Nourishing the Body – Women’s addition

There are multiple studies out there about the best ways to diet and exercise for a long healthy life. These studies have one common factor. They were done on men. As women we must be careful about who we listen to online, because our bodies function in an entirely different way than our male counter parts. I recently listened to a podcast by Dr. Stacy Sims who is an expert in female physiology and nutrition science. In the podcast she dove into the science behind a woman’s body and how to take care of it for maximum health and longevity. I found the podcast extremely interesting, and feel it is something all women should listen to. In my blog, I highlight a few of the important topics Dr. Sims discusses that I feel all women should know.  

As a woman it is extremely important to eat breakfast even if this breakfast is as small as a banana or a breakfast bar. Women experience a peak in cortisol levels when they wake up, and eating breakfast helps to regulate the spike in cortisol. It is especially important to eat in the morning if you plan to workout. A woman should never workout fasted. Working out hungry prevents the body from giving maximum effort and is detrimental to muscle growth. When the body does not have fuel for a workout, it turns to the muscle for nutrients. The body will start to break down the muscle to provide fuel for the workout. Therefore, by working out on an empty stomach you are not gaining any muscle mass. 

Eat more protein! Dr. Sims talks about how the recommended protein intake for women is very low because the study was done on 70–80-year-old men. It is not right that a woman is compared to a 70–80-year-old man. Our bodies are completely different. According to Dr. Sims, a woman should be eating around 30 grams of protein per meal and around 15 grams of protein per snack. It is a common assumption that as you age your body needs less protein; however, this is not the case. When a woman reaches middle age, protein intake should increase to around 40 grams per meal. As the body ages, it becomes more resistant to protein intake. Eating more protein will ensure that the body is absorbing the proper amount of protein.  

Another thing Dr. Sims discusses is resistance training. Society has continuously pushed women toward cardio based fitness. This is due to societal standards that women should be “skinny”. However, doing cardio with no resistance training is harmful to the body. Without resistance training the bones become weak. Adding resistance training a few times a week will prevent the bones from weakening. As women age the body loses muscle mass and puts on fat. Resistance training will allow the body to put on more lean mass. Having more muscle mass will reduce the amount of muscle loss and fat gain when a woman ages. If you are a woman interested in learning the best ways to nourish and train your body for longevity/health, I highly recommend looking up Dr. Stacy Sims. There are several podcasts out there where she deep dives into how a woman should train and eat for a strong healthy life.