I want to talk about protein and the importance for muscle development but also for fat loss. When we train in the gym essentially what we’re doing is we’re tearing our muscle fibers apart then when we go home, we rest and recover, those muscle fibers, they grow bigger and stronger than what they were previously and that’s what causes our body shape to change.

Protein aids in that recovery process and speeds it up. In terms of all the different sorts of protein sources, there are some that are better than others. Some because they absorb quicker into the body therefore they speed up the process and other sources of protein which the body is actually able to process more of the protein in the food than others.

So the most important time to have protein would be straight after a workout, usually that would be involved having a protein shake. The reason why a protein shake is so important after a work out, is because it absorbs the fastest into the body therefore it starts the process quicker than any other source.

The next best sources after that are then going to be eggs and meat  because our body can process most of the protein. In terms of eggs and meat, we’re looking for the leaner source of protein there. With eggs, it’s the egg’s whites, which is the protein. In terms of your meat, we’re looking for lean proteins that have little fat with it so we’re looking at lean beef, lean chicken, lean turkey, they are going to be the right sources of protein.

After that the next best sources of protein we’re looking at would be Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. They absorb a little bit slower but are good for snacks. The next best source which is important for vegetarians, is  beans and lentils. Again, you won’t be able to absorb as much of the protein as you would with your meats and your eggs also your protein powders.

In terms of how much protein you need, you can find out exactly how much protein you need according to your age, your weight, your gender and your size but it’s not really that important. What’s important is we need to be having protein with every meal including snacks, or at the very least having protein with your three main meals; so breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In terms of measuring your protein I just use the hand method. With my meat, I’m looking for the size of my palm; with protein, we’re looking at just a scoop; with eggs, we’re looking for two for females, three for men and then for your cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, we’re looking at about half a cup.