EVERYONE is buzzing about Mel Robbins' March 27th podcast featuring world-renowned exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims.
Here at HeLa we are all about breaking down complicated nutrition advice so that you can easily make manageable changes to achieve Lasting Wellness. And when the experts recommend protein, we get extra excited!
"Women are not small Men" is the driving force behind many of these recomendations as women have diferent nutritional needs than men.
Here are the 4 key pieces of advice that we know you will want to start using ASAP in order to maintain and build muscle and bone strength:
1. Eat protein first thing in the morning
Have you been told that in order to lose or maintain weight that you shouldn't eat in the morning? Have you been Intermittant fasting?
Well this may wok for men but it doesn't work for women. Women should be eating first thing upon waking in the morning to maintain muscle mass and bone strength, and to decrease cortisol levels. It can even help you sleep better at night as women often wake in the night due to low blood sugar levels.
Delaying food in the morning vs eating right away can lead women to lose muscle mass and bone density and can cause the retention and devlopment of belly fat. It can also lead to increased insulin resistance and higher cholesterol levels.
Ideally you want to aim for 20-30 grams of protein in the morning, which can be combined with carbohydrates such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. If you can't consume this quantity all at once you can split into 2 smaller breakfasts. HeLa Nutrition Organic Plant Protein contains 22g of protein and 5g of fibre per scoop. HeLa's Pure Marine Collagen contains 9g of protein per scoop.
If you aren't used to eating first thing it may take some time to reset your rhythms and develop an appetite at this time. Ideally you want to wake up hungry, which can be achieved by introducing more food in the morning.
2. Don't exercise on an empty stomach (fasted)
Your body needs nutrition for it to not break down muscle while exercising, even before a morning walk! It is a Huge mistake to exercise without having eaten first. When women eat proein before exercising, they achieve better training and better outcomes! Without protein, the brain can't take the stress of training. Eating protein before strength training actually improves post exercise metabolism. You won't get the benefits of exercise in the morning if you aren't fueling before!
Examples - egg bites, protein shake, greek yogurt, protein coffee, protein pancakes/waffles, cottage cheese.
3. Make sure you are eating enough
If you aren't eating enough throughout the day, you won't be able to change your body composition to have higher musle mass and less fat mass. People who don't eat until noon don't get the body composition benefits of consuming less calories. Fasting leads to high cortisol and heightened stress response which lead your body to start breaking down bone and muscle and retain body fat. If you are eating cleaner you need to ensure you are consuming adequate calories to achieve muscle definition. Aim to consume around 1g of protein per pound of body weight daily. Plan your days to make sure you have food for snacks and meals on the go. Don't avoid carbohydrates and always include fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains at every meal to benefit your gut microbiome!
4. Exercise for positive health outcomes
Exercise enhances our mental and physical stress resilience. Movement allows us to centre and balnace ourselves. Strength training prevents cognitive decline, enhances neuroplasticity, and improves muscle and bone health. When women 40+ do too much vcardio they can become what Stacy refers to as "skinny fat," as they look slim but don't have helthy muscle mass. We need our muscle mass to age well and so in order to retain and build this, we need to focus on strength training more than cardio. Strength training promotes strong bones, Strong muscles, and positive brain aging including the reduction of dementia risk.
Recipe - HeLa Proffee
Ingredients:
2. 4 ounces of dairy or plant milk
3. Double shot of espresso or 8 oz coffee
Directions:
Froth the protein powder, collagen, and milk to blend
Pour the coffee into the milk/protein mix
Place it in the fridge if making it the night before, so it's ready to go in the morning!
Note: You want the milk to be cold, otherwise it'll cause the protein powder to coagulate.
