Why should I use a protein powder?

Ascent Protein Powders are coming to Columbia CrossFit!  But what’s up with this protein powder business, anyway?  Is it just some expensive gimmick, or is it really the key to fitness Nirvana?

As with so many other questions in life, the answer is somewhere in the middle.  We need to actually address two points here - reasons why we might want to increase protein consumption, and then reasons why you might select a protein powder in order to do so.

When I sit down with a new client for nutrition coaching, often the first thing I look at is their protein consumption.  Humans can get by on relatively low amounts of protein (.36g of protein per pound of body weight, or 54g/day for a 150lb person), but a healthy person can consume much larger amounts of protein without adverse results.  A very active person, or someone with weight loss or muscle building goals, could benefit from protein amounts approaching 1g/lb.  Eating protein can help us improve our body composition by encouraging our bodies to build muscle, or to retain muscle if weight loss is a goal.  Protein is a satiating nutrient, meaning that it makes us feel full for longer, allowing us to pursue a calorie deficit for weight loss with less hunger.  Consuming larger amounts of protein can increase our metabolism, again helping with fat loss and giving increased energy to tackle your day.

OK, so aiming to increase protein intake is a great idea.  Isn’t real food the best choice?  Why choose a protein powder?  It’s definitely a great choice to eat protein-dense whole foods for the majority of our protein needs.  Animal and plant-based proteins are delicious, bring texture and variety to our meals, and frequently come packed with healthful micronutrients.  When we aim to increase our protein consumption, however, we need to be attentive to what else is in that food that may not support our goals.  Eating more steak, or yogurt, or Beyond Burgers, will certainly bring us more healthful protein, but it also brings additional fats and sometimes sugars, often more than we need to meet our energy requirements.  It also just becomes A LOT of food, which takes time to prepare and time to consume.  Adding a protein powder to our existing healthy choices can increase our protein intake without hassle.

Columbia CrossFit will be offering two types of Ascent Protein.  Whey protein is a great choice to consume right after a workout, when your muscles are most prepared to absorb and utilize it for repair and growth.  Whey is an easily digestible, fast-absorbing complete protein that will recharge you quickly without making you sluggish.  Casein protein is a very slow-digesting protein, which will keep you feeling full for hours, and provide a constant low-level supply of protein to your body.  Casein is a great choice to consume before bedtime, encouraging muscle repair overnight and preventing you from waking up hungry for a midnight snack.

CCF member Nicole Reale has been incorporating Ascent protein into her nutrition plan with great results!  She’s been noticing big strength gains lately, especially a recent huge overhead squat PR.  What I love even more, though, are some “real life” changes she’s seen.  Nicole has struggled with her sleep quality for quite a while, and has found that she is sleeping much better with her increased protein intake.  She also finds that her sweet tooth is not as aggressive as usual, making it easier to make healthy choices.  What I love the most, though, is that Nicole is racking up these healthy wins while she works full time in a medical field and furthers her education.  She finds that the Whey protein gets her day off to a great start after crushing a 5:30 AM workout, and that the slow-digesting casein protein keeps her full and focused when she attends her evening clinical internship after a full day at work.  Ascent considers themselves to be the “official sponsor of hard work,” and Nicole is epitomizing that mindset, working hard towards her goals in and out of the gym!