Need more protein? Start shakin' up your routine.

Most of us realize where protein comes from to a degree, and we try to consume it appropriately, but for those of you out there that need a bit more whether you're a gym goer, vegetarian, body builder, or a vegetarian body builder gym goer. So what do you use?  Protein Powder

Now, this is a scary word to some because they think about the over consumption of protein but having a drink doesn't mean that it is the "Ultimate Massive Muscle of Arnold Schwarzenegger Protein Powder."
It is important to realize that results and usage depends on amount consumed and physical activity level.   

Basic Guidelines When Looking
When choosing a protein powder, you want to look at several things

• Protein: Obviously, you want to have a shake that contains the right amount of protein because that's the whole reason for taking it.  As recommended by experts, you should not go over   grams per pound of body weight.  Exceeding this too much may be risky so look for a protein powder that fits into this number.  
• Carbohydrates:  some of the products out their are jam packed full of protein but have more sugar than you need or want for that matter.  
• Fats: A smaller amount of the right fats in a diet are essential to keeping healthy and supporting your body, but getting too much from protein powder is not what you want.  Although amounts may vary, men and women should only get 25% to 35% of their calories from fat.

With that said, here are some of the best out there.


For The Vegetarian
Now, I wanted to give a specific section to all you plant eaters out there because I was even one myself for several years and feel the pain of eating beans and nuts to no end.  Sometimes, you want something different and there are plenty of plant based and whey proteins out there for you.  Like everyone else, you want to look for the most bang for your buck and as little carbs and fats as possible.
You probably want to stick with three types:

• Plant 
• Soy 
• Whey

Here's a video that talks a bit about plant based protein power...

Want more information and to see where I got mine?

LIVESTRONG

Body Building

ProteinPowder.net

Calories out. Calories in. Eating More Protein MIGHT Make You Thin

With all the buzz about high protein diets, one has to wonder, why?  Well, the answer to this is a bit ambiguous and so here is the meat of it (no pun intended...well, maybe a bit), as well as some other misconceptions surrounding this type of eating habit.

Reasons for the High Protein = Weight Loss Phenomenon
In many studies done today, there is a clear difference in the results achieved by those on a high protein, low carbohydrate diet as compared to others.  This is because of several reasons.

1.  It does not take your blood sugar on a roller coaster as opposed to those complex carbohydrates.  Instead of having a quick high and low, energy is sustained longer.

2.  Protein is digested slower than carbohydrates.  So, since your system takes longer to get rid of it, you feel full longer.

3.  Because specific protein has less fat, it can help as a substitute for foods that do have it so that body composition is improve instead of just weight.

The Carbohydrate Monster

How often have you heard someone say that "carbs make you fat"?  This is all too common and so to replace this they practically chug protein at every meal.   In reality, carbohydrates are metabolized by your body any differently than protein, especially if you are consuming too much because it is calories in and calories out.  Too much leads to weight gain.  On top of this, if you eat more protein, you're possibly not eating enough carbs which can be dangerous since your heart and brain run off of this.  

Protein Makes Muscle

Another common misconception is that simply eating protein will build up muscle.  This is both true and not true.  Without exercise with all the contractions and energy put into them, muscles will not grow.  So, these work in tandem, instead of the killing two birds with one stone.  It takes diligence with food along with the hard work of exercise.


I stress might in the title for certain reasons.  Although protein can be a valuable tool, it must be remembered that it is not the end all be all.  A diet high in moderation is key. 


Want more information and to see where I got mine?
The Nutrition Source