Is the Ketogenic diet for women the same as the recommended diet for men?
I have written extensively about the Ketogenic Diet for Athletes. But as with all diets, one size rarely fits all. Trying to rigidly do a diet suitable for elite athletes might not work for a raw beginner. Also women do have different requirements to men. There may be metabolic differences, hormonal differences, different athletic requirements and a different microbiome.
Of course there are some absolute truths of the ketogenic diet that it is important to understand. From there, you need to tweak and adapt to what suits your body and metabolism.
Ketogenic Diet For Women: The Basics
All forms of carbohydrate – fruits, vegetables, grains + starches, are broken down into glucose by your body which increases your blood sugar. Your body considers raised blood sugar as being toxic, so it releases insulin (a storage hormone) to push the glucose into your cells. Once this occurs, your blood sugar decreases, making you hungry again.
This vicious cycle of blood sugar highs and lows is why you experience endless hunger + cravings. This cycle is even more severe amongst athletes as we are told to continue feeding the sugar requirements with packets of gels, and gallons of sugary drinks.
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The release of insulin halts your body’s ability to release fat and toxins. If you’re eating carbohydrate-based foods every 2-3 hours, your body is never fully able to exercise its ability to rid itself of excess. It is very unlikely to be able to burn fat. And, if more carbohydrates are consumed than what your body needs, it will be converted into triglycerides and stored in your blood, leading to weight gain and unbalanced cholesterol.
This is a major reason why many athletes are NOT healthy at all. Being fit is NOT the same as being healthy. In fact some athletes despite increasing their exercise continue to get fatter each year.
How Does The Ketogenic Diet Turn Your Body Into Fat Burning Machine?
When you lower your intake of carbohydrates, increase your consumption of glorious fats and moderate protein intake, your blood sugar and insulin levels are reduced, levels of HDL cholesterol increase, and the visceral fats around your vital organs are “eaten up”. This is the desired state of nutritional ketosis.
You can get more quickly into nutritional ketosis by taking exogenous ketones. These will increase the level of ketone bodies instantly.
In nutritional ketosis, your body becomes a fat-burning machine, effectively breaking down fatty acids into ketone bodies that are used, even by the brain, as fuel. Studies show that nutritional ketosis has the potential of alleviating food cravings, blood sugar irregularities, mind fog, excess body weight, abnormal cell growth, psychological imbalances, infertility and more.
In nutritional ketosis, we’re tripping the metabolic switch, leading to so much more than just weight loss.
Extra Benefits Of The Ketogenic Diet for Women
Many people notice rapid and effective fat loss once they are on the ketogenic diet.
But for women, there are many, many more health benefits as well.
You will notice:
- Less dizzy spells
- Feeling satisfied after a meal
- Better digestion
- Improved hormone levels
- Improved fertility
- More sustained energy
- Less hunger between meals
- Less anxiety
- Reduced candida
- Improved thyroid function
- Improved memory
Of course it is easy to say this and a different thing to actually do this program on a day to day basis. The Ketogenic Diet for women should be adapted a little from time to time due to their cycles, hormones and different bodily requirements. Sometimes trying to simply due the same formula which is suitable for men, is unachievable for women, so instead of adapting it, they give up and go back to sugar. Even amongst hard core ketogenic diet proponents, once nutritional ketosis has been achieved, it is possible to cycle in and out of ketosis for a longer term and more sustainable result.
I want to introduce you to Leanne, a passionate nutritional educator who has helped women get a better grasp on their health and support you in this journey.
She has developed an incredible Fat Fueled Program to help women achieve more balanced hormones, control over mood swings and better health through nutritional ketosis. She supplies 60 nourishing recipes and helps you stop struggling to achieve your weight loss goals and obsessing over numbers, and instead nourish the inner workings of your body with a powerful high-fat eating program that promotes the balancing of hormones, weight, cravings, food sensitivities, and more.
If you know you suffer any of these conditions or struggle with your weight on an ongoing basis, definitely check this out.
She is a master and will help you break through your plateaus safely and without guilt or struggle,
Its time for better energy and more fun!
Happy Training
Charlotte
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