There’s a lot of emphasis on eating enough protein in midlife, especially—and rightfully so:

As estrogen levels fluctuate and eventually decline during perimenopause and menopause, your body's protein requirements increase.

For active, aging women, your target protein intake should be 1g per ideal pound of body weight per day  — often 2x or even 3x more than younger adult recommendations.

What happens if you consistently miss that mark? Over time, you’ll find yourself struggling with low energy, imbalanced hormones, unhealthy hair and nails, suboptimal bone density, slow muscle recovery, and a sluggish metabolism.

So, yes, upping your protein intake is key for truly supporting your changing body and is one of the most effective ways to fight fatigue, reduce belly fat, support your hormones, and stay strong and radiant into your 40s, 50s, and beyond.

But before you start macro counting, it’s important to know that simply eating more protein isn’t the secret.

The Real Magic? Eating Enough Protein With a High Protein-to-Calorie Ratio

Meaning, the majority of your protein sources should have a HIGH amount of grams of protein and a LOW amount of calories per serving.

Ideally, 40% of calories should come from protein. This equates to 10 grams of protein per 100 calories.

To easily figure out if your protein sources are hitting that target ratio:

• Look at the food’s nutrition label and find the amount of protein per serving.
• Multiply that number times 10.
• Then compare that number to the amount of calories per serving. It should be equal to or greater than the calories.

Here’s a real-world example:

A mini grass-fed beef stick has 6 grams of protein and 70 calories.

So, I multiply 6 grams x 10 and get 60. Since I want that number to be equal to or greater than 70, the protein-to-calorie ratio for this beef stick is not quite ideal.

WHY Eating ‘Efficient’ Protein Benefits You

When you choose protein that has at least a 10:100 protein-to-calorie ratio, you’re choosing protein that’s going to work more efficiently for you…

You see, as our estrogen levels decline during perimenopause and menopause, we naturally become more insulin resistant and our metabolic flexibility can dip. (AKA, our blood sugar levels are all over the place and we gain weight more easily.)

And eating protein sources that come with too many extra calories — like fatty beef sticks, highly marbled beef (ie, ribeye steaks), processed meats (hot dogs, salami, pepperoni), and some nuts and seeds — can work against your goals of stabilizing blood sugar and supporting hormonal harmony.

High protein, high caloric foods will also make it much harder to maintain muscle mass while losing fat.

What we want instead is optimal hormone production and metabolic health. And when you focus on finding lean protein sources, you’re supporting both.

Here's the Bottom Line…

Eat more protein that has minimal calories. (Again, aim for 10 grams of protein per 100 calories, or 40% protein from total calories.)

You can choose wild fish, lean poultry, cottage cheese, legumes—or even better, my new No. 1 go-to (which might surprise you)… VENISON! 🦌

Specifically, wild venison that’s sustainably harvested in Maui. That’s because wild venison from Maui provides the highest amount of quality protein in the fewest calories of any red meat–nearly twice the protein-to-calorie ratio of conventional beef.

A 3.5-ounce serving provides approximately 21 grams of complete protein for just 107 calories, making it significantly leaner than beef, lamb, or even most poultry options.

For women concerned about maintaining muscle mass while managing weight—a common midlife challenge—this exceptional ratio offers a practical solution. And Wild Maui venison provides more than just ideal macros…

The Midlife Nutrition Connection

Maui's axis deer graze on more than 200 plant species that grow in mineral-rich volcanic soil, resulting in meat with an extraordinary nutritional profile. In fact, you’re getting essential micronutrients and a total nutrient density that’s impossible to replicate in conventionally raised animals—or even venison from other companies. Really, nothing compares.

For example, wild harvested Maui venison contains:

✅ Four times the phytonutrients than conventional beef, which can help to combat oxidative stress and aging.

✅ More concentrated amounts of zinc, excellent for immune support, and selenium, needed for thyroid health—an organ that often requires extra attention during hormonal transitions.

✅ Five times more vitamin E, which has been shown to help reduce hot flashes and night sweats, help regulate mood swings and anxiety, and support vaginal tissue health by improving blood flow and lubrication.

