Whenever I talk about protein I think of my 23-year-old son tensing his biceps, dropping his voice, pointing to the gym and saying “protein, I love protein” in a monosyllabic way. Protein has the image of a protein thug. Not that my boy is a thug!

Mainstream coaches are upping our protein intake to great success. The Body Coach asks us to eat what 8 sausages per serving? I exaggerate as always. But I am a protein and fat lover I do eat more protein and fat than I used to and I have changed my shape, but more importantly, I feel stronger and fitter as I head deeper into my 50s.  Protein is essential for muscle growth which becomes harder as we age.

Why is protein so important for women?

Currently, we are eating too many carbs and neglecting our fat and protein balance. So increase your protein source and eat it at every meal is one of the first nutritional pillars that I establish when working with clients.  The last 50 years have seen a huge rise in the number of carbohydrates in our diet and a reduction in protein, especially for women. If you would like to read more this blog

Getting the macro ratio to work for you depends on your body type, level of activity, age, sex. I talk about it a lot more in my book Gorgeous!

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Why should women eat more protein?

Protein is a macronutrient, along with fats and carbohydrates. These macronutrients are energy sources for your body, and your body uses them at different times for different activity levels. Your body converts your food into energy sources

• Consumed protein is broken down in the body to form amino acids.
• Carbohydrates are broken down to form glycogen.
• Fats are broken down to form fatty acids.

You need these energy sources at varying times of your day, dependent on your energy expenditure level.

For instance, whilst watching telly and walking down to the shops, your body uses fats to fuel itself. Don’t get excited that doesn’t mean you are burning off your muffin top whilst watching telly! You are simply using fatty acids – the broken down version of fats, to keep your body functioning. When you are working at high intensity (when you get out of breath) your body uses stored carbohydrates or glycogen for energy. This doesn’t mean that you are burning off the cake and biscuits but the ‘glycogen’ that your body has produced. So what converts the sausages, cakes and biscuits into glycogen for the body to use?

Or put in another way, what do we need to produce these energy sources? Answer: Our hero ‘amino acids’ or otherwise commonly known as protein! Proteins are required for everything you do inside your bodies – on a cellular level. The better the food source of protein, carbohydrate and fat the better the more efficiently your gorgeous body works. So if you aren’t consuming good quality proteins or fats then your body and health will suffer.

Don’t miss: Stop eating low fat yoghurts!

Protein is needed every day for repair and growth of your body cells. In particular, children who are growing need a good intake of protein foods to support their growth. Anyone who is ill requires a good intake of protein to repair and heal cells. Protein in every meal should remain constant in your diet whether you are on an exercise or non-exercise day. Animal protein sources such as eggs, fish, chicken and beef are considered complete protein sources because they contain all the essential amino acids needed by your body. Vegetarians can, of course, use tofu or Quorn but need to consume much larger quantities to get your protein intake to the required level.

Vegetarians can, of course, use tofu or Quorn but need to consume much larger quantities to get your protein intake to the required level.

Adding protein & reducing carbs doesn’t mean low carb.

Simply adding a protein source to each meal, reduce your sugary carbs as snacks and consume most of your starchy carbs after exercise when your body needs it most. Doesn’t mean low carbs because don’t forget your carbs are in your veg.

Currently, if you are eating:

1. Cereal with fruit juice for breakfast – no protein source just carbs and high-level sugars
2. Sandwich for lunch with sliced ham/cheese – little protein and high carbs
3. Meat, 2 veg and potatoes for dinner is more balanced
4. Pasta bake with veg is high carbs

Today’s diet is high carb and it is not balanced. Altering the balance and including more protein will balance your body more. Steak and salad dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dinner are fine it is balanced carbs, fats and protein on a non-exercise day.

Reducing beige carbs and increase green carbs is important

Without a sufficient supply of food, which includes carbohydrates, your body panics because it thinks it doesn’t have enough fuel. It shifts into ‘starvation mode’

Without feeling “fed,” it will begin to shut down all nonessential functions like the reproductive system. Your body doesn’t like to be stressed or starved.  A women’s body is hypersensitive because of her hormone system. When the female body is deprived of carbohydrates, the liver slows down its production of T3.

T3 is the form of thyroid hormone that actually makes cells work and your metabolism burn.

Carbohydrates are important for serotonin production in women.

This means carbs can be great for helping you maintain peace and happiness, as well as fall and stay asleep at night.

If you feel that a steak and salad isn’t enough, you add more starchy carbs like sweet potatoes or brown rice. Feel your way through your diet, experiment, work with a coach so you can understand your body and feel confident about your choices.

