Is Why Protein Worth Your Time? You might be surprised

Do you really need to take whey protein supplements to get the best results in the gym? You will find out the answer to that question in the next few paragraphs.

Search most amateur bodybuilders’ cabinet and you are sure to find one thing in common, a tub of whey protein. Protein supplement to  the bodybuilding amateurs is like coffee to the office workers.

Now you’re looked down upon more for not taking it than for taking it. But is it really necessary?  Do you need to take protein supplements to see great results and build big muscle? I have the answers to that very question. We’re going to go over that in a minute. The answer might surprise you.

Good marketing is more powerful than the truth in the fitness world

In the business world, it is said that a bad product marketed well will almost always outsell a good product that’s poorly marketing. Now I’m not saying that whey protein is bad. But the reason why it’s become so popular is not because you really need it. It’s because you’ve been told you need it.

No other industry is as prone to marketing gimmicks as is the the fitness industry. Bodybuilders tend to have lower self esteem than average so it’s easier to persuade them. Tell a bodybuilder that a product will help add more muscle to his body, quicker, he will give you his money before you can finish telling him about the disclaimers.

In other words, gym heads are easy to convince and they have multiple weaknesses that  marketers happily capitalize on.

They usually have lower self esteem and put a lot of their confidence in how they look so they will do many stupid things to look better and bigger. They want to see results fast and quickly. They will buy anything promising this.

When you add all these things together you have the perfect market to sell supplements to.

Using professional bodybuilders to market to the uninformed amateur

The supplement companies have mastered the art of celebrity marketing. I mean is there another industry where you can find the exact image of that your prospective customers want to look like and get those people to claim that your products made them look like that?  If you have another one in mind, I want to hear it.

Most pro bodybuilders are first and foremost genetically gifted, so their looks are not the results of simple supplements but genetics and hard work. And then you have those that do shady things to their bodies behind closed doors like taking steroids and the likes.

Now when a company gets one of these guys to sponsor their products and claim how good it is, it’s a home-run. The amateur lazy lifter will run to the nearest supplement store and buy whatever his idol tells him to buy.

Now I have nothing against this practice. These companies are running businesses and they have the right to market and advertise their products and earn a fat profit. As long as they stay within legal guidelines, they are exercising their rights. Now about the ethics of their practice, I won’t go there. I’m not the ethics police. It’s your job to stop being a lazy and stupid meathead who is easily influenced.

Supplements are not a replacement for real foods

Supplements are just what their names suggest, they supplement your diet. They don’t replace a meal. Anything being advertised as a meal replacement is garbage at best. So drinking a whey protein shake after your workout is not a substitute for your post workout meal. It’s a good way to get a quick protein replenishment.

You should use them as such, to supplement your diet for the increased need of protein. If you can get that same added protein through natural foods, then that’s the ideal way to go but it’s not always practical so that’s where supplements like whey can come into play.

Is Whey Protein good or bad for you

Taking protein supplements is not bad for you. It can be helpful. What’s bad about the whole thing is the fact that the heavy marketing campaigns have made most of us believe that concentrated whey protein is essential. It is not. Taking it won’t be the difference in your physique. It will help but it won’t make you the next Arnold or Ronnie Coleman.

So if you use a protein supp as a whey to add some extra protein to your already good diet then it’s good for you. But if you’re using it as a big part of your nutrition thinking that it’s better than eating some chicken breast or  some eggs then it’s detrimental.

It’s detrimental because you will be missing out on multiple necessary nutrients that you would normally get from eating whole foods. For example when you eat a piece of chicken, you get a whole lot vitamins and minerals in addition to some nice lean protein. A protein supplement can’t replace that.

Also make sure you’re not lactose intolerant. If you are, you can forget about taking whey if you want live a normal and healthy life. It’s not worth the trouble for the results you will get from it.

How to use whey protein properly

I’m not against using supplements. I am against the false promises being made by companies. I’m against using them for more than they are. Most of the results people think they are getting from taking bodybuilding supplements are placebos. They would still get the same results doing the same thing with just eating well without supplementing.

Supplements are a good way to meet your macros. They are a good way to feed the muscles quickly after a workout. If you use them as such then they can be good allies on your bodybuilding journey.

Keep your expectations realistic, and understand that supplements don’t build a great body. They help build a great body. Good nutrition comprised mainly of healthy foods and great workout program are what will build a great body.