A beginner’s guide to protein

Figuring out what to eat post workout is always a struggle. You're sweaty and starving which usually means you want something quick and easy. You also likely want to eat something somewhat healthy, so you don’t completely cancel out the workout you just did. This is when we find it most effective to add in a protein powder of some sort.

For the longest time we stayed away from protein powders as they always seemed so intimidating and honestly kind of gross. The matter of the fact is if you get the right one and use it the right way you can make some delicious post workout snacks.

In recent years we have seen basically everything have some type of protein style variant. Whether it's a protein chip, protein yogurt or even a protein brownie. Companies have definitely found a market for protein-based products. Which honestly makes sense considering they are crucial to helping repair muscles and maximize your workouts. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protein is part of every cell of our body and contributes to a lot of necessary functions such as the building and repairing of your body's tissues.

How much protein do you need?

Similar to most other workout supplements how much protein you should be consuming in a day depends on your goals. Someone who is cutting or trying to lose weight will need less than someone who is bulking and trying to build muscle. It also depends on your weight and age. If you are looking to build muscle, you should be pushing towards 1.2 to 2 grams per pound. According to the Dietary Reference Intakes, for the average adult you should be looking at closer to .8 per pound of body weight. These numbers differ mostly because of the activity levels. Someone who is trying to build muscle is typically weight training and putting a lot of strain on their muscles. If you want to start increasing protein and building muscle, make sure to stay within the suggested range because too much protein can lead to serious health issues.

Where else to get protein?

Now we know you all are here to learn about protein powders and supplements, but that obviously is not the only place to get your protein from. Nobody necessarily needs protein powder to live, but for those looking for a high protein, low calorie option it can be more effective. Some other great sources of protein are a 4oz chicken breast has 27 grams and two large eggs have around 12 grams. On average a 30gram scoop of protein powder can have anywhere from 20 - 25 grams, which is why many people choose it over whole protein. The biggest thing to look for when buying your protein powder, and any other workout supplements is the ingredients. Look for certification labels from Informed Choice or the Certified for Sport seal from NSF International. These companies search for banned substances and other ingredients you don’t want to have in your powders.

When should you have it?

So now that we have covered the amount of protein you need and where to get it from let's talk about when you should take it. Like we said earlier protein helps to build and repair tissue, which is why it is most important to take it right after a workout. What is important to consider though is what type of workout you did. If you did a high intensity workout aim for around 20 grams after a workout. If you did something more low intensity no need to go overboard. Protein shakes and bars are a super easy and quick workout snack. We suggest packing one in your gym bag to eat in the car ride home. Some other of our favorite high protein after workout snacks are, Greek yogurt and berries, or protein cereal.

The Edge’s protein favorites

It wouldn’t be an Edge article without sharing some of our top picks! Here are our favorite protein powders and bars.

- Gomacro plant-based protein bars that have around 11 grams of protein per bar. We love pairing these with an apple for a quick snack. The ingredients are super clean and there is no added sugars.

- Naked Whey Protein Powder has an ingredients list you can’t beat! Blend this up with a half a banana, ice and almond milk and it’ll taste like a vanilla milkshake.

- Dymatize ISO 100 Whey Protein Isolate Peanut Butter Chocolate flavor taste like a Reese’s cup. Although it doesn’t have the best ingredients list it is a super tasty one to experiment with