Protein Powder 101

Protein powder- the most popular and widely known “body builder” supplement on the planet. Hands down. Ever since we launched our protein hot chocolate and how successful it has been (thank y’all), it has opened my eyes to how many confusion there is surrounding protein powder and supplements as a whole.

I do have a “will protein powder make me fat” YouTube video if you would like to watch that, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVvNYCfLpHM

What is protein powder? Protein powder, despite it’s form, is a processed form of protein. This can come in the form of whey, plant, egg, pea, beef, cricket, etc. They are all processed. They are all manufactured. They all share the same function: to aid or “supplement” your diet in getting more protein. 

Whole food will ALWAYS be best. ALWAYS. If you are getting enough protein in your diet through whole food- stick to that. You don’t need protein powder. However, for most of us, consuming that much protein in the form of whole foods is not convenient nor is it cost effective, especially if you are spacing your daily meals into 5-6 meals per day. 

Josh and I consume 5-6 meals a day and we eat 3 and drink 2-3 (in the form of our protein hot chocolate). Protein powder can, and usually is, used as a meal replacement. It’s most “popular” form of us is post workout- which, again, is probably just replacing a meal in which you would otherwise be consuming protein in a whole foods form- but who wants to bring a pack of tuna or 6oz of ground turkey to the gym? Not many people. Which is where the allure of protein powder comes into play. 

Protein powder will NOT make you fat. Protein powder will NOT make you bulky. At the end of the day, if you are consuming less calories than you burn- you won’t gain any fat. Or bulk. Or whatever anyone is afraid of. 

That all being said- not all protein powders are created equal. Protein is really, really expensive to make. A lot of supplement companies cut corners and use low quality protein to increase their profit margins. This is where you get the bloating, gas, etc that is generally associated with protein powder supplements. I can’t speak for any other company other than our own but it took us almost 2 years to formulate protein hot chocolate because we needed such a high quality protein powder to withstand adding it to hot liquids. You can read all of our 250+ 5 star reviews here: 
 https://bowmarnutrition.com/products/protein-hot-chocolate

This is NOT a sales pitch on our own product- even though we would love if you tried it. I just know how much work, effort, and research went into our product and I am not sure other companies can say the same. I have tried dozens and dozens of protein powder. They ALL make me feel bloated and gassy after- except ours. Just please know that all products are not the same and you should be careful what you are putting in your body. 

Also, I mentioned cost efficiency when it comes to protein powder. Our product is $65 for 82 servings- this equates to roughly 76 cents per scoop aka per meal. That’s a really inexpensive meal if you ask me! Especially one that is so high in protein! 

Binge Eating

Before I start this blog post- I want to kindly remind everyone that if you are struggling with an eating disorder of any kind- there is no shame in asking for help from a licensed therapist or treatment facility. We only have one life and you should not feel bad for getting treatment for an ED. I am NOT a licensed therapist nor can I diagnose anyone with an ED. I am not trying to cure EDs with this post- I simply want to shed some lift on the topic of binge eating.

Ok, now that we have the formalities out of the way- let’s start talking binge eating. 

There is a huge difference between over eating and binge eating. And the term "binge" is often used to describe when someone is "over eating" If you take nothing else away from this post- please switch your mindset from calling something a "binge" when its really just you over-eating that day (unless you are experiencing the below). Binge eating is an eating disorder and can be classified by the following characteristics: 

Reoccurring episode of eating an enormous amount of food

Lack of control / loss of control

Eating rapidly

Eating until you are uncomfortably full

Eating alone out of embarrassment

Not being able to stop eating

Feeling guilty

Eating when you aren’t hungry

Being concerned about binge eating habits

Binge eating at least once a week for at least 3 months on a reoccurring basis

Hiding food to binge on out of embarassment

This is not associated with purging or excessive exercise or laxative use- different diagnosis

If you experience any of the above symptoms- I would highly recommend seeking the help of a licensed professional to combat the binge eating disorder. 

So then- what is overeating?

OVEREATING IS NOT BINGING

OVEREATING IS NOT BINGING

OVEREATING IS NOT BINGING

OVEREATING IS NOT BINGING

OVEREATING IS NOT BINGING

I hope I am clear- over eating is NOT an eating disorder. If it’s hunger driven- it’s not binge eating. If you can stop, it's not binge eating. If you do it front of others- it's not binge eating. Too often, people are calling their over-eating habits "binging" and that is simply not the cause. Switch your mindset. And you will find the solution...

Over eating typically stems from not eating enough calories throughout the day. This usually occurs when you have a bad online coach, when you wrote a meal plan for yourself and you don't know what you are doing, or you aren't talking to your coach enough to let them know you are hungry. 

There are a ton of ways to stop overeating:

1: Don't buy the foods that you tend to over-eat. If you can't control yourself around nut butters- don't keep them in the house. You can't eat if you don't buy it

2: If you feel you over-eat because you're bored with your  meal plan, consider getting my cookbooks (macros included):

Healthy Entrees: https://wildgamewildgainz.com/collections/recipe-book/products/wild-game-wild-gains-recipe-e-book

Healthy Desserts:  https://bowmarshop.com/collections/recipe-book/products/dessert-recipe-book

3: A boring meal plan often leads to over-eating at night so make sure your last meal of the day is one you actually enjoy eating and look forward to the most

4: Create a healthy relationship with food

5: Have planned treat meals (this varies for everyone, here's a longer blog post)

6: NEVER restrict something- just monitor the quantity of it. Like snickers? Eat one a day. Just account for the macros and adjust the rest of your day accordingly 

7: Don’t go below your BMR. If your "coach" has you eating below your BMR, fire them. Run away. Faster. Run faster. 

8: Over-eating may also stem from stress. If you are stressed and emotionally eat- try drinking 1/4 gallon of water before you go crazy with your food. Chances are- you won't feel so hungry afterwards. Apple cider vinegar with mother helps as do BCAAs

9: We set up our meal plans to be a weekly average of your calories needed to meet your goals. If you over-eat one day, make sure you start fresh ASAP. Don't wait until the next morning or next week. Have a protein shake for your next meal. Calm down. Eliminate your treat meal for the week. And get back to business. 

If you binge or over-eat, please DO NOT punish yourself with extra cardio or training. Lift a big muscle the next day- shuttle that extra food to be used for something! Do not set yourself up for a vicious cycle of over-eating and then a ton of cardio.