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It
doesn't matter what brand or type of protein powder
you take...if you are taking it at the wrong time,
you aren't getting as much out of it as you could
be. In fact, if you take your protein powder at
the wrong time, you may as well just dump it in
the garbage!
Here
is a list of the when, why and how of effective
protein supplementation, ranked in order of importance.
1. Take Protein Immediately
After A Workout
If
you only take protein powder once per day, this
is the absolute best time to take it. Immediately
after you finish your workout, your body needs
raw materials to rebuild and recover with. If
you don't supply the raw materials through eating,
your body will break down muscle from elsewhere
in your body in order to rebuild the damaged areas.
This is very counterproductive as you can well
imagine.
By
taking in some protein (20 to 30 grams or so)
within minutes after exercise, you provide your
body with the raw materials it needs to recover
without breaking down its own muscle tissue.
2. Take Protein An Hour After A Workout
About
an hour following a workout, your body has settled
down from the excitement and is ready to really
start rebuilding. The protein that you took in
immediately following the workout has been metabolized
and your body is looking for more. Another protein
shake at this time is a good way to help speed
recovery. Try to take in another 20 to 30 grams
about an hour after working out.
3. Take Protein First Thing In
The Morning
Immediately
upon waking, or as soon after that as you can
manage, take a scoop of protein powder. Your body
has just been through an (approximately) 8 hour
fast and is hungry for nutrients. Feed your body!
Protein
powder is more quickly assimilated than solid
food and gets into your muscles faster. This protein
shot gives your metabolism a boost, which can
help with fat loss. Be sure to follow it with
a good breakfast, of course.
4. Take Protein Last Thing At Night
Prepare
your body for the long overnight fast by giving
it a little something to work with. A good combination
for this purpose is to mix a scoop of whey protein
in with a small glass of milk.
Whey
is what's known as a "fast" protein,
meaning that it's digested quickly, while milk
protein (casein) is what's known as a "slow"
protein, meaning it's digested relatively slowly.
At night, you want your protein to be metabolized
slowly so that your body gets a more even supply
over the course of the night. By mixing "fast"
and "slow" proteins, you get the benefits
of the higher-quality whey with the slower digestion
time of the milk.
5. Take Protein In-between Meals
A quick
protein shake can be a great snack in between
meals. It helps keep your body supplied with protein
all day long. This is especially useful if you
tend to have long periods of time in-between meals.
It could mean the difference between losing muscle
and building or keeping muscle!
6. Take Protein With Meals
Taking
a protein supplement with meals is a handy way
to increase the protein content of a meal. This
is perfect for when you eat
a meal that is somewhat low in protein.
7. Take Protein In The Middle Of
The Night
This
is a trick that bodybuilders sometimes use in
order to keep their muscles supplied with protein
throughout the night. Keep a pre-mixed protein
shake right beside your bed. Although some trainers
have been known to set alarms to wake up to drink
it, I prefer to have it there waiting just in
case I wake up, but I don't try to wake up on
purpose. If I don't wake up, it's right there
ready for me to drink first thing in the morning!
This strategy is more targeted for muscle growth
rather than fat loss.
Taking protein powder is not going to make up
for poor diet or a bad program but it can definitely
help to support you in your training efforts.
Take it at the right time and you'll get the most
bang for your buck!
---
Click
Here For Amazing Prices on High-Quality Protein
Powder
For more information on protein and muscle, I
also highly recommend the eBook "Bodybuilding
Revealed"by bodybuilding author Will
Brink.
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