Optimized Diet to be Lean and Strong

?? In summary

1. Lots of Protein & Fiber: Eat high-protein (0.7-1 g/lb) and high-fiber (40-50g) diets irrespective of your calorie target.
2. Limit Carbs: Keep carbs around 20-30% of total calories, and limit added sugars and processed carbs, focusing mainly on complex carbs to maintain low insulin levels, which, when high, significantly accelerates fat storage and other diseases.
3. Fill the Gap with Healthy Fats: Eat healthy fats to meet your calorie target.
4. Remember the Micro Nutrients: Eat foods that contain polyphenols, Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, B12, Omega 3 fatty acids.
5. Hydrate & Limit Alcohol: Stay hydrated and limit alcohol to an indulgence instead of a regular habit.
6. Eliminate Ultra-Processed Foods: Finally, limit foods that have ingredients you don’t recognize, high in added sugars, saturated fats and harmful additives. They are typically packaged, shelf-stable, and found in the middle aisles of grocery stores.

?? For example, for a 150-pound person with a 1600 Kcal goal to get lean: about 100 g of protein, 80 g of carbs, and 80g of healthy fats, and 40 g of fiber.

Detailed Guidelines

Eat Lots of Protein (100 g - 150 g)

• Consume 0.7-1 g of protein per pound of body weight, regardless of your calorie target. For a 150-pound person, this amounts to 105-150 g to develop and maintain a lean body. Contrary to popular media, muscle mass is especially important for women and as we age we need more protein to build and maintain healthy muscle!
• Consume 30 g or more in one meal, instead of spreading it out. This is important for developing a lean and strong body. Don’t worry about looking too muscular, like a man would; this is very difficult for most women due to hormones. You can get strong without looking bulky.
• Breakfast (>30 g) is the most crucial for muscle, followed by dinner (>30 g), and then lunch (10-30 g). This is because your body needs the protein from the overnight fast to kick into the anabolic state to build muscle from the catabolic state, which is breaking down tissue.
• Rule of thumb on how to balance your protein without having to log everything.

Eat Lots of Fiber (40-50 g)

• Aim for 40-50 g of fiber regardless of calorie target. Fiber is more important than most people realize; it is the food also known as prebiotic, for a healthy gut microbiome, which helps regulate how you feel. Gut microbiome metabolize fiber and generate natural sources of GLP-1 , regulating hunger and blood sugar, and boosts your immune system. In addition to being food for the microbiome, fiber slows down the quick absorption of carbs by lining your intestines, preventing glucose and insulin spikes that lead to low energy and fat storage.

Eat Complex Carbs (80-100 g)

• Limit carbs to 20%-30% of total calories. For example, at 1600-2000 Kcal/day, this equates to 80-100 g of carbs.
• Eliminate or significantly reduce processed carbs, for example processed grain-based breads, cakes, rice and pasta that can quickly turn into sugars in your body and spike your glucose and insulin. There are great alternative grain free breads and pasta on the market.
• Eat complex carbs from vegetables and legumes

Significantly Limit Added Sugars (0-10 g)

• Sugar interferes with hormonal signaling, leading to fat storage and dysfunctional satiety and hunger signaling.
• Eliminate all sugary drinks including artificial sweeteners and fruit juice. If you must the best alternative sweeteners are Allulose, Monk Fruit, and Stevia, in that order, since studies have shown that they have minimal impact on insulin release and increase in food craving.
• Minimize fructose intake due to its detrimental effects on metabolism and fat storage. The best way to spot fructose is by noting sweetness, which is primarily from fructose, unless sweetened with alternative sweeteners.

Eat Healthy Fats (85g)

• Healthy fats make up the remaining calories, which for a 150-pound person with a target of 1600 Kcal equates to 85g.
• Healthy sources of fats are fish, nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, olive oil, cheese, and yogurt if no sensitivity or high cholesterol. While healthy fats are good for you, portion control is important because of the calorie density of fats. For example nuts have 5-7 Kcal per gram vs. vegetables that have 0.2-0.4 Kcal per gram, that’s a ~20x difference.
• Sufficient Omega-3 Fatty Acids: These help reduce inflammation and support heart and brain health. You can meet your daily goal with certain fish, seeds, and nuts

• Avoid too much Omega-6 fatty acids, including processed vegetable and seed oils for cooking and dressings. Instead use monounsaturated fats like Olive Oil (low-heat applications) and Avocado Oil (high-heat applications). Excessive omega-6 can lead to chronic inflammation and microbiome dysbiosis that can contribute to diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease.

• Limit saturated fats from red meat, while there are lots of conflicting research linking red meat and coronary heart disease, it is currently generally accepted that reducing saturated fats from red meat could be beneficial for your health. Two cuts of meat that are lean, tender, and taste good are: Beef Top Sirloin and Pork Tenderloin.

Eat Phytoestrogens Rich Foods (Specifically for Woman)

Starting in perimenopause, estrogen levels begin to decrease or become irregular. Foods rich in phytoestrogens may help alleviate some menopausal symptoms. These compounds are weakly estrogenic and could play a role in the prevention of estrogen-related conditions.

