People ask me all the time why I eat what I eat, when I eat it, and how to turn good food into healthy-good-tasting food. So here’s one of my favorite things to do: I put whey protein in everything! In my opinion, there’s no such thing as eating too much protein. Some people will try to argue against this, but really, it’s actually pretty tough to eat “too much protein” so for the sake of arguing, adding protein powder to some of your meals is likely not going to hurt you. Lean protein builds muscle. Muscle burns fat. The more muscle you have the less fat you have….and you can see where I’m going with this. Protein = fat burning = good.
- One of my favorite places to add whey protein is in a big bowl of piping hot oatmeal. I throw a half a cup of plain oats in the microwave with about a cup of water. After heating for a couple minutes, I dump in a scoop of whey, mix it with 1/8 cup walnuts (for the good fats, fullness, and texture) and a heaping TBS or two of cinnamon for flavor, fun, and a metabolism booster!
- Another place I use whey is an afternoon snack with almond milk. You can choose from vanilla, chocolate, or plain almond milk—I use the 30-calorie Almond Breeze because it contains no added sugar. I mix a scoop of my whey with the milk, shake it, and I’ve got a healthy and filling snack. I LOVE it. Most of the time I add a scoop of my favorite greens powder and I end up with a thick, creamy, chocolate flavored shake. Nothing but protein, a crazy serving of nutrients in the greens, and all under 5 carbs. What a great way to gain muscle and burn fat!
- Probably the most common place to add whey is in a smoothie. My smoothies are relatively simple, even though I’ve stumbled upon over 100+ different smoothie recipes during my years of nutrition reading/searching. For my smoothies I usually start with a base of water, coconut water/milk, regular milk, Greek yogurt, or almond milk–depending on what other ingredients I’m adding and how “low-carb” I want my shake to be. I add ice (unless using frozen fruit for a more carb-packed smoothie) and then whey. Post workout I add a serving of the amino acid leucine, and if I’m in more of a dessert mode, I’ll add a couple teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and maybe a dash of stevia. Regardless, my smoothies are pretty simple. What I would advise avoiding in smoothies are juices (the fructose in juices limits your fat-burning ability) and I’d probably avoid anything high in fat post workout so that you don’t slow down your protein/carb absorption.
Above all, be creative. I’ve added whey to pancake and waffle mixes, and I’ve even put it in cookie recipes and oatmeal squares. One time I made a homemade version of the Lara Bar peanut butter and jelly bars and added protein to the mix–FINALLY a fantastic tasting, healthy treat, high in protein and all natural. If I eat cereal, I shake my almond milk or regular milk with a scoop of whey before pouring it into my bowl. And one of my favorite whey treats? After a really tough lifting session, one of my favorite carb:protein (2:1) recovery snacks is marshmallows, whey, almond milk, and fruity pebbles. Doesn’t every kid JUST want the marshmallows and the too-high-in-sugar cereal? So go get your whey on and your weight off! Try adding whey to even the simplest of recipes. You’ll be amazed at what you can come up with!
What kind of whey should you get? I’ve tried probably over 20 different kinds of whey and even egg proteins and my favorite type is Dymatize ISO-100 (vanilla) from muscleandstrength.com. Dymatize ISO-100 is 100% pure whey isolate and is gluten free! Not to mention that it mixes well in anything. (Click our “SHOP” tab to find links to the protein!)
Want More? If you’re curious about the greens supplement that I use, it’s called Amazing Grass Green Superfood—and I buy it chocolate flavored. You can find the greens at amazon.com. The amino acid leucine that I referenced can also be found at amazon.com or muscleandstrength. I use the powder form (though sold as a capsule as well) and take about 3-5 grams post shake. What are amino acids? See my ARTICLE on BCAAs here.
