The Keto diet is popular among people who are desperate to lose weight these days. Many celebrities swear by this diet, made up of high-fat, low-carb, and a decent amount of protein to help you shed those extra pounds. If you are a woman over 40, Keto can be the best option for you to lose weight.
Women above 40 years would have probably noticed that losing weight at this age is harder than it was in their twenties. As a woman in her forties, your body undergoes significant hormonal changes caused by perimenopause. Often when you gain weight, it’s around your midsection or abdomen rather than other parts of the body like your hips and thighs, and you will probably find it difficult to lose this weight.
What is a Keto Diet?
A Keto diet is high in fat and extremely low in carbs. Ideally, your carbohydrate intake should account for 10% of your total calorie intake or less when you’re on this diet. Following this diet requires you to substitute carbs for high-fat foods. Doing this puts your body in a metabolic state which is called Ketosis.
Why Keto is Best for Women Over 40?
A common side effect of menopause is difficulty losing weight, weight gain, and low energy caused by a drop in estrogen. As a response to these side effects, many women in their forties go on low-calorie diets and excessive exercise regimes but see little results. However, these diets usually still contain foods like dairy, and carbs cause inflammation and hormone imbalances which do nothing to help you lose weight.
The foods you eat majorly affect how your body transitions to menopause. Following a keto diet consisting of high-fat and low-carb foods do wonders to balance your insulin, estrogen, and other hormone levels, making it easier for a woman in her forties to lose weight and keep it off.
How the Keto Diet Works
Your body breaks down carbs into glucose on a regular diet for energy. When you cut down the number of carbs you consume, and your body is in a metabolic state, it adapts to using fat for energy. It means that the fat reserves in your body are being broken down and depleted, and when you eat more fat, instead of storing it, your body uses it as energy.
A Keto Diet also helps you to lose weight by:
Reducing the Amount of Water Your Body Stores
A significant amount of weight in the body is water. It’s because your body retains fluid when it stores carbs. By eliminating the carbs you consume, you also lower the water your body retains.
Curbing Cravings and Reducing Hunger
Following a Keto diet is likely to reduce or stop your sugar cravings. It may be different for everyone, but many people noticed that they didn’t crave sugar after being on the Keto diet for three to ten days. Others still craved sugar but not as often.
A common occurrence in women in their forties is an increase in hunger because of a drop in estrogen levels. Following a Keto diet has also been shown to reduce the appetite, which means you don’t feel hungry as often. It’s because the Keto diet has been linked to a reduction in Ghrelin, a hormone responsible for hunger. When your Ghrelin levels are low, you are less hungry and likely to eat less.
Making the Most Out of Keto
Following a Keto diet plan is about reducing your carb intake and increasing the amount of fat in your diet. Still, to get the best results, it’s wise to take a holistic approach and ensure that your lifestyle supports your new eating plan.
When going Keto, also take note of the following:
Eat Good Quality, Clean Foods
Always choose good quality organic food as far as possible when deciding what to eat. Unfortunately, many high-fat food sources contain antibiotics, hormones, and other contaminants that harm your health. Healthy, organic food like grass-fed beef and organic eggs may be more expensive but think of it as an investment in your health.
Also, when looking for fats to include in your diet, choose healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, coconut, olive oil, and sugar-free nut butter.
Take Your Supplements
As you age, your body requires nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that you can’t get from food, no matter how inclusive your diet is. You may also find that your energy is lower than it was in your youth, so taking a multivitamin will help.
Shop around and look for top rated womens multivitamins to find one that suits you. While everyone’s needs are different, most women in their forties can benefit from a multivitamin that includes Vitamin D, B12, Iron, Calcium, and Magnesium.
Include Nutrient Dense Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are fantastic sources of fiber and must be included in your diet. Choose fruits and vegetables low in sugar and avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweetcorn, and beetroot.
Exercise Regularly
While your diet plays a massive role in losing weight, it’s also essential to be active. Exercising burns calories, so you must work out at least three to four times a week. You can choose any workout you like, but the trick is to be consistent. It can be going for a thirty-minute walk, hitting the gym, or joining an aerobics class.
Get Enough Sleep
When you don’t get sufficient sleep, you are prone to becoming hungry because your hunger hormones spike, causing you to overeat. Aim to get at least seven hours of sleep a night. If you struggle to sleep, work towards developing a nighttime routine that encourages sleep. A good option is to try yoga, which puts the body in a relaxed state and aids sleep.
