Avoiding the rubbish:
Essentially this topic is going to be a key feature as to why I have created this website in the first place. Whilst I have spent my years crafting my face to face delivery of exercise, and studying under some of the most renowned researchers on the planet, main stream media still lingers in the background trying to undo the good. Obviously I cannot pigeon hole one source, as there is always going to be more and more people sprouting nonsense through their social media account, so let’s keep an open mind with this one. . . . .
It’s hard to really know what to believe if you haven’t undertaken much formal study yourself. I get that, and I know that you aim to trust the things that are put up in lights before your eyes. Sadly, that is not always going to work out for the best and more often than not, will lead to confusion. How often have you heard somebody say “one week they say this is bad for you, and the next week they are saying it’s good again, how do we keep up?”. I am sure you have heard somebody say that, or have even said it yourself. I know I have scratched my head numerous times over the years when reading things containing all sorts of nonsense. May the 1st, 2019 an article from The Sun UK was released stating that protein shakes could be the reason why you are gaining weight. Now, for the most part I gather that people who have done even the slightest bit of research into protein shakes can gather that this is nonsense. But what if you had no idea, and last week you were told by your trainer to purchase a powder to help you recover from your workout, to help you clean up your macronutrient intake and prioritise a bio-available complete source of protein. Well your trainer was correct, yet the media is stating otherwise. How does the voice of one person compare to the reach of an international news website, or a national newspaper?
Keeping you on track with a no BS approach!:
That last statement is the question I am trying to figure out, as I am still the voice of only one. Whilst throughout this site I aim to provide research backed evidence as to how certain things work, how important some things are and so on, I also aim to put your mind at ease and provide a less bias opinion on things. Debunking fake news is definitely one of the things I aim to do. Now for the most part, I know there is always going to be 10 things said to cause confusion, for every 1 that I can provide to put your mind at ease. I will do my best though. So back to the protein myth surrounding weight gain. For the most part, protein shakes are quite well blended to provide low sources of carbohydrates and fats, whilst providing good quality sources of protein and other amino acids. Without making it a confusing thing to get your head around, protein shakes have low calories, good sources of the things you need and not really much else to complain about…… Yes, some are advertised as mass gainers, some are advertised as intra workout powders and some are made to a much higher standard than others, but for the most part they are neutral. The shake aims to provide your body with the things it needs most after a workout, and really isn’t there to do much else. When consumed appropriately, like any other food source you take in throughout the day, it is harmless for the most part. Where the issue will arise is in the over consumption, but how is that different to anything else you put into your body? An excessive source of calories is going to lead to weight gain, period.
This site will provide an insight into energy balance and how to best achieve your goals, so I am not going to go into that here. What I aim to do is the take the fear out of a product which doesn’t deserve the heat is attracting, among other topics which essentially make no sense. This goes for a lot of things though. For example, how many times have you heard that strength training among youth populations can stunt their growth? This could not be further from the truth, yet somewhere along the way, we heard otherwise. Fats and carbohydrates generally cop some heat on and off, so does heavy resistance training, long duration walking, eating food after a certain time of the day, chocolate, alcohol….. The list goes on. Whilst we are in the class room hearing the evidence backed truth about these things, the media is sprouting fear in the other direction. I can’t understand it. I don’t know how things even get that sort of reach and who signs off on the story in the first place. I don’t think it’s that hard to take a step back and think about how ludicrous something actually sounds before it is published, yet here we are. I’d love to sit down with every individual person who is confused, and answer some of their questions with reason and just, evidence backed knowledge; but I am only one person. I am hoping that this website gives me the chance to expand my reach and put some minds at ease. I for one am definitely avoiding the main stream media and “influencer” based Instagram accounts because I know that I cannot and will not ever trust these sources. I urge you to do the same. Ask the questions and think more critically.