Women & Protein Shakes: Myths vs. Facts
3 min
©foodspring
Today we are going to clear up the myth that protein shakes and women don’t mix. Discovering the benefits of protein intake is one of the keys to reach your body goal.
We are going to give you a guide to help you understand the important role protein and shakes play on the path to your physical goal. We will deal with the following points:
The 2 biggest myths about protein shakes & women
Unfortunately, many women still think that protein shakes are only something for men. Many associate drinking protein shakes with pumped bodybuilders, which doesn’t quite match their own beauty ideals.
This “fear” of protein is limiting for one’s own physical success. So let’s clear up the two biggest myths.
MYTH 1: PROTEIN SHAKES GIVE WOMEN MANLY MUSCLE BULK
This is probably the most famous myth about protein. However, it’s simply not possible for women to build up masculine muscle bulk by naturally consuming too much protein. The reason for this is that women produce significantly less testosterone compared to men. From a biological point of view alone, women aren’t in a position to build up unnatural muscle quantities.
Protein definitely helps you achieve a well-formed and tight musculature. The fear of attaining masculine musculature due to too much protein consumption can be safely dismissed.
Let us put the facts on the table and show you why you, as a woman, should make protein and protein shakes an integral part of your daily diet.
MYTHOS 2: PROTEIN SHAKES MAKE WOMEN OVERWEIGHT
Firstly: Weight gain is always controlled by the total use of energy during the day. If you keep a positive energy balance over the day (take in more food energy than the body consumes) this results in weight gain – regardless of how high the protein content in the diet is. In addition, protein shakes are more likely to help you not to gain weight. Protein is more complexly metabolized by the body and therefore provides a long-lasting feeling of being full.
Advantages of protein shakes for women
Especially when it comes to losing weight and fat, protein shakes are essential for great results. There is a problem that when you diet you eat fewer calories than you consume. You lose weight as a result, but you often lose muscles in addition to water before your fat reserves are exhausted. Protein shakes help you to cover your protein requirements and thus protect your muscles while also reducing fat.
Advantage 1: Protein supports your muscles growth
When you lose weight you not only lose fat but you also lose muscles. You will look thinner, but you won’t be firm and defined. In the worst case scenario you can end up being under lean with too much fat. Protein shakes help to maintain muscles despite fat loss. That’s how you look defined and tight, instead of just thin.
Advantage 2: Protein regulates the feeling of hunger and satiety
Ladies, the temptation of chocolate, ice cream and other such delicacies lurks the most when the dreaded ravenous hunger attacks occur in the evening. A constant, subliminal feeling of hunger throughout the day is often an indication of a low-protein diet. In comparison to carbohydrates and fats, proteins are metabolized by our body in a more complicated way – the body therefore has more “fun” with protein. We break down the protein into individual amino acid components and only then can we process them further. This longer digestion time ensures that proteins keep us feeling full for longer. Especially with diets or the goal of weight loss, your protein content in your diet should be significantly increased.
Advantage 3: Protein helps to burn calories effectively
Proteins can also help us support food-induced thermogenesis. This means that about 20-35 percent of the food energy supplied by proteins is only used by the body to break down and digest the protein in the complex process described. If you want to lose weight and save calories, you should definitely integrate proteins or protein shakes into your diet and reduce carbohydrates and fats.
How much protein should women consume?
The right amount of protein depends a lot on your physical goals and level of activity. Due to the numerous advantages of the macronutrient protein described above, we generally recommend that you consume at least 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For example, our Whey Protein is ideal.
“The lower the daily calorie intake, the higher the protein content should be. This improves the feeling of fullness and prevents attacks of ravenous hunger”.
Our final recommendation to all women: Forget all the myths you’ve heard about women’s fitness and protein shakes. If you want a tight and firm body, you have to train with heavy weights, integrate proteins into your diet, and supplement them sensibly with healthy foods.
What counts in the end is the right balance between training and nutrition. The rule of thumb is 70% makes up the diet, and 30% the training, because you can’t do it completely without exercise. So girls, it’s best to eliminate all the clichés, and get on with the protein shakes.
Sources for this article
We at foodspring use only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
