Choosing Supplements for the 90 Day Transformation: #1 Protein

So as most of you know from my other blogs, I try to be frugal and not spend a lot of money. Looking at supplements makes my wallet hurt. But last challenge I learned that some things are convenient enough to pay for.

Do you need a protein supplement? No.

However, protein in real food is expensive and hard to get enough of if you need 175 grams per day (1 gram per pound of my target body weight.) If your schedule is hectic, eating real food protein 4-6 times a day is not realistic. As such, this is my number one go to supplement for fat loss. I say again, fat loss, not weight loss. I am trying to keep or slightly increase lean mass and burn body fat.

Whey protein is the most popular protein supplement because of its ease of digestion, effectiveness, and mild taste. But prices vary by a huge amount and higher price is not always better. Like everything else there is a law of diminishing returns. If you can get 80% of the benefit for half the price and it is sustainable for you, that may be the way to go.

Benefits:
- High in Leucine, an amino acid that promotes muscle growth.
- Stabilizes blood glucose levels, which will determine your bodies energy mix: are you burning more fat or carbs.

What to Buy:

There are three types of whey protein: whey concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysate. The cost increases in that relative order. The latter two are sold as superior, but lets face it, I am no Mr. Olympia and I need something that works but I can afford.

But there is a difference between effective and ineffective whey products. It is the protein by weight ratio. A quality whey concentrate will have somewhere between 75% - 80% protein to weight ratio. You figure this out by dividing the protein grams by the serving size grams. The result x 100 is your protein to weight ratio.

I buy my protein at Costco. I like the Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein. It has 24g protein for each 32g scoop. A protein to weight ratio of 75%. And it only costs me $0.66 per serving. Affordable and quality. Be careful, some proteins have as little as 30%. It also is not loaded with sugar at only 2g per serving.

You can also look at the ingredient list. The first ingredients listed should be protein, not some other weird filler you have never heard about.

What do you like to use and why?

How to Use It:

In Thinner, Leaner, Stronger, Michael Matthews recommends ensuring the supplementation of protein does not exceed 50% of your requirement. For me this means no more than three scoops in a day.

Before Workouts: Take 30 minutes prior on a relatively empty stomach.

After Workouts: This is my most common use. TLS, says that research says 20 grams in a post workout meal is enough to stimulate muscle growth. This requirement goes up as you age. I am going to start with one scoop after workouts and log my progress.

In Between Major Meals: Also convenient if you aren't getting enough protein to have as part of your snack. It is super quick and keeps you fuller with a steady blood glucose level.