weight-loss discovery

Middle-age weight gain is fueled by loss of muscle. But women can outsmart that biological change by eating plenty of protein, which reverses muscle depletion and speeds metabolism more than any other nutrient. The result: Your body shifts from storing fat to burning it, according to a study of more than 100 people over age 50. Beth Woodard, 55, has kept off 30 stubborn pounds for three years this way. But timing is key. “You want to get protein in your body as close to waking up as you can,” says Natasha Turner, N.D., author of the upcoming book The Protein Plan. Research shows if you don’t eat protein early, you’ve missed the fat-burn window.

That’s why AARP’s Stephen Perrine, author of The Whole Body Reset, created a plan where women eat a breakfast of 25+ grams of protein and a morning snack of 7+ grams to start each day off right. “The more protein, the better,” contends Paul Arciero, Ph.D. “As women age, protein needs increase. After age 50, they may even need more protein than men!”

So how do you easily pack dozens of grams of protein into your first meal of the day? Smoothies made with protein powders are a fast and delicious option. Perrine calls them the “secret weapon that makes every day a fat-burning day!” Or you can opt to fill your breakfast plate with other top food sources, like eggs (6 grams each), Greek yogurt (17 grams per 6 oz.), cottage cheese (12 grams per 1⁄2 cup), oatmeal (6 grams per cup) and nut butter (8 grams per 2 Tbs.) Use FIRST’s food chart below to create thousands of delicious, slimming breakfast combinations! Just be sure to get at least 25 grams of protein in

each easy, throw-together recipe. And to keep melting off belly fat all day long, try these tips…

Pair fiber with protein.

Simply getting enough fiber in your diet has been shown to be nearly as effective for slimming as following a strict no-sugar, no-fat diet. So give yourself a slimming boost by combining fiber and protein (say, snacking on wholegrain crackers and cheese or adding fiber-rich beets to smoothies). Ted Naiman, M.D., calls the protein-fiber combo “the ultimate fat-loss diet.” Aim for 5+ grams of fiber at meals and 2+ grams of fiber with snacks.

Get this mighty amino.

Look for plenty of leucine, the energizing amino acid known to play a major role in muscle building (and fat loss) for older adults. Find it in cottage cheese, red meat, eggs, nuts and seeds.

Don’t stop with breakfast.

To keep cravings quelled and energy soaring, add around 25 grams of protein to lunch and dinner too.

To learn more, check out Stephen Perrine’s new book, The Whole Body Reset, $26, Amazon.com