not solely associated with body composition, but also extend to increased risks of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis in menopausal and postmenopausal women due to estrogen deficiency.
Women over 50 must also face the natural aging process in addition to menopause. As we progress through our later years, we may encounter the following experiences:
- Accelerated muscle loss (sarcopenia)
- More chronic inflammation
- Higher rates of every chronic disease: heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc.
- Declines in athletic performance
- More trouble regulating blood sugar
- Reductions in deep, restorative sleep
- A broader perspective on life and love
- The benefits of an AARP membership
Although a Ketogenic diet cannot prevent menopause or aging, it may have certain mechanisms that can offer assistance.
How A Keto Diet May Help
Keto is primarily recognized as a diet that promotes weight loss, as supported by numerous studies, including one involving obese postmenopausal women. This can be attributed to a few factors. Primarily, Keto decreases the levels of hunger hormones, resulting in reduced appetite and calorie intake, thereby aiding in weight reduction. Interestingly, it is worth noting that the hunger hormone ghrelin tends to be elevated during menopause.
The Keto diet also impacts fat metabolism as it leads to the burning of more fat when blood sugar and insulin levels are reduced on a low-carb diet. This can assist in counteracting fat storage during menopause. Additionally, here are a few more possible health advantages of the Keto diet for women who are 50 years or older.
- Being in ketosis may reduce chronic inflammation by preventing high blood sugar and suppressing inflammatory signaling molecules.
- The Keto diet is a promising therapy for Alzheimer’s disease and certain cancers.
- Keto has been shown to improve heart disease risk factors in obese and diabetic populations.
- Keto-adapting (running on body fat) can stabilize energy levels.
Keto for Women Over 50: Tips to Get Started
The simplest and most effective tips for healthy aging involve the basics: getting enough sleep, engaging in regular exercise, managing stress, maintaining a balanced diet, and consuming nutritious food. In this article, we will delve into these tips, with a special emphasis on the Keto diet.
1. Get Enough Protein
As you age, it becomes more difficult to keep your muscles in good condition. This gradual loss of muscle, known as sarcopenia, significantly contributes to age-related disabilities. Consuming sufficient protein can aid in the prevention of sarcopenia. The reason behind this is that the amino acids found in protein, particularly leucine, play a crucial role in muscle synthesis by providing the necessary building blocks.
If you want to be more specific, you can aim for 100 grams of protein per day, which is considered a good target for most individuals. To gain a deeper understanding of protein on the Keto diet, you may find it helpful to read this blog and utilize the Carb Manager app to accurately adjust your macronutrient intake. Contrary to popular belief, consuming protein will not hinder your progress on the Keto diet, but neglecting it can have negative effects on your overall health.
2. Strength Train
To maintain lean mass, protein alone is not enough. Resistance exercise is also necessary. The equation is similar to this: Muscle maintenance requires a high-protein Keto diet along with strength training.
A simple but effective routine comprises doing push-ups (or knee push-ups), pull-ups (or assisted pull-ups), planks, and air squats 2-3 times per week. However, if you ensure to maintain proper form, you are welcome to include weightlifting in your routine.
3. Consider Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) involves regularly abstaining from food, a practice that has existed for a long time. Throughout history, humans have naturally alternated between periods of fasting and eating, aligning with our biological patterns. One notable advantage of IF is its effectiveness in weight reduction. By shortening the time frame in which you consume food, you consume fewer calories and have the potential to shed pounds. Numerous studies have demonstrated this outcome in both males and females.
In addition, there are other potential benefits of intermittent fasting, including reducing the risk of heart disease, controlling blood sugar levels, promoting longevity through autophagy, and reducing inflammation.
It is advisable to be cautious when following a fasting routine. Women, especially those in their reproductive age, seem to experience more negative consequences when practicing prolonged fasts. To gain further insights, it is recommended to refer to this guide on intermittent fasting specifically designed for women.
4. Take Electrolytes
Many individuals focus on maintaining hydration while following the Keto diet, however, they frequently neglect to consider the significance of electrolytes. Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and chloride are essential for the proper functioning of your nervous system, maintaining high energy levels, and balancing bodily fluids. Therefore, electrolytes hold great importance.
The main focus for Keto individuals is sodium. Whole food Keto diets not only lead to increased sodium loss through urine, but they also have a low initial sodium content. Make sure to have the salt shaker accessible.
The correct amount of fats should be obtained.
The main purpose of a Keto diet for women over 50 is to reduce carbohydrate intake while ensuring sufficient fat consumption. A notable advantage of keto eating is the ability to include fats in each meal. However, after becoming adapted to utilizing fat for energy, there is a possibility of consuming excessive amounts of fats.
In order to lose weight, it is necessary to deplete the fat reserves in your body rather than solely relying on fat for calorie intake. Dr. Bret Scher advises that it is acceptable to consume a significant amount of healthy fats before your body adapts to burning fat as fuel.
