Should I eat protein before or after workout?

Without doubt, people who workout regularly require more protein intake as compared to people who don’t exercise regularly. This is because it helps to repair your muscles every single time you hit the gym.

There are various ways that you can consume proteins nowadays as they now come in concentrated formulas in form of protein shakes and even protein bars. To be honest, these are creative ways to put together a protein formula as they are snacks that offer great convenience. This is because you can actually carry a protein bar in your bag and go to work then eat it at your own convenience. Well, of course you have to follow your diet routine however, its still much easier to eat protein bars than having to cook a whole meal. In addition to this, you will also be able to save on time as protein bars are ready to eat.

It is recommended that you eat a meal that is high in protein 2 hours before you work out and 2 hours post- workout if you are lifting weights. However, you can easily substitute a whole meal by drinking a protein shake or eating a protein bar. You are required to eat proteins before your workout because your muscle cells break down every single time you work out. Hence, the proteins that you have consumed consist of the essential amino acids that basically help to rebuild all your muscle cells.

It is also important to note that you are not supposed to consume too much protein into your body especially after working out. This is because you will end up overwhelming your kidney with proteins that your muscles cells won’t even make use of. Unfortunately, if you keep on consuming excessive proteins in form of protein shake or protein bars it may lead to kidney damage. In addition to this, excessive consumption of protein may also cause an imbalance in your blood acidity which causes your bones to become weaker.

For sure, the consequences of taking too much protein are not very good especially if you are an athlete as it may affect your career. Therefore, you are required to take just enough proteins before and after every workout. It may be a bit difficult to measure the right amount of protein to eat however, you can roughly estimate the right amount. The perfect ratio for maximum muscles growth is one gram of protein to one kilogram of your actual body weight. So, you should be very careful and try to achieve this balance every time you eat protein before and after working out.

Reasons why you should eat protein before workout

It improves the nutrient delivery in your body

For sure, taking protein shakes or protein bars before your work out Is very essential. This is because your body’s nutrient uptake is greatest at this time. Yes, that’s right! Your body is normally still energetic pre- workout therefore it effectively absorbs all the amino acids from the protein when you consume it before working out. This plays a key role even during your work out as you will have all the energy required to take you through your work out.

In addition to this, your muscle cells will also be rebuilt from the protein that you consumed before you started working out. Unfortunately, some people usually work out without knowing the importance of taking in protein before their work out. This may also lead to pre- mature fatigue due to low energy levels.

It helps with protein synthesis

As you know, workouts such as lifting weights usually leads to wear and tear of your muscles especially if you do it on a regular basis. Therefore, you need to eat proteins before your work out so that your body can compensate for the worn-out muscle tissues. Protein- intake before workout helps with protein synthesis by up to 33% when you are working out, which is very good for a consistent and effective workout.

Consistent protein synthesis helps with muscle tissue repair which really comes in handy especially if you are an athlete. This is because you will always be having effective training sessions every time you work out as your muscle tissues recover.

It helps with fat metabolism

We all work out for different reasons which includes losing some few pounds or just keeping fit during your regular sports season. However, any kind of work out still involves a lot of energy output. Therefore, taking protein before working out increases the excess post exercise oxygen consumption in your body during your work out. For sure, this is very essential as it enables your body to repair the worn-out muscle tissues and help with muscle growth through the extra calories.

Below is a list of the best high protein foods for work out.

Type	Protein quantity
Raw eggs	6 grams/ egg
Greek yoghurt	23 grams/ 8 oz
Whey powder	24 grams/ scoop
Yellowfin tuna	25 grams/ 3oz
Tilapia	21 grams/ 3oz

Reasons why you shouldn’t take protein immediately before workout

You may vomit during your workout

It is not advisable to take concentrated protein in form of protein shake immediately before you work out. This is because you will be risking the chances of throwing up especially if you are in the gym for an intense training session. You are required to take protein at least 2 hours before you work out so that it can settle in your stomach just in time for your workout. However, it’s important to note that you can also take a light protein shake 30 minutes before you workout and all will be well.

You should always keep in mind that protein helps to rebuild your muscle tissues and enhance fat metabolism. This enables you to have effective workouts every time you head out to the gym.

Reduction in your body’s overall performance

This is another side effect of taking protein immediately before working out. When you eat protein immediately before your workout, your body won’t be able to operate at its peak performance. Especially if you are planning to do cardio or weightlifting. Without doubt, this can be really frustrating because it prevents you from achieving your goals during your session.

Your body usually requires at least 2 hours to fully process the protein you have eaten in order for the it to help in muscle repair during workout. It usually takes about 2 hours for your body to digest concentrated protein formulas such as protein shakes and about 7 hours for a proper protein meal. Therefore, your body won’t have enough time to process the protein you have consumed if you eat it immediately before your workout.

Conclusion

It is very important to eat protein before you head out for your regular work out sessions. This is because your muscle tissues usually go through a lot of wear and tear and protein helps to rebuild the tissues almost immediately. In addition to this, protein also gives you the energy that you require to always have an effective work out.

FAQs

How much protein should I consume before my work out?

You should take at least 25 grams of protein before you go for your work out. This is enough protein to facilitate for effective protein synthesis of your muscles.

What is the protein quantity of whey powder?

Well, this product normally consists of 24 grams of rich protein for every scoop. It’s a really good substitute to the old school protein foods as it is easy to prepare and less time consuming.