11. How to Use Protein Powders for Weight Loss During Menopause

Embark on a transformative journey with me, as we explore the landscape of protein powders designed to empower women through the menopausal transition!

In our latest installment, I'll take you through the intricacies of these supplements and how they can support weight loss during the critical stages of perimenopause and post-menopause. We'll tackle the essential role of protein in muscle maintenance, satiety, and metabolic regulation, sharing insights from my personal experiences and from my weight loss clinic to help you navigate the myriad of choices available. I promise, by the end of our time together, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to make protein powder a harmonious addition to your diet, complementing whole foods for optimal health.

As your guide, I'll illuminate the path to selecting a pristine protein powder, unfurling the secrets behind clean ingredients and their significance in managing insulin resistance—a common adversary in menopause. We will cut through the noise of marketing ploys, avoiding GMOs and artificial sweeteners, while also understanding the delicate differences between whey protein types, to ensure your choice fits seamlessly into a clean eating lifestyle. I’m deeply grateful for our connection, and as we wrap up this session, I extend an open invitation for your thoughts and questions.

Let’s foster a community that thrives through the challenges of menopause, with wisdom and wellbeing as our loyal companions on this shared adventure!

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hello, my friends, welcome, welcome to another live video. This video is also gonna be turned into a podcast, so if you are listening in, share this with your friends. This is one very important one. I get this question all the time and it recently came up on my chat. I wanna thank all of you, my followers. Thank you so much for your support. Thank you for your questions, because this video today is answering one of the questions.

Speaker 1: 0:31

So people have been wondering should you be using protein powders or protein to supplement your weight loss goals, especially if you're in menopause? That's one of the questions that I got. And then I got another question about am I choosing the correct protein powder? Another one was what exactly should I be looking for in the protein powder? You know there's so many questions. I was confused myself as to my weight loss journey 14 years ago. I knew very little about protein supplements, and so I've learned quite a bit. So today we'll bring you all these answers and more. We'll be talking about benefits of protein powder. If you're a female in perimenopause or postmenopausal, like myself, and wondering if protein supplements are for you, keep watching and then how to choose a good one. That's very, very important.

Speaker 2: 1:31

Welcome to the Thriving Through Menopause podcast. Dr Inaka Yembe, your host, is dedicated to helping you navigate the transformative journey of menopause and perimenopause, particularly focused on achieving menopausal weight loss and reducing belly fat. As a postmenopausal physician herself who has helped thousands of women experiencing the significant life stage, she understands the unique challenges you face. Listen in as we explore a wide range of topics aimed at supporting you in your health and wellness journey. Hopefully, the practical tips and strategies offered potentially help you adopt an empowering approach towards menopausal weight loss and belly fat reduction. And now here's your host, Dr Inaka Yembe.

Speaker 1: 2:18

My name is Dr Inaka Yembe. I'm a family medicine physician. I practice full time in the emergency room. I run a weight loss clinic part time in the hospital. We had clinic yesterday. Weight time. Now is about six months to get in. Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, very, very successful weight loss. I have an online weight loss program as well, called Bootcamp. The next one starts on January the 24th. So if you're struggling, then you want to join that bootcamp. Personally, that's my personal story. I was born at 10 pounds, blossomed into an obese child 2005, I was my heaviest, slightly over 300 pounds. My weight loss journey started exactly 14 years ago, january of 2010. So I live this story with you. I know how you feel. So, first of all, what are protein powders? These are dry protein supplements they could come from animal sources or plant-based sources.

Speaker 1: 3:22

That's it in a nutshell. In general, proteins are needed to build a repaired muscle and tissues. They're also needed to help our bodies function optimally, so they're needed for hormone production and enzyme production. So proteins are very important. In a nutshell, protein powders are versatile. I love using them.

Speaker 1: 3:45

So what are the benefits of protein powders? They're versatile. You can easily carry dry protein on the go. Add travel on the lawn. Mix it with a little bit of water, not juice. If you're trying to lose weight, don't do that. Just mix it with water or a plant-based milk that has no sugar. So they're easy to carry on the go, especially for those of you who are busy. You can add it to your smoothie. You can add it to your oatmeal. That's a good way to cover your carbs, so all the carbs in the oatmeal are not absorbed very quickly. You can use it for baking or you can consume it on its own. One good way that I use it is to satisfy my chocolate cravings. I take my chocolate protein powder, little little water, make it into a paste, put it in the refrigerator and just lick it. It's all protein and healthy. Anyway, what are the benefits of the powders and I'm going to be talking today just about the powders, not the bars, not the shakes, but just about the powders. All right, number one they're convenient.

