Whether you're trying to lose or gain weight, one of the most crucial things is your protein intake. Without the right amount of protein intake, your muscles will continue to diminish and your metabolism will slow down more and more due to the lack of lean muscle mass which needs to be fueled by your caloric intake. Unlike carbs and fats, protein does not store in the body for later. So protein timing is crucial.
Now that you’re aware of that, let’s talk about the three most important times to consume protein in order to optimize your lean muscle gains.
First, is post-workout. When you go to the gym, you are breaking down your muscles with the hope to repair and grow them in order to get stronger and look leaner. After an intense workout, your muscles are ready to absorb that protein, which is why protein shake after the gym could go a long way.
Second, is first thing in the morning. This is because you just slept for 7/8 hours, which is basically an 8 hour fast...imagine not eating for 8 hours straight during the day! So in order to kick your body back into a state of muscle repair, or even muscle maintenance, it is imperative to have protein as soon as possible in the morning.
Third, is right before bed. Now seeing as how morning time is so important to have protein, you can probably see why night time is as well. But instead of having a fast absorbing protein like whey, you should try to get a slower absorbing protein like casein before you go to bed. Casein protein is popular for its “slow-drip” method in your body. Casein protein takes 5-8 hours to completely digest making it a perfect supplement for nighttime gains. Then when you wake up, you get to kick start your day with protein again!
Get your protein in at these important points of the day and watch as you achieve the results you want !
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