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Whey protein a problem?

Whey protein is a supplement sold by many health businesses. It usually comes in powder form and is mixed with almost any liquid. This powder supplements protein into the diet if a person struggles to obtain the recommended amount from regular food. Even those who know little about health and fitness have seen people use this supplement. It is not uncommon to see someone drinking out of a shaker bottle before or after a workout.

When I began my health journey, this is a supplement that I took within the second week of lifting. I can honestly say I joined the bandwagon with little knowledge on how to use it. I saw other guys drinking it and figured that if I wanted to make any progress, I had to copy them. I knew absolutely nothing about it besides the fact that it was sold at Wal-Mart for a decent price. Although it tasted terrible, I made it my religion to rapidly drink at least one shake after every workout. And what did I learned from doing this?

Well, I learned that this was a terrible mistake! As your Health Cop, I want to make sure you know exactly what you are putting into your body. I have gained some great knowledge over the course of my journey on what is good for us. I also know what products we should stay away from. This post is on whey protein because it is one of the most commonly questioned supplements.

I was in relationship with a nice young woman when I began taking this supplement for the first time. She was very against it because of an excerpt she saw from Good Morning America that talked about the risk factors. In addition, her older brother used it for several years and put on a little bit of unwanted fat. She told me over and over that it was going to make me gain all the weight back. She also told me that it creates internal problems. Anyways, I immediately messaged her old brother and said, “hey man, your sister is giving my grief for using whey…You take it right? And you’re in pretty good shape”! He replied, “she’s not your boss. Take it!”.

Being that I’m a stubborn guy, I went against her recommendation and used it regularly. Although it did not create any internal stomach issues, I did notice that I was putting weight back on. It wasn’t a rapid increase, but it was indeed noticeable when I looked in the mirror. However, she couldn’t tell because I always had a shirt on. I hate to be wrong, so after the relationship ended, I continued to use whey anyways! Although, I decided to research it more. I simply googled, “Is whey protein bad for you?”. I came across so many opinionated articles. I had no idea what to believe. However, I did find one particular post that I enjoyed. This guy states that whey protein is not bad for us, but the majority of people use it incorrectly. He explained:

  1. Whey protein should be looked at as a meal replacement, not a supplement. He said this because many people take this product while eating regularly for the remainder of the day. This is a problem. When people take whey, they are replacing a normal meal. Therefore, we should add the calories into our allotment for the day. This is why many people gain weight because they fail to account for the additional calories. If the calories are accounted for, there is no problem with gaining unwanted weight.
  2. Only take it if you absolutely have to. Many people have ample time each day eat protein through various natural ways. However, they still drink shakes anyways. The man giving these tips lacked science to support this piece of advice, but it’s hard to disagree with. It makes sense to get protein through natural ways before man made ways. It also goes along with the next point.
  3. Be careful of what whey protein you buy. Many different business make whey protein. Most of the brands are very different from each other. Some of the cheaper whey protein’s have additives to make them taste better. This is troublesome because sugar is what gets added. This is counterproductive to what we want! We are trying to eat as healthy as possible, not drink a sugar shake before and after workouts! Therefore, make sure to look at the nutrition labels before purchasing.
  4. It is not a magical potion. Many people believe that if they run out of whey protein, they are going to whither away and never gain the muscle back. There is no need for this mentality! If you finish off your whey protein, simply obtain it through regular food until you get back to the store.
  5. Use it to make things easier on you. Whey powder is a simple approach to help hit protein goals. For example, it can take half an hour to make a meal containing 25 grams of protein. Whereas it only takes about 1 minute to drink a whey shake (containing 25 grams of protein). If this makes living a healthier lifestyle easier on you, take advantage!

Whey protein is not a bad product to use. However, if you can manage without it, that is probably best. I take whey protein regularly because it works with my lifestyle as a full-time student with two part-time jobs. It is very difficult for me to find time to cook enough protein to eat. Therefore, I drink shakes with two of my meals each day. Once I came across these tips, I adjusted my calories to keep from putting on unwanted weight. I also spend more money to support a product sold by an IUP alumni! He started his own company because of reason number 3 above. He had no idea what was in the products sold at Wal-Mart and GNC, so he decided to make his own products using his science degree!

His name is Nick Bare with Bare Performance Nutrition (BPN). Instead of supporting a big corporation, you can help him out instead! Plus he has a very cool story. Check him out!

Comment below the ways you enjoy protein. Who knows, someone may have your new favorite food written in the comment section below!

Remember, whey protein is not bad if we look at as a meal replacement, not a supplement.

Yours truly,

Health Cop

 

 

 

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