Health has always been important, but gets more critical as we age; in fact, you should be adding it to your bucket list straight away. As women approach their 50s, their bodies start to prepare for the dreaded “M” – menopause!
And yes, unfortunately, adverse side effects and age-related weight gain can’t be fixed with a green tea or a quick Crossfit session. Reaching 50 will require you to make a couple of changes in your diet; it’s all about healthy eating, feeling good, and being happy. That is why our guide will show you some of the helpful diets for women over 50.
The transition into the late stages of life is not the most approachable scenario for everyone. A dietary lifestyle change should be easy to follow and not overly restrictive. One of the most important things is to keep your transition into healthy food evidence-based. With many a dash diet plan out there, at 50, you should focus on facts to ensure you are getting the necessary nutrients into your body.
The 50s are the new 30s; it’s time for a change, and although it might be challenging, it will be a great time. So, the time of healthy aging has arrived. After eating everything you wanted and not really living the healthiest way possible, you now need to rethink your health and start living your new life. This article will focus not only on one but five of the best diets for over 50 females.
Why Diet Chart Important for Older Women
A diet chart will provide you with the necessary nutrition facts about healthy foods you need, no matter your age. At 50, dietary guidelines are crucial; it’s your last stand to prepare your body for the rest of your life, but don’t worry, the fun is not over! We’re not saying you should live on broccoli, just that there are certain things that your body needs when reaching menopause.
The diet charts listed in this article will guide you through some of the most exciting diets that will make you forget about your previous life. You will remerge feeling re-energized and back to healthy living with style and taste.
When you reach 50, there’s a lot to look forward to; you may be retiring soon, the kids are out of the house, and finally, you will have enough time to create wholesome and tasty food only for your enjoyment. Let’s look at some of the best diets for older women.
Helpful Diets for Over 50 Females
The best diets for women over 50 to indulge in a few essentials that cannot be missing from the flexitarian diet plan. Let’s have a look at why these diets will work wonders in improving your health, leaving you ready to tackle each day head-on.
- Not Restrictive – Now is not the time to restrict yourself too much. You should also enjoy life while being healthy. And luckily, with the diets you will see here, there’s no reason not to enjoy food while being healthy.
- Easy to Follow – These meals and diets use easy-to-find ingredients. This makes shopping a breeze and helps you to throw away the surplus supplements. You can enjoy the natural nutrients found in the ingredients.
- Adaptable – Unfortunately, 50 does mean that some changes and adaptations need to happen. Still, you can’t really change your tastebuds or go back in time, so we chose diets that are easily adaptable from a regular diet.
- Evidence and Facts – Evidence and facts are crucial. Skip the miracle whips and work with natural diets based on facts and evidence to prove healthy nutrients and everything you need in a diet for women after 50.
- Nutritious – Nutritiously balanced with everything you need. These diets include all the healthy fats and a high protein diet over 50.
The best way to choose the correct diet for you when 50 is looming is to choose the one diet that’s going to stick; there’s no more time to start a diet, only to give up again. When you reach 50, a diet is not just about losing weight; it’s about being healthy and preparing the body for the future.
An important goal in choosing the best diet for over 50 females is to lower blood pressure, focus on self-care and build a relationship with food that is healthy – mindful, yet tasty. Remember, as you are now entering your 50s, you should pay attention to your intake of specific essential nutrients. These are the nutrients needed for all, especially now, such as calcium, protein, vitamin B, Vitamin C, and vitamin D.
You should include a diet into your life the same way as you would choose a life partner. You want something to grow old with, and the diets on this list are all potential life partners for healthy and stable living. Let’s have a look at all the candidates;
Mediterranean
So, let’s get to the truth. You are either reaching 50 today or only facing it now. Don’t be scared; you’re not going to be living out of your vegetable garden – it is not a vegetarian diet. However, you should realize that at 50, you have had 18,262 days to eat what you wanted, and now it’s time to cut down at least just a bit on the unhealthy side of your diet.
A Mediterranean diet is probably the easiest diet to transition into and is considered the healthiest diet for women after 50. A diet that’s been going strong for over 60 years in two of the most food-rich countries globally, Italy and Greece, should prove just how surprisingly tasteful the diet is. Registered dietitian suggests this diet chart for reducing belly fat and improving public health.
Mediterranean diets are predominately made up of fish, dairy, eggs, poultry, red meat, and what you should be growing in your garden. Although mainly consisting of plant-based meals, you can see that there is still a lot to look forward to with a Mediterranean diet.
The ingredients you will primarily add to your shopping list include fruits, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, and vegetables, as well as the previously mentioned ingredients.
As one of the best diets for over 50 females, you can expect a lot of health benefits such as the reduced risk of various chronic age-related illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, mental decline, and diabetes.
So there you have it, 50 brings the Mediterranean to your kitchen. Enjoy it, be healthy, and stop counting.
