Anyone upped protein and noticed a difference in health/appearance?

[ThatsABitExcessive]

I have a crap diet but as I’m now mid 40s - my hair is falling out, my skin is dry and dull, I’m constantly tired and bloated …

I kept seeing people say to up protein in perimenopause - I have now … now getting 85g a day minimum.

What I’ve noticed so far is my appetite has decreased and I’m no longer craving sugar. Anyone else have any noticeable side effects of upping protein?

Protein suppresses appetite as it tends to take longer to digest

doing that please make sure you keep your veg uptake strong to prevent digestive amonsgt other problems

It’s difficult to know for me, because I’m also increasing resistance training, and general exercise - plus I think both of those things are aiding sleep and circulation. Not sure which/or all have made me feel human again. I just know I feel better now than I have done for the last probably ten years when I’ve felt myself slowly fading into aches and pains, general lethargy and fatigue. I believed my new PT when they explained why protein increase was crucial and explained the science (still not an expert myself!). The increase in protein for me has either made me not crave eating crap, or filled me up enough to not ‘need’ it, one or the other. I sleep so much better and feel physically so much stronger.

There's a book called The Human Being Diet - Pteronella something. That encourages upping protein but alongside a massive increase in fruits and veg, and zero flour / sugar / nasty fats. Just upping protein won't make you healthy, though if it suppresses your appetite which means you make healthier choices then that's good. In fact, high animal protein diets are associated with a wealth of issues - cancer, heart disease amongst them (I'm not vegan though considering it) so be careful what type of protein.

Upping protein is good, but upper your fibre is even better. There’s a lot of heat on protein intake at the moment but no one talks about fibre and it’s so so so important for many different things, but mainly as bowel/colon cancers are on the rise, and are affecting younger and younger people because we collectively never eat enough fibre.

If you feel crappy, you should look more into iron, fibre, magnesium and B12.

I can't contribute any experience but I am genuinely interested in what you find it seems to do for you, OP. Hope you update over next 6-12 months.

Make sure that you also increase your fibre. It's incredibly important for gut health and to prevent bowel cancer, rates of which are rising dramatically in adults under 49.

Yes fibre too, lentils and beans are my go-to now but for convenience will also dip just about anything in hummus. I think I’m making better choices all round hence saying not sure which element is increasing my wellbeing. I’ll have carrots with hummus or a banana over say a bit of white toast when trying to get out of the house quickly. It’s making a massive difference. I was never overweight just felt like a bag of shit and was running on empty.

I’m in my sixties and recently heard a podcast advocating strength exercises for older women. This podcast is an eye opener ( please excuse its v American evangelical tone!)- recommend it to all women . https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-269/

The strength exercise is changing me rapidly physically- it’s amazing and my muscles are toning, I feel stronger, lighter and more supple. I can balance better, lift more and bend/squat better than when I was in my 40s! Sleep miles better too.

But I was getting terribly achy and tired exercising and it turned out I was protein deficient. To get the protein you need- 1-1.2g/kg - is not really possible - or v expensive - on an average diet. So I’m now supplementing with whey protein. I’m deffo feeling the benefits of this. Agree with PP- combine extra protein with strength exercises, skipping, walking, cut down alcohol, do your Kegels! And up yr hydration too- I was drinking way less water than I should.

When you see the low protein diets offered to elderly people it’s no wonder they can’t exercise/get muscle wastage. Protein helps build muscle. With muscle wastage you get reduced mobility, then exercise even less, bones get weaker, leading to more falls, more fractures, getting hospitalised, needing carers, bedbound…

But that trajectory is not inevitable. I’m taking protein and exercising for strength for as long as I possibly can….

Make sure you up plant fibres too, as well as whole grains. Ditch bread, biscuits and refined carbs, but not all carbs are "bad", you need them for brain fuel. Fish and plant proteins (like lentils and beans) are better for your digestion and gut bacteria than lots of meat and dairy proteins. Taking a daily multivitamin and fish oil is also a good idea at this age.

Omg, almost forgot to mention nuts! Eat a handful everyday! You can also get baked/dried broad (fava) beans, these make a great high protein snack (make sure they are unsalted).

This sounds great and the type of proactive approach I wish my mum and her DH would take (late 60s). They eat hardly anything of nutritional value and take no exercise, and it shows. They both look like they’re going to snap. If I think about it, it’s half the reason I’ve gone a bit health/exercise mad the last 6-12 months, they’re a grim example of what happens if you don’t take a handle of your health. I’m so glad you’re benefiting from strength exercises, I am too! I feel so happy when I see people’s health and energy increasing, and could kick myself for not giving a shit about myself sooner!

I weigh 125lbs and aim to eat 125g of lean protein a day. I get lots of veg and salad too, carbs mainly in the form of bulgur wheat and brown rice and sweet potato, and good fats.
Combined with heavy resistance training, I've lost around 5lbs of 'weight' on the scales in 7 months, but people are shocked when they see me as I look so tiny and shredded! So I've clearly lost a lot more than 5lbs of fat, but put on lean muscle.
I feel fantastic. I also take various supplements, and creatine.

I’ve upped protien, reduced sugar/white carbs and I feel loads better for it. I’ve lost 7 lb too.