Getting Whey Leaner

If you’re still not taking whey protein, you really should get with the programme. Not only you will be able to recover faster, but you’ll get leaner too. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that supplementing with whey protein resulted in fat loss, decreased body weight, and a smaller waist circumference in an overweight group of people – and the participants didn’t even exercise!

Increasing protein intake can help you lose fat because of the thermogenic effect, which is the energy utilized while digesting and metabolizing food. Protein produces the greatest thermogenesis, and whey protein is better than other forms such as casein, pea, hemp or soy for elevating the thermic effect.

Whey protein activates pathways in your brain to release transmitters that blunt hunger and maintain satiety for longer. The aforementioned study found out that fasting ghrelin was lower in participants consuming whey protein compared with soy or carbs. This is significant because ghrelin can serve as a hunger signal. Higher levels of this hormone may lead to increased calorie consumption.

High-quality whey protein shake after workout can improve insulin sensitivity, which will improve body composition. Whey increases insulin secretion, but if you take whey in absence of carbohydrates, it will result in lower blood glucose. That means better insulin sensitivity and greater protein synthesis.

As you can see, it’s not just about building muscle when it comes to whey. For best body composition results, use whey protein once a day post-workout to boost your metabolism while suppressing hunger, and enhancing muscle recovery and development.

The main advantage of protein powders is that they are convenient. In a world where we are overwhelmed with our busy lives, it’s often difficult to find the time to prepare high-protein meals of lean meats, fish and eggs.

With whey protein, it’s true that “you get what you pay for”. If you buy discounted supplements from your local health shop that are not recognized in the fitness industry, you may be using an inferior product tainted with things you don’t want in your body. To my clients and blog subscribers I offer 40% off non-sale items from Optimum Nutrition website by entering my discount code WIK40.

One I can thoroughly recommend is Platinum HydroWhey. As hydrolysed whey it is perfect for post-workout because it is pre-digested in the lab for even faster absortion, which is critical to kickstart recovery asap. It’s also one of the very few whey protein powders that contains zero lactose, which is important for a huge part of our population.