Whey Protein Myth

[Wizdom C kerr]

What's going on ladies? I have a question for your regarding women and protein supplementation.

My girlfriend is trying to lose some weight for summer and she's hitting the gym 5 days a week with some weight training and cardio. However I feel that she's not getting enough calories, and she heard from a girl at her gym that a whey protein supplement will make you gain mass.

I've tried to tell her that its about calories, and at night it's much better to have a protein shake than to have bad carbs or nothing at all.

So she's looking for more confirmation about the myth of whey protein.

Personally, I don't think she's getting enough calories anyway, but if she were to have a scoop of whey with some milk as dinner, wouldn't that benefit her in her attempts to lose weight?

I just think it's silly that someone could so unequivocally state that protein powder = mass gain, without looking at their diet or amount of whey protein in the diet.

Please help, Thanks,

[darkangel]

Protein does help you gain lean muscle mass, but that's a good thing. And you're right - over all calorie intake and percentage of macros play into weight loss. There's nothing wrong with a protein shake before bed, but I'd mix with water or lowfat milk.

[Eileen]

Ah, that's right up there with "Lifting weights will make you grow huge bulky muscles". Whey will only make you gain mass if you are eating at a huge calorie surplus and are lifting hard. Even then, for women, this doesn't translate into looking like the Incredible Hulk, more like one of the women in fitness mags.

Where whey can make a big difference is in recovery after a hard workout. I used to have the school run from hell (three children on the back of my bike, hills and headwinds). I used to come in at the end and lie on the kitchen floor thinking "I wish I was dead". When I started to add a whey shake to the routine, I found that while the run was never fun, it stopped being torture.

[Wizdom C kerr]

Protein does help you gain lean muscle mass, but that's a good thing. And you're right - over all calorie intake and percentage of macros play into weight loss. There's nothing wrong with a protein shake before bed, but I'd mix with water or lowfat milk.


Ah, that's right up there with "Lifting weights will make you grow huge bulky muscles". Whey will only make you gain mass if you are eating at a huge calorie surplus and are lifting hard. Even then, for women, this doesn't translate into looking like the Incredible Hulk, more like one of the women in fitness mags.

Where whey can make a big difference is in recovery after a hard workout. I used to have the school run from hell (three children on the back of my bike, hills and headwinds). I used to come in at the end and lie on the kitchen floor thinking "I wish I was dead". When I started to add a whey shake to the routine, I found that while the run was never fun, it stopped being torture.

that's what I thought. I mean, I know men's and women's bodies are different, but I didn't think that whey would do that for a woman.

[BigTaco]

i would give her a protein blend whey+casien for dinner. or just casein, takes longer to digest. and will use up more calories in the digestion process.

[freebirdmac]

that's what I thought. I mean, I know men's and women's bodies are different, but I didn't think that whey would do that for a woman.

It is the same principle for men and women. The difference is women do not have the levels of testosterone men do, so women can't grow muscles like men can.

Tell her "toning" is building muscle, just wrapped up in a name that won't scare off women. And some men. You cannot shape fat, you can shape muscle. If she wants shapely arms, abs, glutes, and legs, she needs to work the muscles. Protein is fundamental to building muscle.

[LilT1026]

I would just make sure the type or brand of whey she uses is lower in calories. My husband and I have different ones we each have, his have alot more calories than mine :)

[Amanda76]

Whey comes from milk. Does she know anyone who became a hulking beast of a woman drinking and eating milk products as a kid? There is not a thing in this world you can eat that is going to make you muscular without WORKING to become muscular.

Protein SUPPORTS muscle gain and retention. It does not cause it. If your gf wants to be toned, tell her she needs protein to at least retain what muscle she has...that's what's going to show through as she loses fat to make her look "toned." If she realizes she never seems to be able to lose enough fat to look toned, you may be able to help her lose her fear of gaining muscle, even. It will take patience though. You have to remember that women have these misconceptions from "hearing" untruths or partial truths throughout their upbringing.

[Amanda76]

I would just make sure the type or brand of whey she uses is lower in calories. My husband and I have different ones we each have, his have alot more calories than mine :)

Yeah, DO reenforce what you've told her about overall caloric intake and teach her to eat balanced meals. Find a protein powder that aids in balancing her meals out (also try to get her to eat protein from real sources, instead of just protein powder).

[Wizdom C kerr]

It is the same principle for men and women. The difference is women do not have the levels of testosterone men do, so women can't grow muscles like men can.

Tell her "toning" is building muscle, just wrapped up in a name that won't scare off women. And some men. You cannot shape fat, you can shape muscle. If she wants shapely arms, abs, glutes, and legs, she needs to work the muscles. Protein is fundamental to building muscle.


I would just make sure the type or brand of whey she uses is lower in calories. My husband and I have different ones we each have, his have alot more calories than mine :)


Whey comes from milk. Does she know anyone who became a hulking beast of a woman drinking and eating milk products as a kid? There is not a thing in this world you can eat that is going to make you muscular without WORKING to become muscular.

Protein SUPPORTS muscle gain and retention. It does not cause it. If your gf wants to be toned, tell her she needs protein to at least retain what muscle she has...that's what's going to show through as she loses fat to make her look "toned." If she realizes she never seems to be able to lose enough fat to look toned, you may be able to help her lose her fear of gaining muscle, even. It will take patience though. You have to remember that women have these misconceptions from "hearing" untruths or partial truths throughout their upbringing.


Yeah, DO reenforce what you've told her about overall caloric intake and teach her to eat balanced meals. Find a protein powder that aids in balancing her meals out (also try to get her to eat protein from real sources, instead of just protein powder).


You guys/gals rock! Thanks so much for your help! I appreciate it!