Tag Archives: protein powder

It is very common to question whether or not you should consume a protein shake after a cardio workout. Protein shakes are typically associated with a post-weights workout drink to enhance muscle growth. But what about a cardio session?

Rather than dealing with whether or not you should have a protein shake after your cardio workout, let's actually consider what a protein shake is. A typical post-workout protein shake (whey based protein powder - for example, whey protein concentrate and/or isolate), if highly refined source of dietary protein extracted from cows milk. The benefits include:

1. A higher quality source of protein
2. A purer source of protein
3. A faster absorbing source of protein

Whilst it is common to assume that a protein shake is necessarily designed to build muscle (after all, protein shakes and bodybuilders tend to go hand-in-hand), you may be missing out on many benefits by not consuming a protein shake because of this assumption. These high quality, fast absorbing proteins are highly effective in:

1. Boosting the immune system
2. Enhancing recovery
3. Enhancing your fitness
4. Enhancing fat oxidation (or fat breakdown)
5. Obviously, enhancing muscle development

Of course, your training needs to be specific to your goals - a protein shake will not aid in you accomplishing your goals if your training is not appropriate.

Following an intense bout of cardiovascular exercise, your body will be in a state of recovery. A protein shake will encourage the recovery process by providing your body with the appropriate nutrients needed to repair damaged cells. A faster recovery will encourage a greater fitness improvement response. It will also facilitate fat loss and minimise muscular breakdown after your workout.

Of course, protein powder in isolation may not have the greatest benefit in a post-workout shake (be it cardio or weights). By combining this with a fast-acting carbohydrate source, insulin release is encouraged which enhances protein uptake into cells. Examples could be dextrose or waxy maize (including BSN Volumaize).

It wasn't long ago that I was discussing my supplement regime with another fitness professional, whereby I explained that I was using Optimum Nutrition 100% Protein Powder because it was a high quality protein powder, which tasted great and was really good value for money.

We moved onto the topic of artificial sweeteners and I explained that, whilst I would prefer not to consume artificial sweeteners, I haven't come across a good protein powder without artificial sweeteners. Fortunately, I recently discovered an amazing product called Dymatize All Natural Elite Whey which contains nothing artificial!

Today, I tasted the product and was pleasantly surprised that it tasted quite good. So, I was inspired to blog about it and possibly even write up a full review shortly.

So anyway, let's briefly discuss artificial sweeteners. Do they cause cancer? Are they going to make you sick? Are they any good for you?

The thing is, there is currently no conclusive evidence to prove that they are "bad" for you in any way, shape or form. Sure, one study may come to this conclusion, yet another one may conclude otherwise. There really is no hard evidence. Plus, Australia is one of the strictest countries in the world when it comes to the foods that are available for consumption, so anything on the market that could even be a potential risk would be immediately removed!

Now I do believe that artificial sweeteners can be a great tool when trying to limit the calories that you consume. Personally, during my BodyBlitz Challenge, I did consume a number of artificially sweetened products (apart from protein powders) in order to overcome sugar cravings. Sugar is a highly addictive substance, so you need every tool at your disposal to overcome such an addiction!

Additionally, if you desperately need to lose weight for health reasons, then using artificial sweeteners to replace highly refined carbohydrates may be a viable approach for you, at least in the short-term.

Having said all this, artificial sweeteners aren't "good" for you either. There is a question mark as to whether or not they are "bad", but they certainly have no nutritional value. So, this is precisely my rationale as to why I converted to the Dymatize All Natural Elite Whey Protein Powder. I have to be honest, whilst it tastes good, it doesn't taste as "great" as the Optimum. Yet, I would much rather eliminate the artificial sweeteners from my protein powder because it just isn't necessary in my particular circumstances.

Of course, we have have a range of protein powder supplements in our online supplement store for you to choose from!

"Do I need to drink protein powder" is a common question that plagues many newcomers to the gym. The answer to this question depends very much upon your goals, experience, body and lifestyle.

If you read my blog regularly, you'll be well aware that I am a strong believer in getting the basics down pat first. This means establishing a sound exercise and nutritional regime based on whole foods. Once these area's have been established and are implemented consistently into your lifestyle, supplements can be considered to enhance your results.

Protein powders can be wonderful things. By drinking them, they allow your body to absorb high quality proteins much quicker than from whole food. They also provide a convenient and easy to consume source of protein.

So, let's discuss a few common types of protein powders and when they would be suitable for consumption.

Immediately Prior to a Workout

This is of particular use if you are performing a high intensity workout and require readily available amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) upon the conclusion of your workout. The fastest and best quality proteins from supplements are called whey protein isolates and generally take 60-90 minutes to absorb.

If your goal is to build muscle, enhance your fitness or lose weight, a protein shake prior to a workout could be highly beneficial for you. The greatest benefits will be obtained if your workout is of a high intensity nature. If you are performing a low intensity workout, your body will not require an abundant supply of amino acids and you will expel most of these unused molecules.

Immediately After a Workout

In order to "top-up" your supply, a fast acting and high quality protein powder is highly recommended immediately following a high intensity workout. Whey protein isolate is again the best option. This is an ideal compliment to drinking a pre-workout protein powder. The post-workout protein shake will be absorbed within 60-90 minutes and thus provide more amino acids to assist in recovery.

During the Remainder of the Day

If you're looking to increase your protein intake, then drinking a protein shake during the day could be a great way to accomplish this. Don't spend excess money on whey protein isolates; you could get away with whey protein concentrate or even a high quality protein blend.

You may want to drink a protein powder during the day for various reasons:

• You want a low calorie meal as a snack for weight loss
• You want to boost your protein intake in order to continue building muscle
• You are training heavily and need proteins to facilitate recovery
• Your daily dietary intake is deficient in protein and you require a quick and easy way to boost your intake

It is imperative that you do not rely on a protein powder during the day as a primary source of protein. A protein powder should only compliment a well-rounded food intake from whole foods.

Finally, if you feel that you are ready to try out a protein supplement, please be sure to check out our protein powders.

There are some supplement companies that are outstanding at producing high quality products, but it seems that ALL supplements companies are great at marketing their products. This makes it difficult for the consumer to tell which is a product that is nothing more than a marketing ploy designed to make a quick buck.