Teenage Workout

Why Protein?

By working out and training, you are in effect ripping your muscles. This is what causes the pain and aching after a session in the gym. When your muscles rip they then need to repair themselves, forming larger, more leaner muscle. This constant cycle of repair is where protein comes in. Without sufficient protein your muscles will be unable to repair themselves and your gains will suffer.

It’s a common myth that to build muscle you need to overdose yourself on protein. Though you do need to increase your intake, you certainly don’t need to go over board. Excessive intake will just result in you urinating it out or in it just being left undigested.

How Much?

So, how much protein should you take? According to scientific studies you should be aiming to increase you’re protein intake to 1.5 grams per pound body weight. Chances are you’re not going to stick to this like a religion, though you should make some sort of effort to increase your intake.

Here are a few tips:

• Simple things like ordering fish instead of sausage at the take-away.
• Try to eat some kind of meat with every meal.
• For breakfast include a glass of milk.
• Drink a protein shake before or after your workout.

Protein Shakes

Not everyone has the time or money to be cooking good quality and vast quantity’s of meat everyday. This is where protein shakes come in. They provide a safe, relatively cheap alternative and can be brought from most major retailers or health shops.

There is much debate over protein shakes but the facts are simple. Drinking just one shake a day will do wonders for your protein intake and contains barely any fat.

The safest and most commonly used type of protein, which I myself personaly advise, is whey protein as it is the safest and has been known to have no side effects.

Finding the right shake for you might take a while as some taste nicer then others and others may not agree with your body. Personally I use strawberry flavoured, pro power, whey protein. It can be mixed with either water or milk, costs only

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