Protein Powder: Does It Actually Work?

Intro

Hey what’s happening?!!…

This is Isai Rodriguez… host of the DadSplanation Podcast where I cater to the Professional Working Man, 40 and above, who’s looking to make positive changes to his health, lose weight, and become stronger overall through simple lifestyle changes.

I’m here to share inspiration, tips and proven lessons that I’ve personally learned and lived through in my 40+ years on this beautiful blue planet.

So today we’ll start the discussion off by answering the question Do You Workout Alone Or With A Friend? in our first segment and then we’ll move on to our 2nd segment and talk about Protein Powder: Does It Actually Work?…

And before we get into that, if you’d like to continue the conversation, then get on over to podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip to get on the VIP Insider’s Community where I share more entertaining “behind-the-scenes” stories, tips, and hacks that’ll keep you feeling younger each and every day!

That’s podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip…

Again, that’s podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip… be in the know… starting right now

Also, don’t forget to rate me on Apple Podcasts… OR wherever it is you’re listening to this Episode… AND leave me a NICE… FAT… JUICY… 5-star-review and some absolutely beautiful words of why you love the show so much! It really helps me get the word out and it’s honestly the one place where your vote truly matters!

And now let’s move into our first segment… Healthy Conversations…

Healthy Conversations:  Do You Workout Alone Or With A Friend?

So there’s no doubt that working out with a buddy can make exercising much more fun than it already is.

Especially these days…

I mean… we all know that 2020 was a different one in so many ways, on so many levels, and not good ones either.

The whole world was shocked by a pandemic, which is still very much on. We’re not out of the clear just yet.

My prediction? I’m thinking that by late August, early September we should all have the ability to leave our home without a mask…

But this is kind of a moving target. Anything can happen at any given moment so let’s see what happens but that’s my prediction as of this episode.

I guess time’ll tell for sure but it’s awesome to know that…

So many people have shifted their focus towards living a healthier lifestyle by exercising regularly and also eating foods that can improve their overall health and immunity.

And while they’re at it, I really think that working out with a buddy or with a friend can be a really good idea.

But of course… If you are the type of person that says that working out alone is better for you to get the best results, then hopefully what we’re going to talk about now will change your mind.

I don’t know! Let’s see… but if it doesn’t, I’d love to hear your opinion down in the comments. Good, Bad, or Indifferent! I’d love to hear it.

So here we go…

Going to the gym and working out with a buddy can make the whole exercising thing so much more fun than it already is.

And on those days when you feel low mood-wise (like when you just don’t feel like going), or you’re stressed and don’t really feel like exercising, just call up a friend of yours and plan to do a workout together.

Not only will it improve your mood, it’ll also motivate you to give your best at the gym.

You don’t realize this but you actually get to push your limits when working out with a buddy.

We all know that exercise is great for so many reasons.

It’s great for weight loss and weight management, heart health and for your mental health.

I also realized recently (thanks to this pandemic) that we should find an exercise buddy, and should really try to exercise with a buddy every now and then.

For so many reasons, but mostly for motivation, safety, and to keep your sanity quite frankly.

I always thought that working out alone would give me that “me time”… that “push” to exercise efficiently.

But the reality is that when you exercise with a friend or a buddy, maybe someone who is fitter than you, this acts as a great push and you end up striving to do better.

And really… The most effective part of working out with a buddy, as I said earlier, is that it makes the whole exercising thing FUN.

And we all want to continue doing something that’s fun for us, right?

I mean you get to catch up face to face with that buddy…
… find out what they’ve got going on in their life right this second.

You can talk about whatever it is you talk about whether it’s work, family, or different workout routines you’ve picked up since you last spoke.

This one-on-one interaction lifts your mood, it makes you feel significant and appreciated… AND it helps you get the most out of your workout because have you ever been at the gym by yourself and you’re giving it your all but then suddenly you get a case of moodkill…

Something zaps your energy dry and desire to continue on mentally drops to Zero and you just put the weights down and say to yourself…

“That’s it… I’ll kill it the next time” and then maybe you cut your workout 10 or 15 minutes earlier than expected.

It’s happened to me a lot of times… that’s why I bring it up.

I don’t know… Am I alone in this?

Let me know down in the comments if you’re like me and you’ve cut your workout a little short because you just couldn’t mentally push yourself past that point of not wanting to continue on for whatever reason that was…

Drop it in the comments now…

And then go and find a workout buddy and enjoy your workouts to the fullest.

