Bonus Section: Why Protein should be your primary focus
Leverage your metabolic flexibility to gain muscle mass
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Protein and amino acids are the essential building blocks of life. Without sufficient protein, we cannot build or maintain the muscle mass that we need to enjoy an active lifestyle as we age. This is critical, because the older we get, the more easier we lose muscle and the more difficult it becomes to rebuild it.
Why we need more protein:
Muscle Mass and Strength: With age, there is a natural decline in muscle mass and strength, a condition known as sarcopenia. Consuming adequate protein can help slow down this loss and promote muscle growth and maintenance.
Muscle Recovery and Repair: Older adults may experience muscle damage or injuries more frequently, and protein is essential for muscle recovery and repair processes.
Nutrient Absorption: As people age, their ability to absorb and utilize nutrients decreases. Increasing protein intake can help ensure sufficient absorption of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.
Signs that you are not eating enough protein:
Restless sleep
Lack of clear cognitive thought process
Loss of muscle tissue or changes in body composition
Brittle nails and hair
Feeling lazy, sluggish, or generally fatigued
Low libido
A large prospective study called the Healthy Aging and Body Composition Study, with more than two thousand elderly subjects, found that those who ate the most protein (about 18% of caloric intake) kept more of their lean body mass over three years than those in the lowest quintile of protein consumption (10% of calories). The difference was significant: the low-protein group lost 40% more muscle than the high-protein group!
Determine protein needs
The current RDA for protein is 0.8 g/kg of body weight per day. But a study found that elderly people eating the RDA of protein end up losing muscle mass, even in as short a period as two weeks!
Longevity expert, Dr. Peter Attia, recommends for his active patients, 2.2 g/kg/day or one gram per pound of body weight per day!
That's a lot of protein, but no where near the safe upper limit of 3.7 g/kg/day.
Identify protein sources
Pasture Raised Chicken
A three-ounce serving will give you a solid 26 grams of protein.
Grass Fed Beef
Lean cuts of beef such as strip or flank steak or tenderloin are great options. Lean or extra lean ground beef is also an awesome option. On average, three ounces of lean beef contains around 22 grams of protein.
Fish
Fish is one of the best high-protein food sources because it is filled with a variety of other vitamins and minerals with numerous health benefits.
Fish that contain the most protein include yellowfin tuna with 25 grams of protein in three ounces, tilapia with 23 grams of protein per three ounce filet, and halibut with 19 grams of protein per three ounce serving.
Free Range Eggs
Depending on the size of the egg, the protein content can range from five to eight grams. Protein is found in both the egg yolk and whites.
Dairy Products
Dairy-rich proteins like low-fat plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and hard cheeses like parmesan are all protein-packed.
You can expect around 20 grams of protein per cup of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.
Soy Products
Tofu and tempeh are two high-protein soy products. This plant protein is special because it contains ample amounts of all nine essential amino acids, making it different from most other plant proteins that usually skimp on a few.
Honorable Mention: Plant Proteins
You can also consider adding in incomplete plant protein sources like pulses, beans, dried peas, lentils, and nut butters for variety.
A note about plant protein: You don't have to get your protein from meat, fish or dairy if you choose. Just be aware of two things:
The protein found in plants is largely tied up in fiber(60-70%), which means it is less bioavailable for you. So the amount of protein per serving shown on the label can be misleading.
The distribution of amino acids is not the same as in animal protein. In particular, plant protein has less the amino acids of methionine, lysine, and tryptophan, potentially leading to less protein synthesis.
So, the overall quality of plant protein is significantly lower than that from animal products. Bear that in mind when determining the amount and type of plant protein you need to consume to meet your needs.
So how do you eat that much protein?
Now that you have metabolic flexibility, you don’t necessarily need to track your macros every day. Instead, just focus on your protein intake. I recommend you start with a goal of 100 grams of protein per day, broken up into 4 servings such as a high protein shake, a high protein snack, and two protein meals.
When you combine sufficient protein intake with an effective strength program, you’ll increase your muscle mass, strength and energy as you age!
Thanks for taking a look. I would appreciate some honest feedback on this chapter. This review is not about spotting typos. Instead, the most useful feedback is about stuff like:
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Next Chapter: KEY #3 MOVE - Use it or lose it, activity beyond running!