---
title: How Do You Know? Protein
description: Learn how to choose protein bars that support muscle, metabolism & hormones in midlife. Fuel smarter with tips from PAUZ Health.
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---

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 Jul 8, 2025 4:00:15 PM

# How Do You Know? Protein

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Protein: Your Body's Little Builder Bees

Let’s break it down—literally! When it comes to fueling and building your body, there are three key players in the macronutrient squad: **carbs**, **fats**, and **proteins**.

🥯 **Carbs** are your go-to energy boost. Think of them as quick-charging fuel—broken down into glucose to power your cells. If you don’t use it right away, your body tucks it away for later as glycogen or (yep) fat.

🥑 **Fats** are your slow-and-steady energy source. They also help build hormones and keep your cells happy and healthy. Essential? Absolutely. But when you overdo it, your body’s more than happy to store the extra.

🍗 **Proteins** are the real MVPs of your body's repair crew. They’re made of long chains of teeny-tiny building blocks called **amino acids**. Your body needs 20 different ones, but 9 are considered **essential**—meaning you *have* to get them from food because your body can’t make them.

Every time you eat protein, your body breaks it down into those amino acids, then cleverly reassembles them to build what it needs: [strong muscles, glowing skin, shiny hair](Mamerow%20MM,%20Mettler%20JA,%20English%20KL,%20Casperson%20SL,%20Arentson-Lantz%20E,%20Sheffield-Moore%20M,%20Layman%20DK,%20Paddon-Jones%20D.%20Dietary%20protein%20distribution%20positively%20influences%2024-h%20muscle%20protein%20synthesis%20in%20healthy%20adults.%20J%20Nutr.%202014%20Jun;144(6):876-80.%20doi:%2010.3945/jn.113.185280.%20Epub%202014%20Jan%2029.%20PMID:%2024477298;%20PMCID:%20PMC4018950.)—even your enzymes and immune cells.

So, protein isn’t just for gym days—it’s your everyday superhero 💥 keeping your body running, repairing, and thriving.

**Do You Know If You’re Losing Muscle?**

Spoiler: It could be happening *right now* — even if you’re eating clean, working out, and doing "everything right."

💥 After age 30, women can lose **3–5% of muscle mass every decade**.  
💥 During perimenopause and menopause, declining estrogen accelerates that loss.  
💥 Less muscle = slower metabolism, lower strength, increased injury risk, and less energy.

**Most women don’t realize it’s happening until it’s already impacting their daily life. Protein plays a MAJOR role in helping to maintain muscle.**

 

## **What to Know About Protein**

Not all protein sources are created equally, In fact, now that the 'protein' craze is underway- similar to the 'fat free' of the 80's and 'paleo' of the 90's, we are going to see food products not meant to be protein packed labeled with 'protein'. Sticking to whole food sources is the healthiest way to go!

- **How Much Protein:** This can vary based on many factors including how active you are. The 'rule of thumb' is around 1.2 to 1.5 gm per kg, up to 2gm per kg. An easy way to calculate is every **20 pounds (9 kg) of body weight** consume **13 to 18 gm** of protein. 
- **Exercise & Protein:** If you are active, especially if you are participating in weight bearing activity including strength training, you require more protein. The research in this area appears to support requiring [1.6 to 2.2g/kg of body weight](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28698222/)is optimal for muscle hypertrophy.
- **Quality Matters:** Not all protein is created the same. Looking for lean, complete protein sources is important. This simply means they are comprised of the amino acids required for muscle repair and growth. 
- **Timing:** Combining protein with strength training is a winning muscle blueprint. Aim to ingest 10–20 grams before and 25–40 grams after a workout.

## Protein Cheat Sheet

| Body Weight | Protein Per Meal | Daily Target (Based on 4 Meals) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 120 Lbs | 25 g | 100 g |
| 150 LBS | 27 g | 106 g |
| 180 lbs | 35 g | 140 g |
| 200 lbs | 36 g | 144 g |

It appears more than 40 to 60 g of protein in a meal will not result in extra muscle, it will only increase oxidation. It appears as though 20-30 g of protein are ideal for muscle protein synthesis. While the table above shows more than 30 per meal, this is based on a 4 meal day. Consider eating 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. 

## **Protein Bars- Choosing Wisely**

**How to Choose the Right Protein Bar (Especially If You’re a Woman in Perimenopause)**

There’s no shortage of “best protein bar” lists out there—but the *healthiest* bar really depends on what you’re looking for.

If you’re a woman in perimenopause aiming to support **muscle, bone, blood sugar**, and **cardiometabolic health**, your protein bar needs are a little different. Here’s what matters most:

### ✅ 1. **Calories Count**

Look for bars around **200 calories**—**250 max**. We are not promoters of calorie counting but do believe in awareness and making good choices. 

