How MUCH PROTEIN SHOULD YOU EAT?
This is a question that confuses a lot of my clients. Over the past few years I’ve noticed that many of us reach for carb-heavy foods when we’re stressed, short on time or unprepared (like most of the time!). As a result, we get into the habit of eating less protein than we need. In this article I explain why protein is so important and tell you how much you should be eating, as well as giving you some easy examples of foods that help you hit your protein target.
Why is this a problem?
Think about it like this. Proteins (there are lots of different types) are the building blocks of the body. We’re constantly repairing, rebuilding and renewing skin, bones, muscle, hair and nails. And we need protein for this. As we age we need more, because this repair and renewal process slows down, and protein is especially helpful to help maintain muscle mass, which as you know, declines rapidly after menopause. It’s important to be aware that HRT doesn’t protect us from muscle loss, so we have to be proactive to protect it.
PROTEIN & MENOPAUSE CRAVINGS
I’ve seen time and again how increasing protein helps women manage insatiable cravings, and that nagging feeling of needing something else, even when they’ve just eaten and their stomachs feel physically full. Scientists now think that our bodies’ need for protein is so great, that it will make us keep eating until we get enough. A lot of carb-heavy and ultra-processed foods are low in protein, and this theory helps explain why we crave so much of this food and when we do eat it, struggle to stop when we’re full.
How much should you eat?
Exact calculations about how much you need each day depend on your individual body composition, specifically the weight of your fat-free body mass. One way to find this out is by using bathroom scales which give you an estimate of your fat-free mass. I use Renpho scales for myself and clients who want to use weight as a progress measurement.
Fat-free body mass is the weight of your muscles, bones, skin and organs, ie the weight of your body minus the fat.
Ideally you want to aim to eat 1g of protein for each pound of fat-free mass. For example, my fat-free mass is 90lb, so that equates to 90g of protein a day.
WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE THAT INFORMATION?
Not everyone wants to use scales, or might not have scales with that function. In that case, a good amount to aim for is 75g of protein a day, which is a great place to start.
It’s best if you can split the total evenly throughout the day, because we can only process so much at a time and if you eat more than the body can handle it will just get excreted out.
Keep things simple and aim for around 25g per meal.
WHAT DOES 25g PER MEAL LOOK LIKE?
Eating the right amount of protein is easy for meat eaters, but increasingly, people are trying to eat more vegetarian and vegan diets, for the planet and also for their gut health. If you want to avoid or eat fewer animal products, then you do need to pay a bit more attention to ensure you are eating enough.
Example daily meal plan
3 large eggs on rye bread (43g) with 5g butter = 22.6g protein (380 calories)
Feta (100g) & Chickpea Salad (120g drained) plus 1/2 tbs olive oil, chopped tomato, pepper & spring onion = 23.9g protein (519 calories)
Fish Curry (100g frozen cod, tsp coconut oil, 1/4 tin coconut milk, curry powder, 1/2 onion, garlic, green beans, 1tbs tomato puree) = 30g protein (464 calories)
Total Protein = 76.5g
Total Calories = 1,363
SURPRISED BY THE CALORIES?
You might be surprised how low-calorie this meal plan is. Now, this may be too few calories for some people and you want to avoid going too low, but it’s a great illustration of how few calories are in home-made food vs ready meals and takeaways.
Eating 3 meals a day like this leaves room for a small snack or treat, which can make all the difference in sticking to something long-term.