Keto Weight Loss For Older Women: Does It Work?

Women over 50 can lose weight on the keto diet, but it's important to note that it may not work for everyone. The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein diet that puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and reduced joint discomfort. However, it's important to be mindful of potential risks and side effects, such as keto flu, which can cause fatigue, brain fog, and increased cravings. Additionally, older women should be cautious about their fat intake and ensure they are getting enough protein. Overall, while keto can be an effective weight-loss strategy for women over 50, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional and make sure it aligns with individual health needs and goals.

Avoid eating too much fat

While the keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, low-to-moderate protein diet, it is not a license to gorge on fat. Once you are fat-adapted, it is important to avoid consuming excess fat. If you want to lose weight, you need to burn your own fat stores for energy, rather than consuming all the energy you need by eating fat.

The answer depends on your goals and your body. The basic principle is to eat enough fat to enjoy your meals and to stave off hunger between meals. You should aim to feel pleasantly satisfied, but not overfed, after each meal.

How to Avoid Eating Too Much Fat

• Ease into fat adaptation: When you begin a low-carb journey, you may find some high-fat foods taste too rich. Be patient. As you transition to your new way of eating, your body and taste buds will adjust. Work up to eating enough fat to avoid hunger and allow your body time (at least a month) to settle into its new pattern of burning fat instead of carbohydrates.
• Dial back for weight loss: If you are hoping to lose weight, once you are at ease with your low-carb diet, experiment with reducing the extra fat you add to meals. When hungry, always opt for additional protein and fibre-filled veggies first, followed by extra fat if needed. Eat just enough to enjoy your food and let your body burn its internal fat stores.
• Add fat as needed for maintenance: Once you reach your goal weight, you may no longer have the internal fat stores necessary to fuel an energy shortfall day after day. Tune into your body's hunger signals and adjust the fat in your diet until you find a satisfying balance of hunger-free weight maintenance.
• Eat an adequate amount of protein: The most helpful trick to minimizing hunger is to ensure you eat the right amount of protein. If you are eating very low-carb but have stalled with weight loss, take a look at how much protein you are eating. Individual needs vary, but about 1.2-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of reference body weight (each day) may be optimal for weight loss.
• Use fat as needed for flavour: Fat is an amazing flavour enhancer. It makes everything taste better. You can eat more fat for fuel, but that doesn't mean that you will. In studies where people are eating low-carb, moderate-protein diets and are allowed to eat as much fat as needed to feel full, they often end up consuming less overall due to feeling fuller and more satisfied.

Get the right amount of protein

Protein is one of the most important macronutrients, and it has many crucial roles in the human body. Research suggests that protein can be greatly beneficial when trying to lose weight.

When first introduced in the early 1920s for treating epilepsy seizures, the keto diet was very high in fat content and incorporated little protein. However, when its potential as a fat-burning tool became popular, the macronutrient balance shifted. Today, a true keto diet for fat loss provides close to 60–80% of calories from fat, 5–10% of calories from carbs, and much higher protein.

Protein is composed of several tiny units known as amino acids. While the human body can make nearly all the twenty necessary amino acids, there are nine that it cannot produce, referred to as essential amino acids, which need to be consumed through food every day.

• Muscle growth and repair: The protein present in the muscles is broken down and built up again every day. Hence, a new supply of amino acids is required for muscle protein synthesis – that is, the production of new muscle. Obtaining enough amounts of protein from the diet helps avoid muscle loss and encourages muscle growth, especially when combined with resistance training.
• Maintain healthy functioning of various organs: Protein helps maintain healthy hair, skin, bones, and nails, and as well as our internal organs. While protein is replaced more slowly in these structures than in the muscles, new amino acids are needed to take the place of the old and damaged ones.
• Production of enzymes and hormones: The hormones important for life, such as insulin and growth hormone, are basically proteins. Similarly, most of the enzymes in our body are proteins. The body needs a regular supply of amino acids to produce these important components.
• Reduce fat and sugar: There is a growing body of research that consuming more protein in a low-carb diet reduces liver fat and the levels of sugar in the blood.
• Supporting healthy bones and joints
• Promoting healthy skin, hair, and nails
• Maintaining pH of blood and bodily fluids
• Supporting immune function

Guidelines for Customized Protein Intake

Considering the different opinions amongst nutrition experts, a daily protein intake of around 1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight is recommended for most individuals. Consuming protein within this range has been shown to help prevent muscle loss, lower body fat percentage and offer many other benefits for people on higher or low-carb diets.

Higher consumption of protein up to 2 grams per kg of body weight may also be helpful for some people, including people with low body weight or those recovering from sickness, injury, or surgery, and sometimes those who regularly engage in physical activities.

On the other hand, people who are on keto diets for healing purposes (for example, for managing some kind of cancer) may have to cut down their daily protein intake to below 1 g per kilogram of body weight. However, this should be under thorough medical supervision.

