If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile, video-based social network for athletes who train strength or bodyweight exercises. At Fitenium users can follow their performance, compete and get discounts in nutrition and sports equipment stores. Download it here.

And if we add to this the great myths that continue to spread today, the consequences can be catastrophic.

“You have to eat 5 or 6 times every 3 hours.”

One of the great myths is that if you want to gain muscle mass or hypertrophy you must eat at least every 2-3 hours, so you should eat 5-7 times a day.

If our goal is to increase muscle mass, then it is clear that we need to eat more calories than we consume. The question is that most of the time you should be supervised by a specialist. If it is not possible for you to eat every three hours, you will generate a stress condition in your body with uncertain results.

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What you have to do is organize yourself on a schedule and distribute the total calories you consume between the number of meals that you can “assume” daily. The most important account you have to keep is the total calories ingested in a day. Keep in mind that if you stay hungry between meals, you may end up eating things you don’t want between meals.

“You need to take 20 grams of protein per serving.”

Another myth is that each intake requires 20 grams of protein. This means that both a person who weighs 60kg and another who weighs 90kg should take 20 grams of protein for each meal they eat at the end of the day. As you can understand this does not make sense since the maximum, the minimum and the personalization of the dose will depend on each individual.

A “normal” value for protein intake is approximately 1.8-2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, so for an average adult weighing around 80 kilograms, protein intake per day is 144-200 grams. Assuming a maximum protein intake of 200 grams per day, if for every meal you eat 20 grams of protein, you must eat 10 meals with that amount of protein to reach your goal.

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“You have to burn 20% more calories.”

Another oft-repeated statement is that caloric intake should be 20% higher than maintenance calories. Once again, they have ignored the phrase “each person is the world”, inviting the cliché of not individualizing the intake of each one.

Remember that the total number of additional calories consumed is 20% of those burned. In this way, the excess calories we consume to gain muscle mass is 10-20%.

Also, remember that by consuming more calories than you consume, the proportion of these excess calories eaten is partially stored as fat (it’s impossible for all calories to be stored as muscle). The higher the percentage of calories we eat, the higher the percentage that is stored as fat.

“The supplement is mandatory”

And here is one of the star myths. “Supplements are essential to gain muscle mass.” Supplements are just that: supplements and their purpose are macronutrients, vitamins, or amino acids that may be needed to complete the diet or daily physical activity.

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If you’re following the advice of a registered dietitian and don’t have a food intolerance, it’s unlikely you’ll need any kind of supplement.

Note, this does not mean that the supplement is useless. There are certain supplements such as whey protein, creatine and omega-3 that help in certain situations.

If you don’t already know Fitenium is a free, mobile and video-based social network for users who train strength and/or body weight exercises. At Fitenium users can find free personalized routines, follow their performance, compete and get discounts at nutrition stores and sports equipment. Download it here.

When we talk about protein shakes, we usually know what we mean. In addition, the vast majority of athletes usually use it. Many times, however, the choice of protein shake is not the most appropriate, as are the moments and conditions of consumption. To learn more about them, it is important to dwell on their properties and types.

what is protein

The first thing you must be very clear about is what a protein shake or a protein supplement is. Rather, we need to know what a protein is, and the amino acids that provide us with proteins. The amino acids that the body breaks down and uses to regenerate and maintain body tissue are generally essential. That is, they are not produced in our body but are obtained through food. These essential amino acids are necessary for proper organ function.

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Protein provides us with the essential amino acids necessary to achieve the best shape.

When we exercise, we need to provide the body with essential amino acids to prevent muscle wasting and organ dysfunction. A healthy diet should provide us with the amino acids we need, but in many cases the body needs a plus, which is why we use protein shakes. However, to do it correctly, it is essential to know its methodology and operation.

What is a protein shake?

At this point, we must stop at what is the protein shake. In essence, they are made up of high concentrations of protein, which provides the body with the amount of amino acids it needs. You should not replace the usual diet since the additional proteins are a mere support when the muscles need to be kept in perfect condition.

When it comes to protein shakes, it should be noted that they come in the form of liquid-soluble powders. You can use water, juice, milk and any other drink you like. No preparation or cooking required, just mix and drink.

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The shake is a simple way to obtain the necessary protein intake, not just a perfect food supplement.

