BOOSTING YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE.
If you are trying to lose fat or put muscle on, you’re probably aware of the importance of increased protein in your diet to meet those goals. Among other things, protein is essential for building and maintaining lean body tissue. However, it isn’t easy consuming enough protein to fulfil this goal, especially if you’ve never really given it much thought.
“SORRY GENTS, THEY AREN’T GOING TO MAGICALLY REMODEL YOUR PHYSIQUE INTO THAT OF A GREEK GOD.”
One way in which you can easily bump up your daily intake is by using a suitable protein powder supplement. Remember that protein shakes aren’t just for the bodybuilders and athletes out there. Sorry gents, they aren’t going to magically remodel your physique into that of a Greek God. And ladies, you can rest assured that they’re not going to mutate you into some sort of Shehulk either. They are, however, a convenient and effective way to boost your daily protein intake. And when you combine this with a calorie controlled diet and resistance training, you have all the ingredients to make the changes that you desire.
One of the most common questions that I get asked is what protein supplement to use? My advice is always to do your own research and make an informed decision. I’d honestly avoid just going into a store and randomly buying one off the shelf. You’ll often come away having paid a premium price for something that you don’t want.
CHECK WHAT’S IN THE TUB.
1. GRAMS OF PROTEIN PER SERVING.
As an example, here is the nutritional information for Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard and Dymatize Iso 100 Hydrolyzed Whey.
Aim for at least 20g per serving. Some of the higher quality powders claim as much as 27g of protein per 30g serving. Note that protein content can fluctuate depending on the flavour of the specific protein powder that you get – chocolate flavour is often slightly lower in protein due to the addition of cocoa.
2. CALORIES PER SERVING.
In most cases, you will want to keep calories to a minimum; otherwise you are just paying for fillers.
3. CARBS AND FATS PER SERVING.
Leading on from point number 2, these should be minimal; it’s protein that you are paying for and its protein that you want.
4. COST PER SERVING.
It’s always worth checking that you’re getting good value.
5. BRAND.
This might seem obvious, but what is the brand on the powder? What are their quality testing procedures like? And do they have a lot to lose if they produce poor quality products?
6. FLAVOUR.
This is where customer reviews come in handy. If a reviewer is making claims about sensational muscle/strength gains or fat loss, you can pretty much ignore it but if they are talking about the flavour and taste of the product you might want to pay some attention.
Some websites such as http://compareproteins.co.uk will do some of the comparison work for you.
Stay tuned for part 2, which will discuss the various types of protein and what to go for and avoid.