If you achieve fat adaptation and develop the ability to go extended periods without eating, it is important to manage the quantities. The key is to monitor your intake of fats. However, if you experience a weight plateau, it may be necessary to ensure that your fat consumption is not excessive.
To cut back on fats and maintain fullness without triggering cravings for salty or sugary ultra-processed foods, it is important not to starve oneself but rather be mindful of excess fat intake.
Stress management is essential to effectively handle stress.
Experiencing stress directly hampers weight loss efforts. Stress triggers cortisol release within the body, which prompts a fight or flight response and temporarily halts bodily functions and slows down metabolism. Despite the importance of cortisol as a hormone, its excessive presence can have detrimental effects.
Cortisol has the potential to induce hunger and enhance your appetite, as well as instigate a desire for sugary, fatty, and salty foods. Consequently, you may tend to overlook your keto-friendly options and opt for french fries, burgers, or pizza instead.
You are aware of the concept of stress eating, which is a real phenomenon. When experiencing stress, you might find yourself consuming excessive amounts of food. As a result, it is possible to unintentionally deviate from your ketogenic diet.
When you are in your 50s, there are numerous factors to be concerned about, such as your children, house, social circle, and family members. Even the act of being worried about losing weight is not beneficial. However, it is important to bear in mind that stress has a negative impact on your weight loss progress.
Take a break from your daily tasks and find some time to unwind and relax. You can enjoy engaging in enjoyable activities like knitting, meditation, taking walks, crocheting, or reading a book.
Consider reducing your alcohol consumption.
If you consume a large amount of alcohol, it can contribute significantly to weight gain due to its high calorie content. Although having the occasional glass of wine or beer is not harmful, excessive alcohol consumption can hinder weight loss efforts.
When alcohol is consumed, the body’s metabolic focus shifts, prioritizing the metabolism of alcohol over other substances. This alteration occurs because the body aims to eliminate the harmful byproduct of alcohol, known as acetate, by pausing the metabolism of alternative substances.
Even when following a keto diet, excessive consumption of alcohol is counterproductive. Therefore, if you have experienced a plateau and are unable to continue losing weight, it would be beneficial to reduce your alcohol intake.
8. Make sure to obtain an ample amount of restorative sleep.
It is common to experience sleep disturbances during menopause, which typically occurs between the ages of 40 and 50. Poor sleep has been linked to positive energy balance, potentially leading to gradual weight gain. Therefore, if you have reached a plateau, consider assessing the quality of your sleep.
To increase the release of the primary stress hormone called cortisol linked to abdominal fat, one may also get an insufficient amount of sleep. To improve sleep quality, attempt to go to bed consistently at the same time each day. Additionally, sleeping in a room devoid of light and refraining from consuming alcohol or eating shortly before bedtime may be helpful.
Reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed.
In order for keto to be successful for women over 50, it is necessary to restrict carb intake. However, as you continue with your keto diet, carbs may start to reappear, primarily through the consumption of nuts, fruits, and sauces.
First, make sure to monitor the amount of carbohydrates you consume, and then reduce your intake to less than 20 grams of net carbs per day. Remain aware of processed foods that are high in carbohydrates, like bagels, breakfast cereals, pastries, and waffles, and stay away from them.
Increase the frequency of weightlifting exercises.
Simply starting a diet is typically insufficient for weight loss; to effectively shed pounds, one must incorporate both exercise and dieting. For optimal weight loss, women over 50 should incorporate a combination of keto dieting and exercise.
Weight training, also known as strength or resistance training, aids in the development of muscle mass. Muscle is essential for metabolism as it enhances the body’s metabolic rate when there is an increase in lean muscle mass. By engaging in strength training, your resting metabolic rate rises, resulting in the burning of more calories while at rest.
Weight lifting does not need to be excessive; a minimum of twice weekly and approximately 90 seconds per muscle group should suffice. It is important to use weights that are challenging enough so that you are unable to perform an additional repetition after completing 15 to 20 reps.
It is important to make sure you consume adequate amounts of water following your workouts. Additionally, it is essential to incorporate rest days into your intense exercise routine to allow your body to recuperate.
11. Steer clear of sugary additives.
In order to achieve weight loss, it is important to restrict the consumption of foods that contain high amounts of artificial sugars, including soda, candy, cookies, and sugary cereals. Additionally, if you have been including artificial sweeteners like sucralose in your low-carb diet, it might be beneficial to gradually reduce their intake to avoid unhealthy sugar cravings.
When foods are sweet, it is easy to overeat them, which can hinder your weight loss efforts. To avoid this, it is important to read the labels of food items and check the nutrition facts for the presence of added sugars. Additionally, you can review the ingredient list for common sweeteners like agave, corn syrup, or cane sugar.
