(from Level One Training and Fitness, December 4, 2018)
Protein supplement powders, bars, liquids, gels, pastes, and more have thoroughly permeated the nutritional supplement landscape. They grace the pages of fitness magazines in the form of extreme fitness models with bulging muscles, 6-pack abdominals, and not an ounce of fat on their bodies.
On these very glossy pages, these extreme representatives profess to the effectiveness of the particular protein supplement brand they’re promoting.
In addition, we’ve got a fair number of influences, bloggers, amateur trainers, and armchair nutritionists who claim to know EXACTLY what your protein supplement needs are without having ever met you. While not malicious in their intent, much of what they have to say (or write) is based on purely anecdotal evidence, without any studies cited and without any formal background, education, or training in nutrition.
Not to worry! I’m not here to tell you that you’re protein-deficient nor am I here to regurgitate my knowledge of protein to you. I AM here to tell you it’s very likely your protein intake is more than sufficient to make it thru each day of the week… WITHOUT a protein supplement. For any other more involved discussions or EXTREME recommendations, I would defer to a Registered Dietitian.
In the meantime, step away from that protein tub – you may WANT it, but do you really NEED it? Before you go rushing off to try that next new flavor of Optimum Nutrition or Muscle Milk, take an inventory of what you eat on a daily basis, read a few labels for protein content, then add everything up. You may be pleasantly surprised to know you don’t have to add something to your grocery list – or spend any additional money!
Want to see how your nutrition stacks up? Check out our Nutrition Quiz! To get a better idea of when it’s appropriate to consume more protein or what exactly “extreme” means and how it fits into this context, read this article from NPR… To try to make sense of it all by talking to us, visit our Contact Page. Whichever way you slice it, it pays to educate yourself!