Why Whey Protein Won’t Bulk You Up and When You Should Consume It
By Lucas Duppler, Director of Nutrition for the Whey Protein Institute
Finding a New Year’s Resolution isn’t hard but sticking to it is, right? I want to make sure you’re well equipped to partake in 31 Ways in 31 Days not only from a fitness standpoint, but also utilizing nutrition. So, today I’m going to explain how protein can help you on your health journey and offer some advice on when you should be consuming protein:
- Whey protein won’t necessarily bulk you up – There’s a common misconception about whey protein: That high consumption will lead to tacking on bulk muscle, instead of leaning you out. While bodybuilders and fitness professionals alike use it for muscle recovery, whey protein is also beneficial when your goal is to either lose weight or just lean out the muscle mass that you already have. Protein, by nature, has a higher thermic effect of food than carbohydrates and fats. What that means is that it takes your body more energy to break down and utilize lean protein within your body, which in turn will boost your metabolism. Protein also helps you stay fuller longer, limiting overeating and consumption of unhealthy snacks.
- Consume protein steadily throughout the day – The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein for active people tends to be much higher than inactive people, because protein is a key piece in building/maintaining the lean muscle you gain in a workout. To make sure you’re consuming the amount of protein your body needs to recover from exercise, it’s important to pay attention to protein timing. Try to shoot for 20-30g with each meal, which is roughly one skinless 3 oz. chicken breast, three eggs, one serving of whey protein or one cup of pinto beans. Americans’ diets tend to be lower in protein at breakfast, adequate at lunch and very high in protein at dinner. Your body is in a constant flux of breaking down muscle or building it up. Without enough protein, you put your body at risk of breaking down that lean muscle mass you’ve worked so hard to maintain.
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What is an amino acid? Amino acids are the smallest molecular components that makes up proteins. Amino acids are made up of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. In addition to these atoms, some amino acids (methionine and cysteine) also contain sulfur. READ MORE |
