085: Are You Getting Enough PROTEIN in Menopause?

In this episode of The Strong Bones Coach Podcast, we’re diving deep into protein in menopause: why it matters, how much you need, and how to get it in ways that work for your life (no boring meal plans here!)

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Transcript

Carly: 0:37

Hello and welcome to the Strong Coach Podcast. I. Your menopause coach and strength advocate. And today we're diving into a topic that is crucial for bone health, muscle maintenance, and feeling energized in your midlife, and that is protein. So have you ever wondered if you're getting enough protein to support your changing body? Maybe you've noticed your appetite shifting or you're just not sure how to tell if you're meeting your needs. Today we're going to break this all down, including what protein actually does frozen menopause, how to know if you are getting enough, what to do, if your appetite has changed, and how to find good protein sources that suit your lifestyle. But before we dive in, just a quick reminder, none of what I share today. Should be taken as personal dietary advice. So even though I am a registered dietician, I'm not here with you personally for that. You'd need to be on one of my one-to-one assessments for someone like me or another qualified nutritionist or dietician. So do take today's episode for your information to support your journey and reach out if you'd like some more personalized help. So with that outta the way, let's get started. So let's talk about why protein matters more than ever at this time of life. Well, let's start from the top, just as a little re refresh on some basic nutrition. So our foods fall into three main nutrient groups when we're talking about your macronutrients. These are the ones that provide us with energy. We also have our micronutrients, which are things like our vitamins and minerals that helps everything work in the background, but the three main groups that provide us with energy are protein. Which is essential for our survival, growth, and repair. Fats crucial for absorbing vitamins and healthy hormones in cell membranes and our carbohydrates, our brain's main energy source. So although not essential for survival in the same way that protein and fats are still super important, but today's focus is on protein. As I said. Now, protein's importance ramped up in menopause. Especially when our estrogen levels start to drop, because this affects our muscle mass, our bone density, and even our energy and mood. So by getting enough protein, we can help to preserve our muscle volume, our muscle mass, which helps us to keep hold of our strength. It supports our bone health because. Having more muscle means that the bones are stimulated when our muscles do the work. So that means doing our strength training too, but it can also help to stabilize our energy, our appetite and our mood protein is super important for us to make neurotransmitters, so that's our serotonin and our dopamine. Our happy hormones and our reward hormones. So I'm often asked how much protein is actually enough. So let's look at how much protein you do need. So you might have heard the general advice of N 0.8 grams per kilo. That body weight is okay at baseline, but that really is just the absolute bare minimum. So this is to prevent malnutrition. So these were. National guidelines that are brought out just to make sure that we essentially don't slip into malnutrition and suffer from health consequences as a result. However, in your midlife, in your three or menopause journey, would you not prefer to feel better than just surviving? So to really thrive and flourish, we want to be a little higher than that. So what I would suggest is that we go a little higher, that one to 1.2 grams per kilo. Or even up to 1.5 to 1.6 grams per kilo alongside your strength training. So for example, at that slightly lower end, that one to 1.2 grams per kilo. If you were a 70 kilo woman, that would be about 70 to 105 grams of protein daily. So perhaps a lot more than you think, and a word of advice here. If you feel that your protein intake is very, very low, then just start with the next easiest thing. We don't need to be aiming for those hundreds if you're struggling to get over 50, so perhaps aiming for that 70, that extra portion in the day would be all that you need to just start tipping yourself into that positive balance. So the next question that comes up, where do we get our protein from? So we have a number of different sources from where we can get our protein, and we have our animal and our plant-based protein. But what is the difference? So we have our protein coming from two key sources. We have our animal based meats, eggs, fish, dairy products, These provide complete proteins, so that means they contain all nine essential amino acids that your body is not able to make on its own. And of course for those of you that do not eat meat, we have our plant-based sauces as well. So we have our beans, lentils, tofu, satan, temper, and of course we get a little bit within the nuts and seeds, although these are mostly fat-based. All these foods are often incomplete proteins, so they're missing maybe one or two essential amino acids. So you may want to combine these foods with other. Plant sources of protein to make sure you're getting the full spectrum of amino acids that your body needs, especially if you are vegetarian or vegan. As a side note to that, as I mentioned about these nine essential menino acids, things like histidine lysine, and there are also well-known branch chain amino acids. So there's B, c, aas. So you might see people drinking these, these BCAA drinks, um, alongside there their food perhaps alongside their gym routine. But just to note that if you are able to get a healthy, balanced diet, getting enough protein, you are already covered. So there's no need to take extra supplements. So just trying to save you a bit of time, effort, and money there. Um, if you are already able to build up to having enough protein in your diet. And from the protein intake point of view, there's another angle I want