Dietary Protein & Training After Menopause

Weekly Resource Roundup

Aging and the Importance of Dietary Protein

• The body needs to make 300 grams of new protein every day. The body replaces every protein in it four times a year. Without enough dietary protein, amino acids get recycled but with enough protein the body can undergo protein synthesis to maintain lean muscle mass.
• Kids have the benefit of hormones to activate protein synthesis but as adults we must get enough good quality protein with the amino acid Leucine and do resistance training for protein synthesis to occur.
• After we’ve fasted overnight, protein synthesis goes down so it’s important to get a minimum of 30 grams of protein with Leucine in the morning to activate protein synthesis.
• This post shares some high protein, easy to prepare, breakfast recipes.

Training After Menopause

The podcast Hit Play Not Pause,with Dr. Stacy Sims discusses how women can train to adapt to the hormone changes experienced during perimenopause and menopause. After menopause women need more high intensity cardio and heavy resistance training. Muscle fibers are lost as we age and without estrogen women need the external stimulus so the muscle fibers can maintain their contractile strength.

Dr. Sims recommends doing multi-directional jump/plyometric training for 10 minutes three times a week. High intensity training makes the muscle more efficient at using carbs and helps to counter the insulin resistance women are prone to during menopause. 

Movement to Try

The Scorpion Stretch-a chance to get on the floor and do a dynamic stretch for the hip flexors and mobilize the lumbar spine.