Episode 60: Women Metabolize and Build Strength Differently Than Men (Especially Over 30) with Pearl & Serene, authors of Trim Healthy Wisdom

I call myself a science geek, but my reading and research don’t hold a candle to Pearl and Serene of Trim Healthy Mama, authors of the new book Trim Healthy Wisdom.

What I love most about them is that they KEEP learning and aren’t afraid to add to and update their life’s work. When peri-menopause hit and their bodies asked for something different, they did in-depth research and figured it out – for themselves and everyone else!

It turns out women metabolize and build strength differently than men (go figure) and have varied needs, especially with the massive hormone shift of menopause.

This interview is going to go down as one of my favorites, because not only do sisters Pearl and Serene have delightful personalities and talk fast enough to keep my attention, they packed this podcast with science and practical information. You will learn SO much!

• Why metabolism shifts after 30 and the key to building it back
• Massive mistakes many women make as they try to care for their bodies during peri- or menopause
• Why lower calories makes women less healthy (even if they’re happy with the number on the scale)
• Why you can’t just eat more protein and then build muscle
• How much protein women should have…at every meal
• Why we’re susceptible to insulin resistance as we age, even if we eat low-carb
• The best exercise for women over 40 AND why it is vitally important
• How to fit that exercise in even when busy
• The muscle you need to build bigger to build BRAIN power back
• What the tight jeans are really saying to you

Y’all. These women are BRILLIANT and also tender, encouraging, and funny. I could hang out with them forever and soak up their wisdom. Get the book Trim Healthy Wisdom, start by reading the bullet summaries, and then dig into the parts you need the most.

Can’t see the video? Watch Metabolism for Moms here on YouTube!

No time for the video? Here are the notes!

Metabolism for Moms

• 0:44: I’m so honored to host the founders of Trim Healthy Mama, Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison. We are going to talk today about changes hormonally, structurally, physically, and metabolically.
• 3:23: I’ve heard about Trim Healthy Mama for many, many years. Pearl and Serene share about how they became passionate about women’s health.
• 5:00: Pearl was doing what all the “experts” said to do. She was eating a raw, plant-based diet, but her health was broken. She looked in the Bible and realized that God had given the gift of food, and everything the health gurus recommended excluded entire groups of this gift. 

Following all the health gurus and all of the different camps in health was always exclusive, always excluding a gift that God gave. The light bulb went on. Inclusivity- that’s what we’re going to be about, celebrating God’s gifts of food. -Serene Allison

Metabolism for Women in Their 30s and 40s

• 7:49: Pearl and Serene’s newest book, Trim Healthy Wisdom, is perfect to read during your 30s to guide you as you enter your 40s and the changes in your metabolism and hormones.
• 9:02: You can be eating a great, real-food diet, and your metabolism, sleep, blood sugar, and exercise results will still change in your late 30s and early 40s.
• 11:02: What’s metabolism, and how can we work with it rather than against it? Broadly, metabolism is how your body does all the processes that make your body keep functioning. Specifically, people usually use the word to refer to how your body digests and uses your food.
• 11:29: Women generally find that their metabolism turns down as they age. As you get older, your lean muscle mass goes down significantly. Even if you stay the same weight, muscle mass is down, and fat is up, so metabolism slows down. 

Mistakes Women Make with Their Diets

• 12:24: The biggest mistake women make caring for their bodies during perimenopause is to go keto, then low calorie, and turn that into intermittent fasting. Typically, there’s a honeymoon period where your body responds well, and then you go into survival mode. Metabolism screeches to a halt, muscle loss accelerates, and trouble builds. 
• 13:46: Muscles store blood sugar, so when your muscle mass declines, your blood sugar starts to go up. Then, women will cut carbs, which means they don’t have energy for the right kind of exercise to build muscle.
• 15:30: Leptin is a satiety hormone that lets you know when you’re full. Low leptin can be caused by too few carbs, too few calories, or over-exercising. If you eat a high-carb diet, then your body gets resistant to leptin, and you don’t even notice it anymore, so it’s the same net result as too low leptin.
• 18:01: Lack of protein is another big mistake women make. Picture your muscles as little cupboards that can hold protein (because protein is stored in the muscles). If your muscle mass is going down, then you just don’t have the space to store a ton of protein if you suddenly go on a protein kick. You need to build muscle and increase protein hand in hand. 

How Much Protein Do Women Need?

• 19:19: The average woman in the US eats less than 50 grams of protein a day, and she probably needs between 100-150 grams. It’s best to eat protein spread throughout the day, not all at once for dinner. When you have low muscle volume, your body can’t really use more than 25 grams of protein at a time. Start the day with protein and then give your body some every few hours.

