Protein Power

Last month I had the privilege to hear Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, author of "Forever Strong", speak. Not only were her words inspiring but so was her muscular physique!!

Having recently read "Forever Strong" I was familiar with the concepts:

1. Most of us need to increase our protein intake and

2. Weight training is essential for everyone.

But learning more about the importance of skeletal muscle as the organ of longevity was extremely interesting. Here are some of the health benefits when you are diligent about getting enough protein in your diet daily:

• Balanced blood sugar

• Increased energy

• Improved mental clarity

• Better sleep

• Decreased inflammation

• Improved body composition

• Reduced cravings

• Balanced hormones

As a society that has spent years being "fat phobic" Dr. Lyon suggests we "must be mindful that we don't just trade the obesity epidemic for a sarcopenia (declining muscle mass and strength) epidemic."

According to Dr. Lyon, we should be eating about .8 grams of protein per pound of our body's ideal weight. So for a person whose target weight is 125 lbs, the recommendation would be to ingest 100 grams of protein a day. For someone with a target weight of 175 lbs., 140 grams of protein per day is recommended.

If you would like help tracking your protein intake, here is a handy protein tracker with helpful guides that enable you estimate what you have eaten. And if you'd like to join our Everyday Wellness Journey on line community, we will be learning about protein in our July focus group. Let me know if you'd like to join! We'd love to have you!!