January 26th, 2009
Sound Advice: Extra Protein
The first of the year seems to bring out the dieting habits in all of us - so whether you are trying out a diet to drop some weight, trying to eat better to enhance your workouts, or following a specific diet, you are often told that you need to eat one gram of protein for every pound of lean body mass. For me, that equals between 120 and 130 grams of protein, which at times as seemed insurmountable - especially if you are also trying to watch the overall calories you are taking in. My solution? Protein Powder.
From my personal experience - and from discussions with several trainers - the best kind of protein powder is Whey Protein Powder that also says “isolates”. Whey Protein is a milk protein that is used efficiently by your body and is especially good if you do any weight lifting. As I mentioned, look for the word “isolates” on the label, but also check the calories and the overall balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. The mix should be at least twice as much protein as there are carbohydrates, and very little fat.
So, what is the best way to consume your protein powder once you’ve purchased it? You can make smoothies with frozen berries, yogurt, skim milk and protein powder as a meal substitute (much better than skipping breakfast). You can mix protein powder with ice water for a quick in-between-meal snack. You can mix protein chocolate protein powder with milk and and coffee for an afternoon treat.
This one change in my diet has made a huge difference in the amount of energy I have each day and for the first time in months, I am dropping weight. In fact, I’ve already dropped a size in jeans this month!
