Step into any gym around the globe and you will most likely see someone with a protein shake. In fact, protein powder is probably the most commonly used supplement out there along with creatine, while scientific studies helped abandonments that protein powders cause kidney damage, most people are still confused about the proper use of them. So in this lesson, I will address the most common questions related to protein powder. Number one is a protein powder absolutely necessary to build muscle. No, even though your body requires more protein when you want to build muscle through strength training, this doesn't mean you have to use protein powder or any other protein supplement for that matter. As long as you reach your recommended daily protein intake, you will be fine and see results.

However, consuming enough protein every day can be tricky, especially when you don't have the time to prepare high protein meals all the time. That is why most athletes and bodybuilders use protein powders In addition to a balanced diet, so if you're crunched for time, a good protein powder can really make your life easier. Number two, what type of protein powder is best? There are a lot of protein powders you can buy, but the most common ones are powders based on whey, casein, or egg. You will also find vegan powders such as rice or other plant based alternatives. Within the fitness and bodybuilding community, there's always a lot of discussion about the best protein supplement.

On any online forum, you will most certainly find people praising their protein powder due to its special amino acid profile or some other magic ingredient. What is often forgotten, however, is the fact that as long as you don't get all your daily protein from supplements, which is never a good idea, you won't notice these tiny differences among the different forms of protein. For example, it is often noted that vegan powders have an inferior amino acid profile when compared to whey protein. No, it is true that many vegans powders like one or more of the nine essential amino acids. But this won't matter if the rest of your diet is balanced enough to supply you with all the essential amino acids. What this means is that protein powder selection is more about personal preference and less about actual source.

With that being said, there are two forms of protein that I don't recommend to beginners, beef protein and soy protein. The problem with beef protein is not so much the beef. After all, it's one of the best Whole Foods sources of protein, but the fact that most of the time you aren't getting the real thing. Many beef protein powders are made from what is left after you take away the quality meat. This includes ligaments, joints, and even years and hosts, which isn't exactly what you had in mind when you bought it right. soy protein on the other hand can negatively affect your testosterone levels.

Due to being rich and plant based estrogen. There's still not enough research and how this impacts your ability to build muscle mass. But I would avoid or limit soy protein in take as long as we don't know more. Number three, when should you take protein powder? You've probably been told that you need to drink your protein shake right after your workout. If this is likely to run into the locker room and prepare your shake as soon as you get done with your last workout set, I have good news.

Protein timing isn't nearly as important as people make it out to be. Even though some studies show a positive effect of post workout protein on protein synthesis, others find no such relation. Overall, it seems that as long as you meet your daily calorie and nutritional requirements through your normal diet, and this includes eating a full meal within two hours before your workout. It doesn't matter when you drink your protein shake. Number four, how much protein powders should you consume? This depends on how much total protein you need to consume per day.

Remember that around one gram per pound of body weight works as a rule of thumb. The majority of your diet should always be based on Whole Foods, a rule which applies not only to protein, but all macronutrients, so try to include fish, chicken, beef x, or any other quality protein source and use protein powder only as a supplement and not as a substitute. Depending on your lifestyle required protein intake and willingness to cook, I suggest you get around a third to maximum a half of your protein from protein shakes. Number five, what is the best liquid to mix protein powder with water is probably the most commonly used option here. Since it has no calories water is ideal for any calorie restricted weight loss diet. The only drawback might be the thin consistency, which can make the shake tastes less creamy.

Another option is milk which will provide you with some additional protein but also leads to a higher calorie count. This makes it less of an option when wanting to lose fat. Obviously met this also not an option if you're lactose intolerant or have any other kind of milk allergy. other alternatives include soy or almond milk, unless you buy fat free soy milk is Typically higher in calories than regular milk and often has added sugars. Of course, the disadvantages of soy protein which I talked about before also apply to soy milk. Almond usually has a low calorie count of bought unsweetened and adds a bit more of a creamy taste.

Okay to wrap up this video, here's a short summary of how to use protein powder properly. The most common protein powder is whey protein, but as long as you follow a balanced diet, any type of protein powder works with the exception of beef and soy protein. As long as you meet your daily requirements through your normal diet and eat an adequate pre workout meal, protein timing will have only small effects on your results. Try to get no more than 30 to a half of your daily protein from protein shakes, and which liquids you choose is really up to you as long as you track the calories and protein that you get from the shake.