Basic protein formula –
Now you know everything you need to know about protein, everything but when to consume protein that is. Protein needs to be consumed all throughout the day, I would advise in 3-hour intervals depending on how many meals you eat per day. Whether you are dieting or bulking you should be consuming at least 1 gram of protein per pound (lb) of body weight each day (sometimes up to 2g!), divide this number into however many meals you eat a day and you have the amount of protein you should be consuming each meal. For example, someone who is 150lb and eats 5 meals a day should be consuming at least 30grams of protein in each meal ( 150 x 1 = x, x ÷ 5 =30).
So eating 30g of protein 5 times a day (depending on your weight) sounds pretty simple, and it can be, but there is more to it than this. At certain points throughout the day, certain types of protein can be much more beneficial than others, so depending on how seriously you take your training, the following information could be vital to you. That being said, if you cannot get a hold of a specific type of protein, any type will still benefit you.
Breakfast –
As mentioned in a previous article, breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day and is one of the most important along with your post-workout meal/shake. You have gone at least 8 hours without protein and your body is now starting to harvest the amino acids it needs for energy from your muscles, in a sense you are eating yourself! So what should you do? As soon as you wake your goal should be to get a fast-digesting protein into your body, I would recommend whey protein as soon as possible. This is the fastest absorbing protein and can get to your muscles within half an hour. I would suggest having the whey protein immediately upon waking and then eating your carbs after ( protein should be a priority for breakfast).
If however, you choose not to take the best HGH for bodybuilding which is highly recommended to bodybuilders, the quickest form of whole foods and a great source of protein is eggs. On average a large egg has 6g of protein (3g protein in the egg white and 3g in the yolk) I would try to consume at least 3 full eggs and maybe an extra few egg whites. If you have high cholesterol 3 whole eggs ( due to the egg yolk) is not advised, as far as protein is concerned it does not matter how you cook your eggs, although fried eggs every day could begin to have an impact on your health. The healthiest option is poached, hard-boiled and scrambled are also fine.
Dont forget although you might be trying to get 30g of protein for breakfast, there is a protein in with the other foods you are eating ( i.e slice of toast has 3g protein in) make sure you check the nutritional label to find the exact numbers.
Post-workout –
by post-workout I am, of course, referring to straight after a workout, at this point, your muscles have been worked hard and are depleted of energy and nutrients, once again whey protein is the best choice here and is the fastest way to get the protein to your muscles, typically there is a 30-minute gap after a workout was getting the whey protein will be the most effective, the sooner the better, I would recommend no less then 25g of protein post-workout and try to get some carbs in as well (double the amount of the protein) if bulking. As far as whole foods go, none will be quite as effective in the 30-minute gap as whey protein, but your best bet is consuming milk, milk contains whey protein along with casein protein (20% whey protein and 80% casein) along with some carbs. For more info on post-workout nutrition click here.
meal before bed –
seen as your going to sleep for hopefully around 8 hours, chances are you not going to be eating throughout that time, so you need to eat something before bed that has a time releasing effect, and what better than casein protein powder, which can take up to 7 hours to be fully absorbed. There is also a selection of whole foods that are very high in slow-releasing protein, milk, as mentioned earlier is 80% casein, and a personal favorite of mine is cottage cheese, a great source of slow-releasing protein to keep your muscles well-fed until breakfast.
As long as you are getting the protein you need in your other meals throughout the day it is not quite as important to have specifically whey protein or casein protein, although it still gets the job done! hopefully, the last few articles have answered all your questions about protein, however, if you have any questions feel free to comment or contact me via the contact tab.