Happy fitness y’all!

And so with that all said and done… Let’s move on to our SECOND segment… “Mighty Man”

Mighty Man:  Protein Powder: Does It Actually Work?

So protein found in the foods we eat can help your body in so many ways.

It helps to maintain your bones and muscles, repairs tissue and even helps your digestion.

Protein has several fitness and weight management benefits.

It can help you build muscle mass.

It fills you up more so that you eat less.

Helps your body burn fat and recover more quickly after a workout.

And depending on your unique situation–Age, Sex, Level of Activity–all of this will determine your specific protein needs.

The current recommended daily allowance of protein for adults is in the range of 10% to 35% of your overall calories.

So basically for reference purposes… if you were to consume 2000 calories in one day, then that means that between 200 and 700 of those calories should come from protein.

Now this recommendation is simply a baseline and most likely will increase if you’re an athlete or basically exercising more than usual.

Also, if you’re eating a diet that’s basically 100% plant based, this recommendation will increase for you as well.

In fact, some health experts also suggest higher protein intake for adults 65 or older because they naturally lose muscle mass more rapidly.

And although most Americans get enough protein, some might actually need more than they’re currently eating.

To help get more protein, they may buy protein powders to get more protein into their diet.

They’ll usually mix them with water, juice, or milk depending on their tastes and they’ll make a protein shake or smoothie, for easier consumption.

These days, protein powders can be made of different sources and depending on your tastes, tolerances, and even food allergies… You may choose one source over the other.

And when I say source, I’m talking about milk based (or what’s better known as Whey or Casein Protein)…

There’s also Hemp protein, protein from Peas, Rice, and Soy to name a few.

And like we mentioned earlier…

People using protein powders include those who want to increase their muscle mass, recover from an injury, get enough protein but they don’t like to cook or they have a poor appetite, and lose body fat.

And we’ve heard these claims before but “Do Protein Powders Actually Work?”

Well… When used correctly, protein powders can be effective to build muscle mass and provide more protein in your diet.

But, the use of protein powder alone won’t magically increase muscle mass…

It’s a combination of eating protein and carbs together, and tying that together with strength training that’ll really pack on the muscle pounds.

Protein powders can also help busy athletes who are training for many hours and find it much easier to have a protein shake rather than making a whole meal or a protein packed snack.

Because the true beauty of protein powders is this…

You can basically mix it into any liquid or food that suits your needs and your tastes.

So you can mix it into Oatmeal.

You can mix it into Pancake batter.

Pudding. Soups. Smoothies, obviously.

Spaghetti sauce is another good one, especially if you’re using Pea protein.

Oh and let’s not forget the all purpose Yogurt!

And here’s the thing…

Most of these are super simple to make.

There’s really nothing to do other than mix in a scoop or two into whatever your base of choice is…

The spaghetti sauce is a good one because you get the double whammy of protein and carbs all in one…

You can even just have the pasta with sauce and still get plenty of protein into your body.

You might have to play around with the amount of protein powder you add but it really gives a good one two punch of carbs and protein.

So think about that!

The best time to use a protein powder or any type of protein is within 30 minutes after a workout.

So if you have a smoothie in your gym bag as I generally do, you can kill your workout and then have a delicious protein-packed banana and strawberry smoothie!

And now… I love my protein shakes but I also love to play devil’s advocate every now and then…

And so, let it be known that you can achieve the same goals of muscle recovery, losing body fat, and building muscle mass with food-based sources of protein instead of protein powder as well.

Some good food-based sources include at least 5 ounces of plain Greek yogurt… ¾ cup of cottage cheese… 3 ounces of tuna… a 3-ounce serving of lean chicken, beef or fish…

Any of these choices will give you around 20 grams of lean protein.

And let’s not forget the beans… eggs… grains such as quinoa… and nuts and other seeds.

Again… all great options to get that protein into your diet so you can burn more fat and build more muscle.

And now… let’s talk about some of the risks of protein.

We spoke about some good benefits but just like anything else in life, there are also risks (or cons)

But here’s the deal…

There’s really not that many cons to worry about…

I mean… yeah… There are some reasons to be cautious about the use of protein powders but overall, they’re safe and a great way to get protein into your diet.

That being said, it is possible to consume too much protein.

This is a thing and it’s not good.

It leads to dehydration or even damage to your kidneys and liver.

So definitely something to keep in mind.

Not only that but over consuming protein won’t help you build muscles any faster.