Tips for Further Customization of Your Protein Intake

• If you are overweight, use your ideal body weight or reference weight to avoid overestimating your protein needs, which depend on your lean muscle mass.
• Aim for a minimum of 20g of protein at every meal. Studies have shown that the body requires around 20 to 30 grams of protein at every meal to make sure amino acids are absorbed into the muscles. So, spread the protein you take over two or three meals instead of taking most of it in a single meal – if you intend to build your muscle mass.
• Increase or decrease the protein portions as necessary, and do not worry about reaching a particular target. Bear in mind that your protein range is wide, so you shouldn’t hesitate to change the amount you consume by 30 g or more per day. If you eat a lower amount of protein one day, make sure to add extra the next day.
• If you practice intermittent fasting, you may want to raise the amount of protein in the two meals you take.
• It can be difficult to obtain adequate amounts of protein if you consume one meal per day (OMAD). So, try to eat OMAD a couple of days a week and consume more protein on the other weekdays. Alternatively, if you want to keep to OMAD every day, eat within a two-hour time window. This will enable you to eat your meal and also have time to take meats, nuts, and cheese as snacks to raise your protein intake.
• Eat

Try intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a time-restricted eating approach that can be a powerful tool for women over 40 who are looking to lose weight and improve their health. It involves eating within a designated time frame, typically an 8-hour window, and fasting for the remaining 16 hours of the day. This method of eating is not a new trend, as it has been practised for hundreds of years and is an important part of many religions.

One of the main benefits of IF for older women is its potential to aid weight loss. As women age, they tend to experience a slower metabolism, loss of lean muscle mass, reduced physical activity, and hormonal changes, all of which can make it harder to lose weight. By restricting the eating window, IF helps reduce overall calorie intake, which is crucial for weight loss. Additionally, IF triggers the body to use excess body fat as fuel instead of relying solely on calories from food. This shift in fuel source can lead to a reduction in belly fat, which is a common concern for older women.

Another advantage of IF is its potential to improve metabolic health. As we age, our bodies become less efficient at regulating blood sugar and insulin levels, which can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. IF can help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce insulin resistance, thereby lowering the risk of diabetes. It also has beneficial effects on cholesterol levels, increasing the "good" HDL cholesterol while decreasing the "bad" LDL cholesterol. These changes can lead to improved heart health and a reduced risk of heart disease.

IF has also been linked to reduced inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is a risk factor for several serious health conditions, including cancer and heart disease. By reducing inflammation, IF may help lower the risk of these age-related illnesses. Additionally, IF has been shown to improve gut health and reduce gastrointestinal symptoms, which can be particularly beneficial for older adults who often experience digestive issues.

While IF can be a safe and effective approach for many older women, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting this or any other dietary intervention. It may not be suitable for those with a history of eating disorders, diabetes, or certain medications. It is also important to note that combining IF with a healthy diet and physical activity will maximise the potential benefits.

Watch out for carbs

As you get older, your body goes through several changes. One of the most significant changes is the decrease in muscle mass, which starts from the age of 30 and can be as high as an 8% decrease per decade. This loss of muscle mass slows down your metabolism, making it harder to burn calories and lose weight.

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein diet. It is designed to put your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. To achieve this, you need to reduce your carbohydrate intake to approximately 5% of your total energy intake, while increasing your fat intake to 75%.

However, it is important to be mindful of the types of fat you are consuming. While the keto diet allows you to eat more fat, you still need to maintain a calorie deficit to lose weight. This means that you should be careful not to overconsume fats, as they are calorie-dense and it is easy to eat more calories than you realise.

Once you have been following the keto diet for a while, it is easy for carbs to start creeping back into your diet. This could be in the form of sauces, condiments, fruits, nuts, or highly processed foods such as bagels, breakfast cereals, pastries, and waffles. To get back on track, you may need to cut back on your carb intake and aim for less than 50 grams of net carbs per day.

In addition to watching out for carbs in your diet, you should also be mindful of your overall calorie intake. While the keto diet can be effective for weight loss, it is still important to ensure that you are eating fewer calories than you burn. This means that you should be mindful of your fat intake and create a calorie deficit to promote weight loss.

Remember, the key to success with the keto diet is consistency. It can be challenging to stick to, especially in the beginning, but the benefits are worth it. The keto diet has been shown to promote weight loss, improve blood sugar control, and even have a beneficial impact on brain function and memory.

Manage stress

Managing stress is an important aspect of overall health and can be a crucial factor in achieving your health and weight loss goals. Here are some tips to help older women manage stress while on a keto diet:

• Prioritize Sleep: Poor sleep can sabotage your diet and weight loss efforts. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Establish a bedtime routine and create a relaxing sleep environment. Limit screen time before bed, avoid caffeine after noon, and incorporate relaxing activities such as meditation or reading.
• Practice Stress Relief Techniques: Incorporate stress relief practices such as yoga, tai chi, or qi gong. Try mindfulness and meditation techniques to help you transition to sleep. Eat slowly and mindfully, savouring the taste and texture of your food.
• Exercise Regularly: Exercise is a great stress reliever. Aim for some form of physical activity daily. Walking, yoga, and strength training are excellent options.
• Connect with Others: Social support is important when making lifestyle changes. Join a keto community or find a friend or family member who can support and motivate you.
• Set Realistic Goals: Unrealistic expectations can lead to stress and frustration. Set achievable goals and focus on long-term success rather than quick fixes.
• Monitor Your Progress: Track your weight, body composition, and overall health, but avoid obsessing over daily fluctuations. Checking your progress once a month can provide a more accurate representation of how your diet is working for you.
• Make Lifestyle Adjustments: Evaluate your lifestyle and make changes to reduce stress. This may include simplifying your schedule, saying no to non-essential commitments, or incorporating stress-reducing activities such as hobbies or social outings.
• Seek Professional Guidance: Consult a healthcare professional if you need help managing stress or if it is affecting your overall health. They can provide personalized advice and support.

Frequently asked questions