Training Blog

PROTEIN - are you getting enough?

Last month I listened to 2 podcasts on protein. One was saying we eat too much of it, the other was saying we don’t eat enough. Confusing? Digging deeper, the first one was talking about the general population with no differentiation between gender, age or stage in life. The other was specifically referring to women over 40. 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR WOMEN TO GET ENOUGH PROTEIN AS THEY GET OLDER?

Estrogen is not just a sex hormone, it has many other roles in our bodies. One is to help build muscle and maintain bone density. Once we head into perimenopause and our estrogen levels fluctuate and eventually bottom out in post menopause, we need to look too our diet and exercise to full the gap left by estrogen. 

KEY BENEFITS of protein for menopausal women are:

• The amino acids in protein, when paired with exercise stimulates the building of muscle. Which in my book is the number 1 thing we can do to keep us strong, mobile, active and slow the aging process. 

• Levels out blood sugar, therefore avoiding the 3pm energy slump and mood swings

• Reduces brain fog.

• Keeps us fuller for longer so we don’t reach for those “empty” calories.

HOW MUCH DO WE NEED?  

A rough rule of thumb is 1.8 to 2.3g/kg/ day. E.g., If you weigh 65kg you need 120-150g of protein/day. The more active you are, aim for the higher end of the range. 

GOOD SROUCES OF PROTEIN

The highest sources of protein are from animals, but there are also many plants that are good sources as this infographic shows.

Aim to get as much as you can from real food. 

Image 1: Amount of protein per 100g of food

IMPORTANCE OF TIMING

To get the best benefit eat protein across the day. Don’t leave it all to your evening meal, have some for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you do a boot camp or other vigorous exercise have some protein within an hour to maximise the muscle development your exercise has stimulated. With gentler movement such as yoga and walking, you can wait until you next meal or snack.

So are you getting enough? If you would like to know please do get in touch with Jane.

Have you thought about the health of your bones lately?

I wanted to share this graph with you. It illustrates how we reach peak bone mass around our late 20s/30. We maintain it for a while before it starts to decline. For women the decline speeds up, once we arrive at menopause due to the loss of estrogen. The type of lifestyle you live also plays a role in how quickly it declines. And it is not just women that are affected. Osteoporosis New Zealand says 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 60 will suffer a fragility fracture due to osteoporosis. This leads to a loss of mobility, independence and fun.

So, what can you do to avoid the crippling effect of fractures late in life? 

1. Strength training with weights. Improves your bone density & lean muscle mass
2. Improve your balance and coordination
3. Eat a nutrient rich diet especially in calcium and Vitamin D (helps absorbs calcium)
4. Get outside in the morning sunshine for some Vitamin D
5.  Limit alcohol, too much makes bones brittle.

It is never too late to start

And finally, if you have children in their teenagers and 20s encourage them to do all they can to build a high peak bone mass now. (It will be the last thing they are thinking about!) Researchers agree that the higher it is to start with the bigger the dividends later in life.

October is Menopause Awareness Month. I am passionate about this time in a woman’s life. Firstly, because I am in what you call perimenopause right now and I want to understand what is happening to me and what I can do to help me through this phase that can last for 10 years. Secondly, through my work I want to help women navigate this transition with ease so they can thrive as they move into the next chapter of their lives. 

Coming into it I didn’t know a lot about menopause or what to expect. My mother and older sister hadn’t talked about it and nor does society in general. Over the last couple of years, I have been researching it and speaking to friends and my clients about their experiences. One thing I have learnt is that no 2 women have the same experience because we are all so wonderfully unique and there are many influencing factors. 

However, there are some things common to us all.

It is not a disease or illness, it is normal, a natural transition to a new part of our life.

It is a time of recalibration for our bodies and brain

It is temporary, you will get through this but it can take 10 years.

There are many symptoms that affect us all differently

I feel that our attitude and beliefs and those of society affect how we as women approach menopause.

A quick google search of “Menopause” and the images that pop up are of women looking in distressed, uncomfortable and sad. The perception is that it is something to fear and not going to be a good time. Why can’t those images include smiling, vibrant women ready to embrace a new chapter in their life?

What are your attitudes and beliefs about menopause? Do you fear it? Do you see it as the end of something? Do you see it as a time of struggle? Or do you see this as the beginning of the best part of your life? A time to spread you wings and fly? 

So, what is going on? Perimenopause is a sequence of events leading to menopause (Cessation of periods.). During this time, the levels of our sex hormones fluctuate, especially progesterone and estrogen and settle into a new natural post reproductive rhythm. We still need progesterone and estrogen but not in the large amounts we have when ovulating. Our body and brain are recalibrating to this new rhythm and this takes time. It is these fluctuating hormones that cause us to have our own private summers, broken sleep, sore joints, discovering that our favourite jeans don’t fit anymore, mood swings, heavier periods, brain fog and more.

This is one of the reasons why you can go from being happy to wanting to kill someone in less than a minute, forget when you parked your car or suddenly feel like it is 40C (which can be useful in a Christchurch winter). This can be scary and confusing for women but don’t worry you are not going crazy or getting early Alzheimer’s, it is your fluctuating hormones.  Think of it instead as a 2^nd puberty, the other book end on our reproductive years. If you are around teenagers, you will be familiar with the impact changing hormones are having on them (and you!). Like puberty these symptoms are not permanent, they will pass as your body and brain finds its new equilibrium. Unfortunately, if you are experiencing some of these symptoms, it is not a lot of fun and can have a big impact on your daily life. The good news is there are lifestyle changes you can make to help reduce them.  

