We are going to talk about a topic that is surrounded by uncertainty and many doubts. Said topic is Women and Protein shakes.
Index
- 1 What is Protein Powder?
- 2 Why take Protein Shakes?
- 3 Myths and legends about Protein Shakes
- 4 Benefits of taking Protein Shakes for Women
- 5 Can a Protein Shake replace a meal?
- 6 How much Protein do we need?
- 7 Women and Protein Shakes
- 8 Advice
- 9 Do not be afraid of Protein Shakes
- 10 Bibliography
- 11 Related Entries
What is Protein Powder?
Befoer anything, we need to know that protein is an indispensable element to strengthen and regenerate the muscles, tissues, fibers, nails, skin and hair
The so-called protein powder is a dehydrated format of whey, meat, soy, egg or casein among other sources. They help us increase our muscle mass, regain energy, bone mass and even calm the appetite to help us lose weight.
Evidently, our first choice to obtain the necessary protein for the body is a healthy diet. It has to be made up of quality protein sources, such as fish, chicken, turkey, red meat, eggs…
But we should not be afraid of complete or alternate with a quality protein shake
Why take Protein Shakes?
At the beginning, high performance athletes took protein powder because they did not have time to eat 5 or 6 meals a day.
That is why the companies started to produced this type of dehydrated supplements that would provide all the nutrients.
In fact, they just had to mix these supplements with milk or water or with oats or fruit to regain energy and muscle mass. In fact, protein shakes became a very popular supplements both among athletes and the general public.
Protein powder has earned a place in the world of fitness for being a very complete nutrient. Moreover, it stimulates the metabolism, strengthens the muscle mass and help us lose weight
Myths and legends about Protein Shakes
Years ago, these drinks were aimed at men and nobody would have thought that women would start using them too. Thankfully, things have completely changed.
Nowadays, nutritionists recommended taking this type of protein to women.
This change did not occur overnight since women have a “negative” view of protein shakes. Obviously, this was due to the fact that these products were advertised to the male customers from the very beginning.
Male traits
They believed that they would start looking like men…
In fact, we still fall into the trap not only in advertising, but also in cinema or TV. Usually, we see big and muscular men in films, like Dwayne Johnson, also known as “the Rock”. Therefore, we associate drinking this type of shake with a bulky and masculine body.
All this is just a myth with no scientific evidence. In fact, it has been proven that it is more important for women to take this type of supplement. This is due to the fact that their muscle mass is slightly inferior to that of men, which means that they need extra help to strengthen the muscles and bones.
Moreover, protein shakes become indispensable to lose body fat during a fitness diet, workout or exercises to lose weight.
Benefits of taking Protein Shakes for Women
We need to clarify what are the benefits of protein shakes:
- Stimulating the metabolism and eliminating fats
- Supporting weight loss together with a healthy diet
- Helping to gain muscle mass together with other nutrients and a proper workout routine
- Strengthening the immune system
- Increasing the serotonin and reducing the anxiety
- Protecting the muscle tissue and supporting its regeneration
- Meeting the energy requirements
Can a Protein Shake replace a meal?
The experts insist that protein shakes are a complement to the diet
You should not replace your meals with these drinks by any means. Otherwise, you may suffer a deficiency of important nutrients that can trigger serious health problems if it last for a while.
Do not forget that you should follow a balanced diet – dairy, red meat, chicken, fish, egg, quinoa, rice, pasta, potato… these products will help you increase your muscle mass.
You can use the protein powder to make delicious smoothies or any of these recipes with Whey Protein
How much Protein do we need?
Active People
Those who perform high intensity workouts should take 2 grams per kilo of weight
This intake provides the necessary nutrients to regenerate the fiber and mass you lost during the workout. However, there is still a lot of controversy regarding this advice. From 1g per kilo of lean mass up to 3 or 4, it all depends on each person, their situation and objective, we cannot make general statements.
Sedentary People
Now we have to deal with just the opposite. They should take 0.8-1 gram per kilo
If you exceed this amount, the protein would cause the opposite effects. In other words, you could gain weight since they provide calories (1g = 4kcal) like all the nutrients.
Women and Protein Shakes
The components of protein powder allow us – both men and women – to lose weight, enhance our performance, tone up the body and gain muscle mass
However, the fitness industry is coming up with protein supplements that are allegedly made for women. But do not be fooled, since they tend to do this just to earn more money. Protein is protein, men and women will get the same benefits from taking a whey, iso or any other type.
The protein intake needs to match your objective, not your sex
Advice
We needed to explain all this because an excess of any element will be harmful for our health
Taking too much protein can trigger abdominal inflammation and flatulence. Moreover, it can also cause fluid retention and even affect the kidneys or liver in very extreme cases, but this is quite rare.
That is why we suggest:
- Learning and consulting a professional, specially if it is the first time you are taking protein shakes.
- Reading the label of the products carefully.
- Buying the products in a reliable store with quality warranty.
- Checking their components and effects
Do not be afraid of Protein Shakes
To conclude, we want to insist that we should not be afraid of protein shakes, specially women. Like we said before, they have many benefits for women.
From now on, consult your coach or nutritionist and give them a try if you haven’t already!
Bibliography
- “Mentiras que engordan” Mitos sobre la nutrición
- “Tu eliges lo que comes” Carlos Casabona
- “No más dieta” Julio Basulto y María José Mateo
- “Mi dieta cojea” Aitor Sánchez
- “Mentiras que engordan” Los 10 mitos de la alimentación que te has tragado.
- Formation and personal experience.
Related Entries
- Women and Exercise: Benefits, Myths, Mistakes, Tips
- Losing Fat for Women
- Diet for women: The 30 calorie rule
- Nutrient Guide for Female Endurance Runners
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