Building muscles requires consistent strength training at the gym with heavy weights. A proper diet enhances your workouts, maximizing protein synthesis and providing energy. Whey protein may be part of this diet, but you need to eat whole foods with the proper ratio of macronutrients all day long to get the best results.
Muscle Growth
Your muscles grow in response to exercise. Bodybuilders spend hours lifting heavy weights to break down muscle tissue so it regrows bigger and stronger. This growth, however, can only occur if your muscle synthesis exceeds muscle breakdown. A proper diet supports and encourages muscle synthesis so you can build stronger muscles.
About Whey
Whey protein powder comes from the liquid leftover from boiled milk. After the curds are extracted, the liquid is strained, dehydrated and pulverized. You can mix whey protein into smoothies, cereal, soups or baked goods. Whey protein contains all the amino acids you need to help support muscle growth, particularly leucine. It digests quickly, so worked muscles can utilize these amino acids soon after ingestion to help repair and recover. Consuming whey protein shortly after exercise can help promote muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth, according to a review article published in the February 2011 issue of “The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.”
Other Dietary Measures
A review published in "Sports Medicine" in 2004 concluded that a bodybuilder’s diet should include about 15 percent more calories than you burn per day, so your body can use them to build muscle – provided you are not trying to lose fat for competition. About 55 to 60 percent of your total daily calories should come from carbohydrates – to promote energy for workouts and daily activity. Another 25 to 30 percent of your calories should come from protein, including whey, and a final 15 to 20 percent from fats to promote hormone activity, vitamin absorption and cell formation. Choose mostly healthy foods to fill up your calories, particularly lean meats, whole grains, low-fat dairy and fruits and vegetables.
Supplements
Whey protein is a natural product and can be a convenient way to consume protein, especially when you are at the gym and downing a chicken breast is not practical. Most of the time, however, you should seek out whole food sources of protein, notes the International Society for Sports Nutrition. Bodybuilding takes hard work and dedication. Turning to unregulated supplements, such as steroids, to give yourself an edge can have serious health consequences.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Performance-Enhancing Drugs: Know the Risks; December 2010
- "Sports Medicine"; Macronutrient Considerations for the Sport of Bodybuilding; C.P. Lambert; 2004
- "Journal of the International Society for Sports Nutrition"; International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise; Bill Campbell, et al.; 2007
- "International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism"; Exercise, Protein Metabolism, and Muscle Growth; K.D. Tipton; March 2011
- "The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society"; The Science of Muscle Hypertrophy: Making Dietary Protein Count; S.M. Phillips; February 2011
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