### ✅ 2. **Prioritize Protein**

Aim for **at least 20g of protein**. Look for **complete proteins** (those with all essential amino acids). Think:

- Animal-based: **whey, casein, egg whites**
- Plant-based: **soy, pea protein**  
  *(What’s a complete protein? Check out our protein guide at [PAUZ.health](https://www.pauz.health))*

### ✅ 3. **Keep Sugar in Check**

Go for bars with **low added sugar**. Stable blood sugar = better energy and fewer cravings. Watch for artificial sugars as these can cause gut upset and other negative health impacts. 

### ✅ 4. **Don’t Skip the Fiber**

Fiber helps regulate blood sugar, improves digestion, gut health, and helps you stay full. Look for **3–5g+ of fiber** per bar.

### ✅ 5. **Stick to Real Ingredients**

The fewer mystery ingredients, the better. Look for bars with natural ingredients making up 80+% of the ingredient list. 

### ✅ 6. **Taste Still Matters**

Let’s be honest—you won’t stick with something that tastes like cardboard. This one’s personal, but it’s just as important. One person’s favorite bar is another’s *chalky regret.*

*Here are Some Bars We Like!*

We didn’t assign a specific rating for sugar content, since **each bar uses different sweeteners—each with its own pros and cons.** However, **ONE Bar** stood out as the **heaviest in artificial and sugar alcohol-based sweeteners**.

If your **primary goal is maximizing protein**, the **David Bar** packs an impressive **28 grams of protein** for just **150 calories**. While it’s **low in fiber** and contains **sucralose**, we were impressed by its **satiating effect**—likely due to the high protein load.

**Overall, we love the David Bar** for its simplicity, lean profile, and functional use when protein is your top priority—even with the trade-offs. In fact, we liked it so much, we established a discount partnership with them.

When you order [David bars](https://davidprotein.com/pages/meet-david?utm_source=superfiliate&utm_campaign=HANFIT&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=eyJzZi1leHRlcm5hbC1zZXNzaW9uLXV1aWQiOiJjYzQyZTg2ZC0yYzFjLTRkYzUtYWM4Ni1lZjc5ZjdmNjQwMjkifQ%3D%3D&ref=superfiliate-HANFIT&attributes=%7B%22sf-external-session-uuid%22+%3D%3E+%229f3bb5b4-93e5-4d49-8f0a-958536fd3f3f%22%2C+%22sf-origin%22+%3D%3E+%22organic--HANFIT%22%7D), use the promo code: PAUZHEALTH for 10% off. Let us know what you think?

| **Bar** | **Calories** | **Protein** | **Fiber** | **Sugar** | **Fat** |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **RX Bar** | 190 | 12g | 6g | 14g (Natural) | 7g |
| **Aloha Protein Bar** | 220-240 | 14g (incomplete) | 10g | 5g (Natural) | 12g |
| **think!** | 230 | 20g | 1g | 0g (Maltitol) | 9g |
| **David** | 150 | 28g | 1g | 0g (Sucralose) | 2g |
| **Quest** | 190-200 | 20g | 13g | 1g (Stevia & Sucralose) | 8g |
| **ONE** | 220 | 20g | 4g | 1g (Maltitol, Sucralose, Sugar)  | 7g |

## **DEXA What You Need To Know**

We’ve been told to watch the number on the scale.  
But what if **that number is lying to you**?

After 40, women lose up to **1% of their muscle mass every year**—and with it, energy, bone density, metabolic health, and confidence.

🎙️ In our latest [PAUZ podcast episode](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pauz-grab-life-by-the-ovaries/id1810542044), we sit down with **Tony Orlando**, founder of **DEXA+** and [**DEXASCAN.com**](https://dexascan.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoraLXQZv6zsK_scVUuTkTw0ClVnZzg1IE1nDvAksV2VO7tA0h40), and a pioneer in bringing **advanced body composition testing** to consumers and healthcare providers across the U.S.

👉 A DEXA scan is more than just a body fat report—it’s a **blueprint** of your **muscle, fat, and bone health**.  
It shows what the scale can’t—and helps women at every stage track what really matters.

In this episode, we cover:

- Why **strength is the new health currency** for midlife women
- How **declining estrogen** changes muscle, fat, and bone—and [why DEXA helps make it visible](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/10683-dexa-dxa-scan-bone-density-test)
- How Tony built one of the **largest diagnostic networks** for precision health and personalized wellness
- How you can shift from reactive care to **data-informed prevention**

Whether you're lifting weights, navigating perimenopause, or trying to optimize your long-term health—this conversation will shift how you think about strength, progress, and what’s really going on inside your body.

📈 **Because what gets measured, gets managed.**

**Want to Know Where to Get a DEXA? [Check out this tool!](https://dexascan.com/pages/locations)**

**Book a DEXA and use promo code: PAUZHEALTH for a $10 Discount.**

🎧 *Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube now.*  
🔗 And follow **@PAUZHealth** for more evidence-based strategies for thriving in midlife and beyond.

 

Try it for free for a week!

#### [Empower Your Menopause Journey](https://pauz-health-grab-life-by-the-ovaries.mn.co/share/WVMHvtmYGQ9Mvifq?utm_source=manual)

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[Weight Management & Longevity](https://pauz.health/blog/tag/weight-management-longevity)

## Read On

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