CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Did you know… starting at the age of 30, you begin to lose an average of 5% of your lean muscle mass each decade. It’s called age-related sarcopenia and contributes to frailty, falls and loss of function as well as many chronic diseases. Fortunately, you can do something about it. Holistic health coach and nutritionist Meghan Tomlinson is here to help.
Muscle is really the key to healthy aging and longevity. It’s the largest organ in your body and it’s also your metabolic currency, meaning it helps to absorb the energy you’re eating and balances your blood sugar which lowers your risk for hormonal imbalances.
No matter how old you are, you can combat sarcopenia… the most obvious way is with exercise and resistance training, but nutrition is just as, if not more, important! In order to be active, you need functioning healthy muscle tissue. One of the best things you can do to maintain that lean muscle mass is to eat foods high in protein.
While we’ve been given recommended daily amounts, what a lot of people don’t realize is your protein needs actually increase as you age. Where before you may only need about .6 grams per pound of body weight, as you age you’re looking to get closer to at least 1g per pound.
The easiest way to ensure you’re eating enough protein is to consider how many times you eat per day, divide your total protein needs evenly among each meal and aim for that minimal dose of protein every time you build your plate. For my clients, I recommend 3 full meals and a possible bridge snack in between. With that in mind, you’re looking to eat on average between 30-40 grams of protein per meal. Plus, protein also does a great job at keeping you full, so you’ll be less likely to graze throughout the day.
Example meals:
B: Greek yogurt collagen parfait
L: Canned fish salad
Sn: hard-boiled eggs, grass-fed beef stick
D: Ground beef burger bowl
For more nutrition tips and recipe ideas, head to wellwithmeghan.com and follow her on Instagram @wellwithmeghan.