kalima
New member
Most forums I've read have detailed added whey protein as a weight gaining aid for body-builders.
I like a whey shake after a run, and I'm mostly vegetarian (not strictly) so I could use the protein. I have read that the branched chain amino acids in whey protein are more quickly digested/assimilated/put to use by the body than the longer-chained, more complex proteins found in other foods. I have also read that sugar cravings are reduced if one is eating the correct amount of protein, and I've noticed this effect from drinking a whey shake post-workout/run. I'm not as ravenous as I usually am from extended exercise if I have a whey shake.
Although weight loss would be a nice added benefit, adding whey protein isn't a magic bullet. I am more focused on general fitness and hope to become something of an endurance runner--slowly upping my mileage and intensity--and whey protein definitely helps in muscle recovery post-workout. I'm less sore than I was as an absolute beginner--but I'm more conditioned, too, so it's tough to say if the whey has anything to do with that.
I'm aiming to lose perhaps 20lbs, but if I stay the weight I am and become more fit with a better body composition, hey, I'll take that, too. A better muscle-to-fat ratio means a better resting metabolism. I've lost weight before by focusing more on gaining muscle and fitness rather than cutting calories, but I've not been overweight, just out-of-shape.
I like a whey shake after a run, and I'm mostly vegetarian (not strictly) so I could use the protein. I have read that the branched chain amino acids in whey protein are more quickly digested/assimilated/put to use by the body than the longer-chained, more complex proteins found in other foods. I have also read that sugar cravings are reduced if one is eating the correct amount of protein, and I've noticed this effect from drinking a whey shake post-workout/run. I'm not as ravenous as I usually am from extended exercise if I have a whey shake.
Although weight loss would be a nice added benefit, adding whey protein isn't a magic bullet. I am more focused on general fitness and hope to become something of an endurance runner--slowly upping my mileage and intensity--and whey protein definitely helps in muscle recovery post-workout. I'm less sore than I was as an absolute beginner--but I'm more conditioned, too, so it's tough to say if the whey has anything to do with that.
I'm aiming to lose perhaps 20lbs, but if I stay the weight I am and become more fit with a better body composition, hey, I'll take that, too. A better muscle-to-fat ratio means a better resting metabolism. I've lost weight before by focusing more on gaining muscle and fitness rather than cutting calories, but I've not been overweight, just out-of-shape.
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