Fuel Your Morning with Protein, Not Dessert Shakes!
Eat Good Quality Protein
“I have a shake for breakfast”, this is dangerous if not carefully monitored. The combination could easily pack 500-800 calories or more, depending on portion sizes and exact ingredients. It is more like a dessert for breakfast and presents a risk for clients and their overall diet and health goals.
High-calorie shakes go down quickly and easily and lead to unintentional overconsumption of calories. These “dessert shakes” are often packed with dense ingredients like nut butters, full-fat dairy, bananas, oats and honey.
I urge clients to not replace regular nutrient-dense meals with large amounts of liquid calories.
Starting the day with a protein-packed meal is a fantastic way to fuel your body and set a healthy tone for the rest of the day. Protein helps to boost metabolism, regulate blood sugar, and keep you feeling full for longer, which can reduce cravings and prevent overeating later in the day. Whether you’re looking to build muscle, lose weight, or simply maintain balanced energy levels, a high-protein breakfast can make a big difference.
Inadequate Protein Intake
You can create several delicious and nutrient-packed breakfast meals using eggs, mackerel, sardines, yoghurt and liver. A lot of my clients have low protein levels, your protein on a body fat scale should be 15% or above. Most of my women clients suffer from insufficient protein as they meal skip (rather than intermittent fast), or it is due to hormonal and metabolic factors.
Body fat scales measure body composition and can provide insights into your overall health. Being able to interpret the scale is complex and that is why coaching is important so your coach can ensure you protein reading is improving as it correlates with lower muscle mass and insufficient protein intake.
Here are some common reasons why this might happen:
1. Inadequate Protein Intake
- Dietary Deficiency: Many people especially those eating vegetarian or vegan diets, may not consume enough protein. Protein-rich foods like meat, fish and eggs are essential for maintaining muscle mass, and insufficient intake can lead to muscle loss.
- Impact on Body Composition: A low-protein diet may result in a decrease in lean body mass (muscle), which can show up as low protein levels.
2. Age-Related Muscle Loss (Sarcopenia)
- As women age, particularly after menopause, there is a natural decline in muscle mass due to hormonal changes, particularly the drop in estrogen. This process, known as sarcopenia, can contribute to lower muscle mass and a subsequent decrease in protein levels.
- Impact on Protein Levels: Older women may struggle to maintain adequate muscle mass if protein intake is not sufficient.
3. Low-Impact or Sedentary Lifestyle
- People who are sedentary or don’t engage in regular strength training or physical activity may experience a decrease in muscle mass over time. When the body is not regularly challenged to maintain or build muscle, it tends to lose muscle tissue.
- Muscle and Protein: Since protein is largely found in muscle tissue, a decrease in muscle mass often corresponds to lower protein levels.
4. Hormonal Imbalances
- Hormones play a significant role in maintaining muscle mass and overall body composition. Conditions like hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) or PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) can contribute to an imbalance that makes it harder to retain lean muscle mass.
- Estrogen and Protein Synthesis: Estrogen helps to promote muscle protein synthesis, and when estrogen levels drop, particularly around menopause, it may result in less efficient muscle maintenance, further lowering protein levels.
5. Chronic Stress or Inadequate Recovery
- Chronic stress can lead to an increase in cortisol levels, which can break down muscle tissue over time. People experiencing high levels of stress, without proper rest and recovery, may have a harder time maintaining muscle mass.
- Impact on Body Composition: Elevated cortisol levels can cause the body to break down lean tissue (protein), leading to lower muscle mass and protein readings.
6. Illness or Malabsorption Disorders
- Certain illnesses (e.g., chronic illness, autoimmune diseases, or conditions like celiac disease) can impact the body’s ability to absorb or utilise protein properly. In such cases, even if a person consumes enough protein, their body might not absorb it efficiently, leading to lower protein levels.
- Protein Breakdown: Diseases that cause inflammation, infection, or damage to the gastrointestinal system can increase protein breakdown or reduce protein synthesis, impacting muscle mass.
7. Protein Turnover and Breakdown
- If one is not consuming enough protein or not engaging in resistance training, your body might break down muscle tissue at a faster rate than it can repair or build new tissue. This would lead to a net loss in muscle mass and, consequently, lower protein levels.
- Impact of Exercise: Resistance or weight training can help increase muscle mass and stimulate muscle protein synthesis, counteracting protein breakdown. Without these activities, muscle loss can occur more easily.
How to Address Low Protein Levels
If your protein reading is below 10% you will battle to lose weight, consider:
- Joining our programme where we look at all the variables and advise you accordingly.
- Increasing protein intake (90 grams of protein, 3 times per day) through whole foods like lean meats, eggs, fish, and plant-based proteins.
- Engaging in regular strength training or resistance exercises to maintain or build muscle mass.
- Ensuring adequate recovery and reducing stress to prevent muscle breakdown.
- Tracking body composition changes over time to assess progress and ensure accuracy (attend coaching sessions).
Take Control of Your Health Today – Start with Protein!
Are you ready to reverse the signs of aging, combat muscle wasting, and finally achieve your weight loss goals? The key lies in proper protein intake and building a strong foundation with expert guidance. Protein isn’t just for muscle building – it’s essential for maintaining lean mass, boosting metabolism, and supporting your immune system.