to introduce to you too, and this is our muscle protein synthesis and breakdown. So during our menopause, as I mentioned, you might feel that you're not feeling as strong. The one reason for that is that our body naturally loses muscle blast as you age. And this is not always completely inevitable. We can slow this down, but this process can be even faster when estrogen and progesterone decline. So here's what's happening in simple terms. Your muscle protein synthesis is your body's process of building and repairing muscle. Muscle. Protein breakdown or muscle breakdown is happening all the time, too. Your body constantly breaks down old proteins. This is a normal process. It happens throughout our whole life, but when we have a reduction in our estrogen, as we start to go through menopause, we notice that the muscle breakdown starts to happen much more quickly and easily than the muscle buildup, the muscle protein synthesis. So over time, this muscle loss will occur. So to stay strong, we want to keep that muscle protein synthesis switched on as much as possible. So here's some tips of how we can do this. Now often I'm asked about the timing of meals. How important is it? Now, firstly, the most important thing is how much we eat our energy balance. Are we getting enough protein and the sources of our food as well? Are these sources good quality? Are they providing us with what they need? Now, once we've ticked those boxes. Meal timing, especially for protein, can be helpful. So it's not the most important thing, but once you've got the basics down, this is a very helpful next step to preserve your muscle mass. So one of the best ways to do this is to eat protein regularly throughout the day. So you want to aim to have, let's say, as a good portion. Now we're gonna go through portion sizes shortly, but around 25 to 30 grams of protein at each main meal. Spacing those meals out at around three to four hours. And what this does is it helps your body hits something called the leucine threshold. So leucine is an amino acid and that trigger switches on your muscle protein synthesis. It helps you build muscle. And replace the muscle that is being broken down naturally. So it's not just about the total amount of protein you eat, but it's how you spread it out during the day as well. Now you might now be thinking, I. How do I do this? And what about protein shakes? Because maybe you do go to the gym. Perhaps you see people having their protein shakes on the gym floor. Maybe you've heard bits of advice from friends or family.. So what's the deal with protein shakes? Do we really need them? Well, the short answer is no. They can help. So if you're finding it hard to get enough protein from your food, or if you're heading to the gym and your next meal is hours away, a protein shake can be a helpful top-up. And let's remember, whey protein is essentially a food anyway. It's derived from milk and is a complete high quality protein source. But let's be real chewable protein sauce, eggs, chicken, tofu, fish. They can give you a lot more satisfaction of fullness. And no, you don't need to sugar a shake the minute you leave the gym. Just aim to get that source of protein in within the few hours of you finishing your workout. So I hope that's helped to spell a few myths and also given you some insight into how we can start to introduce. And to regulate our protein intake. Now let's talk about something that I don't hear talked about within the menopause space at all, but it comes up a fair bit in what I've noticed at Longside, my clients and other conversations I'm having outside of this podcast. And that is appetite changes and how that can become more of a challenge in menopause. So this is where it can get a bit tricky. Menopause can actually change your appetite. It can leave you feeling more hungry, but it can also give you a lower appetite or perhaps more of a craving for quick energy fixes. More of a lean towards carbohydrate based meals, and part of this is because with carbohydrates being your main. Source of fuel for your brain and estrogen receptors being all over the body, including the brain that can ramp up our carbohydrate cravings because our brains are noticing the reduction in estrogen, making it that bit harder for it to do its job. So it's crying out for most sugars essentially. You might also notice the tolerance of different textures and flavors changes so. Quite a few people I've spoken to start to find that the texture or the flavor of meats that they used to enjoy is now something that they just can't even stand leaving them. Finding it harder to get enough protein in their diet. So here's a few tips If this is you, things that you can consider, and of course if you are really struggling, please do reach out because I'll be able to give you better advice one-to-one. So this is what you can do so you can snack a little bit smarter. Can you consider some Greek yogurt? Cottage cheese, and yes, it's okay to be adding some protein shakes into those smoothies if you're having those. You can also try soups and stews. They might be a little easier on the stomach when you're not feeling super hungry. And of course, as I mentioned, protein powders can be helpful if you're struggling to get enough from food alone. And of course, if you haven't already, there are plenty of high protein vegetarian dishes and recipes that you can explore. So now we've talked about where to get your protein from, how to space it out, but how do we know we are getting enough? So let's get practical with some ways that we can measure. So the easy way is a hand portion guide so you can look at your palm and if you try to include a palm size portion of protein, so that is the diameter of your palm and the thickness of your palm of a food like chicken, tofu, beans. This is quite likely to provide you with around that 20 to 30 gram portion. Now a lot of this depends on your body size, so you might find that you need one to two hand portions to get your needs met. You can also go buy some visual cues, so if you look at your plates. If you were to fill a quarter of your plate with protein sauce