If you’re a woman over 40 who wants to burn fat more effectively and unlock the fountain of youth, you need to invest in the ultimate combo: Slight overall calorie deficit + protein increase! 

If you’re looking to burn fat, you will need to be in a slight overall deficit; however, you don’t want to decrease your protein intake. In fact, you probably need to increase it a bit! Keeping your protein high while decreasing your overall intake will help you become leaner and stronger. 

You already know protein is great for building muscle, but do you know why it’s also important for fat loss? 

As you age, you slowly begin losing muscle tissue, resulting in a slower metabolism and weight gain. Protein provides amino acids for building and preserving muscle tissue and by increasing your intake, you can mitigate and maybe even reverse some of the muscle loss that comes along with aging! Protein, especially after 40, is critical if you want to preserve your muscle tissue and age well. 

Muscle mass is made up of metabolic tissue. This means your muscle mass determines how well you burn fat around the clock. Muscle is very expensive, requiring many nutrients and PROTEIN to survive and grow. Unfortunately, not only do we begin losing muscle as we age, but our bodies also begin to process protein less efficiently. Talk about a double whammy! Can you see why a protein increase might be in order for you?

I often see clients decrease their overall calories when trying to lose weight. Unfortunately, many women don’t realize that while it’s okay to slightly reduce your overall intake, you do not need to decrease your protein intake. By doing so, your body starts burning through your muscle tissue for fuel. This results in a slower metabolism and a less than ideal body composition. You may see the number on the scale go down, but it’s likely not fat you’re losing. It’s muscle. 

As long as you prioritize protein during and after weight loss, you should be able to burn fat while preserving muscle. Keeping your protein intake high after fat loss will also help you maintain muscle and a healthy metabolism.

Here are some other reasons why protein is important:

• Protein is the most satiating macro, keeping you fuller for longer. 
• Increasing protein can make calorie deficits easier to adhere to. 
• It increases your metabolism.
• It helps to balance blood sugar.
• It reduces cravings, especially sugar cravings. 
• Protein supports optimal testosterone levels.
• It promotes healthy skin, hair, and nails.
• It aids in recovery.

Signs you may not be eating enough protein:

• You always feel hungry.
• You’re experiencing hair loss, brittle nails, and/or dull skin.
• You’re losing muscle. 
• You’re gaining weight, but not muscle. 
• There is a lack of muscle growth despite regular strength training sessions.
• Frequent injuries.
• Loss of strength and endurance.
• You’re constantly sore and fatigued after exercise or you do not recover well. 

That brings us to our final question: How much protein should you eat as an active woman over 40?

Generally speaking, women over 40 need to eat between 0.6g-1.2g of protein per pound of body weight. Where you personally land in this range will depend on your height, weight, activity level, and goals. A general recommendation for an active woman is typically around 100g per day; however, if you’re an active woman who is hoping to gain and/or preserve lean muscle and optimize a healthy body composition, you may want to shoot for 1.0g-1.1g per pound of body weight.

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