Should Women Be Avoiding Protein Shakes?

There are still a lot of questions and myths about whether women should take protein shakes or not. Here’s the information you need to bust through those myths and learn the power of protein

Will protein shakes make me bulky?

Protein supplements are as beneficial for women as they are for men. Anyone who’s getting stuck into regular, intense training can benefit from using protein supplements.

But don’t worry – drinking protein shakes will not bulk you up. Even with the addition of protein, you’re not going to pack on muscle the same way your male counterpart might.

How much?

Here’s how to calculate your daily protein needs. Take your body weight in pounds and multiply it by both 0.8 and 1.2. This will give you a range of how much protein should be in your diet every day.

For example, a 130lb woman needs a daily intake of protein of between 104g  and 156g per day. It isn’t always feasible or optimal to get the recommended amount of protein strictly from food sources, which is where protein-replacement shakes come in handy.

– RELATED: A Complete Guide To Understanding Protein –

How often and when?

I generally recommend using protein shakes one to three times per day. The best times for using protein supplements are first thing in the morning, pre/post workout and before bed. You shouldn’t limit your protein supplement regime to those times, but they’re generally the best times to add a protein shake to your meal schedule.

What type?

There are a lot of different types of protein supplements available, but for now let’s keep it simple and talk about the most common proteins: whey and casein.

Whey protein

Whey protein is the most common type of protein available in protein drinks. Whey concentrates and isolates are both fast-digesting proteins, so they’re ideal for first thing in the morning, before your workouts or after your workouts.

Whey concentrates will have higher amounts of lactose (milk sugar), so if you’re lactose intolerant, I recommend choosing whey isolate.

Casein protein

Casein has a slower rate of digestion, meaning it will feed your body for longer than whey. Because of this, casein is an excellent protein to take before going to bed and is often known as the nighttime protein.

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