That’s just the bottom line. It won’t.

It’s also possible to over consume protein from powder or food sources and not get enough of the other foods that your body needs, like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

So let’s keep this in mind and not overly pack your diet with protein because that’s not exactly a good thing.

Remember the numbers 10-35%…

This is the range of your total calorie intake that should be protein.

And let’s also remember that if you’re working out more than normal, you may want to increase this number.

And if you plan on getting that protein from Protein Powder then here are 7 tips to keep in mind.

Check with your doctor first if you have kidney or liver disease or any diet that requires protein restriction.

Again… too much protein could cause damage especially if you have kidney or liver disease.

Your doctor or a nutritionist can let you know if you should avoid using protein powders all together.

Look for a product that has a third-party verification symbol.

Protein powders and other supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA and so a Third-party verification ensures the product contains what it says on the label.

This is important because some powders may contain ingredients that aren’t listed on the label, including heavy metals like arsenic, lead and mercury.

For example, a 2018 study from the nonprofit group Clean Label Project tested 134 protein powders and found that most of them had detectable levels of a heavy metal, and more than half contained BPA which (if you don’t know) is a chemical found in plastic food liners.

Heavy metals and BPA are associated with brain damage and cancer over long-term use… so needless to say, these are bad bad bad things to be ingesting.

Look for symbols such as GMP, USP or NSF to indicate third-party verification.

Consider your allergies before you buy

Read the label in advance so you know what’s in it.

For instance, if you have a dairy allergy or you’re lactose-intolerant, you’ll want to avoid whey or casein protein powder.

Is it “Case-In” or “Kaye-Seen”?… I don’t know… drop it in the comments if you know how to pronounce it properly.

Pronunciation is NOT my forte.

Try a sample before you buy, if you can

Protein powders are often sold in large tubs and so they can be expensive.

That means you could end up being stuck with a lot of unused product if you don’t like the taste of it.

And then… what do you do with 49lbs of protein you can’t stand?

Look for a powder that doesn’t have too many added ingredients

Some brands might have a lot of added sugars, artificial flavors, thickeners or high doses of added vitamins and minerals that you basically don’t need.

Keep an eye out for that because what you need and want is Protein… not all the other stuff they like to sneak in there.

Select unflavored or vanilla-flavored powders

You’ll get more bang for your buck out of these…

They’re much more versatile for adding to other foods.

Period.

This is a huge one for me because you know how I enjoy variety in my diet so if I have a protein powder that I can mix into almost everything… welp… the sky’s the limit, as they say!

If you choose a vegan protein powder, opt for one that mixes multiple sources of protein

And this is because some vegan proteins, such as rice protein, don’t contain all of the amino acids needed for proper recovery.

And if you’re wondering… Amino acid is what protein is made out of.

So a better choice for a vegan protein powder would be a mix of rice and pea protein combined.

And now, once you’ve chosen the perfect protein powder for you, let’s keep this last tip in mind when taking your protein.

You’ll want to spread your protein intake evenly throughout your day.

Many people will eat foods low in protein earlier in the day and then a big portion at dinner.

I used to do this all the time.

I figured the carbs in the morning would give you more energy throughout the day but in actuality…

It’s better to spread it out throughout the day.

This goes for Carbs and Protein but more importantly for protein.

You see… your body can’t store and process large amounts of protein at a time so for this reason, you’ll want to break down your intake into smaller chunks throughout the day

So… With all that said…

Closing

That’s it you guys… That’s my show for today!

I hope you found some valuable information here and if nothing else, I hope I’ve entertained you for a few minutes and was able to bring a little man-ly sunshine to your day.

Thanks for taking some time out of your day to listen to me… it’s very much appreciated!

On next week’s episode, we’ll be talking about How The Food You’re Eating Might Be Affecting Your Sleep so you definitely don’t want to miss out on that!

And if you’d like to continue the conversation with me, then get on over to podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip to get on the VIP Insider’s community where I share even more “raw-behind-the-scenes” stories, tips, and hacks that’ll keep you feeling younger and younger… each and every day!

That’s podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip…

Again, that’s podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip… be in the know… starting right now!

Also, don’t forget to rate me on Apple Podcasts… OR wherever it is you’re listening to this Episode… AND leave me a NICE… FAT… JUICY… 5-star-review and some absolutely beautiful words of why you love the show so much!

It really helps me get the word out and it’s honestly the one place where your vote truly matters!

Until our next chat… Take care!