Thursday, June 13, 2013

Women Over 50 - Why You Stopped Losing on a Low Carb Diet and How To Fix It

If you are like most women over 50 who go on a low carb diet you likely found that after about two weeks your weight loss slowed or even stopped. Low carb diets came on the dieting scene a few decades ago and they are still being used today, mostly because they produce fast weight loss, at least at the start of your diet. In this article we will take a look at some of the special circumstances facing women in the menopausal stage of life and how carbs can be timed to break through a weight loss plateau.

Low carb diets are appealing to women over 50 because they help reduce belly fat. Hormonal changes that occur at or around the age of 50 make it easier for a woman's body to store fat in the abdomen. Even if you had always stored fat in your legs, hips and butt, the classic "pear-shaped" body, after the age of 50 you will find that fat accumulates in your belly more easily. Therefore, leaving you with a more "apple-shaped" body.

If you have been following a low carb diet and have been generally pleased with the results; but, you have noticed that the diet has stopped working, here are some steps you can take to fix your low carb diet:

1. Add a Cheat Meal. Carbohydrates are your body's primary energy source. After a few weeks of following a reduced carbs your body shifts to using fat, and possibly protein, for energy. This is one of the benefits of a low carb diet. However, the down side of this is that your body looks at this shift as a threat.

Your body does not know that you are cutting out carbohydrates because you have started to get more belly fat. It only knows that it is not getting enough of its primary fuel and to "help" you, your body shuts down your fat-burning hormones.

Giving yourself one day off each week and enjoying a Cheat Meal that is high in carbohydrates gives your body the message that all is okay and your fat-burning hormones are reset.

2. Use Carb Cycling during the week. Instead of going low carb all week, cycle your carbs throughout the week. To do this effectively you want to have a cheat meal and then for the next two days eat a reduced carbohydrate diet. From the third day until your next cheat meal increase your carb intake by about 10-20 carbs per day. This prevents your fat-burning hormones from dropping too dramatically, and keeps carbs low enough to continue weight loss.

3. Take Irvingia Gabonensis. This is nutrient supplement that works for low carb dieters because it makes your body cells more receptive to the fat-burning hormones.

Low carb diets are popular with women over 50 and they can be followed with success. But, if your low carb diet has stopped working you can utilize a Cheat Meal, Carb Cycling and the supplement Irvingia Gabonensis to boost your fat loss.