Have you ever seen those photos in popular magazines that compare two celebrities in the same outfit and ask, “Who wore it better?”
I had one of those moments recently. I coach a husband and wife in the same session and we had a chat about the ideal timing of protein drinks around their workouts.
One likes to drink their protein shake before, while the other likes to have it after.
Who was doing it better?
Up until recently, the post-workout protein “rule” has been one of those all-or-nothing, black and white, you’re either doing it this way or you’re doing it wrong, dichotomies.
It stated unequivocally that protein must come immediately after a resistance training workout—within 60 minutes to be exact—to maximize the “post-exercise anabolic window”. Taking in easily digestible protein, often combined with carbs, right away! was essential for muscle gain.
But why is protein so important to muscle gain?
Protein is made up of amino acids and amino acids are the building blocks of muscle.
When it comes to our muscles, there are two competing processes going on in the body all the time: muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB). The combination of the two is called muscle protein turnover.
Muscle growth is the result of more MPS than MPB over time.
The conditions that must be in place for net gains in muscle to occur include eating sufficient protein AND doing something to build those muscles. That’s where exercise—specifically resistance training with bodyweight, barbells, dumbbells, other heavy objects, or resistance bands—is crucial.
I like to say that nutrition is never transactional. It’s not like going to the bank when there are zero dollars in your account and putting in exactly the money you’re going to go spend at your favourite shoe store.
Everything is always humming along in the background. Kind of like automatic deposits and automatic bill payments, where things are going in and things are going out and your bank account is up, then down, then up, then down, but never at exactly net zero.
This is why the rigidity around protein timing to support MPS has become more refined recently. Research shows that just having protein in your system semi-regularly throughout the day is sufficient.
This more gentle approach advocates that the total daily protein amount is the single most influential factor when it comes to the optimization of muscle growth and maintenance. This is more important than the exact amount of protein per serving or whether servings are timed perfectly to coincide with the end of a workout.
You might be thinking that you’re not interested in getting jacked, so why would you care about building more muscle?
I’ll tell you.
It’s not about now, it’s about later. Now might be about a certain aesthetic—looking firm and toned. For others, it might be about crushing new goals in the gym, such as setting new personal bests or personal records in certain lifts. You might not care at all about either.
But later, it’s about mobility, independence, and quality of life and those are things you should care about. Frailty and sarcopenia are two of the biggest threats as we age. If you’re not familiar with the term sarcopenia, it refers to age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and with it can come an increase in frailty. Frailty is defined as an “increased vulnerability due to age-related decline and dysfunction across multiple physiological systems”.
Muscle mass peaks around the age of 30 and without putting in the work to maintain it, it’s possible to lose a staggering five pounds per decade. With that comes a drop in strength and metabolism. With a drop in strength comes the possibility of a decrease in independence, an increase in the risk of falls, and with more potential falls, the risk of broken hips and other bones, with sometimes catastrophic results.
But just how much is enough to support the body you may want now and the life you definitely want later?
The lower recommended amount is 0.7g per pound of bodyweight for both men and women.
If you’re a 150lb person, that’s 105g of protein in a day. It could look like:
3/4 cup of egg whites (20g)
3/4 cup of Greek Yogurt (about 17g)
1 scoop of protein powder (about 25g)
1 chicken breast (about 40g)
If that seems like a lot, total bodyweight can be adjusted for target bodyweight, if you’re working to lose 30+ pounds over time. This will decrease the total amount of protein you’re aiming for, making it a more achievable target.
That being said, many people enjoy eating closer to 1g per pound of bodyweight, but it’s not necessary and not everyone enjoys a protein heavy diet.
The good news is that protein from all sources counts towards your daily total. So, in addition to the relatively “pure” protein sources I listed in the example, your total daily intake will also include the bits you get from grains, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils, cheese and other dairy products, and even the small amounts from fruits and veggies. Aiming to hit your target using both plant and animal proteins is helpful, as the two groups have different essential amino acid (EAA) profiles.
Click here for a list of protein sources.
Beyond supporting the growth and maintenance of our skeletal muscle, eating protein also helps with satiety—ie. helping to satisfy you at the time of your meal, while also keeping you feeling full for longer.
I recommend that clients get a good dose of protein at breakfast (at least 25-30g) as there is some research that suggests that a high protein breakfast can decrease subsequent appetite throughout the day. Hitting at least 25% of your protein intake in the early part of the day will also help you to accumulate your daily target more easily.
Beyond that, including a protein source with every meal AND snack is ideal. If you don’t want to track grams of anything, using the palm of your hand to estimate your protein works well. Aim for at least a palm sized serving with each meal and snack.
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