9: Protein for Perimenopause

You've heard that you should eat more protein in perimenopause, but what does that even mean?

It leaves you wondering how much, what kind is best...and ultimately you just grab a protein shake.

In this episode of The Family Fork you'll learn exactly how much protein you need in midlife, what kind is best, and you'll even get a plan for how to meet your protein requirement everyday.

Protein helps you lose weight in perimenopause, reduces cravings by keeping you fuller for longer, and will help you actually enjoy this season of life.

• Download the FREE Protein for Perimenopause guide with recipes, a daily plan, and more...that you can start today!

• Looking for more protein-rich recipes? Grab the Family Fork Dinner Guide here for anti-inflammatory dinners that are also family friendly!

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Transcript

Ashley Malik (00:07)
Okay, this is one of my favorite topics to talk about protein. So if you are in the thick of perimenopause, you've probably seen that you should quote, eat more protein. But I feel like this advice is really just so shallow. Like how much protein? What is the best kind? Should you just have an extra protein shake every day? But what if you don't like protein powder? It's really confusing.

It is true that more protein is essential as we age. And as we get older, we can lose up to 10 % of our muscle mass in perimenopause alone. So since protein helps us build our muscle, it makes sense that we need more of it. But why else do we need protein? And really, what is the best way to get it in? That's what we're covering today. So let's jump into it.

And be sure to listen to the end, because I have a gift for you that's really going to help you to figure out this whole protein puzzle for your own body.

Protein is like a secret weapon in the fight against perimenopause and aging. I promise it is going to help your body so much. First of all, it helps you to increase your lean muscle because protein is filled with amino acids that not only help you build the muscle, but also recover faster after a workout or a strength building session.

It can also help you balance your hormones and your blood sugar. So it's really important to know that having a balanced blood sugar can help you to lose weight, which is often a goal for many women in perimenopause. And protein, well, it helps to keep you fuller for longer. It takes more energy for your body to digest proteins compared to refined carbs. So when you feel hungry,

your body will respond well when you grab a high protein snack instead of a bag of chips or some other carb rich treat. So you can see that protein really makes your body into this like powerhouse. And when you eat enough of it, you will have more muscle, less cravings, and you'll lose weight. Yay for that, right?

So this all leads us to the question then of how much protein do you need every day? So if you try and Google this, there is a ton of different information out there. But for women over 40, and especially if you're experiencing perimenopause symptoms, I want you to aim for 1.2 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

So you'll have to do some calculation there. But if you're strength training, which you should be, you can boost this to about two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Truly, there are lots of online calculators out there to figure it out. Or you can just find your weight and get how many kilograms that is and multiply that times the amount of protein that you should have. But just head online.

Get a calculation and figure out exactly how much you need.

All right, so now you understand why protein is important and how it can really benefit your body, especially as you get older. And you also know how much you should be getting. So now let's look at how to get that much protein into your meals and into your snacks every single day. So when I first started digging into my protein requirements, I felt like I hit a roadblock. I was lifting really heavy weights.

And so my daily protein requirement was super high. It was about 160 grams every day. But because we stick to an anti-inflammatory diet, protein from dairy was out. And this is the challenge. When you search online for how to get in enough protein, you'll find sources like cottage cheese, yogurt, and whey-based protein powders, which are dairy. So none of those things were going to work.

So I went to work figuring out how to get all of my protein in every day without eating just chicken and steak at every single meal. When it comes to anti-inflammatory sources of protein, you actually have a ton of options. So one grouping is whole animal proteins. That's really going to be your best bet overall for getting in protein. Remember we talked earlier about amino acids?

Animal protein gives you the full amino acid profile, and that is really going to be best for your body. Super helpful for increasing your lean muscle and for regulating your hormones and your blood sugar. So of course, with whole animal protein, we're talking about things like beef, chicken, pork, fish. Salmon is one of our favorites at our house. Eggs. Sardines are a great source of protein.

I, to be honest, have not ventured into a tin of sardines yet. Maybe I'll put that on my resolution list for next year. But they're supposed to be really full of protein for you. So once I've added an animal protein, usually to most of my meals, next option for you is looking at protein powders. Now, I'll be honest. I didn't used to love protein powders because I just didn't

love the ingredients and I wasn't sure if they were really helping my body. But I did find a few favorites that taste amazing, feel really clean, and help me to get my protein requirements in every day. I'll link to my favorites in the show notes so you can see which ones I'm talking about. But there's one type of protein powder I want to talk about specifically, and it's called beef isolate protein.