Paleo
Protein! Yes, protein will never go away, and it’s for a good reason. Not to be confused with a keto diet, Paleo is a high-protein diet over 50 and brings tasty meals filled with, you guessed it, protein. Although high in protein, the Paleo diet is low in carbs (so fewer calories) and rich in veggies, eggs, unprocessed meat, fruits, and nuts. It’s known that its low-carb nature will provide many benefits to maintaining a healthy weight and staying healthy, especially if you are over 50.
If you are dealing with insulin resistance and are unable to process carbs, this diet is highly beneficial. What makes Paleo a great addition to life after 50 is that it incorporates no or almost no dairy or soy, which can help older women who are going through hormone changes. If you are over 50, dairy and soy can easily lead to high estrogen levels, which can make you store weight in your thighs and hips. This is something most of us tried which is something you have always been trying to fight, so why stop now?
It sounds like an exotic dance, and it provides healthy hormone production, so why not? Get your ‘Paleo’ on and get healthy.
Whole Foods
Whole foods should simply be called natural foods. Whole foods provide what mother nature demands us to take into our systems. By taking up a whole foods diet, you will cancel out everything bad in food, including processed foods. This diet ultimately helps to prevent inflammation and help to manage hormones. It benefits the hormones as whole foods do not contain antibiotics or preservatives, which could possibly disrupt hormone development.
A whole foods diet focuses on natural food products such as fruits, legumes, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, healthy fats, and fish. This makes it an extremely versatile diet with only healthy and nutritious ingredients. It is an easy transition into healthy living with real food.
Any diet that keeps the bad stuff, such as processed food, saturated fat, and added sugars away from your kitchen, shopping list, and refrigerator is one to consider and could ultimately save you from a lot of negative health factors. With all the nutrients and fiber found in whole foods, you will never overeat and become healthy while eating mindfully.
Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)
Autoimmune Protocol sounds technological and likes it could potentially taste even worse than airplane food. Let’s face it, that’s not something you need right now, and that’s not what Autoimmune Protocol consists of. Obviously. AIP focuses on repairing the gut and decreasing inflammation, which is extremely helpful with hormonal changes in women going into their 50s. In essence, this diet is your own womanly maintenance plan, making you healthier and happier.
AIP can remove toxic and processed foods from your system, which could potentially cause malabsorption and inflammation in the gut. AIP is an excellent choice for hormonal balance and cancelling out inflammatory foods from your life. Besides, when the heart is unhealthy and inflamed, it could badly influence your body’s ability to absorb vital nutrients – nutrients that you need in a diet for a woman after 50. So while keeping your gut healthy and providing your body with the chance to absorb crucial nutrients, you will also be supporting your immune system and decreasing the risk of illness. Healthy gut, healthy immune system.
Higher Protein/Moderate Carbohydrate
A high protein diet over 50 can be extremely helpful for women nearing menopause. As long as your high protein diet has a moderate amount of carbs, it can aid your body during its natural ageing process. And yes, it’s natural; it happens to the best of us, which is all of us. Age is part of life, and the best way for you to embrace it is to have a healthy diet that doesn’t take away all the good stuff.
Higher protein levels can support your body’s muscle mass as well due to a decrease in lean muscle mass as you age. It keeps you full, away from bad foods, and helps you to stay strong. It’s one of the most beneficial diets for staying in shape and maintaining your body weight while getting some of the healthiest and most nutritious foods in.
Another well-known benefit of high-protein diets is that they will assist your blood sugar stability as lean protein encourages a decrease in blood sugar levels. As a woman, your age has got to do with hormonal changes. Eating enough protein-rich foods and carbs can help you get sufficient amounts of B complex vitamins, like vitamin B12, which will decrease the chances of illness and, more specifically, prevent dementia as you age.
Choose the Right One for You
Any of the diet plans on this list can provide you with a bright future and a healthy lifestyle full of tasty meals. It can be hard to choose the correct diet plan if you are reaching 50. However, the five diets detailed on this list can provide you with the best version of yourself that you’ve ever achieved.
Happiness, healthy, positive hormonal structure, tasty food, and much more to look forward to. Not only will these diets help with keeping your weight loss in check, but most importantly, benefit your overall health, brain, heart, and much more. Choose the diet that you will stick with, the one that will make you want to eat, cook, and stay active.
Reinette Robbertze is a highly qualified professional in the health and nutrition industry, having completed both Journalism and Nutrition diplomas. With a remarkable portfolio of health blogs and magazine articles to her name, Reinette’s writing is fueled by her genuine passion for healthy living. Drawing on her academic background, Reinette delivers authentic and insightful information to her readers. Her engaging writing style, blended with personal anecdotes, creates an immersive experience that keeps readers engaged and informed. Keep following her work for the latest updates and informative articles on health and nutrition.