• 20:53: Where do we find clean but easy protein? There are so many protein drinks, powders, and bars out there, but are those good options? It’s ok to have some clean protein bars or powder for on the go sometimes, but you want to focus on real food protein sources as much as possible. (Like these meat sticks for in your purse.)

Don’t miss an opportunity for protein. -Serene Allison

Exercise for Middle-Aged Women

• 21:51: If you exercise to build muscles, that will keep your protein cupboards large so you can store and utilize protein efficiently. Whey protein is fast-absorbing, and that’s a good option right after working out. 
• 22:49: Most women know they “should” exercise, but they don’t know how to implement it in their busy lives. One of the only ways to get back the muscle mass you’re losing is to lift heavy weights. You can’t just do whatever you love for exercise anymore if you want to regain some of that lost muscle. 
• 24:59: Pearl began with just 10 minutes of lifting 3 days a week, and now she’s up to 30 minutes 3 days a week. She has more lean muscle mass now than ever before!
• 26:37: Are you intrigued but also nervous about how heavy these weights are? We’re all different, and you don’t want to overdo it at the beginning. Push through the tough parts and exert yourself, but don’t push through structural pain in your joints or ligaments. Start with whatever weight you can do 15-20 reps with. There’s a THM “Workin” series you can purchase, or you can become a member of their YouTube channel to access some.

Benefits of Lifting for Women

• 29:21: The biggest muscle in your body is your gluteus maximus. Working that muscle will jumpstart your metabolism. Interestingly, building your glutes also protects your brain. Studies have shown that as your glutes and lower body mass weaken, so does brain function.
• 32:14: As your muscles decline, your bone mineral density lowers. Lifting heavy things builds up your bone mineral density all over the body, not just in the areas you’re working.
• 33:27: When you work out in this way, your body starts craving what it needs to replenish. You start craving protein and healthy carbs that your body is ready to burn through. 
• 34:12: Beginning exercise when you haven’t been doing it can feel overwhelming. Even just walking is a good place to start if you just need to start moving. Bonus points if you wear a weighted vest or a baby in a carrier. 
• 35:22: When you have babies, you can train them to sit in a stroller or playpen while you work out. Once your kids are older, they can babysit younger siblings. You may not do much screen time, but sometimes your household will be healthier if you get a 20-minute workout in than if you have absolutely no screens. 

• 37:08: The original Trim Healthy Mama system is a way of eating that combines certain foods and certain meals. In the new Trim Healthy Wisdom book, there’s a recap of that original plan and details about how to tweak it as you go into different hormonal seasons. The book is quite large, but every chapter has bullet points where you can get an overview to start. 

How to Know You Need a Change

• 39:28: What are some signs to know when your body needs a change? Body composition changes, regardless of weight change, and you might feel like you’re storing food rather than burning it. Honestly, you don’t need to feel the changes to know they’re taking place. After age 30, you start losing muscle mass, fat infiltrates your muscles, and insulin resistance starts. 
• 40:55: You want to be protein strong but also plant strong. Plants clean out your muscles. There’s a slippery slope to insulin resistance. A three-pronged approach to avoiding that is to build muscle, clean those muscles with plant intake, and fuel them with protein every 3-4 hours daily.
• 43:33: We leave you with a message of hope. Never feel like you are too stuck, too far gone in your health, too much into a habit, or too failed at trying diets. There is an easy way that’s sustainable. It’s not fast, but it’s easy, and in time, it is going to change your life and rock your world.

Resources We Mention for Women’s Metabolism

• Get Pearl and Serene’s books:
  • Trim Healthy Wisdom: Book, eBook & Audio bundle, Audio book (Use code katie4THW for $5 off!)
  • Trim Healthy Mama: No More Fads! A Common Sense Guide to Satisfy Your Cravings and Energize Your Life: Amazon
  • Trim Healthy Mama Plan: The Easy-Does-It Approach to Vibrant Health and a Slim Waistline: Bookshop, Amazon
  • Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook: Eat Up and Slim Down with More Than 350 Healthy Recipes: Bookshop, Amazon
  • Trim Healthy Mama’s Trim Healthy Table: A Cookbook: Bookshop, Amazon
  • One Hundred Days of Inspiration: Devotional for Women of All Ages & Stages: Bookshop, Amazon
• Follow them on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Youtube
• What’s the cleanest protein powder?
• These meat sticks are a great on-the-go protein option
• There’s a THM “Workin” series you can purchase, or you can become a member of their YouTube channel to access some videos

PEARL BARRETT and SERENE ALLISON are sisters and authors of three bestselling books and creators of the Trim Healthy Mama phenomenon. They share a passion for healthy eating. They both have large families and love to experiment in the kitchen on ways to best nourish their families while staying slim and healthy in the process. They are former Christian recording artists who traveled extensively for the record label, but they relinquished their touring careers to embrace a life at home with children, dinners, dishes, and diapers. They never looked back.