What is protein?
Protein is found all throughout the body, in our muscles, bones, skin, hair, etc. It is composed of 20 different amino acids that fills many different roles for the body including helping repair cells and making new ones. This is essential when trying to build muscle. As someone participates in resistance training like lifting weights they are putting their muscles under a lot of stress which causes micro-tears in the muscle fibers. Your body then starts to repair these tears which creates bigger muscles. This is where protein plays a major role in aiding the repair of muscle fibers.

How much protein do you need?
The American college of sports medicine recommends that for the general population a person should get .35 grams of protein per pound of body weight, so if you weigh 180 lbs. then you should aim for 65 grams. However if you are someone who does resistance training consistently then you need to increase your protein to help promote muscle growth. Depending on how much training you do you should consume .5 to .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight, so again if you are 180 you should be between 90 and 144 grams.

Should I consume protein before or after my workout?
Research has shown that consuming protein before exercise has shown to help to improve body composition by increasing resting energy expenditure up to 48 hours after exercise. This is important because it suggests that pre-exercise protein ingestion will not only help increase lean muscle mass but will also simultaneously reduce fat mass. More research also suggests that consuming prior to workouts will help with muscle recovery and increase muscle size. Research has also shown that consuming protein post workout may have a more profound impact on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. It is important to consume protein within 30 minutes after a workout and also eat within an hour or you may limit your body’s ability for protein synthesis. There are benefits associated with both before and after your workout but it is most important to consume protein throughout your entire day, your body is constantly repairing itself so make sure you give it the necessary tools. Your body can also only process 25-35 grams of protein in a sitting so making sure you are eating a balance diet and spreading out your protein intake is vital if you want to ensure maximum muscle growth.