TO WHEY OR NOT TO WHEY?

In almost every fitness/ health magazine there is an article and/or  advert about Whey protein. But so many people especially women are unsure of Whey and WHAT the benefits of it are.
So many times I've heard comments like " But I dont want to look big or bulky", I couldnt agree more! No female wants to look masculine and bulky......well at least most of us dont. BUT Whey doesn't do that! Infact it will lean you out and give you that lean and toned look :-)

Here's some info I've gathered up on Whey Protein over the years.

Think of Whey protein as the body's building blocks, they are necessary for our health.
Whey not only repairs muscle cells on a daily basis,therefore assisting in faster recovery form intense training sessions, but also assists in metabolic processes.

This muscle enhancing supplement has many benefits:

• Whey contains all essential amino acids which the body cannot produce on it's own and can only obtain from high quality proteins such as Whey.
• These amino acids assit in muscle recovery and building(when I say buliding I mean making them strong and lean not bulky).
• Whey assists Glutathione production, in other words a detoxification system within the liver.
• It is essential for the development of and protection of various body tissues and cells.
• Maintains and Increases Collagen and bone density (FABULOUS!!!).
• It is essential for looking healthy skin.
• Whey protein has as a very rapid absorbtion rate!

Let me guess you think you eat enough Protein right? Wrong....

The truth is we should eat a portion of protein with every meal- so thats around 6 portions of protein a day in order for you to receive the required amount of amino acids a day. Now I don't know about you but there is no way I get to each a portion of protein with EVERY meal..... I make my life easier by drinking a Whey protein shake at least once a day but ideally twice a day.

Another bonus is that when digesting protein the body burns more calories, this is a HUGE chunk of information if you're trying to lose body fat! It's all about calories and burning as many calories a day as possible right? Now you can supplement with healthy Whey protein and reap the benefits of burning more calories a day. 

When to Whey?

The best time is in the morning and before or after training.

I combine my Whey protein with Fat free bulgarian yoghurt and some berries or strawberries to create a smoothie. It's great as a meal for breakfast or an afternoon snack and it's very tasty too!

I also drink a scoop of Whey protein shake with skim milk after an intense cycling or workout session.

 I think it's the best time for my body to absorb the Whey and then repair all the cells in my body.

What Whey to buy?

The best Whey in my opinion is Whey Isolate which means it is the purer and more concentrated form then Whey Concentrate. It is 90% or more pure protein and very little, if any is fat.

TIP:

If you're a chocoholic like most choose a chocolate flavoured Whey Protein shake, its like a chocolate treat every time! Add a dash of pure Cocoa powder to intensify the chocolate flavour ;-)

You can also see my Chocolate Whey Protein pancakes recipe in one of my earlier posts.

Eat smart and stay lean and strong with Whey Protein.

XXX

K

Morning Glory

The early bird catches the worm!

After the holidays it’s not that easy to get into training routine and we tend to come up with all the excuses in the world! 

"Once I settle back in at work I'll be able to start going to gym again"

" I'll go this afternoon"

The most famous one to date is, "I'll start on Monday!"

There is no time like the present, so start today!

I believe the way you start your day will determine the rest of your day.

So wake up a bit earlier and before you have breakfast go for a 30-minute brisk walk!

 Breathe in the fresh air and use this time to spend quality time with your man or your dogs or simply with yourself!

 ME TIME! I love my me time.

I go for an early morning brisk walk with my hubby and my 3 dogs! I get to burn the left over stored calories from the day before, spend time with my little family and keep them healthy. All at the same time ;-)

The benefits of going for an early morning walk BEFORE you eat is that your body burns more FAT!

You increase your heart rate, get the blood pumping and instantly you'll have more energy for the day ahead! Not mention the good mood you'll be in thanks to your increase in dopamine levels.

APPRECIATE YOUR BREAKFAST!

Now that you have already burned between 150-250 calories (depending on your body weight), think twice about what calories your going to put back into your body. Why would you eat greasy bacon and sausages just after you have worked up a sweat to burn calories off?

No WAY!

Instead have a Power smoothie!

•               3/4 cup Fat free Bulgarian Yoghurt

•               1/4 cup Strawberries

•               1/4 cup blueberries

•               A dash of Cinnamon

•               A dash of honey

•               1 scoop of Whey protein

Add into a blender and ENJOY!!! 

(You can add a handful of uncooked oats to add some more texture)

For the rest of the day you're going to feel great and trust me you'll think twice before putting junk onto your mouth. You've started your day burning calories and you'll keep on burning more calories the whole day! 

I find I am less likely to cheat if I start my day off healthy and active. 

Try add in at least a 30-40min toning or weight training session in later in the day/ evening to really help turn your body into a fat burning machine!

PS. remember to eat every 3 hours.... something small, even if you’re not hungry in order to keep your body fueled and burning calories all day.

Till next time

 K

XXX