Whey Protein Shake -
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How Should Elite Whey Protein Be Taken? Before Or After A Work Out?
Rockwell Horto has a question for us: How should Elite protein be consumed? Should it be taken before or after a workout?
Elite whey protein should be taken just like any other whey protein products. To know when is the best possible time to consume Elite protein, you must first understand how whey protein works.
The primary purpose of consuming whey protein is to help build lean muscle mass. That will help boost metabolism which will in turn burn fat. So whenever you take your protein shake, you should be asking yourself, "Will drinking protein shakes help me to build up muscle mass now?"
Remember that muscles grow and repair ONLY when you are resting. That means your muscles are growing stronger when you are out of the gym, not when you are in the gym. For this reason, protein shakes should be consumed throughout the day, INCLUDING recovery days.
Drinking just one whey protein shake per day isn't enough because whey protein gets absorbed very quickly by the body. When you consume a protein shake, the protein is gone within an hour. This is true for most protein blends. Casein protein may take a little longer to digest but in general, most protein blends are absorbed very quickly.
So if the protein is absorbed within one hour, what is the body going to use for muscle building for the rest of the day?
To ensure that your body gets a steady stream of high quality proteins to build muscles, you must consume protein throughout the day. Protein can come from protein shakes or from daily meals. If you eat 5 - 6 meals a day, you can easily meet your daily protein needs.
Usually, most bodybuilders prefer to drink their protein shakes right after a workout. They do this because they don't want all that quality protein to be used up during the workout. Also, there is a small window of opportunity after a workout when the body is really thirsty for protein. Protein consumed within this window gets absorbed very quickly by the body. Try to consume your protein shake within an hour after your workout.
The other recommended times for drinking Elite protein shakes are:
1) First thing in the morning, after you wake up. You can drink a protein shake along with breakfast if you like.
2) Right after a workout (we already covered that).
3) Before you go to bed. To reduce calories, mix protein powder with water only.
If you really want to consume a protein shake before workout, do it at least 2 hours before the workout to allow the protein to be properly digested.
To build muscles fast, there must be two components. The first is intense exercises - the type that builds power. The second is consistent and adequate nutrition. It is the second part that most people fail.
For instance, most people will just take one protein shake after the workout and then they eat a poor diet for the rest of the day (fatty oily meals, too much carbs, etc). So that affects the results and the muscles are slow in growing.
Other tips for fast muscle growth:
1) Get enough sleep. Muscles grow quickest when the body is well rested. So don't try to be a superman and stay up late nights to watch videos, play games or go partying. That will put a strain on your body.
2) Manage stress well. If you constantly find yourself under heavy stress, spend some time to relax. Mental stress can wreak havoc on the body if you are not careful.
3) Less rep, more resistance. If you go for more reps with less resistance, you are building endurance. And going at it for too long may actually cause you to lose muscle! There is no avoiding intense exercises if you want to get fit.
