5 key protein questions answered

Protein is an incredibly important macronutrient; it’s vital no matter what your fitness goals are.

#1 Protein questions: how much protein do you have?

Standard recommendations are about 1.8-2.0g of protein per kg of lean body mass for muscle building or maintenance, or about 2.3-3.0g protein per kg of lean body mass for fat loss. Protein shakes are one of the easiest, quickest and most efficient ways to top up your daily protein intake to meet those targets.

#2 Protein questions: what kind of protein do you have in your shake?

Whey protein has one of the highest biological values and is a complete protein, meaning that it supplies all of the essential amino acids that your body requires. It is not the only type of protein that can be used in shakes of course; casein is another popular choice. Which one is better for you? Well, it depends on what your goals are and your lifestyle, etc. but for the average person what it really comes down to, (like most things in fitness), is personal choice; make your decision on what suits you the best.

#3 Protein questions: what flavours do you choose?

With so many options it can be fun sampling all of the different ones, although invariably you’ll hit upon some you prefer over others. A certain flavour that one person loves might be foul tasting to you and vice versa. I prefer flavours like Strawberries & Whipped Cream and Vanilla Ice Cream, although I like to experiment with others on occasion and found that Jammie Biscuit is pretty nice as well! Going for unflavoured protein is another option; you can then add your own flavouring to it or use it in other ways. Powdered protein is surprisingly versatile and there are more things you can use it in than just shakes.

#4 Protein questions: what do you mix your protein shake with?

Do you choose the simplicity of water or do you mix it with milk? If you chose milk what kind of milk? Personally my choice depends on my macronutrient targets that day. I usually favour either semi-skimmed milk or hazelnut milk; the former if I need a little more protein/carbs and the latter if I need a little more fat.

#5 Protein questions: when do you have yours?

The final of our protein questions - recent research has shown that the most important thing regarding protein is to meet your targets for the day and the timing of your protein intake is less important than was once thought. Having said that though, if you can knock back some protein post-workout then why not? The post-exercise anabolic window, (where you get the most benefit from taking in food post-workout), may not be anywhere near as small as many used to think but consuming food nutrients sooner rather than later certainly causes no harm. First thing in the morning when I’m barely awake and rushed for time I have a breakfast protein shake that’s really good for me and keeps me going for hours. Whey protein, pure fine oats and milk; the amounts dependent on my macronutrient targets for the day, of course. One of my favourite combinations is 2 scoops of Strawberries & Whipped Cream flavour whey, 2 scoops of fine oats and 300ml of hazelnut milk. This provides about 49.9g PRO, 80.4g CHO, 14.7g FAT and 643 kcal; it’s a great start to the day and is absolutely delicious! YOUR VIEW: That's enough of my protein questions, how do you take yours? Comment below!