Muscles use protein as fuel to help repair, rebuild, and maintain themselves after being used excessively during a workout. Whey protein supplements, when used with a balance of proper diet and exercise, can help build muscle.
Instructions
1. Do some research into the whey protein supplement that is going to work best for you. Some powders may have a lot of protein, but also have high amounts of sugar and fat. Take your time reading the nutrition labels, and finding a flavor variety that you like.
2. Do exercises that focus on one or two muscle groups per day. For example, work your chest and triceps muscles one day and your back and biceps the next. You want to get your muscles to a point where they are in need of fuel, and working out is the best way to achieve that.
3. When muscles are worked to the point of exhaustion using heavy weights and a high number of repetitions, they are essentially torn. Right after a workout, muscles are essentially looking for protein to help rebuild themselves larger to accommodate the heavy weights you're asking them to lift. Within 20 minutes of your workout ending, prepare a whey protein shake (with protein powder mixed with milk or water in a shaker cup or empty water bottle) and drink it. Measure the powder to include a serving of 30 to 40 g of whey protein.
4. Consume protein shakes throughout the day in order to meet your recommended daily value of protein. When trying to build muscle and working out consistently, plan to take in 1 1/2 to 2 g of protein per pound of body weight. For example, if you weigh 175 lbs., you should aim to consume 262 to 350 grams of protein per day.
5. Repeat the process of targeting one or two muscle groups per day and drinking a protein shake right afterward. Make sure you allow your entire body to rest for 1 to 2 days per week. By alternating muscle groups for each workout, it will give each group a 2- to 3-day period to rest before repeating. Muscles need time to utilize the protein you feed them and repair completely from the last workout.
Tags: muscle groups, build muscle, heavy weights, protein shake, whey protein