✅ Ten times more retinol (vitamin A), which helps boost collagen production, improve skin texture and tone, and improve bone density and eye health.

✅ Two times more B1 and B3, two powerhouse vitamins that are proven to assist with better energy and metabolism, improved cognitive function, healthier cholesterol levels, and nervous system regulation (aka calmer moods).

✅ Substantial amounts of highly bioavailable heme iron, which is crucial for women experiencing heavier menstrual flow during perimenopause and for overall energy production at any stage of life.

Perhaps most remarkable is the optimal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids found in this wild venison—a profile that supports the body's natural anti-inflammatory pathways. For women experiencing the inflammatory challenges that often accompany hormonal shifts (from joint pain to hot flashes), this represents a meaningful nutritional advantage.

Clearly, this wild venison from Maui has exceptional nutrient density. But what makes this meat even more impressive is that it’s sourced ethically and has ecological benefits…

Ethical Harvesting for Maximum Nutrition

Unlike conventional livestock operations, Maui Nui Venison was created to solve an ecological crisis. The axis deer population on Maui has ballooned to over 50,000, threatening the island's delicate ecosystem, native plants, and water resources.

Rather than viewing these deer as simply a problem, founders Jake and Ku'ulani Muise developed an ethical harvesting system that benefits both the land and the community. Using advanced technology including infrared cameras, they harvest deer at night under stress-free conditions—a choice that not only respects the animals but also produces venison of unparalleled quality.

This humane approach both honors the animals and yields meat free from stress hormones that can compromise both flavor and nutritional integrity. The result is clean-tasting, extremely tender venison that even those typically hesitant about game meats find incredibly delicious and approachable.

So, when you choose this venison, you're participating in a remarkable conservation effort. Each purchase helps maintain a balanced deer population that allows Maui's native plants to regenerate and flourish.

Maui Nui not only cares about the land, it cares about its people. They have donated over 189,000 pounds of venison to the community through its Holo ʻAi food-sharing program.

This philosophy of interconnected wellbeing perfectly aligns with the holistic approach many of us embrace during midlife—recognizing that our personal health choices ripple outward to affect our broader environment.

Your Midlife Protein Strategy

We know for sure that a high quantity of protein needs to be a larger part of our diet, especially in perimenopause and menopause.

And we have so many choices when it comes to how we want to consume it, including red meat, fish, legumes, protein powders, and my favorite—wild venison from Maui.

No matter what you’re shopping for, I’m sure you’re thinking hard about where you spend your dollars, especially if you’re budgeting for more than yourself.

Personally, I’m eating 150g of protein a day more, and I’m feeding my husband and my two very hungry teenagers. This means I’m cautious where I’m spending my dollars. There are definitely times when I buy more affordable types of protein in bulk, which reduces the overall cost.

And whenever I can, I decide to pay a premium for higher quality protein that checks specific boxes:

• The protein source is truly sustainable, supporting the ecosystem and not destroying it.
• The animals are treated in a humane way and harvested using ethical practices. The workers and community are also treated respectfully.
• The protein comes from wild meat, ensuring it’s packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and bioavailable compounds that support energy, performance, and overall health. (Wild meat also means there’s zero chance they contain antibiotics or growth hormones.)
• The protein has a high protein-to-calorie ratio—most of it is protein and not fat.
• It tastes fantastic and is something my whole family will love!

Maui Nui wild venison meets ALL of these criteria for me!

From their ground venison (perfect for quick weeknight meals) to their organ blends (providing concentrated nutrients for those seeking deeper nourishment), Maui Nui offers options that can be seamlessly incorporated into your existing meal rotations—delivering exceptional nutrition while supporting both ecological balance and a remarkable community initiative.

If you’d like to give Maui Nui venison a try and nourish your body with premium protein, click here for a limited collection of their fresh starter boxes and meat sticks.

Note that supplies are limited due to the nature of their work (there are only so many deer that they harvest at any given time), so act fast if you want access to this amazing nutrition.