at mealtimes, what would this look like? How does that compare to what you're doing now? As I said, it's not just all about trying to hit a perfect amount. It's on can you improve and enhance what you're already doing. You can also choose to weigh or track your protein as well, so you can use things like calorie trackers like MyFitnessPal, like Nutri Check. There's a lot of them out there and they can be a really useful tool. Computer starts to learn what a typical serving looks like. What's the serving looks like? That's going to give you enough of those grams of protein. And this doesn't mean you have to do it forever. It doesn't mean you have to be dieting to use these tools as well. It can just be a useful thing to check in with actually. When I do my hand portion guide and then I weigh it out, what does that look like? How does it come out? So it can be worth spending a little time, giving it a little bit of focus if you're not sure at all with where to even start with your protein portions. And of course, we're always moving towards a more intuitive eating approach. We're not looking for you to constantly be weighing and measuring and checking in really. Really thoroughly all the time. But over time, through education, through practice, this can be so become something that becomes a lot easier. So alongside knowing how much you need to put on your plate, you can also be checking in with your body. Are you feeling full? Are you energized after meals? Are you managing to go those three to four hours between meals or are you getting hungry really soon afterwards? Are you still really full when that next four hour slot comes? So by checking in on your hunger and fullness cues, this can really help you to understand are you eating enough for what you need as well? Something else I'd love to cover off with you all about rebuilding the trust with your body. So for many women, and maybe this sounds a little bit like you. Menopause is a time to reconnect with your body, especially if you spent years putting everybody else's needs first. So for me personally, strength training was a game changer. It helped me tune into my body's needs and signals, and I built on that foundation with breath work, mindful movement, and also nourishing my body in the way I came to understand. As what it needed. So perhaps a way for you to start, if this is something that feels like a long way off for you, I would encourage you, I invite you to try these few things. Maybe starts with a daily check-in. Even a few words in a journal can help and how you're feeling. Maybe if you have some hopes for the day, perhaps maybe there's something that you feel grateful for from the day before, or that you're really super appreciating that's right in front of you in this moment. You can also make more of an effort or a focus on speaking to yourself with compassion, especially if it is feeling like your body is letting you down. Again, we don't get to hate ourselves and into change. Bullying ourselves and speaking unkindly doesn't really help us move forward. It's also not letting ourselves off the hook. And I've said this quite a lot of times in previous podcasts. For your regular listeners, and I'm going to say it again, there are two sides to our self-compassion. We have that caring, nurturing side that says they're there, take it easy, go have the bubble, blah. And there is the more action-oriented side, the yang side. So the inside is the rest for more feminine side. And the yang side, the more, slightly more masculine we have both within us all of the time that says, let's get this done. Do you know what? We do need to get out and go to the gym. Actually, we do need to make sure we have a balanced meal, so they go hand in hand. It's not about bullying ourselves, it's about kindly directing ourselves to what is gonna best support us now and in our future needs as well. And lastly. do your best to keep your promises to yourself, even if it's just for short rest. A few mindful breaths, if you've planned to have a balanced meal. Try your best to keep that promise. This is how we start to build trust with ourselves, and we can start to do that by setting more achievable goals as well. So let's not set a goal that sets us up to fail. Set something that's super easy. Start to show your body and your mind that you can be trusted. You can say something, you can do it, and you can feel good. So just remember small, consistent actions is gonna help rebuild that trust and create that lasting change for you. Finally, let's not forget recovery. So this is where the magic happens when we stress our muscles in training. It's the rest and repair phase is where strength is built. So after a strength session, maybe try three to four extended exhales to calm the system and switch into that rest and digest mode a little bit quicker. And where you can. Try to focus more on your nasal breathing. This helps to keep you perhaps in a calmer space, but don't worry if you need to revert to mouth breathing throughout your workouts. This is fine. It's all what you can do in the moments. So remembering that rest, that good sleep, and all those things that help you chill out in between sessions, it's all gonna support your body into recovery and make the protein work for you as well. So after listening through all that, do you feel you're getting enough protein? Are you ready to explore how eating and exercise can truly support you in your life? If you'd like some help figuring this out. You're not even sure if you are in menopause at all. Then you can check up my free guide. Could it be Menopause? It includes the Green Clamor Scale to track your symptoms and some helpful questions to take to your gp. You can go grab that on my website, carly killen.com, and I've linked it in the show notes. Or if you are ready for personal support and finding the right balance for your body, then you can get in touch with me and book in for one of my 30 minute clarity calls. Again, I'll link it in the show notes, but I hope that I supported you this week. I always aim to serve and support. So until next time, stay strong and take care.