Speaker 1: 4:49

Number two they can help with your caloric deficit because they are low in calories. Proteins in general, including the protein powders, can help you feel full for longer, and so they really can help you not have cravings throughout the day. They help you build and preserve lean muscle. This is especially important for those of us who are in menopause. Why? Because our lower levels of estrogen. They make us lose muscle mass every single day, and that will drop your metabolism. So you want to consume protein. Of course, natural proteins are the best, but you can supplement with a protein powder. Also, If you're working out exercising, the protein supplementation helps with recovery.

Speaker 1: 5:39

All right, it can also help you hit your protein requirement. For everyone who's trying to lose weight and just really want them to stay healthy, you have a protein, a daily protein requirement. So if you're not sure what that is, come to my bootcamp. That's the very first thing we do on day one is calculate how much protein you need to consume per day. So, that said, protein powders, protein shakes, protein bars are supplements. A supplement just means that I would take that in addition to real food, so there's no nothing that can replace whole foods. Now, if you're able to hit your protein goal by consuming whole foods meat, fish, chicken, eggs, yogurt, things like that you're great.

Speaker 2: 6:30

You don't need any protein supplements.

Speaker 1: 6:32

However, if you struggle, like me, I get too busy, I get cut up in the work. I get things going, I have to travel. Example today yes, I'm taking some protein with me just in case I feel I'm not going to hit my protein goal for today. I want a supplement. So protein powders are for that and not to replace all your meals. Alright, my friends in menopause, I'm almost 56. So, those of us who are older, why should you consider taking a protein supplement if you are in menopause?

Speaker 1: 7:05

Number one when you're in menopause or perimenopause, age 35 and over your muscle mass declined because of declining estrogen. That phenomenon is called sarcopenia. It's very important for you to consume an appropriate amount of proteins on a daily basis. Consider a protein supplement if you're not able to hit your protein goal. Number two protein supplementation in menopause is essential to maintain your metabolism. It helps with hormone balance. Why is that? Because estrogen is declining. You get a little bit more insulin resistant. You do get a few more cravings when you're in menopause. So the protein powders help you feel full and help to balance your hormones as well. And that said, but in the same way, it can help you regulate your blood sugar and your blood cholesterol. So protein supplements if you're not able to get all of it in your food. It can help those of us in menopause. Perimenopause, protein supplementation helps with your bone health, helps with your joints and it also helps with your skin.

Speaker 1: 8:17

Another thing menopause does for us is it decreases the collagen that we have in our skin. So protein supplementation really helps with that part. It can help with your cardiovascular health by decreasing your cholesterol levels and it also helps with tissue repair. Lastly, if you're in menopause.

Speaker 1: 8:37

You know that, you know we're tired all the time a lot, and that's one thing that happens just with menopause. Protein supplementation will help you Now moving on. So here's how we're actually doing this. Imaging fluid as well. That's the lighting.

Speaker 1: 8:50

How do I choose a good protein and how do I know what to avoid in a protein powder? I'm a big advocate of eating clean, very big advocate of eating clean. However, I do know that all protein powders shakes, bars are ultra processed. This one thing with being perfect a 100% perfection is not possible. Once you strive to be 100% perfect, then you can start struggling and you can get discouraged easily. So don't do that. Allow yourself a margin of error of 20%. So if you hit your goals at 80% and you're 80% accurate, yes, then you are good. That is why I can consume a protein powder and not worry about it, because it helps me hit my goal and I'm not trying to be 100% perfect anyway, with the clean eating, I'm not eating any junk food, so the protein powder will be my junk food, all right, and it's a good, good way again to hit your protein requirement.

Speaker 1: 9:57

If you're wondering what I'm scoffing here, these are my show notes. I have everything written, so I don't forget anything. So now is can you have protein powder as a healthy lifestyle? Can you incorporate it into your healthy lifestyle? Yes, you can. Again, no perfection.

