As a woman, I understand the struggle to find a diet that fits both your lifestyle and your health goals—especially with the myriad of fad diets in constant promotion. But what if I told you that throughout my own health journey, I learned of the benefits of going keto for women?

While the topic of following a ketogenic (keto) diet isn’t new, you may be surprised to learn that most of the research on the keto diet has been done on men. And because women have a different hormonal landscape, more body fat, experience pregnancy, nurse babies, go through menopause, and are more susceptible to certain conditions, many are often left wondering if a keto diet will work for them and even if a specific keto diet for women even exists.

When it comes to keto for women, I wholeheartedly believe that women, along with men, can reap the extensive benefits, but that a unique approach and keto plan for women in particular is needed.

So, if you’re curious about how keto for women works, what the diet entails, and what you can expect from following it, keep reading as I share the most important information about how to successfully follow a keto diet for women to help you achieve your health goals while never having to “diet” again!

What Is a Keto Diet for Women? 

As a young child, I dealt with debilitating inflammatory eczema that I was desperate to control. Fortunately, I found that combining a clean diet high in fiber and healthy fats (such as a high fiber keto diet) along with intermittent fasting helped me to heal my body. And while it hasn’t been without obstacles and plenty of experimentation, I’ve learned a lot along my journey—including how a keto diet for women works. 

So, what is a keto diet for women and what does keto do to the female body?

The keto diet is a high fat, moderate protein, and low carbohydrate diet. When thinking of your daily calorie consumption, follow this rule: 75 percent comes from healthy fats, 15-20 percent comes from protein, and 5-10 percent comes from high-fiber carbohydrates. 

Traditionally, the keto diet is used to shift the body’s metabolic state from primarily using sugar as fuel to using fat, a cleaner fuel, instead. The point of adopting a keto diet is to have your body enter into ketosis, an extremely efficient metabolic state that allows your body to utilize its own body fat as fuel between meals, which supports weight loss in both women and men.

Now, my approach to keto for women differs in two ways: First, I recommend consuming high-fiber veggies as your carbs. Second, I recommend incorporating a practice known as keto cycling, which is a practice of cycling and out of ketosis by consuming more high fiber carbs. 

Here’s why: When it comes to keto weight loss for women, hormones are a big part of the puzzle. As hormones shift and change, it’s common for women to experience symptoms associated with low thyroid, PMS, estrogen dominance, and perimenopause. And these symptoms can be clues that the hormone signaling systems of the body could use some extra attention.

In short, experiencing these types of symptoms can make going keto hard for women. Fortunately, both consuming fiber and practicing keto cycling has been shown to support hormonal balance.

While fiber consumption is known to support healthy blood sugar levels and stave off unhealthy cravings that can lead to weight gain, it’s also been linked to a reduced risk of elevated hormone levels. 

Additionally, you may be surprised to learn that a woman’s body requires insulin to ovulate. And cycling in and out of ketosis by practicing keto cycling can support healthy ovulation and menstrual cycles.

Fortunately, keto cycling is highly customizable and based on what feels right for your body. You can keto cycle weekly, monthly, or even seasonally. And it’s relatively easy to do.

My favorite way to keto cycle is by following my “fat first, carbs last” rule, which is basically following this pattern: Eat a high-fiber keto breakfast and lunch (or just lunch if you are intermittent fasting that day), and then have a portion of whole carbs with your dinner meal. Again, how long and how often you practice keto cycling is up to your body and what feels right for you.

6 Benefits of Keto for Women

Here are some of the top benefits of the keto diet for women.

1. Supports healthy weight management

The keto diet supports healthy weight management primarily by promoting the health-supporting and fat-blasting state of ketosis. When your body enters ketosis and creates ketones, it begins to burn stored body fat for fuel instead of glucose (sugar). As you burn more fat, healthy weight management is a natural result.

2. Improves body composition

Amazingly, research has shown that one of the benefits of the keto diet is that it supports improved body composition. Here’s how: Researchers found that while being in ketosis significantly decreased body fat and waist composition, it did not result in any detrimental effects on muscle mass or strength. This means following a keto diet targets unwanted fat but not lean muscle!

3. Supports healthy blood sugar levels

When combined with intermittent fasting, the keto diet is known to support healthy blood sugar levels. This is primarily due to its positive impact on metabolic health by improving insulin sensitivity and boosting metabolism. In fact, researchers have specially noted the keto diet’s ability to support healthy HbA1c levels and even recommended it as an adjunctive treatment for type two diabetes.

4. Promotes quality sleep

Here’s the truth: Starting a keto diet is often linked to insomnia. But there’s more. The truth of the matter is that once your body adapts to being a state of ketosis, keto dieters often report experiencing deeper sleep. The result of this? Long-term, you may find that you require less sleep because the quality of your sleep has improved. 

5. Supports satiety

It’s well established that eating a diet full of healthy fats helps to reduce cravings for unhealthy foods, such as those high in sugar and chemicals. Here’s why: Consuming more satisfying fats and less sugar lowers your insulin and blood sugar levels, which, in turn, naturally increase your satiety hormones and make you feel fuller for longer.

6. Promotes autophagy

Simply put, autophagy is a process that takes place in your body when your cells remove their own cellular waste—a self-cleaning process that repairs damage and restores your cells. Autophagy is critical for maintaining optimal health from the inside-out—and it’s activated by following the keto diet! Want to learn more about this fascinating process? Check out my article on how autophagy benefits everything from your metabolism to your skin.

