Many professional athletes know that to excel in the sport they love, the not only need to perform well on the field, but off the field as well. After a hard workout, athletes know that it is absolutely pivotal in recovering so they can be ready to workout again.
What’s important is to know how much protein to eat and what types of protein will best benefit you after a workout.
The protein supplement market has been seeing significant growth for years now, since 2005, the market has actually doubled itself due to the high demand for great protein powders. On top of protein powders, there are a ton of protein pills, protein drinks, protein bars, and even protein cookies. Everywhere you go, you can always be sure there is a product announcing its protein value.
Despite the ever growing advertising regarding protein supplements and protein products, most people still end up taking the protein supplement that is the most common. Generally people do not ask questions such as who should consume this type of protein, when to take this supplement, how much protein should I eat, and not rely on rumors and abdominal infomercials that tell us only what we want to hear and not the truth.
Who needs to take protein?
Protein supplementation can be for anyone, from athletes, weightlifters, bodybuilders, and even the average person looking to increase the amount of protein they have in their diet. Recent studies have shown that high performance athletes need to eat a serving of protein right after the completion of their workout. Eating protein after a workout is beneficial because eating protein at this time will improve protein synthesis and enter your glycogen stores in your body thus helping you recover after a hard training session.
Another benefit of eating protein powders are that they are easily accessible and quick to make (simply scoop some into a cup, add water, stir and you have a great protein shake), they can be available to be eaten at anytime and anyplace, protein supplements are easy to digest and lastly, they are extremely easy to measure the amount of protein you will be getting within the meal.
Protein alone will not be effective in building muscle. A mixture of high quality protein and carbohydrates must be eaten to build quality muscle mass. Carbohydrates give the body the energy it needs to properly use the protein to build muscle. The general ration of protein to carbohydrates should be 1:3 (3 grams of carbohydrates for every gram of protein)
Which protein sources should I eat?
There are 2 main types of protein you should consume after a workout.
• Whey Protein
Whey protein has an extremely high biological food value. One of the main benefits of whey protein is that it is full of BCAA or branch chain amino acids and is easily digested. The most popular type of whey proteins are whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate. Whey protein is excellent for people looking for a quick meal after a workout because it is quickly digested, thus getting to your muscles quickly. There are over 100 brands of whey protein available to choose from so look for a brand that is a well know and reputable one.
• Soy Protein
Soy protein comes from soy plants, which relatively has a low biological value when compared to whey protein. One of the best benefits of eating soy protein is that it can actually help lower cholesterol levels and help combat heart disease.
How much protein should I eat after a workout?
Contrary to popular belief most of the protein supplements sold worldwide are actually purchased and used by ordinary people and not just athletes as one would believe. Usually a person will buy a bucket of protein because their coach, trainer or friend recommended taking extra protein to better recover from a fitness session.
In order to maintain a positive protein balance in the body, it is recommended to eat around 0.8 grams of protein per kg of body weight. Therefore the average man should consume around 80 grams of protein a day while the average woman should consume an average of 60 grams of protein per day.
People who workout regularly should consume more protein as their body will need more protein to recover properly from working out. On average, those who workout need to consume 1.2 grams of protein per kg of body weight.
It is important to emphasize that you should not try to overeat protein as it can result in kidney problems and will just be urinated out of the body as waste. Too much excess protein can create excessive waste in the blood, thus increasing blood pressure, the development of kidney disease and more.
Remember that taking your daily protein allowance in one serving is not an effective way of getting the most out of the protein you are eating as the body can only process 30 grams of protein per meal; everything else will just be urinated out as waste. A better strategy when eating protein is to consume 4-6 different meals containing up to 30 grams of protein per meal, especially when taking part in a workout program.
Protein or Food Additive, what are protein supplements considered?
To answer this common question, there have to be some facts that need to be noted.
• Muscle building: Proteins ability to help build muscle heavily relies on the quality of the protein eaten. According to top dieticians, egg protein is the best quality protein, while milk protein is a close second because it delivers an entire protein spectrum to those who consume milk. Ideally the body needs different types of protein depending on whether the person consuming the protein needs to gain weight or lose weight by eating protein.
• Digestive speed: Quick digesting protein is advantageous as the protein you eat will be absorbed more quickly.
To sum things up, whey protein should be considered an additive and not as a substitute for healthy, fresh food that is based upon a diet of yogurt, low fat dairy, fish, lean meat, chicken, whole grains and vegetables. There are foods that are high quality protein sources such as nuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pulses. Many dieticians recommend mixing milk with your protein after a hard workout to give your body a good mix of fast digesting and slow digesting proteins.
Soy protein is an effective source of protein for those who do not eat any animal products, as it is a completely vegan protein source. Today, you can even find ready to drink soy protein drinks which taste great and are a great source of soy protein.
If you desire to get into shape, remember that eating protein after a workout is only one part of the weight loss equation. Working out 3-4 times a week, following a healthy diet and getting a good night’s rest are the tools you need to get into the best athletic shape possible.