Whey protein is a pretty unknown subject by a lot of people. You ask someone about whey protein and they either don’t want anything to do with the stuff, use it wrong, or don’t maximize it’s full effect. While it’s true, you should get most, if not all of your protein intake from your diet, whey protein can actually be a very valuable asset in muscle building and fat burning. They key is when and how you use it. Whey protein is one of two different kinds of protein found in milk. Of the two proteins whey is quicker absorbing than its partner, casein. When looking for a “protein powder”, you have to remember they are all not created equal.

While almost all the protein powders out there do have a good amount of whey protein in them, ones that are considered weight gainers or are not a “whey protein isolate” usually have high amounts of carbs and fats in them as well. So when you are reading the backs of the powders make sure you are looking into the carbs and fats as well so you don’t end up with a product not suited for your goals. In fact even if you wanted to gain weight, I still wouldn’t suggest getting any “weight gainers” because a lot of the time you get fat instead of bigger and leaner. Instead stick with the whey protein isolate and time it properly for full anabolic effect. Right before a workout, stick with eating a lean protein, like some chicken or turkey breast, along with fruit as your carb intake.

After your workout is when you want to intake your whey protein isolate, again along with a fruit for the carb effect, this time for a completely different reason. The carbs you consume before a workout are is used for fuel, it just enough to give you that initial burst and keep you going during the workout. AFTER a workout though, the carbs that you eat will work in a more anabolic (muscle building) way. The reason carbs give you energy is because of the sugar contained in them, we all know this. But what most people don’t know is the fact that the insulin spike that the sugar causes is actually anabolic, meaning when your insulin levels in your blood spike, it allows the protein to be shuttled into the muscle more readily. Therefore, you use more of the protein you consume, speeding up the recovery and building process. Read the rest of this entry »