So you've started hitting the gym more often and you've heard people talking about protein shakes. You've started to Google and feel more confused than ever if it's for you. You started to look at different websites to buy a bag but again, there's so much information and options. You've shut the window and pretended the mine field doesn't exist.
We get it! It’s information overload for what seems so simple - everyone else seems to get it, right?!
Let's break it down and work out if you need to start taking protein shakes, and if you should.
First of all, let's cover the purpose and benefit of protein in our body.
It is the main building block for muscle and cell tissues (alongside fats) that help our body to move and function in the way we want.
You choose to move your arm - the protein in your muscle will help you to do so.
It is incredibly helpful in supporting your immune system, transporting nutrients around the body to protect you from nasty bugs and colds.
It gives you energy and allows it to stay steady throughout the day - without the roller coaster waves that sugar and simple carbs often bring.
It helps your hair and nails to grow.
So they're the main reasons your body needs protein. Let's look at the signs you may not be getting enough.
You're sore all the time after the gym.
You feel permanently tired.
You're always hungry.
You suddenly feel like you've been hit by a truck mid afternoon.
You're trying hard to put on muscle but nothing appears to be happening.
You're trying to lose fat but you're so hungry you keep snacking or binging.
You've been hitting the gym consistently but not much is happening.
You catch the cold every other week.
If you answered yes, or hmmm kinda sometimes to any of those. Keep reading.
We want to ensure we're eating enough protein to encourage optimal bodily function. That we can build and maintain muscle and are fuelled enough to ensure our energy doesn't come from muscle stores.
As a base from the UK Government, they recommend you eat 0.75g per kg of body weight. That works out as 56g/day for men and 45g/day for women (based on bodyweights of 75kg for men and 60kg for women).
To achieve this, for 56g, you’d need about 175g of chicken breast, and for 45g, you need 140g of chicken breast. Fairly reasonable.
Now, the catch. This recommendation is sufficient to “not be detrimental to health”.
We’re going to assume that if you’re reading this blog, you’re looking to have some pretty damn good health and strength gains. So we may want to eat more than that.
Our recommendation for health would be sitting somewhere around 1.6-1.8g per kg of bodyweight. For muscle building somewhere around 2-2.2g per kg of body weight.
So, what does this look like?
For the same 75kg male, 120-135g for health, or 150-165g for muscle building.
For the same 60kg female, 96-108g for health, or 120-132g for muscle building (or to look “lean”).

By eating balanced meals throughout the day, we should be taking on enough protein, carbs and fat, allowing our nutrients to digest and transport to where they're needed pretty easily.
But what happens if you don't eat enough protein and how can you make it easy to get more?
If you don't get enough, you can struggle with those nasty drops in energy, soaring levels of hunger and soreness every time you hit the gym. You may not see the rate of progress you're working hard for.
Ideally we want to get our protein from real food wherever possible - a portion at breakfast, lunch, dinner and potentially in a snack too.
This could be from eggs, yoghurt, chicken, tofu, lentils, beef, fish, tempeh, edamame beans. The list goes on.
But if you've maxed out your options, or you’re short on time, one big life saver can be adding in a protein shake.
A simple time to do this would be immediately after your workout. It's a simple extension of the habit of regular exercise and can help your body to recover as soon as you get out of the changing room.
This will ensure that muscle repairing protein hits your muscles immediately and allows them to recover stronger than before. It also takes your body out of a stressed state quickly, allowing your body to relax and prevent extra cravings for high fat/sugar snacks later in the day. Extra bonus: a liquid shake is much easier to take on after exercise than a solid meal.
What about rest days? Should you have one then?
Yes, for sure!
We like to think of our rest days exactly the same as our active days. On these days we're making sure that we're optimally recovering from the day before and preparing for the day ahead. Ensuring we eat a consistent amount of protein each day makes it much easier to hit that same amount on repeat, and can curb some of those late night cravings.

What should I be looking for when I buy a protein powder?
There's a few variables to consider here. For example, allergies, budget, preference, goals, sugar.
Allergies: if you're lactose intolerant you're going to want to avoid any form of whey protein. Don't worry, you can still get plenty of easy gains from vegan, beef or clear protein.
Budget: buying larger quantities can be a good way to save - when you know that the one you're spending on works for you. We'd recommend trying the sample sachets first to make sure you've got the taste and texture you're happy with. Then buy in bulk to save some cash. Look out for deals too - Bulk, MyProtein, and Protein Works often have deals that are worth investigating.
Preference: if you've tried a whey protein before and noticed digestive upset or skin breakouts, try going for a whey isolate rather than the cheapest on the shelf. A little more time and care has been taken here to cut out any crap, or bits to make it go further, so you can expect better quality, resulting in it being easier to digest.
Goals: fat loss, easier life, muscle building, health. There's a few options out there. For most people, we'd recommend a whey isolate protein powder. It's then a case of what you add to it that is going to impact your calorie consumption and therefore your goals/results.
For example,
For fat loss, you may have your scoop with water (or half water, half milk).
For health, you may mix with milk to make it taste nice and more satisfying.
For muscle building, you’re looking to boost the calories, so turning it into a smoothie would help a lot - milk, peanut butter, banana, oats.
You can play around with diet whey, but honestly, the rest of your day is doing to make more of a difference and this is often a convenient way to charge more.
You can also try out mass gainers, or meal replacement shakes - but we'd go for this more in situations where time to prepare is really limited, and opt for adding your own extras where you can.
Vegan: vegan shakes are going to be your friend! It is possible to hit your daily protein intake from real food, but this is going to make one of those meals a lot easier. Look for a vegan protein that has at least two different protein sources - e.g. rice and pea. The mix is going to ensure you get a mix of amino acids and therefore all the benefits you need. Also be mindful of soya based shakes as these can cause gut disruption - the low cost may be appealing, but be careful.
Sugar: often shakes can be packed full of sugars to make them taste good. Try to keep sugar level below 4g/100g, or ensure that it’s not the first listed ingredient. All in the name of a good gut and great teeth!
Hopefully this sets you off on your way to getting started with the decision to add in a protein shake.
Whey Isolate
Low added sugar
Add your own extras
Take to the gym with you and drink on the way home so you don’t forget
It’s OK to have a daily shake to encourage protein intake for muscle building, fat loss, reduced cravings and an energy boost
Amy’s recommendation: chocolate or vanilla often taste the nicest and you won’t get bored of over complicated flavours
We all recommend Food Spring products here at Empower!
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