KETO
AFTER 50
Stay Fit After Your 50’s
Losing weight is usually a frustrating process that demands a lot of patience and
requires extraordinary effort. For women over 50, it is even tougher. As you get to 50
and over, losing weight becomes more challenging because of your slowing
metabolism.
This doesn’t mean that weight loss after 50 is entirely impossible. There are many
great ways to lose weight at this age, but what is the best diet for women over 50?
We explore keto for women over 50 and how to use it effectively for weight loss.
Why Is Weight Loss After 50 So
Hard?
As you age, The body undergoes several changes. At 50, you are no longer young;
you have undergone muscle degeneration. You are no longer that energetic youth with
so much energy.
Here are reasons why losing weight becomes more difficult with age:
• Slow Metabolism
As you age, your body’s metabolism slows down. When you burn more calories than
you consume, you lose weight. With a slow metabolism, however, your body burns
fewer calories at rest and during activity.
• Muscle Degeneration
Muscle degeneration also takes place as you get older. There is the involuntary loss of
muscle mass, function, and strength. Muscle mass decreases at about 3 to 8% per
decade after the age of 30. And because muscle takes more energy to maintain than
other t\types of tissue, as you lose lean muscle mass, your metabolism starts to slow
down.
• Fat Infiltration
After the age of 50, the process of fat infiltrating your muscles accelerates. Fat
infiltration also increases with inactivity. The effect of this is you may feel easily
fatigued. However, research shows that resistance training can mitigate this as it
increases lean muscle mass and may improve muscle composition (11).
• Menopause
During menopause, some women may experience an increase in body fat. When
women are younger, they tend to collect fat around their hips and thighs. This is
known as gynoid fat distribution.
However, as women enter perimenopause and menopause, the fat distribution pattern
changes. Fat starts accumulating around the abdomen. This pattern is called android
fat distribution that is common in males.
These changes are a result of hormonal changes. Menopause in a woman officially
starts when she has not received her menstrual period for about 12 months. During
menopause, a woman’s estrogen levels are generally lower. Reduction in estrogen
levels has been linked to an increase in body fat.
Wanna Be Fit in Your Fifty ?
Keto Diet For Women Over 50: 10
Ways To Make It Work
At this point, you may be wondering what a Keto Diet is? A keto diet is basically a
high-fat, very low-carb, and moderate-protein diet. A keto diet requires that you cut
on carbs and increase your fat consumption to help the body burn up the fat in its
stores more efficiently.
Keto diets have been shown to aid in Weight loss. Low carbohydrate diets may also
be beneficial to your overall health . They may also help shed extra fat without the
effect of intense cravings that are common to other types of diets.
At the heart of a Keto Diet is ketones. When the body is low on blood sugar, it
produces ketones from fat as an alternative energy source. Production of ketones
happens when you cut on your carb intake and take the right amount of protein.
When you eat keto-friendly meals, your liver can convert fat into ketones that are used
as energy by your body. This state where your body uses fats as an energy source
instead of carbohydrates is referred to as ketosis. This allows fat burning to increase
dramatically, potentially helping get rid of unwanted fats.
So, how many carbs can you have on Keto? A ketogenic diet should contain about 5%
carbohydrates, 25 % protein, and 75% fats . You can easily check whether your body
is in ketosis by taking a simple urine test. Keto test strips are available over the
counter at your local pharmacy.
Wanna Be Fit in Your Fifty ?
Here are 10 tips on how to get the best out of a keto diet for women over 50:
• Don’t Skimp on Protein
Protein is an essential component on the keto diet menu for women over 50. For
weight loss, consuming the right amount of protein is crucial. Protein is vital as it
helps increase muscle mass and prevent a metabolic slowdown.
In fact, protein Boosts Metabolism. This macronutrient has a higher thermic effect on
food (30 to 50%) than other nutrients. The thermic effect of food refers to the number
of calories required to digest and metabolize the food.
Protein also regulates the hunger hormone ghrelin. It causes a reduction in the
production of ghrelin, leaving you full for longer. So after eating a high-protein
breakfast, it is unlikely that you will reach for a snack before your next meal.
The recommended amount of protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per
day . If you weigh 90kgs, the minimum amount of protein you should consume in a
day is about 72 grams. To avoid poor muscle growth, also ensure you consume the
right amount of protein.
• Get the Right Amount of Fats
The whole point of a Keto for Women Over 50 is to cut back on the carbs while
getting the right amounts of fats. One of the best parts about keto eating is that you get
to eat fats at every meal. However, once you become fat-adapted, you might end up
overconsuming fats.
• Manage Stress
Stress is an outright enemy of weight loss. When you are under stress, the body causes
the release of cortisol . This sends your body in a flight or fight mode, temporarily
pausing under process in the body and slowing your metabolism. While cortisol is an
important hormone, in excess, it can be harmful.
• Cut Back On Alcohol
Alcohol contains many extra calories making it a key contributor to weight gain if you
drink a lot. An occasional glass of wine or beer does not hurt. However, overdrinking
has a negative effect on weight loss.
• Get Plenty Of Quality Sleep
During menopause that takes place between 40 and 50, it is common to experience
sleep disturbances . Poor sleep has been associated with positive energy balance
which could cause weight gain over time . So in the case you have reached a plateau,
check whether you are getting quality sleep.
• Cut Back On Carbs
For keto for women over 50 to be effective, you have to limit the number of carbs you
consume. But once you have been following your keto diets, carbs may creep back in.
This is mostly in the form of nuts, fruits, and sauces.
• Experiment With Intermittent Fasting
Once your body is fat-adapted and you can go for long hours without eating, you can
try intermittent fasting. With Intermittent fasting, an individual alternates between
long periods of fasting and eating. An individual usually goes without food for about
16 to 24 hours.
• Lift Weights More
Starting yourself on a diet is usually not enough for weight loss. To burn calories and
shed weight, you need to combine exercise and dieting. To achieve maximum weight
loss, a combination of keto and exercises for women over 50 is necessary.
Wanna Be Fit in Your Fifty ?
