Hey Friend,
It's your muscle building coach Lee Hayward here, and I just got this e-mail question from one of my subscribers...
"Hey Lee, When should I drink whey protein, before or after my
workouts. I am slightly over weight and just got back into
bodybuilding. I'm 5 7 about 200lbs and my goal is to cut fat and add
muscle but unsure if I should be using whey protein as I heard not to
use it if I'm already over weight.
Thanks Nick"
Thanks for the e-mail question Nick!
When it
comes to protein intake and whether or not to drink it before or after
you workout... This is a minor detail in the greater scheme of
things. What matters the most is your overall nutritional intake and
meeting your calorie and macro-nutrient needs (i.e. protein,
carbohydrate, and fat). Not just focusing solely on your protein intake
from whey protein powder.
Protein Shakes Are Just Another Source Of High Protein Food.
The only reason we even supplement with
protein shakes is to make it easier and more convenient to
consume a high protein diet, and to help cut down on the costs, because
very often protein supplements workout to be cheaper than other high
protein foods on a gram for gram basis.
But you don't need to take
protein supplements to build muscle and burn fat. You can reach your
fitness goals by just eating solid food as long as you meet your
nutritional needs.
So to better answer your question about when should you drink a protein shake...
Let's re-phrase that question to "When Should You Eat A High Protein Meal?"
When you look at your typical daily eating right now, where do you have the most trouble meeting your protein intake?
For
example...
A lot of protein have trouble getting enough protein for
breakfast because they tend to sleep in too late and then they are in a
rush
to get to work, school, or whatever and they very often skip breakfast
all together or they'll quickly woof down the typical high carb
"breakfast foods" (i.e. cereal & milk, toast, bagel, muffin, etc.)
A
much healthier and better option for building a lean muscular physique
would be to start your day off with a protein shake and some slow
digesting carbs such as a bowl of oatmeal. This is still a very quick
meal that can be prepared in minutes and it will kick start your day
with a good serving of muscle building protein.
For
lunch and dinner most people tend to do "ok" with getting enough
protein because these are the meals where most people will eat good
sources of protein such as meat, chicken, fish, etc. So you may not need to supplement with protein during these meals.
Another
time when consuming a protein shake can be helpful is in the
evening before bed. Most people tend to snack on high carb / high fat
junk food like chips, crackers, cookies, etc. But a better option that will help with your muscle building and fat loss goals is to have a protein
shake or a healthy snack with added protein powder. Such as a blender smoothie
or a some yogurt with protein powder mixed in with it.
Protein Before OR After You Workout...
Now
with regards to having protein before or after a workout, it really
depends on your schedule, your fitness goals, and when you are eating
your meals.
For example, if you workout first thing in the
morning and you find it hard to train on an empty stomach. Then it would
be a good idea to have a protein shake and maybe a piece of fruit to give you
some energy to run on. This will be a light and easy to
digest snack that won't make you feel bloated and sluggish in the gym.
If
you train later in the afternoon, than you might want to have a
pre-workout protein shake before hitting the gym to help curb your appetite and
give you some energy to get through your workout.
However, if
you are going to the gym an hour or so after eating a meal, then you
won't need a pre-workout shake, but instead you might want to have a
post-workout protein shake, especially if there is going to be some time
before you can eat your next solid food meal.
So
as you can see, there is no universal "Right" or "Wrong" answer for when
you should have your protein shake. It all depends on you, your
schedule, and your overall meal plan.
What's going to determine if you
are successful in meeting your muscle building and fat loss goals is focusing on
your overall daily calorie and macro-nutrient intake. Not just
nit-picking over when you drink your protein shakes.
So I hope this helps to clear up any confusion you had about the ideal time to take your protein shake, now if you are wondering which is the best protein that you should use, I recommend this one!
My Personal Favorite Protein Shake...
When it comes to protein supplements, my personal favorite is Whey Smooth from Blue Star Nutraceuticals. This is a high quality whey protein that contains a blend of fast, medium, and slow digesting proteins for a sustained release of amino acids in your system.
Not only that, but it is by far the best tasting protein supplement that I've ever used. And for this weekend only you can order Whey Smooth and save 30% off the regular price.
Just click here and use coupon code: "JAN30" to save 30% off your order!
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