Whey Protein for Endomorphs

Whey protein is a nutritional supplement that originates from cow’s milk 1. Available as a powder or premixed shake, whey protein can complement your other food proteins or replace them, depending on your fitness goals. As an endomorph with a tendency to gain weight easily, you can include whey protein to your diet with the understanding that it has advantages as well as disadvantages for your body type. Seek the counsel of a dietitian before adding whey protein or any supplement to your fitness plan.

Body Type

Your somatotype, or body type, describes the natural shape of your body, your tendency to gain weight and the type of weight you gain. Ectomorphs are naturally slender, often with little body fat, long bones and lean muscles. Mesomorphs are muscular, with a tendency to pack on lean body mass easily and a body shape that is well balanced. Endomorphs, on the other hand, are prone to adding fat to their frames with little effort. Often pear-shaped, endomorphs carry the bulk of their body fat from the waist down and tend to have less lean body mass and more total body fat than ectomorphs or mesomorphs.

Whey Protein

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Whey proteins are nutritionally complete, meaning they provide your diet with all the protein building blocks, or amino acids, you require in your daily meal plan. Whey proteins are easily absorbed by your digestive system, and, additionally, they contain a high proportion of branched-chain amino acids. These amino acids have the ability to become directly absorbed by your muscle tissue without first undergoing metabolism by your liver. This feature of whey protein may impact how much of it you choose to include in your endomorph diet.

Benefits

Whey proteins not only add high-quality protein to your nutrition but also add it in a low-fat package. These supplements are convenient for traveling, whether to the office, to school or on the road, and require little or no preparation. As an endomorph, you may be carefully tracking your nutrient intake to avoid unwanted weight gain, and the predetermined serving size and protein content of whey supplements allow you to easily monitor your daily protein intake. Furthermore, whey supplements are available in several flavors to add variety to your diet, a fact you may especially appreciate when restricting calories.

Drawbacks

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Because whey protein is so readily absorbed and utilized by your body, overconsumption can easily add unwanted pounds to your frame. Over time, if the calories you consume outnumber the calories you burn, the excess will store as fat, no matter what the original food source. Additionally, as an endomorph minimizing calorie intake, you may be at risk for a nutritional deficiency if you substitute whey protein for whole-food proteins that add other essential nutrients to your diet, such as calcium and iron.