So a lot of the protein powders on the market are filled with ingredients that either promote inflammation or can cause issues with allergies to gluten, dairy, soy, et cetera. But when you find a protein that has beef isolate on it, it is a very clean, pure form of protein that's also really easy to digest. And because it's directly coming from our beef source,

It's filled with collagen and gelatin and other ingredients that our aging bodies can use. I mean, I don't know about you, but collagen to fill in my wrinkles? Yes, please. So interestingly, collagen also helps to support good gut health, which is ultimately going to reduce the inflammation in our bodies. One brand that is doing beef isolate protein correctly is called Prime Protein.

They have really delicious flavors to choose from, and it's really easy to just order them on Amazon. But again, I'll link to that protein and some of my other protein powders that I like in the show notes. So let's talk about protein bars as another source of your protein, because I know many women grab these because they're easy to tuck in your work bag or to eat while you're on the go.

If you're trying to manage inflammation, and especially if you're trying to lose weight, I want you to stop eating protein bars. I truly have done so much research to find a really good one, but they all seem to be stuffed with inflammatory ingredients, even the ones that claim that they're pretty clean. Plus a lot of the protein bars just aren't filled with that much protein, like six grams of protein in a bar.

It's just not worth it. These bars also tend to be very high in sugar, possibly high in fat, just depending on which brand you choose. So if you absolutely need a protein bar in a pinch, I want you to look for one that has more than 15 grams of protein and is low on sugar and other inflammatory ingredients. And when we say inflammatory ingredients, I want you to also consider

beans and legumes or vegan sources of protein can also be inflammatory. So again, you really have to, you have to look at the label, but look for 15 grams of protein or more. And truly don't be afraid to bring other protein sources if you're on the go. I joke about this often, but it's really true. I usually have cooked chicken in my purse or my work bag, which sounds ridiculous, but it's really easy to travel with.

And it works in a pinch if I just can't find a better option. So that's always an option for you.

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All right, finally, let's take a look at a dairy-based protein that might be an option for you even if you're eating an anti-inflammatory diet. Plain Greek yogurt is a great source of protein. It has about 26 grams of protein in one single cup. Now, because Greek yogurt is strained multiple times, that's what makes it thick.

it actually helps to remove some of the lactose, which that is what causes inflammation in the gut. So you can try Greek yogurt as a protein source to see if it works for you. And I want you to notice if you eat it and a couple hours later you feel bloated or gassy, it's not going to be the right fit for you. But if it doesn't cause any digestive issues, it might actually be a really great addition to your options for protein.

And remember, only plain Greek yogurt works. The flavored options are way too full of sugar. So a couple other thoughts about protein that just didn't seem to fit in anywhere else. When you're buying protein other than whole animal protein, I really want you to watch the ingredients. And we talked about this with bars, but it stands for any kind of protein, powders or anything.

Most commonly, I see sugar, high fat, and like super weird ingredients that you just don't need to have in your food. So it's really, really important for you to read the labels on the protein products that you're buying. And send me a message if you'd be interested in an episode where we talk about reading ingredient labels, because once you know how to identify these inflammatory ingredients, you will realize how

important it is to start eating more whole nutrient dense foods. Now because the goal of this podcast is to talk about eating healthy with your family too, what does all of this protein look like when it comes to family meals? Thankfully protein is a super easy thing to get into the dinner table. No matter who eats at your table animal protein is one thing that most everybody will enjoy.

because think tacos, burgers, stir fry, it should work for everybody. If you need some recipes that are anti-inflammatory and family friendly and that also prioritize protein and veggies, check out my free meal plan. I've linked it down in the show notes for you so you could get started on it this week. I promise you and your family will love these meals. The last thought I want to share about protein is about timing throughout the day.

Ideally, you should aim to get in about 40 grams of protein at breakfast and then space out the rest throughout the day. It may seem like a lot, but if you start your day with a really big boost of protein, it will help even out your blood sugar after a long night of fasting. And remember, with a steady blood sugar first thing in the morning, you will have a full day of even-keeled energy

without major cravings or crashes. So if all of this sounds great, you might still be wondering, OK, how do I even get started? So I want you to download the Protein 101 guide that's linked in the show notes. I am giving you links to my favorite protein powders, some really fun recipes, and a sample meal plan for how you can space out your protein all day long.

So don't go down my.

So download the guide from the show notes or send me a message on Instagram with the word protein and I'll send the guide right over to you. Perimenopause, honestly, it is hard enough to manage all on its own without have to try.

Perimenopause is hard enough to manage as is, let alone trying to figure it out all by yourself. But if you're looking to have more energy, less cravings, and even lose some weight, the right amount of protein every day is going to help you get there. Be smart about what kinds of protein you choose, front load your 40 grams of protein in the morning, and then space the rest out throughout the day.

and go download that protein guide in the show notes so you can get started on all of this today.