What Can Women Eat on the Keto Diet?

Now that you know how keto for women should be different from keto for men and the benefits from following a keto diet for women, the next logical question is this: “What foods can I eat?” Let’s dive right into the details.

First, remember to track your macronutrients (fats, proteins, and carbs), and stick to the percentages we discussed above when you’re trying to get into or stay in ketosis. Make sure to stay under 50 grams of total carbs per day to get into ketosis, but once there you may be able to increase your total carb intake slightly. And when you’re keto cycling, aim for about 150 grams of total carbs per day.

If you are a more visual and intuitive eater, use this visual to build your keto plate: Try to fill 50 to 75 percent of your plate with high-fiber, non-starchy veggies, include 4 to 5 ounces of protein, and around three servings of healthy fats. 

Here are the healthy keto foods to focus on:

• Healthy fats such as avocados, avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, grass-fed butter and ghee, full-fat dairy products, fatty fish and fattier cuts of high-quality meat. 
• Lean meats and poultry such as grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken with skin and bones, bison, elk, pasture-raised pork, turkey. 
• Dairy that’s whole fat and unsweetened from pasture-raised cows. Goat and sheep versions are great, too. 
• Seafood from the wild, such as wild salmon, Alaskan cod, sardines, anchovies, and mackerel. 
• Non-starchy veggies that are hydrating and high in fiber include artichoke, arugula, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, cucumber, garlic, green beans, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, peppers, seaweed, spinach, and zucchini. 
• Nuts and seeds are high in fiber and healthy fat. Try chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, macadamia nuts, pili nuts, pecans, and Brazil nuts. 
• Fermented foods are great as condiments to keep your digestion and microbiome happy. Great options include sauerkraut, kefir, unsweetened coconut yogurt, miso, and kimchi. 
• Keto sweets are allowed because following keto for women doesn’t mean saying goodbye to sweet flavors forever. Safe keto sweets include organic strawberries, blackberries, wild blueberries, and raspberries. I also recommend using monk fruit sweetener for baking. 

By focusing on these categories, you’ll likely naturally displace some of the higher carb, more processed foods in your diet and avoid the trap of the dreaded “dirty keto,” which can hinder your efforts. Just remember to pay special attention to avoiding processed vegetable oils (such as corn, soy, canola, and safflower), hydrogenated oils, and products made with refined flour and added sugar. 

How to Start Keto for Women & Special Considerations

Starting a keto diet can be a daunting task, especially for busy women with families, jobs and other responsibilities. But now that you understand the basics of going keto for women (what foods are allowed and in what quantities, along with the special considerations for women), you can plan meals and have a successful transition. 

It’s also helpful to do some research on healthier options for snacks, ingredients for meals, and even recipes that will break up the routine so you don’t get stuck in a rut. And, finally, having an accountability partner or joining a support group can make all the difference in keeping you motivated and inspired towards achieving your healthy lifestyle goals.

Special Considerations & Suggestions for Success

Now, let’s address one more element: special considerations and suggestions. It’s normal to wonder, “Is the keto diet safe for women?” After all, if you’re researching keto for women over 50 to account for perimenopause or menopause factors or, conversely, if you’re looking to become pregnant in the near future, it’s a valid question. So, let’s address a few of your most important questions

First, the short answer is yes, the keto diet is generally regarded as safe. And keto for women can be incredibly beneficial and metabolically healing. Just keep in mind that women have unique needs, so it’s important to proceed with the power of knowledge so if the keto diet isn’t working you can correct course quickly. And if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant soon, speak with your doctor before going keto or following any other diet plan.

If you’re just starting a keto for women plan, make sure your nutritional needs are being met. This is especially true for women who adopt fasting practices or follow a vegetarian keto diet. As you get into ketosis or reduce the number of meals and snacks that you eat, it can be easy to under-eat or miss out on some key nutrients and over time, this can become an issue. 

Some signs that keto isn’t working as it should, or your approach needs to be adjusted include:

• Hair loss
• Irregular or loss of menstrual cycles
• Insomnia 
• Negative changes in mood
• Food cravings

I am a big advocate of working smarter, not harder—and when it comes to the keto diet for women, the smart approach is the best approach! So, along with adapting your approach, consider tracking your ketones to determine what shifts your levels and how effective your efforts are. (If you’re looking to tap into the weight loss benefits of the keto diet, the optimal fat burning zone seems to be between 1.5-3.0 mmol/L.)

Also, consider integrating supplements to support your efforts. When it comes to keto for women, supplements can support your body and possibly help enhance your results. In my personal medicine cabinet, I currently have PowerPhenol for autophagy support, Berberine to support my metabolic health, and OMI Hair Nutrition to elevate my hair and nail health.

By following these tips, you can safely follow a keto diet for women to help boost and keep long-term results. 

In Summary:

• When it comes to keto for women, it's important to know that women can reap the extensive benefits, but that a unique approach and keto plan for women in particular is needed.
• The best approach to keto for women it to consume high-fiber veggies as your carbs and incorporate keto cycling.
• The top keto diet benefits for women include supporting healthy weight management, improving body composition, supporting healthy blood sugar levels, promoting quality sleep, supporting satiety, and promoting autophagy.
• Focus on eating lots of healthy fats, moderate amounts of lean proteins, and small amounts of high fiber veggies.
• Also consider supplementing with keto lifestyle-supporting supplements.