Speaker 1: 10:16

There are other things that you need to look for, though. When you look at your protein powder or any other food that you purchase, look in the back of the container right here, and you can see all the nutrition facts written right there nutrition facts and then you can also look at it and see what's in it. What are the ingredients? So always look at the ingredients. So let me tell you what you need to avoid to keep it as clean as possible. Number one is GMO. Once you see that word GMO so I don't want anything genetically modified I'm going to be running away from that.

Speaker 1: 10:59

The second thing that I'm running away from is too many artificial sweeteners. So things like saccharine, maltodextrin, sucralose. Once I see three or four of those, I start to shy away. If I see something like stevia, I'm probably okay with it. If I see just one artificial sweetener, I'm okay, but not just so many. Another one is added sugars. Now, Protein bars, especially, and the shakes. Those have a lot of added sugar. So be careful. Be careful, but I don't want to see too many added sugars in it. I also want to avoid especially the ones that start talking about and you're going to see that in the front of the container is going to say something here on the top that says enhanced performance. So now, I don't want anything that's going to enhance my performance. I don't want anything like that. So I generally tend to look away from that one or run away from that one.

Speaker 1: 11:58

Another thing that I stay away from is if it has more than 10 grams of carbohydrates. Listen, I'm already in menopause. Because my estrogen level is low, I'm a little bit more insulin resistant. It is easier for me to store belly fat because my insulin levels go up easily. So last thing I need is consume a protein shake that has over 10 grams of carbohydrates. What's that going to do? That's going to increase your insulin level and cause your body to store more belly fat just in your protein powder.

Speaker 1: 12:29

So stay away from anyone that claims more than 10 grams of added sugars. I also like to stay away from the ones that have inflammatory oils. So back in my days, when I was starting my weight loss journey, I thought canola oil, sunflower oil, I thought these were healthy things. No, no, no, they are not healthy. They are inflammatory. Bad for your heart, really.

Speaker 1: 12:53

So if that shows up on the container or the ingredients of your protein powder. That is not a good one to pick. I'm going to stay away from that one. Again, if it talks about genetically modified protein isolate, so GMO no, I would stay away from that one. And then when you see the first ingredient and go to Walmart, look at the ingredient list of the protein powder. I'm not going to name any names, but there are some pro, some companies that claim a proprietary plant.

Speaker 1: 13:27

I can't even say it Pro proprietary blend. So they say that the blend of proteins in your powder is proprietary. That's what they own. They cannot disclose it and they can't tell you exactly what's in it. So at that point I don't know whether it's enough, I don't know whether it's too much, it's too little, I don't know what it is, because it is proprietary to the manufacturer and they have a right not to disclose it. So that is one that I generally stay away from, because I need to know what I'm eating If I'm trying to keep it clean, right, all right. So that's it for what I want to run away from in protein powders.

Speaker 1: 14:08

Now let's talk about the different types, because when you go to pick a protein powder and you look at it, you're going to see some names. It's going to be whey protein, plant protein, whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate. I just don't know what is it. So let's try to break it down here in a very, very simple, simple way the different kinds of protein powders that you're going to see. You're going to see one called whey protein, so whey protein. So if you buy yogurt, for example, and you see that liquid on the top of it, that's whey protein isolate, so whey protein? They simply take the milk, they curdle it, they take the liquid at the top, they turn it into a powder and that's what makes your whey protein. It has a high concentration of protein and it has all the nine amino acids the nine essential amino acids, and essential amino acid means that your body cannot make it, so you need to consume it in your diet. And it's also low in the enzyme called lactose. So some of us, as adults, we are lactose intolerant. So whey protein may be a good one for you to consider. However, you can get it will be more tricky. So now you go to the grocery store, you see whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, whey protein, hydrolyze it what are these things and break it down. At the end of the day, you want to really pick. I generally go with the whey protein isolate and I'll tell you why. And also most of the studies have been done on the whey protein isolate. So most of what we know really is based on whey protein isolate. So there are three types of whey protein.

Speaker 1: 15:56

Whey protein is made from milk and they use the top liquid after curdling. After the curdle, the liquid that comes in the top, that's what's turned into powder. You have three types. You have whey protein isolate. That one is about 90% protein. It's a lot more processed. That's how they get the 90% protein and it is easier to digest.

