Protein is Protein Part 2

protein powderSo just to recap in part 1 of Protein is Protein I went over how to tell how much protein your container has versus filler or how much protein each scoop contains versus the fillers, which they use to fill the container up and make a buck.

In part 2 I want to go over the different types of proteins contained in the powders you buy. Yes, most protein powders are whey protein but they do different things!

Let’s start at the top with whey isolate proteins. Isolate protein is the highest quality form of whey you can buy. Most whey isolates have majority of the impurities removed from them. Impurities being the fats, a large portion of the sodium and carbs. When all this is processed out it leaves you with a product that is about 90% pure and lactose free. With iso proteins being so pure they absorb quickly and have a high bioavailability making them perfect for pre or post workout!

The next step down is your whey concentrates. Whey concentrates are still high quality proteins just not as pure as your isolates. You have 2 types of concentrate that are used, WPC-80 and WPC-30. Your WPC-80 is going to be a lot closer to a whey isolate as far as absorption rate and bioavalability is concerned. Most companies use WPC-30 though which isn’t going to absorb very well and has a low bioavalability meaning you won’t absorb most of it. Typically as the consumer you won’t know which one you’re getting until you begin to have gastric issues.

Once you’ve reached the bottom of the whey pile you’ll find casein protein. Casein protein is in it’s own category ultimately. It’s not high quality or low quality as far as macronutrients goes. The quality of casein is determined by it’s process and I’ll keep this short and sweet(from high to low). Potassium casinate is at the top for quality, then calcium, and then sodium casinate. Anyway…excuse that tangent. Casein is a slow absorbing protein that works well for bed time to help prevent muscle break down or during the day if you’re needing to supplement in a protein that’s close to a whole food source.

They make protein powders that will contain all 3 proteins and those good to have post workout, during the day, or before bed. Just make sure you check the percentage of protein in the container or scoop to make sure you get the most out of the 3 proteins and as little filler as possible!

Stay Fit. Stay Healthy.

Lift That Booty!

squat that booty beforeDo you want to take your glutes and legs from this…

squat that booty afterTo this?!

Try this HIIT style workout to build up those glutes and thighs that can be done at home:

1a. Single leg squat with kickback 60 seconds
1b. Walking lunges 60 seconds
Rest 60 seconds
2a. Wide stance deep squat 60 seconds
2b. Mountain climbers
Rest 60 seconds
3a. Single leg dumbbell/kettle bell deadlift 60 seconds each leg
3b. In and out squat jumps 60 seconds
Rest 60 seconds

Novice- 1 round
Amateur 2 rounds
Pro- 3 or 4 rounds

These are supersets so you’ll do 1a. then 1b. and then rest for 60 seconds before moving on to the next set. If you want less rest to create more of a challenge break for 30-45 seconds.

 Let me know what you think, like, and don’t like!

How Low Can You Go?!

squatsIf you didn’t guess from the picture…I want to talk to you about squats for a minute. Squats are one of the most functional exercises we can do in the gym that reaps great benefits! It’s a move that a lot of people don’t like and it makes sense it requires your entire body to work which is exhausting at times, aside from that let me give you some benefits to doing squats:

Increase the release of hormones. What this means when doing squats your body produces the highest amount of growth hormone which reduces the effects of aging and in men increased testosterone which aids in building muscle. The reason for this is because a squat requires every muscle in the body to move the weight properly.

Increase in core strength. When doing squats the body has to work overtime to prevent injury by helping you maintain a good posture and stabilizing you. This forces your abs and hip complex to become stronger. Did I mention that it helps your abs?!

Improve flexibility. When doing deep squat(ass to the grass) you are creating more flexibility in your hip complex which in return helps creates less back pain.

PS- Studies have shown that deep squats are not bad for your knees. If anything they actually help create more elasticity. When studying squats above parallel, parallel, and below parallel there is no difference shown in the stress put on the knees.

Reduce injury risk. Squats help build up your glutes, hamstrings, and quads which are your bodies primary stabilizers.

Increase lower body strength. Let’s not forget the obvious reason here for squats…becoming stronger in your lower body.

How often are you squatting?

Protein is Protein Part 1

protein powder

“Protein is protein” is a phrase I hear on a regular basis! Is this true, is protein really just protein? Well to answer that question briefly, the answer is NO!

Protein is a weird animal because protein isn’t just protein when it comes to whey isolates, concentrates, and casein proteins. There’s a lot that goes into producing a high quality protein that the body can make good use of and is easy on the digestive system. So to get started I will just keep it simple and explain how to know how much of your container is protein versus what the companies fill them up with to keep cost down and make a profit.

One key factor to pay attention to and makes picking high quality protein a little easier is to look at how much protein you’re getting versus filler. The way this is done is to take the amount of protein you’re getting per serving and divide it by the serving size(normally in grams) listed on the nutrition or supplement facts. So if your protein is 30 grams per serving and the serving size is 35 grams you have 85% protein per scoop. Which is going to be extremely high quality since it contains hardly any filler and is primarily protein. Now if you have a protein powder and the amount of protein per serving is 22 grams and the serving size is 45 grams you’re looking at a container of protein that is only about 48% protein. That is a very low quality protein that the body can’t make good use of and probably has a very low bioavailability(which I’ll get in to in a later post).

So turn your container around and see how much protein you’re really getting! But at the end of the day if the protein seems low quality it probably is.

Part 2 coming soon!