If you have read anything lately about what women 40+ should be eating, you know that protein is all the rage. 130 grams or more a day, ladies! I am not a big meat eater so at first this was a BIG CHALLENGE for me. But I can attest to the fact that adding more to my daily diet has had an impact on how I feel. Why is it such a big deal for women 40+? Read on to find out, plus 2 of my secrets!
Why So Much Protein, You Might Ask?
1. Your Physiology is Changing, literally! Estrogen is decreasing so your body is less effective at using protein which drives muscle development, so you need to ramp up protein to maintain lean muscle mass. 2. Eating enough protein helps you maintain healthy blood pressure and can reduce menopause symptoms like hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings and brain fog. ( I can really tell a difference here when I'm lacking in protein) 3. Made up of amino acids, protein is responsible for producing hormones and antibodies, helping you stay healthy and again reducing perimenopause symptoms. 4. Protein helps you stay satisfied longer, helping you avoid snacking and often eating unhealthy foods. So if extra weight gain is troubling you during your menopause transition, try adding more protein to your diet.
Secrets to Increase Your Protein Intake
As I said earlier, I am not a big meat eater and protein is often equated with meat, so I set my first goal at 100 grams a day, which seemed manageable. I also thought about protein sources I actually enjoyed and began by adding more of those into my diet. Check out these two small changes that helped me get on my way to reaching my goal. 1. I changed my breakfast. Sometimes I would skip breakfast, because, well, I'm not a morning person. So I always chose a little extra sleep over breakfast. When I did eat, cereal and oatmeal or toast with nut butter was my go to meal, but a simple change here has really helped me get my day off to a good start. First, I never skip breakfast. I always have a few grab and go options on hand. If I do have time to eat at home, I love to cook eggs. My go to eggs include; 3 eggs with low carb toast and avocado, a veggie egg scramble with turkey sausage or salsa eggs with black beans and Trader Joe's Vegetarian Chorizo. I also sometimes at cottage cheese to my scramble. If I'm not feeling eggs, a yogurt bowl gets the win. I start with Oikos Greek Yogurt (2 containers) with berries and grain free granola plus chia seeds (a good source of protein) and sometimes a nut butter on the side. Another option is Good Culture Cottage Cheese with berries and slivered almonds plus a piece of low carb toast with nut butter. I also add protein shake and collagen to my morning coffee instead of high sugar flavored creamers (I've shared this secret before). These changes easily help me reach 30 grams in the morning. So what about you? Could you ditch the pastry or oatmeal for one of these options? 2. I changed my snacks. Now if you know me, you know I am the snack queen. I love popcorn and chips with dip, salsa, fruit, a cereal bar or chocolate. Put it on a small plate and I am all about it. So a logical change seemed to be adding protein to my snacks. First, I swapped the cereal bar and chocolate for a protein bar but make sure you check the carbs when picking one. My favorite is the Kirkland brand from Costco. Another option, I added 1/4 cup of almonds and a couple slices of my favorite hard cheddar cheese to my fresh fruit snack. BAM! Protein! Instead of chips and dip, I like to have chicken or tuna salad with a couple of Triscuits or with snap peas, celery or carrots. If I find myself wanting ice cream or something sweet like chocolate, I will have a protein shake. I start with the Premiere brand vanilla (30 g of protein) and add berries, nut butters, cacoa powder, chia seeds and sometimes spinach. You can really customize this to whatever flavor you are craving. What small tweaks could you make to your snacks?
There you go! A couple of little tweaks to bring about big changes in your protein consumption. It's about small, sustainable changes, not a huge overhaul in my opinion. Girl, if you love oatmeal and pancakes, have the pancakes on the weekend as a treat! or heck, have them on a Wednesday!!
I'd love to hear from you. What things have you tried? What works for you? Share your secrets with me. Leave a comment or email me at [email protected]. Want more information, tips and tricks for your transition into and through menopause? Sign up for my monthly newsletter below. Are you looking for resources for your midlife journey? Sign up for my newsletter!I'll send them straight to your inbox. Drop your email below. Thank you!You have successfully joined our subscriber list.
1 Comment
Emily Brumley
2/13/2023 08:29:55 am
Thanks so much! You did a fabulous job today!
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AuthorRegistered Yoga Teacher, Menopause Doula, health and wellness explorer, self care expert focused on empowering women over forty with tools for loving the midlife journey Archives
February 2024
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