Speaker 1: 16:20

The next one is the whey protein concentrate. That one is less processed, of course, but it has 70 to 80% of protein. That one, because it is less processed, it can contain just a little bit more lactose. So if you somebody with digestive issues and you have lactose intolerance, I'll go with the whey protein isolate. Or if you can't tolerate that, just go with a plant based protein at that point. We also have the whey protein hydrolyzed, which is hydrolyzed protein. Some of them come mixed with digestive enzymes, which is a plus. However, if you're thinking too much, just thinking too much, just go with the whey protein isolate. That one has the highest amount of protein. Most of them are going to be lower in calories, so that's the one that I go with personally. We also have casein protein. That one is a part of the milk that actually forms the curd, so it digests slowly, keeps you feeling full longer. Again, if you have digestive issues, lactose intolerance, that is not a good one for you. All right.

Speaker 1: 17:32

The next kind of protein that we have is egg protein, so that's good. Egg protein is great. It is formed from egg whites. It's easily digestible, very, very versatile. You can use that for cooking. You can use that, add some water, scramble it. You can use it in your shakes. So egg protein is fantastic.

Speaker 1: 17:52

And then, lastly, we have plant based protein. So, if you're somebody who's plant based, they also have plant based proteins, and some of these plant based proteins have up to 20 or 25 grams of protein per serving. So, plant-based people, you don't have to feel like there's nothing for you. You can go with a plant-based protein. Why is that? Because they're made from peas, soybeans, pumpkin seeds and rice. Some of these plant-based proteins, though, maybe a little bit difficult to digest. Some of them, you do want to spend some time or maybe go to a place that can allow you to taste it, because some of the taste could be just a little bit choppy. Some of them are grainy. However, one of the biggest benefits that plant-based proteins have that the animal counterparts don't have is fiber. Most plant-based proteins have a lot more fiber.

Speaker 1: 18:49

So, again, if you're female in menopause or perimenopause and you are wondering, is a protein supplementation good for me? Yes, but what we do not want to do is to consume proteins too many times during the day. So how do we use, or how do we incorporate, protein powders into our daily nutrition? I, personally, I'll tell you what I do and you do you. Everyone is different, so generally, I'll take one serving of protein powder.

Speaker 1: 19:21

This is my favorite. I am not affiliated with this company, but this is the one that I use here, right there. It has 27 grams of protein per serving right there and it has 120 calories. So I really like that. So, nichelle, you're asking for good protein powder. This one I get it from Amazon. They're all max. Again, I'm not affiliated with them. You can use that. You can find some other protein powders that have a nutrition breakdown that is similar to this one, or choose the one that you prefer taste wise. So, again, this one here just one scoop has 27 grams of protein right there and 120 calories and zero grams of sugars. So, which is not true, remember, the manufacturers allow 20% margin of error, so I just simply disregard that.

Speaker 1: 20:19

I'm looking for protein content. I'm looking for ingredients that do not have too much fluff in it. They're not telling me funny things like proprietary blend. They're not telling me things like too many long words that I cannot even read. So I like this one because there's just not too much fluff and things in the ingredient list. Somebody said she cannot see this. This is the all max isoflex. It comes in so many different delicious flavors. I have one called pina colada. That is my next go to one. I mix that one with some ice and water and just drink it. It is super delicious All. I freeze it with some strawberries and just chew it like us and knack All right. So again, this is the one that I use here. I'm not affiliated with them. So that's really it.

Speaker 1: 21:11

Incorporate protein powders into your daily nutrition by consuming 20 to up to 40 grams of protein in your powder per day. 40 grams is sort of pushing it some. I personally just stay around anything that's under 30. So I would take one serving of protein powder per day. If you're confused about how much protein you need in your daily nutrition, especially if you're a female and you're struggling with belly fat like myself, then come to my boot camp. That's what we focus on every single day.

Speaker 1: 21:49

We just finished the workout this morning and on Sunday we have a live meal prep where I have lots and lots of nutrition ideas what you can eat in order to stay healthy and in order to get rid of the belly fat. So that's it for this morning, ladies, thank you. Thank you for joining me and if you have any questions, please type those in the chat. If you have any suggestions or you want me to talk about anything weight loss and anything belly fat loss, especially for women in menopause type those in the chat. Thank you, thank you for really supporting me and for trusting me to bring you information about weight loss and belly fat loss. Have a fantastic weekend, everyone. Bye, bye.

Speaker 2: 23:00

Self-care. Connect with us on social media, where we share additional resources, tips and advice to help you along your path. Once again, thanks for listening in and we hope you'll join us again on the next episode of Thriving Through Menopause. Until then,