A balanced diet, good sleep, a reduction of stress and your overall fitness plan can make a huge impact on your health and weight loss goals. However, if you are making progress but don’t feel that you are losing enough body fat for your efforts, consider adding whey protein powder to your diet and exercise plan.
Whey Protein – Not Just for Serious Bodybuilders
You have likely heard about supplementing with whey protein in relation to bodybuilders. Additional protein is how those bulging, defined muscles are developed. However, if your primary goal is simply to be fit, lose weight and gain muscle, whey protein can also help you without getting to the Arnold Schwarzenegger level.
The fluid by-product left over from the production of cheese is a milk protein called whey. When you purchase whey in a supplemental form, you will discover three primary forms of it: whey protein isolate, concentrate and hydrolysates. The isolate form has around 90% protein with minimal cholesterol, fat and lactose. The concentrate form does have a little lactose and fat along with 25-90% protein, depending on the product. Hydrolysates are typically used for serious, professional athletes looking to sculpt their bodies with muscle because the components are partially broken down and pre-digested for easier absorption.
Whey protein powder can be found in a variety of flavours and added to water or milk to supplement the additional protein requirements needed to build muscle. During the muscle-building process, your body needs the extra energy, so it turns to burning extra body fat to do it. Whey is a whole protein, meaning it contains all the important amino acids your body needs to fuel the building of muscle.
Additional Reasons Why Whey Can Help Melt Body Fat
Adding whey protein powder to help in melting fat and build muscle sounds a bit simplistic, doesn’t it? However, it is the science that makes it work. Whey offers high levels of leucine which is a major player in protein synthesis in the body, promoting oxidation of fatty acids as well as burning a lot of calories.
There are special peptides in this type of milk protein which kick off hormones in the intestines to encourage the feeling of fullness so you don’t overeat, consuming more calories than you need. In addition, whey has helped lower cholesterol levels by lowering the damaging LDL levels in the blood. Of course, there have been numerous scientific studies that have proven whey’s beneficial properties which include boosting your overall immune system, providing anti-cancer benefits, lowering cardiovascular risks and reducing bone loss from osteoporosis.
The bottom line is that adding whey protein powder to your overall diet and exercise plan can help you get rid of extra body fat more efficiently. You don’t have to set your sights on a bodybuilding career to reap the benefits. Everyday people who want to lose weight by building muscle and burning fat can benefit. Work with your doctor or a professional trainer well-versed in nutrition to create an exercise and diet plan that will net the best results.
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Chris Jenkinson writes for Anglian Sports Nutrition, producers of ASN Whey Protein Powder.