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What is a low carb diet?

I think the confusion arises when you equate high protein with a very low carb diet. But let me reassure you when you add more protein you are balancing out your daily meals & snacks and reducing carbs. Most of us wouldn’t go low carb as a consequence of doing that. If you feel that you have reduced your carbs so much that you can’t sleep, especially after exercise, then you ‘tweak’ your diet.

An example of low carb eating.

For example, I know when I come home late after teaching at 9pm I have a carb/protein snack. I would have FAGE yoghurt with berries. I used to have biege carbs like toast and jam and I couldn’t sleep. I was hungry about midnight and had to have another snack, as well as having a bigger belly.

That would have been my fourth meal/snack for the day.

My meal plan:

1. I would eat a protein/fat breakfast with carbs like eggs and tomatoes or spinach (and bacon) cooked in coconut oil.
2. Snack – apple and cheese (fats and carbs)
3. Lunch – salad with olive oil and fish – that is carbs, fats and protein
4. Snack – brazil nuts and cashew to give me a mix across 3 x fat spectrum – mono, poly and saturated fats.
5. Dinner – fish, meat and veg and starchy carbs like rice or potatoes (my fav) especially if I have exercised

My revised meal plan which includes intermittent fasting:

1.Break my fast around 11am after 16hours of fasting – spinach, mushrooms, poached eggs, salmon or turkey bacon (very high in protein)

2. Lunch if I need it 2pm

3. Dinner as always 6pm – fish/meat and veg with starchy carbs

Snacks: nuts, seeds and dried fruit

My energy levels are through the roof at 50, way more than I was at 20 or even in my 30s.  I have used a combination of early mornings, restful afternoons, decreased stress, increased exercise and early morning soon to reset my melatonin and cortisol hormones – which get you out of bed in teh morning.

The secret is to include your nutritional habits like – adding more protein, drinking more water, decreasing carbs and then play. Play and investigate what you personally need. It is a game, it is an interesting game because you are learning about yourself.

Interested in A Gentle Reset to your diet?

I am a huge advocate of setting up simple eating principles which I use in my group nutritional programme. The Gentle Reset – if you’d like to read more click here The Gentle Reset

Establish and maintain the simple standard nutritional principles first and then tweak them at the end of 3 months to find your comfortable energy levels and body shape. You need to work on the principle that all basic healthy habits are established before you start tweaking. Obsessing about grams of protein or carbs before the long-term habits are established is pointless you are not getting a true picture of your personal health.

If you’re not feeling great, full of vitality and hitting your weight goals then you’ve probably had a few glaring gaps……so with that in mind, I’d like to invite you to work with me inside my membership community on The Gentle Reset.

Each time this programme opens it is only open to 10 new enrolments and I’d love you to be a part of it

Working with me inside the membership, I’ll help you identify the bad habits that are accruing, then give you the resources you need to add in some great habits using coaching, video tutorials, cheat sheets, exercise videos, group coaching, and the all-important buddy-up, supportive motivation.

And you get the opportunity to pick my brain and get personal feedback on your nutrition every single week in our group coaching session.

My Group Coaching programme is based on a 6 weeks course that will focus on your health and wellbeing.  Inside the 6 weeks: The Gentle Reset you will be able to reset your mind and detox your body and be provided with the support you need to get a healthy lifestyle in place.

A big part of that means that you will have nourishing eating habits that will give you more energy and more motivation as well as the appropriate levels of exercise.

Who is The Gentle Reset for?

If you are looking for nutrition, exercise and emotional wellbeing that is tailored to you, your life and your commitments.  If you are looking to move your health onto the next stage, and create a new lifestyle that supports and nurtures you rather than drains you.  Then the 6 weeks The Gentle Reset is perfect for you –  Join here:  The 6 weeks Gentle Reset

If you want to feel emotionally and physically stronger so that the stress of life doesn’t send you into a spin of negative coping strategies and behaviours then join us for the next round.

What sort of results can you expect?

let’s take Catherine as an example, she retrained as a primary school teacher with 3 boys and a large extended family meant that Catherine and little time to focus on herself, let alone her health. Her trigger came when her workload and home balance became too much. Her health was suffering. Find out more about Catherine’s story and others click here:  success stories click here

How much does it cost?

Your investment is currently £415 but this is for a limited time, the price will be increasing soon – click here to grab the best possible price

Gorgeous is your journey of discovery

PS. If you have read enough and you know that this is for you, and you are ready to discover the next stage of your journey  – then click here to join my next round 

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