Protein Shakes for Beginners: The Important Things to Know
With a new decade here many people have weight goals at the top of their new year’s resolutions list. Typically along with this comes adding protein shakes to your diet. If you don’t know much about protein shakes then you’re in the right place.
Keep reading to learn more about protein shakes for beginners.
Choosing a Protein Shake
The first part of adding a protein shake to your daily routine is to choose one. The type of exercise you do will impact if you need additional protein supplements or not. You will want to consider your lifestyle and workout regime.
If you are looking to build muscle then your body is going to need more protein to help you achieve that. There are also quite a few benefits of pre-training protein shake that you should look into as well.
If you are wondering how much protein you need to increase muscle mass, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends between 1.2 and 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. A big misconception is that you need a ton of extra protein to achieve extra muscle mass.
These are some of your options when it comes to choosing the type of protein powder:
Whey Protein
This is the most popular and the cheapest protein powder option on the market. Whey has all of the essential amino acids that you need and is quickly absorbed by the body compared to casein protein. Right before or right after a strength training workout are great times to ingest a whey protein because of how quickly it is absorbed.
Whey is typically the least expensive option as well.
Egg Protein
These powders are made from eggs. This is a perfect alternative if your body can’t handle whey or casein. Although not as widely used as whey protein some people love using this option.
Casein Protein
This is another byproduct of milk which also contains all of the essential amino acids that our bodies need. It is not absorbed by the body as quickly as whey which is why most people consume it before bed to help improve muscle growth while they are sleeping.
Plant-Based
If you prefer a powder that is plant-based you have options as well. You can opt for a rice protein, pea protein, or a hemp protein. A rice protein, when mixed with a pea protein, will give you all the amino acids you need.
A pea protein will give you plenty of protein and it is fairly comparable to whey protein. You can get the protein you need with not an extreme amount of calories. Hemp protein is another option which is derived from the seeds of the cannabis plant.
It does not have as much protein and rice and pea proteins but it has a good amount of nutrients. You will have a good source of zinc, iron, and omega-3s. If you live a vegan lifestyle then you might be deficient in those three essential nutrients. If you are worried about feeling “high” from using a hemp protein, there is no need to worry because they way they are bred you won’t have to worry about any THC in your powder.
You Have Your Protein Shake – Now What?
Once you have chosen the perfect protein shake for you it’s time to use it. Maybe you are wondering what is the best way to use my shake? You might not even be sure when is the best time to take your protein shakes. These are the most common uses:
Post Workout
After your workout, there is a small window of time where you want to take extra nutrients to help your body. If you have a tough session where you put your muscles through an intense workout, your protein shake will help you recover faster. In turn, this means that you can potentially increase your muscles and gain more strength.
Having a shake right after your workout can be helpful but don’t drive yourself crazy if you forget your shake and shaker bottle at home.
Meal Replacement
If you are running out the door every day and do not have time to make a healthy breakfast, you can take a protein shake instead. You can add some fruit or vegetables along with some healthy fats to make it a well-rounded meal.
You can get creative and add one to two cups of vegetables. If you are worried about the taste, opt for fresh spinach because this veggie does not affect the taste. You can add fresh or frozen fruit and either a seed or a nut butter as a healthy fat and use your preference in a mixer, either milk, almond milk, or water.
Keep in mind that whole foods will always have more nutrients than powder. For this reason, make sure that you are still eating whole foods and that you do not replace all of your meals with a shake or a drink. Your protein shake will supplement and come in handy when you are in a pinch.
Now You Are in the Know When It Comes to Protein Shakes for Beginners
As you can see there’s a lot to think about when it comes to protein shakes. Now you have more knowledge when it comes to protein shakes for beginners, and can make more informed decisions.
Please do not forget that your shakes will not replace every meal you still want to get nutrition from eating whole foods. Your shake is a great way to get the extra protein you need when you do not have time to make a whole meal.
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