Have you started a new exercise program or are you new to working out in general? If you’re just hitting the gym for the first time and want to build muscle, your body will need more protein than you might otherwise. Are you intensifying your workouts? This applies to both cardio and weight training workouts. For example, if you usually do 30 minutes on the elliptical machine three times a week, but are now training for a marathon or a weightlifting competition, you’re going to need more protein to facilitate muscle growth and strength. Are you recovering from an injury? People who’ve injured themselves generally need more protein to help their muscles and bodies heal and recover. Too much protein can be hard on your kidneys in the long term, and it could cause dehydration. [3] X Trustworthy Source EatRight. org Organization associated with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics providing advice about food, health, and fitness Go to source
A big myth is that you need a ton of protein to achieve any of the above goals. Protein already accounts for about 15% of the daily caloric intake of most Americans. To build a single pound of muscle, you need about 10-14 additional grams of protein daily, which really isn’t that much. Some protein powders have 80 grams of protein in a single serving! The average person doesn’t need that much; instead your body just breaks it down for energy. Moreover, too much protein can actually cause harm to your internal organs, including the kidneys and liver. To figure out how much you’re getting and whether you need additional protein, you need to do some math. Recreational athletes need about 0. 5-0. 75g of protein daily for every per pound of body weight. Competitive athletes need 0. 6-0. 9. Athletes building muscle mass need 0. 7-0. 9g. The max amount should not exceed more than 0. 9 per pound of body weight. For example, if you are an adult athlete looking to put on muscle and you weigh 175 pounds, you need about 122. 5-157. 5 g (175 pounds x . 7= 122. 5 g to 175 pounds x . 9= 157. 5) of protein per day.
For example, a 4oz hamburger has 30g of protein, 6oz of tuna has 40g, and 1oz of cheese has 7g. This means that just with these three foods you’ve ingested 77g of protein, which is nearly half of what you’d need if you weighed about 175 pounds and were looking to build muscle. Most adults probably don’t need as much protein coming from shakes as they think they do! However, if you’re not meeting the protein requirement you calculated with solid food throughout the day, then you should supplement your diet with a protein shake, either one you make with powder or a pre-made shake.
Whey and casein are good choices, but only if you can tolerate dairy since both are milk products. Whey protein tends to be the most popular for shakes and is the fastest digesting protein. [7] X Research source If you prefer a plant-based protein, particularly if you are vegetarian or vegan, you may want to try soy protein. Soy is very rich in nutrients and has been shown to be as effective as most animal sources of protein.
Make sure the product is more than 50% protein if your goal is to lose body fat. Make sure a single serving isn’t way more protein than you actually need. Some powders have 80g of protein in them; if you only need to add an additional 40g to your daily protein intake, then that’s not the best product for you. Look for shakes that provide all 20 amino acids; these are usually the highest quality products. Don’t buy proteins that include growth hormones or steroids. [9] X Trustworthy Source EatRight. org Organization associated with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics providing advice about food, health, and fitness Go to source Remember that all supplements carry a risk of contamination.
When you consume protein and what you eat should be planned around your workout. For example, if you work out at 5am, a protein shake after the gym at 7am might double as breakfast for you.
Right after a workout, your body starts to heal and rebuild the muscle. This is important because of the “micro tears” in the muscle tissue, those very small tears caused by intense contraction of the muscles during exercise, such as weightlifting. Giving your body protein as soon as possible will make sure it has the fuel it needs to help the muscles heal, rebuild and grow. Protein shakes after a workout are better than solid food because the latter takes longer to digest and break down the protein and send it to the muscles. Protein shakes, on the other hand, only take approximately 30 minutes to reach the muscles after consumption. Have your shake within 45 minutes following a workout. During that time, your muscles are still fired up and your body is better able to absorb the protein and start rebuilding more quickly. The sooner you can have the shake after you finish working out, the better![10] X Research source You can also try drinking other liquids that contain protein after a workout, such as regular or chocolate milk.
Drink a protein shake first thing in the morning. When you get up in the morning, your body has been inactive for 6-8 hours and is thus lacking nourishment, including protein. Without protein, the muscles in the body start to break down to create energy to keep your body going. Thus, having a protein shake as your breakfast can build muscle and energize the body, thus preventing muscle from breaking down. Drink a protein shake before a workout. Some people like to consume protein before exercise to promote muscle growth, strength, and keep muscles from breaking down over the course of the workout. A pre-workout shake is best consumed approximately 30 minutes before you begin your workout. This give the protein time to be digested and sent to the muscles. [12] X Research source Drink a protein shake before bed. Consider having a protein shake about one hour before you plan to go to bed. A shake with casein protein is a good choice. Casein works through your body a bit more slowly than whey, which is good when sleeping because that is when the amount of protein in your body starts to deplete. Effectively, you’ll be nourishing the muscle while your growth hormones are elevated. [13] X Research source
Drink a protein shake first thing in the morning. When you get up in the morning, your body has been inactive for 6-8 hours and is thus lacking nourishment, including protein. Without protein, the muscles in the body start to break down to create energy to keep your body going. Thus, having a protein shake as your breakfast can build muscle and energize the body, thus preventing muscle from breaking down. Drink a protein shake before a workout. Some people like to consume protein before exercise to promote muscle growth, strength, and keep muscles from breaking down over the course of the workout. A pre-workout shake is best consumed approximately 30 minutes before you begin your workout. This give the protein time to be digested and sent to the muscles. [12] X Research source Drink a protein shake before bed. Consider having a protein shake about one hour before you plan to go to bed. A shake with casein protein is a good choice. Casein works through your body a bit more slowly than whey, which is good when sleeping because that is when the amount of protein in your body starts to deplete. Effectively, you’ll be nourishing the muscle while your growth hormones are elevated. [13] X Research source
Try to get more protein through natural sources such as milk, eggs, meat and fish because they are unprocessed and have a higher nutritional value as a result. Shakes are a great way to get a large and immediate protein hit after working out, but they are also processed and don’t have the same nutrients as protein-rich foods. After your post-workout shake, eat small meals containing high levels of protein at roughly 3-4 hour intervals. This will provide your muscles with a steady supply of protein and hasten the healing process. Eat a breakfast with protein. Breakfast in the morning is key since your body needs nourishment after 7-9 hours of rest.
