At age 30+, we begin losing muscle mass at an alarming rate of 3-8% every decade. The only way to combat this is to ensure we are lifting heavy things and consuming enough protein to provide the building blocks for our muscles.
But protein isn’t just about building muscle. Some research suggests that eating enough protein may help lower your risk of some health conditions, such as:
- type 2 diabetes
- cardiovascular disease
- obesity
- metabolic syndrome
- non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- cardiovascular diseases
A high protein intake may also help increase weight loss, enhance muscle growth, and improve your overall health.
With all these benefits, it’s sad to know that most of us aren’t even getting close to the amount of protein we need AND our protein needs increase as we age, meaning the older we get the farther we get from reaching our protein needs. One simple shift can be a complete game changer. Shifts like, EAT PROTEIN FIRST. Shifts like, MEAL PLANNING. Shifts like, JOURNALLING.
And so, I am going to challenge you to take the next 7 days and pay attention to your protein. But first, let’s figure out how much protein you need in the first place.
How much protein do you need?
How much protein you need is up for debate, but there is a minimum for sure and the rest depends on your goals and your age.
GOAL = Prevent a Deficiency
At a bare minimum, if your only goal is to prevent a deficiency, you should be consuming 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight.
Example: If your goal is to be 160 pounds, or 74 kgs, you should be aiming to get (74 x 0.8) 58 grams of protein per day.
GOAL = Maintain or Gain Muscle Mass for Better Aging
But if your goal is to maintain or ideally gain muscle mass as you age you should be aiming closer to 1.2 – 1.6 grams per kilogram of ideal body weight per day. This is closer to 90 – 115 grams of protein per day if your goal is 160 lbs.
GOAL = Lose Weight and Maintain Muscle Mass
If your goal is to lose weight, and as little of that weight loss coming from lean muscle mass as possible, you should be aiming closer to 1.6 up to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight. For a goal of 160 pounds, this is closer to 115 – 145 grams of protein per day.
Note: the recommendation above is for the 30+ demographic. If you are younger than that you can get more gains from less protein. 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight is enough.
Why do we need more protein as we age?
As we get older, it’s almost like paddling upstream You have to work harder and more consistently then you would have to get the same results than when you were young. Take a break and you end up floating back down the river again. The same concept applies to building and maintaining muscle mass as we age. It is because of something called Anabolic Resistance. As we get older our body doesn’t respond as well to muscle building stimulus as when we were young. This applies to both resistance training and eating a protein rich meal.
The good news is we can overcome that resistance with progressive resistance training and a protein intake suitable for an older adult.
Why should I care about muscle as I get older?
Muscle has been referred to as the organ of longevity. The more we have the longer and better we live. More muscle allows us to be more mobile, so we fall less and get up more easily. It helps build and maintain our bone density, so even if we do fall, nothing breaks. Just contracting our muscles causes our cells to secrete anti-inflammatory compounds into our blood stream, so less inflammation. Muscle helps protect our joints and keeps us out of pain in our low back and knees. I figure that is enough reasons to care right??
Why is protein so important?
Certain amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are considered essential. In other words, we need to consume them, we can’t make them. These amino acids are the building blocks of our body. Our skin, our nails, our muscles, our bones etc are all built from these amino acids. If we don’t eat enough protein our body, instead of building and repairing, goes into a state of decline and disrepair. It’s like never reshingling your roof. Eventually it starts to leak and everything below that starts to decay before it’s time.
As a bonus, protein is satiating so you stay full for longer, helping you eat less. It has a high ‘thermic effect’, meaning it takes calories to just digest it. And once digested, it helps balance your blood sugar, build your muscles and burn fat.
Here is your challenge.
Hopefully I have sold you on the importance of getting enough protein in your day. If I have, I encourage you to try this 7 Day Protein Challenge to see if upping your protein game makes a difference in your health and your life.
- Determine how much protein you should be having each day based on your goals. (0.8-2 grams per kilogram of ideal body weight)
- Find a journal and track how much protein you are having each day. Try to match it to your goals. If you aren’t there, make a goal of getting closer each day. Don’t be afraid to repeat your meals. Trust me, it will make your life a whole lot easier.
- When eating a meal, eat the protein source first, especially before you get to the starches. Protein increases the production of a gut hormone that makes you feel full. What’s more, eating protein first can help keep your blood sugar and insulin levels rom rising too high after a meal.
- Make sure your protein intake is spread out over at least breakfast and dinner, and ideally lunch as well, and not all in one meal.
