Halle Berry Swears By The Keto Diet—Here's Exactly What She Eats

Guys, Halle Berry. At 51, she's still got me saying damn, girl.

While, yes, those looks are definitely genetics, the actress also swears by the ketogenic diet—for weight management and to help manage her diabetes, which she was diagnosed with at age 22.

#FitnessFriday Today let’s talk about food. I think the most important part of being healthy and in great shape largely depends on what and when you eat. Being diabetic most of my life, I have always had to take food very seriously. 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. 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! I’m sharing two links (check Stories!) that will explain the lifestyle in detail and it also offers a plan to help you get started! So today I encourage you to say yes to keto, give it a try... what do you have to lose?! 💪🏽 #FitnessFridayHB

A post shared by Halle Berry (@halleberry) on Jan 26, 2018 at 1:17pm PST

The high fat, moderate protein, and very low-carb plan encourages her body to burn healthy fats rather than carbs for energy, she explains on [LIVE With Kelly and Ryan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?timecontinue=2&v=So4okC6ZJPA)_. “A ketogenic diet is no sugar, no carbs. Nothing white,” she says. Instead, Halle fills her diet with healthy fats, like avocado, coconut oil, and butter.

In another interview with [PeopleTV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBClMbS0Is)_, Halle explains that eggs, protein, nuts, and legumes are also part of her plate, along with lots of vegetables. And it’s far from deprivation: “You can eat all the food you want,” she says. “You can eat a big-ass porterhouse steak if you want. You just can’t have the baked potato.”

(Worth noting: As experts have told WomensHealthMag.com in the past, calories are still calories when you're doing keto—most people just tend to feel fuller faster since they're loading up on fats and protein, so naturally tend to eat fewer cals.)

Luckily, her Instagram gives a little peak into some of her favorite meals. And Halle gets a lot of her cooking inspo from Maria Emmerich’s cookbook, [Quick & Easy Ketogenic Cooking](https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Easy-Ketogenic-Cooking-Recipes/dp/1628601000/ref=sr12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1530283007&sr=1-2&keywords=quick+and+easy+ketogenic+cooking+by+maria+emmerich&tag=womenshealth-auto-20&ascsubtag=[artid|2140.a.22000172[src|[ch|), showing off all the recipes she makes on her fitness channel on Instagram Stories. Here's what the A-lister's typical day looks like on the keto diet:

Breakfast: Purim Greens and Beets or Bulletproof Collagen Protein

Lunch: Green Beans and Bolognese or Proscuitto and Arugula Roll-Ups

Dinner: Arctic Char with Olive Salsa or @RuledMe's Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Snacks: Zucchini Chips, Chicken Bone Broth, or Tomato Tulips

So yeah, it seems like the keto diet definitely works for Halle—but it's important to note that it's also super-strict and not sustainable for everyone. She may, however, have a point about using the keto diet to help manage her diabetes.

One 2005 study published in the journal Nutrition & Metabolism found that the keto diet lowered blood sugar and reduced or even eliminated the need for diabetes medications in overweight participants with type 2 diabetes. But keep in mind: This study, and others, have only focused on keto's effects on type 2 diabetes, not type 1.

Still, if you have type 2 diabetes—or even if you don't—and are interested in trying out the keto diet, it's important to check in with your doctor first (it is a pretty major lifestyle change, after all).