Shakes can be consumed by anyone, especially when playing sports. The downside to protein shakes is that we believe we should consume them every time we train to gain more muscle mass. All activities involve muscle wear, so both those who practice fitness in a traditional way and those who practice running can use these protein supplements.

Protein shake benefits

For this reason, we need to see the benefits of consuming protein shakes.

As mentioned above, protein shakes provide essential amino acids, especially branched chain amino acids that help repair muscle tissue.

Also, it’s one of the fastest and easiest ways to consume protein and helps reduce muscle loss during high-endurance activity.

They provide us with leucine, which helps the body’s protein synthesis. In addition, they provide glutamines that help us improve general muscle condition.

Protein shakes give us energy, the amount of amino acids we need, leave us more satisfied…

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Raises blood levels and is an immediate source of energy. In addition to helping you get the amount of protein you need, the shakes are low in sugar and fat, which helps you get amino acids in a healthy way without jeopardizing your weight.

Taking these shakes will increase the feeling of satiety and will prevent the feeling of hunger due to consuming food at the wrong time.

Consuming protein shakes helps reduce the effects of free radicals released as a result of exercise-induced oxidation, helping to increase glutamine levels, one of the body’s major antioxidants.

Different types of proteins

Taking into account these considerations regarding the benefits of consumption, it is necessary to focus on the different types that you can find on the market and the best time to consume each one.

Whey or whey protein

First of all, the queen of proteins, whey or whey protein. It is made with the most consumed protein derived from whey. This type of protein provides a large amount of essential amino acids. In addition, due to their high biological value, they are easily absorbed, which is why it is usually taken after or during sports activities to provide the body with what it needs to recover.

There are three types of whey protein: protein concentrate, protein isolate, and hydrolyzate. The three differences are the processes by which the whey is obtained and passed through.

Whey protein is the star, followed by casein, eggs, meat, and plant-based.

casein protein

Next is casein. It’s kind of a sustained release protein. In addition, although it is obtained from milk, it is slow to digest, so it is recommended, when it is not accompanied by food, to consume it at night or during the day. This will help maintain muscle fiber nutrition for longer and speed up recovery.

protein release sequence

The third type emphasizes sequential release proteins. They are composed of a mixture of different types of proteins that have different types of assimilation and are released into the blood, such as casein and whey. This type of protein achieves an absorption sequence at the time when the concentration of amino acids in the blood is high compared to other low times. They can be taken throughout the day. They are usually used as a dietary supplement to achieve the overall contribution that the body needs.

egg protein

Another type of protein that is consumed in a shake is eggs. Specifically, it is known as albumin and is the second most popular after lactic acid whey. It has a high biological value and is very well absorbed in the body. Provides the essential amino acids necessary for muscle recovery. Due to its continuous release into the blood, it is usually taken with food or at any time. You don’t have to take it only when you exercise.

meat protein

On the other hand, there are meat proteins. Its quality is similar to that of whey, with the only exception that it does not contain lactose. They are one of the best options, especially for intolerant people. Since they are quickly assimilated, their consumption is the same as that of lactic acid whey. It is recommended to take it after and during exercise to start muscle recovery quickly enough.

vegetable protein

Lastly, go for a plant-based protein shake. They are obtained from rice, soybeans, peas or cannabis. They are the perfect replacement for animal-based proteins, which continue to have a high biological value and provide almost all the amino acids necessary for proper muscle function, but are used by vegans and vegetarians. It is most often used as a supplement to a vegetarian diet, but any type of person can consume it without problems.

It is always good to consult with a medical professional when using these types of supplements. Also, keep in mind that everyone in the daily diet should consume approximately 0.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For sports activities, the consumption increases to 1.4-2 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Some recipes to prepare with protein powder

The powdered protein that is used to prepare the shake is not only consumed in liquid form, but also helps to enrich the dish to be prepared and provides additional protein that provides more nutrients.

Therefore, we will highlight some recipes that can be made from protein powder.

• Homemade Fitness Cheesecake
• low calorie fitness tiramisu
• Simple Vegan Banana Pancakes Recipe
• Light zucchini pancakes
• Chocolate protein fitness galleta

Here are some examples of what we can do with healthy ingredients and protein powders.Although always keep in mind that protein powder is a supplement and should not be an essential ingredient.Whenever possible it is best to stick to a nutritious and healthy diet of natural form.