by curcubit » Thu Apr 04, 2024 8:29 am
I guess I have switched to a higher protein diet, but don't watch vegan youtubers as I can't relate to them. I am 63 and what a 30-40 year old eats doesn't make sense to me. But I started being more intentional about adding more vegan protein after watching my 80-something parents and in-laws quality of life decline due to frailty and lack of mobility/strength. I read up on the work of Donald Layman, Christopher Gardner, Stuart Phillips, Valter Longo, Mark Messina, and Fritz Horstmann...researchers/PhD who are subject matter experts on nutrition/protein. The most impactful is the work of Stacy Sims, PhD who works with postmenopausal women in building strength.
I turned to this, because I had been doing resistance training 3x week for 2 years and not seeing many gains. My weight was on a plateau. I would like to loose 25 pounds. My macros in that period where 15% fat 12-15% protein and the rest WFPB carbs. Lots of oats, rice, potatoes, beans, etc. I aim for closer to 15-20% fat, 20-25% protein the rest in CHO. The higher fat comes from the soy products. It takes intention and planning to hit those targets. I rely on vegan plant protein powder (mostly sprouted grains, seeds and pea), seitan which I make myself, TVP, lupini beans, high protein pasta and tofu/tempeh. The other big switches are: not working out in fasted state (something I have been doing for 15 years or so). Now I eat a small snack before lifting: a protein cookie I make myself (bananas and protein powder) and I have breakfast immediately after lifting (before I would eat 1-2 hours later). Dr. Sims says postmenopausal women need to eat soon after to generate the right metabolic signals to turn on MTOR after fasting all night. I also take 5 grams creatine. And I am lifting much heavier (which I increased gradually), something I tried to do on a lower protein diet but it was too hard and stressful on my body then.
I have been doing it for 3 months now and very happy with the shift. I have significantly increased my muscle mass...I have biceps now! I have more stamina for hiking, yardwork, etc. I have lost 5 pounds and my clothes fit better. I don't have access to special scales or DEXA scans, but it seems I am doing some body recomposition in the right direction. I did not want to try to loose weight and loose muscle at the same time, but build muscle and loose fat.
I can't really say I am more sated. Maybe higher protein helps, but if so, its subtle. The other nice change is my stool frequency has normalized. When I was doing a 50/50 plate I was going #3-7 times a day and night and a #5 on the Bristol chart. I was really eating alot of fiber before. Now I go 2-3 times a day and it is so much more pleasant...I am a Type #4 on the chart and it feels more normal. I am still eating alot of fiber compared to SAD, but less than before.
Sims PhD says eating higher protein while weight training does upregulate IGF-1 but in the context of strength training does not increase cancer risk. I have not chased down the studies that show that to be true. Maybe I will do that today. Anyway, I do think plant protein has different outcomes to animal protein in this regard.
"One cannot pick a flower without troubling a star." Aldo Leopold