With that in mind, is this a good time to ask yourself what needs to change? Use it to address some of those things you could change and deep down know that you should.

 

What is your vision, 5, 10, 20 years from now? 

What are you doing? What do you feel? 

 

This is your window of opportunity to make small changes so they don’t become big health problems later in life and you get to enjoy all those fabulous years ahead of you. 

I have chosen to embrace it. After I started experiences night sweats and tingling in my hands, I have made some lifestyle changes that will help me have a smoother transition through perimenopause. Though the mood swings are still there – my poor family!   I am excited about living the years ahead of me as a strong, healthy and vibrant woman. 

Step through that window and fly, like a beautiful butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.

If you would like some guidance or just want to chat about menopause please do reach out.

Jane Williams

Phone: 021 2727 003

Email: jane@advancedfitness.co.nz

References: Dr Lara Briden, Hormone Repair Manual, 2021 Edition

PERSONALISE YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS

Each and every one of us are unique in how our minds and bodies are made up. Your genes plus your lifestyle work together to create YOU. In scientific terms this is call Epigenetics. We each react differently to food, exercise and the environment and we all have our own individual greatness. 

 We are constantly bombarded with information about the latest “best thing” to do, one often contradicting the other. It all gets very confusing as to what you can do to achieve optimum health and to function at your best. This can result in flip flopping from one thing to the other, getting nowhere or taking no action at all. Feel familiar?

Scientific research shows that one size does not fit all when it comes to your optimum diet or type of exercise or even when to sleep. Maybe you have a friend who dropped a dress size or 2 by following a keto diet so you thought you would try, but it didn’t work for you. Don’t despair, it probably means that you are a different health type and hence your diet and exercise needs are different from your friend’s. For example, some people get great results eating 6 small meals a day while others are better skipping breakfast and having 2 good meals. Some need lots of protein, while others very little. Some of us feel great getting up at 6am and doing a high intensity workout, yet for others the best way to lose weight and thrive is doing a weights session later in the day or doing more endurance-based exercise. Do you thrive working in an open plan office or do you do your best work in a quiet place?  It is important to focus on what is right for you, not get caught up in what your friends or Celebrities are doing. 

If you would like to know more about personalising your health and finding out what it right for YOU, please do get in touch. I am passionate about empowering people to improve their overall health and thrive. 

Jane Williams, Personal Trainer and Women’s Health Coach,   #Iamwithyou  

Are you thriving or surviving?


Do you wake up each day ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way with enthusiasm or is the mere thought of getting out of bed a scary challenge because of what lies ahead? What could you do to wake up each day feeling refreshed and excited about the productivity and results that lie ahead?

Surviving your day being tired, overwhelmed and unproductive?

Does this sound like you: You wake up feeling like you haven't slept well, in reality you have been in bed trying to sleep for 7 hours. Not an ideal amount of sleep but enough time that you should feel rest
Coffee is the first thing on your mind, a necessity to start the day and avoid the potential headache/ sluggishness that would otherwise dominate your mindset to start the day. You now feel good, coffee has done its job, a quick breakfast and it's off to work.
You start to process the day ahead - “overwhelmed” is a good way to describe your emotional response to the day. There seems to be a gap in the level of performance your brain needs and what’s available. The shortfall leaves you wondering where that next stimulus is going to come from.

You bounce through the day on stimulation (sugar or caffeine?) and drive to meet your commitments. Mid-afternoon comes and as lunch was missed you feel like the day should already be finished. The last 2 hours of the day are under productive and you head home exhausted.
Food and hunger dominate your agenda when you arrive home, after all you have created an energy deficit by riding high on mental stimulants like caffeine and sugar all day whilst your energy levels have been decreasing as the day went on.
At this point it can even be hard at home to spend time engaging with loved ones, as your mind remembers what was meant to be done during the day. Being present can be a challenge when we are tired.

Thriving- an energising, productive and positive day

An alternative scenario see’s you wake up having spent no longer in bed but feel great - well rested and looking forward to the day ahead. You know what sort of food makes you feel good, eat when it's convenient and focus on the right type of food. You enjoy a coffee but don't feel it's “needed”.
Throughout the day you operate well, feeling energised. Your productivity is high and you accomplish what you set out do without stress and get ahead of the game for tomorrow. When it's home time you arrive with a positive mindset, you enjoy the evening wind down and can be present when spending time with family and loved ones. You even have some time to think about what you wish to accomplish tomorrow - without it affecting our sleep.

What could you do to make each day seem easier?

When we realise that our actions around personal wellbeing help our ability to manage stress and improve productivity we create and in control mindset.

If we spend our time surviving we do so out of control and just getting by. Not a place our body of mind likes to be.
Most of us like to have control of some or all aspect of our lives.

5 suggestions on how you can be proactive around your health

Reduce sugar and alcohol in the evening for better sleep quality, nothing after 7pm.

Place a 1-2 litre water jug on your desk and finish it during the work day.

Make a larger portion of your dinner meal and take some for lunch the following day, twice a week to start with.

Prioritise your day, tackle your most challenging task first and then take 5 mins to stop and refresh.

Set an hourly reminder on your desktop/ device to remind you to move: 1-2 mins every hour is proven to improve cognitive performance and increase your ability to stay on task.

Take a proactive approach to your health and you may well remove some of the challenges in your professional life or your ability to manage them will improve.
What's one thing you could do to improve your personal health that will in turn improve your professional health? Make one change and become aware of the improvements so you value the change. If you have an all or nothing mindset put your all into making one change!

Paul Todd
Health and Performance coach
Smart Body Fit Mind/ Advanced Fitness