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From Pilates to plank pulls, Halle Berry has spoken openly about some of the workouts that keep her body in fantastic shape after all of these years. But Berry knows, as the experts have stated, that diet is the biggest part of a good health and wellness regimen. The 51-year-old shared in a new #FitnessFriday post that sticking to a ketogenic diet has helped her reverse her diabetes diagnosis and age backwards.
“Being diabetic most of my life, I have always had to take food very seriously,” the Oscar winner wrote. “So for years, I have been following the keto or ketogenic diet. I hate the word ‘diet’ so while you’ll see the word diet, just know I encourage you to think of it as a lifestyle change NOT A DIET! Keto is a very low-carb food plan which actually forces your body to burn fat like crazy. I also believe it’s been largely responsible for slowing down my aging process.”
“The keto lifestyle offers so many benefits such as weight loss, (moms that’s how we get rid of our baby bellies), appetite control, more energy and better mental performance,” she continued. “If you’re like me, you can possibly reverse type 2 diabetes, you’ll experience better physical endurance, better skin and also less acne if that’s an issue. And it even helps control migraines!”
The diet is a low-carb option that is high in fats and moderate in protein. Instead of burning carbs for energy, when in ketosis, your liver produces ketones, a byproduct of your body breaking down fats for energy, which end up being the main energy source. Ketogenic diets are known for their medical benefits, and have been used for many years to help treat drug-resistant epilepsy in children. There have also been studies that suggest a ketogenic diet can help with neurological disorders and have benefits in the fight against cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes, as Berry mentioned.
More than 10 years ago, Berry reportedly said that she’d gone from a Type 1 diagnosis to classifying herself as Type 2 after she claims she had moved away from insulin usage. She cited her diet and exercise for helping her control her illness.
“I’ve managed to wean myself off insulin,” she said, “so now I’d like to put myself in the type 2 category.”
The mom of two has spoken in the past about her love for this diet, saying she’s sworn by it for years.
“I swear by the ketogenic diet,” Berry said during a chat with Mamarazzi. “It’s simple. It’s no sugar, no carbs. And what you force your body to do is instead of burning sugar for fuel, you start burning healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, eggs. You start eating healthy fats. Butter can be a part of your diet. You just eat protein, nuts, legumes. You start teaching your body. Your body begins to burn fat instead of sugar and when you start burning fat, all the fat starts to melt away.”
