Why 10,000 steps is not enough ??♀?

As we gracefully age, our bodies undergo various changes, some more challenging than others. Today, let's dive into a crucial issue that affects many but isn't often discussed until it's too late: sarcopenia, or the gradual loss of muscle mass, and its significant impact on your risk for hip fractures.

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I had a client at the beginning stages of this muscle loss when she entered my program. She was feeling more frail and really struggling with weight loss. She was very concerned about navigating this frailty and how she would be able to show up and play with her grandchildren, climb stairs safely and just live in an able body. ?Upon starting my program she wore a continuous glucose monitor and it became very apparent that she was struggling with insulin resistance ~ this is not uncommon as we age but even more so when our lean mass declines due to muscle being the largest storage sink for glucose.

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She was motivated and we got straight to work with lifestyle pieces, including understanding what she was eating and what needed changing as well as incorporating appropriate fitness into her life. She had heard getting that 10,000 steps in was enough ~ we changed things in this area.?

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Once we got her labs back we began working on balancing the systems of the body, especially the microbiome and adrenals so that she could safely begin on HRT ~ the icing on the cake when it comes to aging gracefully and maintaining a strong mind and body.?

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Understanding Sarcopenia and Its Impact:

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Sarcopenia typically accelerates after age 50. The consequences can be severe, including an increased risk of falls and fractures—a major concern as we age. Studies show that a hip fracture can dramatically alter the quality of life; for instance, one in three adults aged 50 and over dies within 12 months following a hip fracture, primarily due to the resultant mobility issues and the increased risk of complications like deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

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Having worked in geriatrics for 5.5 years I witnessed the devastating situation around this and watched far too many elderly leave a long term care home due to a fall and never return. A large part of our work was falls prevention, however, I think our energy is better placed on proactive measures.?

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The Power of Protein:

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One such proactive measure is focused on nutrition, especially protein intake, which plays a pivotal role in combating sarcopenia. Protein is the building block of muscle and is crucial for repair and growth. However, as we age, our bodies become less efficient at processing protein, which means we need to increase our intake to maintain and build muscle mass.

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The problem with increasing our protein intake is that many clients come to me without even knowing how much protein they are consuming, therefore, increasing requires understanding where one is. Once clients begin to be informed on their current intake they are shocked by how much they should actually be consuming and the difference between the two values.?

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How Much Protein Do You Need?

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The general recommendation for aging adults to combat sarcopenia is approximately 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For a person weighing 70 kg (about 154 lbs), this translates to between 84 and 140 grams of protein daily—significantly more than the average intake.

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Clients in my programs are eating more than the general recommendation and this becomes very person specific.?

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In addition to total protein intake, there is also the matter of protein distribution through the day.

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Incorporating Protein Into Your Diet:

• Opt for Diverse Protein Sources: Incorporate diverse protein sources such as chicken, turkey, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, some seeds, and fish into your meals. These not only provide high-quality protein but are also rich in other nutrients beneficial for overall health.
• Don't Forget Plant-Based Sources: Beans, legumes, and tofu are excellent protein sources for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet. I say this with some warning, however, due to the fact that as we age and estrogen declines we do become more insulin resistant. With the high amount of carbohydrates in beans and legumes they could spike blood sugar. We use CGM data inside HARMONY to give us insight into insulin resistance so that meals are structured properly for weight loss.

Your Action Plan:

If you're concerned about muscle loss or want to proactively manage your muscle health as you age, adjusting your diet can be a powerful tool.?

Let's stop being a statistic on the wrong side of health and start making changes today.?

Being sick is hard. Being healthy is hard. Choose your hard!?