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Protein: Are you getting enough?

Friday, June 03, 2022

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.


Why Women need to lift heavy weights

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Why Menopausal Women Need to Lift Heavy Weights. 

About 6 years ago, I started lifting a few weights for the first time, but not that heavy. As someone who prefers getting my exercise outside, I hadn’t spent much time in a gym and I had not thought about using weights to stay strong.  

BUT..now that I have hit menopause my body has developed its own agenda. Last week I did my biannual Body audit. It shows how much muscle mass, body fat and visceral fat you have. Compare to the last one, I have lost muscle mass and gained body fat without changing anything I do. I put it down to my declining estrogen levels. 

Over the next 8 weeks I am going to do a focus strength training programme 3 times per week. Then follow it up with another Body Audit to see what has changed. Watch this space!!

But why do we need to lift weights as part of our exercise?

According to Dr Stacy Sims, Exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist ( Read more ) research shows that some of the key benefits to counter effects of peri and post menopause are;

  1. It stimulates building lean muscle mass 
  2. It reduces visceral fat & total body fat 
  3. It increases your power & strength.
  4. It ramps up your metabolic rate. i.e you burn more calories when at rest 
  5. It builds bone density; we lose this faster once we hit menopause. (upto 50% by your 80th birthday)
  6. It helps reduce hot flushes
  7. It improves joint stability and strength
  8. It improves your cardiovascular, blood pressure and general health.

Some of you might read this and think, “this is not for me, I don’t want to bulk up.” But don’t worry. It is harder for women to build muscle due to our lower levels of testosterone to start with, then throw in declining hormones, means you would have to spend hours and hours at the gym to become a female Hulk. This is all about getting some muscle definition and strength.

If you are interested in trying strength training please get in touch and we can get you started with the right moves. It's very important to work your way into big lifts to avoid injury and have correct technique. When you can perform the exercises with full range of motion without weight, you're ready to start slowly adding weight.  If you have pelvic floor issues speak to a Pelvic floor expert before starting. 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 
 

 

 


Perimenopause Ponderings

Thursday, October 07, 2021

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 2nd 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? 

How do you want to live your life? 

 

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

Personalising you Health & Fitness

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

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  


Thyroid Health

Thursday, March 09, 2017
We see more commonly than ever people coming to us with the goal of shifting weight or changing body composition but have a thyroid issue which is frustrating them by having an impact on metabolism.

What does it control…..

Thyroid hormones act on nearly every cell in the body. They act to increase the basal metabolic rate, affect protein synthesis (key for muscle development), help regulate long bone growth (synergy with growth hormone) and neural maturation.

The thyroid hormones are essential to proper development and differentiation of all cells of the human body. These hormones also regulate protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism, affecting how human cells use energy.

For those not familiar with metabolism or basil metabolic rate, put simply its is your body’s energy system that determines how much energy we burn at rest and during our daily activities. (Basil metabolic rate is how much energy your body uses at rest) Put simply metabolism and weight change are closely linked and could be the reason your results are hard to come by.

With a sluggish metabolism seeing changes in body fat levels can require a real personal focus with tradition weight loss methods often worsening effects.

Thyroid drives metabolism!

So how can you look after your thyroid…….

-We know that both your gut and your adrenals have an impact on the function of your thyroid.

-Within your gut your body converts T4 (thyroxine) to T3 (Triiodothyronine) which is your active thyroid hormone and essential for good function.

-If your gut isn't functioning well then the flow on effect could be your not able to convert enough T3. Research has shown that a gluten sensitivity is commonly linked to thyroid dysfunction. All food sensitivities will have an impact on your gut function.

-Iodine deficiency is another common link to low T3 production as the hormone is made up of part iodine.

-An imbalance in gut flora or infection and bacteria overgrowth will all contribute.

-We know that when stress is present in high or chronic levels your body doesn’t produce as much Secretary Iga (sIga) hormone which has a role in protecting the mucosal barrier in the gut and keeping out those nasty things that are present in our food or from our environment.

What can I do…… tomorrow

1)In short from a lifestyle prospective keeping a balanced healthy diet with limited processed foods and good quality Iodine intake will help.

2)Avoid long duration or very high intensity exercise and your body will see this as stress!

3) Make sure your gut is functioning well, bloating, cramping, gas and inconsistent stools are all signs there is room for improvement.

Go and see your GP or medical professional and ask for a blood test to find out how your thyroid is functioning. Try to get TSH, FT3, FT4, and TPO antibody so you can understand the full function.

I know from working with clients that it can be a challenging road to recovery and management of a thyroid condition so in my opinion it make sense to take a proactive approach to controlling your health!

Paul Todd
Health and Performance Coach
Advanced Fitness