Which Protein Powder should I take?

Recently I friend of mine came
to me with following question: “which protein powder should I take?”

The first answer that came to my head was “ just buy any whey protein that you like the taste of”…. But then I realized I wasn’t doing the question justice and part of me was simply resisting
the urge to give away “free information” that I would usually charge a consultation fee for…. well if you are reading this, then consider that you have save yourself my consultation fee J

There’s a astounding variety of protein powders on the market today, from vanilla brown rice protein, to Goatien (protein from goats milk), to pea protein to everyone’s favorite – Whey (protein isolate or protein concentrate).

Here’s a basic approach to figure out if you need a protein supplement, how much, how often and how you will incorporate it into your routine. I will then go over some recommendations based on personal experience.

1. Figure out how much protein you are already eating per day and how much you
need

Your protein requirements will be based on your activity level and the kind of activity you are doing. In general for the average recreational athlete, I have found that lean body weight in pounds divided by 2 in grams is just about adequate. Ie if you are a male, around 170 lbs,
15% Body fat, then your Lean Body Mass (LBM) is about 154 lbs, so approximately
75 grams of protein spread across 4 to 5 meals is enough. If you are lifting weights
a couple of times a week and hoping to see some physique changes, then about twice
that amount is a good baseline – ie. 1 gram per pound body weight, divided across
5-6 meals.

2. Supplementing with a powder

It’s often hard to get a good quality source of protein at every “feeding” and this is where the protein supplement comes in. It’s super convenient, usually has highly bioavailable protein and you get it without the added carbs and fat. Most protein powders have a “serving size” that’s around 20-25g of protein per serving or scoop. You can alter this based on the number of meals you are supplementing and/or your total desired intake.

3. Which type?
An in depth analysis of the different
types of protein is out of scope for this blog entry, so I’ll briefly cover the
major categories:

You can categorize protein powders
in a number of ways and I recommend going to

www.bodybuilding.com to take a look at the range of offerings.

So if you determine that you need
some supplementation, then whey is definitely a versatile option, as are a number
of powders out there that fall into the “meal replacement” category. The latter
are great because you can simply add water and have a completely balanced meal ready
to go within seconds.

4. When do I take it and how much?

A meal replacement type powder is ideal for when you are pressed for time and need to squeeze in a meal or for breakfast. If you have time and a blender, you can add some berries, coconut milk, peanut butter and stuff to whey powder to make some amazing, balanced smoothies.
Email me for some recipes!

Within 45 mins of finishing your
workout (the sooner the better) is the optimal time to take your whey supplement.
Depending on whether your goal is to bulk up or lean out, you can add some Carbs
to your post workout shake. There are couple of great ready to go post workout mixes
available, ones I recommend are Advocare’s “Post Workout Recovery” and Biotest’s
“Surge”.

Or you can Add some form of carbohydrate powder ( I recommend Waxy Maize Starch, such as “Carb Slam”) to your whey.

In both the meal replacement and post workout scenarios, calculate the shake as a “meal” and decide on the protein content accordingly.

5. Listen to your body

If you are working out hard and you are constantly sore, it might be time to re-evaluate your protein needs and do some tweaking. Another scenario is that you’ve been working out consistently, but you’re not seeing any progress, one reason could your protein intake relative
to your activity levels. There are a couple of other reasons that we hit plateaus, including lifestyle changes, training intensity, periodization and more…. Call me to set up a time for a consultation if you’re “on the plateau” and let’s break through it!

6. Brand recommendations:

7. Where do I get it from?

For bulk orders I generally buy from BodyBuilding.com, or TSN nutrition (search for the website)

For one of things, I prefer Seattle Super Supplements or Whole Foods. Seattle Super supplements has a great variety and usually a knowledgable person on staff to help with general product related questions.

8. Caution: You get what you pay for

This is good rule for the majority of supplements out there unless you have experimented sufficiently to find out what works for your body and what doesn’t. Also, it’s easier to save money if you buy the “raw materials” for concocting your own shakes, but this can prove to be supremely inconvenient at times. I caution you to not buy the cheapest product available, there’s probably a reason it’s so cheap. Lastly, please don’t buy garbage supplements from your neighborhood drug store, supermarket or Costco. Again, this discussion is out of scope for this article.

9. Further reading:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek15.htm

Train Hard!
Eat Well! Supplement Smart!