JOE takes a look at the best way to get some sorely needed proteins into your diet to help those aching muscles recover and grow
JOE takes a look at the best way to get some sorely needed proteins into your diet to help those aching muscles recover and grow.
February is here and you’ve been working away at the gym on your New Year’s resolution to get in shape, but what about nutrition? After all, the battle isn’t just won and lost in the gym, you’ve got to keep an eye on what you’re doing in the kitchen too.
Protein is key to your recovery process as well as to your overall nutrition, allowing you to build muscle and, in some cases, burn fat too. Now, you might have time to grill up a few chicken breasts and enjoy eating them with raw eggs on top. But, we’re guessing that’s not very likely, which is why supplementing your diet with a sports nutrition product is quicker, easier, and tastes a hell of a lot better.
But there’s a huge variety of protein shakes out there on the shelves, so what should you be taking and when?
Probably the king of proteins, Whey Protein is a great place to start. Whey Proteins are fast acting, meaning you can digest them quickly and easily. They give you Essential Amino Acids (EAAs) and the three Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), which are hugely important to muscle building, protection and growth.
There’s also a wide selection of whey proteins available too, so what’s the best one for us to be taking?
Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) is the best of the best. Some whey proteins, in particular cheaper ones can give you a lot more lactose and fat than you want in your diet. Gold Standard 100% Whey from Optimum Nutrition (ON) is the world’s best-selling protein powder. Each shake delivers 24g of Whey Protein, but just 1g of fat and 1g of sugar. ON always uses WPI, rated 90+% pure protein, to ensure their shakes taste great, mix easily and deliver results.
Now here comes the important part, how much should we be taking and when? For the most part, you want to hit 1g of protein per pound of body weight. If you’re looking to add muscle, then you should target around 1.5g, or if you’re trying to lose weight, you can also look for a higher protein intake.
You should try and spread the intake of protein across the day through around 4-6 smaller meals, which will allow you to absorb the nutrients better.
For example, planning a Whey Protein shake first thing in the morning can provide a stable, sustained energy and help you resist between meal snacking. Enjoying a shake 30 minutes before or just after workouts will be absorbed into your system to support recovery and aid muscle growth.
Importantly, you need to stick with your sports nutrition product for a while before you’ll see and feel the benefits. Just like with working out, the body’s reaction won’t be instantaneous, you need to give it time to adjust your new dietary regime.
Once you start hitting your goals, you can reassess and readjust quantities and time of day. You may also decide to increase your repertoire and include additional products to help you achieve your goals.
JOE takes a look at the best way to get some sorely needed proteins into your diet to help those aching muscles recover and grow.
February is here and you’ve been working away at the gym on your New Year’s resolution to get in shape, but what about nutrition? After all, the battle isn’t just won and lost in the gym, you’ve got to keep an eye on what you’re doing in the kitchen too.
Protein is key to your recovery process as well as to your overall nutrition, allowing you to build muscle and, in some cases, burn fat too. Now, you might have time to grill up a few chicken breasts and enjoy eating them with raw eggs on top. But, we’re guessing that’s not very likely, which is why supplementing your diet with a sports nutrition product is quicker, easier, and tastes a hell of a lot better.
But there’s a huge variety of protein shakes out there on the shelves, so what should you be taking and when?
Probably the king of proteins, Whey Protein is a great place to start. Whey Proteins are fast acting, meaning you can digest them quickly and easily. They give you Essential Amino Acids (EAAs) and the three Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), which are hugely important to muscle building, protection and growth.
There’s also a wide selection of whey proteins available too, so what’s the best one for us to be taking?
Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) is the best of the best. Some whey proteins, in particular cheaper ones can give you a lot more lactose and fat than you want in your diet. Gold Standard 100% Whey from Optimum Nutrition (ON) is the world’s best-selling protein powder. Each shake delivers 24g of Whey Protein, but just 1g of fat and 1g of sugar. ON always uses WPI, rated 90+% pure protein, to ensure their shakes taste great, mix easily and deliver results.
Now here comes the important part, how much should we be taking and when? For the most part, you want to hit 1g of protein per pound of body weight. If you’re looking to add muscle, then you should target around 1.5g, or if you’re trying to lose weight, you can also look for a higher protein intake.
You should try and spread the intake of protein across the day through around 4-6 smaller meals, which will allow you to absorb the nutrients better.
For example, planning a Whey Protein shake first thing in the morning can provide a stable, sustained energy and help you resist between meal snacking. Enjoying a shake 30 minutes before or just after workouts will be absorbed into your system to support recovery and aid muscle growth.
Importantly, you need to stick with your sports nutrition product for a while before you’ll see and feel the benefits. Just like with working out, the body’s reaction won’t be instantaneous, you need to give it time to adjust your new dietary regime.
Once you start hitting your goals, you can reassess and readjust quantities and time of day. You may also decide to increase your repertoire and include additional products to help you achieve your goals.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