Eat Foods with Key Micro Nutrients

• Calcium: Essential for bone health, especially as the risk of osteoporosis increases after menopause due to lower estrogen levels. Dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and fortified foods are good sources.
• Vitamin D: Works in conjunction with calcium to support bone health. It's also involved in immune function and mood regulation. Natural sources include sunlight, fatty fish, and fortified foods.
• Magnesium: Important for bone health, heart health, and managing symptoms such as mood swings and sleep problems. Found in nuts, seeds, and green leafy vegetables.
• Vitamin B6 and B12: These B vitamins can help with mood regulation and cognitive function. Sources include poultry, fish, and dairy products.

Eat Fermented Foods (Probiotics)

Eat as many as you can in a day. Fermented foods contain beneficial bacteria for the gut known as probiotics. However, make sure they are not pasteurized since pasteurization process will kill the good bacteria as well. Fiber is the prebiotic, the food, for the probiotic, the bacteria, which can lead to a healthy gut microbiome and all the health benefits including glucose control, satiety, and high immunity.

Stay Hydrated

The importance of staying well-hydrated by consuming plenty of water for weight management, aging, physical and cognitive performance, thermoregulation, and more has strong scientific backing . As we age, our ability to judge dehydration through the sensation of thirst decreases, which makes proactively drinking water more important.

1. Weight Management: Hormonal changes during perimenopause can lead to weight gain, especially around the abdomen. Drinking water can aid in weight management by enhancing metabolic processes.
2. Digestive Health: Fluctuating hormone levels during perimenopause can lead to digestive issues, including bloating and constipation. Drinking enough water helps maintain digestive regularity and prevents constipation by softening stools and supporting the digestive tract's movements.
3. Hydration and Skin Elasticity: As estrogen levels decline during perimenopause, women may notice changes in their skin's elasticity and moisture. Staying well-hydrated helps maintain skin hydration and can mitigate some of these effects, contributing to healthier, more resilient skin.
4. Detoxification: Water plays a crucial role in the body's natural detoxification process through the kidneys, liver, and digestive system. Ensuring adequate hydration supports the elimination of waste products and toxins, which is especially important as the body adjusts to changing hormone levels.
5. Nutrient Absorption and Circulation: Water is essential for the proper circulation of nutrients in the bloodstream and the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals. Adequate hydration ensures that perimenopausal women receive the nutrients needed for overall health.
6. Mood and Cognitive Function: Hydration has a significant impact on mood and cognitive function. Since perimenopause can be associated with mood swings and cognitive changes, maintaining hydration can help support mental well-being and cognitive clarity.
7. Temperature Regulation: Many perimenopausal women experience hot flashes and night sweats. Adequate water intake helps with temperature regulation, potentially reducing the frequency and intensity of these episodes.

You can consume water from many sources, below is the water content of the things we eat, however be aware of the unwanted calories that come with the water.

Limit Alcoholic Beverages

There is strong evidence now that no amount of alcohol is beneficial for your health, the World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its view that “when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.”

Additionally, alcohol can impact women more than men due to several factors including:

1. Lower body water composition, which is important because alcohol primarily dilutes in the water in the body. An average 40-year-old man has 42% more water than an average woman of the same age.
2. Lower levels of an enzyme, called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), in the stomach, which means more of the alcohol makes it to the liver and blood.

However, in the real world, enjoying a drink with friends can be a healthy social behavior. So, rather than a daily habit, drinking alcohol can be an indulgence, something you have once in a while to celebrate.

If you do drink alcohol, these strategies can help reduce the impact:

1. Slow down the absorption by not drinking on an empty stomach. However, eating food after drinking has little impact, so make sure to eat first.
2. Drink lots of water to avoid dehydration and help with dilution; two glasses of water per drink is recommended.
3. Take sodium, potassium, and magnesium, or electrolyte supplements like LMNT .
4. Replenish the microbiome with fermented foods and fiber.
5. Take Vitamin B9 (Folate), B12 (Cobalamin), and Vitamin C.
6. Limit to 1-2 drinks in each session; the more we have, the harder it makes it for the liver and brain to process and clear the toxic effect of alcohol.
7. For alleviating a hangover, deliberate and safe cold exposure can help by spiking adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) and dopamine.

There are now a great selection of non-alcohol or low alcohol beverages to choose from that taste great and perfect for a celebration from companies like Athletic Brewing .

Stanford Lifestyle Medicine published an insightful article worth reading here.

Importance of Muscle Mass Especially for Women

A common misconception is that if woman do weight training they can become bulky. Unless you are taking steroids, the fear of looking bulky is unfounded. Women naturally lack the amounts of testosterone needed to build bulky muscles. Instead, you will look leaner, and be stronger and more fit.

1. Metabolic Benefits: Muscle tissue is metabolically active and helps in maintaining a healthy metabolism. This is important as women age, since metabolism naturally slows down, which can lead to weight gain and associated health risks.
2. Bone Health: Muscle strength is closely related to bone density. Strong muscles help in maintaining bone health, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, which is a significant concern for aging women, especially as estrogen starts to decline during perimenopause.
3. Chronic Disease Prevention: Adequate muscle mass is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Strong muscles improve insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular health.
4. Strength and Mobility: Muscle strength is crucial for daily activities, balance, and overall mobility. As women age, maintaining muscle mass helps prevent falls and injuries, contributing to a more independent lifestyle.
5. Longevity and Quality of Life: Maintaining muscle mass can contribute to a longer life and better quality of life. Muscle strength is linked to improved mobility and independence, two key factors in a fulfilling life as one ages.