The Importance of Breakfast to Bodybuilders

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The importance of breakfast has been extolled for years. And while thinking has evolved to diversify this for different body types and exercise levels, breakfast remains important especially for bodybuilders.

Why is breakfast important for bodybuilders?

That’s simple – fuel is needed for the intense workouts and muscle usage of bodybuilders. And if, like many, you want to get your workout done at the beginning of the day, breakfast is pivotal. Without the necessary protein and nutrients provided by breakfast, your muscles will fatigue and you will not be able to work towards bodybuilding levels.

How to make breakfast exciting

So, you know it’s important to have breakfast if you want to workout in the mornings, but how do you keep it exciting? Variety really is the spice of life. Try our sassy smoothie recipes, overnight oats, or try one of these 3 easy ways to add protein powder to meals for an added boost!

Overnight oats - Photo by Ella Olsson on Unsplash

A Protein Powder Boost to Your Breakfast

When you start your bodybuilding journey, it is likely that you will learn to know your protein, and how it helps build muscle. Protein shakes can really help to boost your protein intake at breakfast time – especially if you are running short on time, or simply can’t get enough protein into your breakfast foods.

Read our tips on when to use protein powders for the best impact!

Weightlifting Tips For Beginners

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It’s really important, when you start your weightlifting journey, to start slow and build your skill, confidence and technique. From GoProtein to you, here are our weightlifting tips for beginners:

Tips for beginners working towards weightlifting

Work on your fitness

You can’t go from zero to hero in a heartbeat, so begin your journey by building basic fitness. Use our 30-minute beginner’s workout routine to get you into a fitness headspace on build your basic fitness up before beginning your weightlifting journey.

Take care of your nutrition

While you build up to bodybuilding, nutrition plays a huge part in what your body can handle and how it recovers. In order to give your body the fuel it needs, consider using our Whey Bodybuilding Protein as a supplemental pre and post boost. As well as adding protein to recipes either via whole foods or added protein powder.

Don’t underestimate the importance of stretching

We talk about the importance of stretching in any workout or weightlifting routine, and it’s true! Take the time to warm up and warm down, your muscles will thank you for it.

Start with light weights

It may be tempting to dive in and push your body – but this can lead to injuries. Learning correct form is paramount, so start with weights where you can easily do the reps with good form before moving onto heavier weights. If you progress too quickly, you will lose form and risk injury in the longterm.

Limit Workouts to 30-45 mins

You want to avoid muscle fatigue and burnout, so when starting out, ensure that you don’t overdo it. Have a pre-workout protein shake, and work hard for a limited workout time. We also suggest that you rest in between sets – for around 1 minute. This will help avoid muscle fatigue and allow you to use your 30-45 minutes efficiently. Work smarter not harder!

Good luck with your weightlifting journey!

Fun Protein Boosts for Body Builders

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Eating as much protein as is needed for body building can get a little boring, so here are some fun protein boosts to add in those amino acids, creatine and protein isolates that your body needs.

Add protein powder in your breakfasts

Alongside our protein porridge, there are lots of ways to use protein powder in breakfasts to boost your morning. Try our favourite protein powder overnight oats, or these fun smoothie recipes.

Give your body a protein boost after your workout

It’s important to ensure your body has enough energy to burn straight after your workout. Give your body the fuel it needs within 30 minutes of your workout for maximum impact. Learn more about when to take your protein shakes.

Overnight oats - Photo by Ella Olsson on Unsplash

Seeds and nuts and salad extras

Add these five protein-rich nuts and seeds to your salads and meals to boost your protein intake. Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts and flax seeds are super loaded with goodness and protein.

The texture of the nuts and seeds adds some interest to your meals too.

5 Items You Need for a Great Gym Experience

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Women working out on yoga mats - Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

Going to a gym is a great way to keep fit. Some gyms have loads of amenities, and others don’t; but a good way to ensure you have a good gym experience, is to have these items:

A great gym bag with separate shoe compartment

A good gym bag can’t be beat. Ensure you get one with a separate shoe compartment to lock away those stinky gym shoes. Make sure you get a gym bag big enough for a washing bag, and all the other items below.

A sweat towel AND a shower towel

It’s good etiquette to take a clean towel out onto the gym floor with you. Having two towels means you can use one on the floor and one in the shower afterwards. Choose micro-fibre for the sweat towel – it’s quick dry and easy to use.

Protein powder and shaker

When training hard, it’s important to give your body a good protein dose before or just after a gym visit. Take along your Goprotein powder and shaker to ensure you can top yourself up as needed.

A good water bottle with a covered spout

Keeping yourself hydrated at the gym is imperative. Get yourself a good water bottle with a covered spout – for easy access and no spills during your workouts.

Odour neutralisers, deodorant and wipes

It’s a good idea to keep yourself, your bag and your workout area clean and smelling nice. It makes for a better experience all-round if you use anti-perspirant, naturally. And having odour neutralisers in your bag will keep your bag smelling nice.

Wipes are especially important at the moment, and a good idea to keep equipment clean for those around you.

Protein Powder Overnight Oats Recipe

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Time to take your breakfasts to a whole new level. Here we share our favourite recipe for overnight oats with protein powder; for a delicious and protein packed start to your day!

Overnight Oats with Protein Powder

Ingredients

  • 1 scoop of Chocolate Hazelnut or Chocolate Mint Mega Go MaXpro Lean Protein powder
  • 400ml of water or 500ml of milk / almond milk
  • 1.5 cups of rolled oats
  • 2 tablespoons of agave or maple syrup
  • 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds
  • A sprinkle of cinnamon or ground ginger if you fancy it
  • Red berries of your choice

Instructions

  1. Mix together your protein powder and liquid – shake in one of our Goprotein shakers until completely mixed
  2. Put the remainder of your ingredients into a bowl and mix together with wet ingredients until combined
  3. Layer the oats and red berries into a mason jar or glass and place (covered) into the fridge overnight

Our favourite protein powder overnight oats

The chia seeds add a delightful texture to the mushy oats, and the red berries compliment the rich chocolate powder flavour.

Any of the Goprotein flavours would work in overnight oats. From Tropical Banana to Strawberry Delight – there is a flavour for you! You can even add natural yoghurt when you serve it, to add even more protein.

Our overnight oats with added protein powder will give you an excellent boost in the morning before a workout or busy day at work. And with all the flavour options from Goprotein you’ll never get bored.

Using Protein Powder As Part of a Balanced Diet

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Whether you are building muscle or on a weight loss journey, it’s important to use protein powder as part of a balanced diet. A range of whole grains, vegetables, meat and other proteins are essential to ensure your body receives all the nutrients and minerals to keep you healthy.

The Nutritional Pyramid

The nutritional pyramid is a great resource to ensure you maintain a healthy range of food, in the right ratios.

  • With salad, vegetables and fruit at the base, these are the things you should eat the most of – 25%
  • Wholemeal cereals, breads, pasta and rice are the next level up, and make up a moderate amount of your diet – 25%
  • Milk, yoghurt, cheese – 15%; alongside lean meat, tofu, seeds, and fish – 15%, make up a small but important third tier of the pyramid
  • The top tier is for healthy fats – 10% max of your diet

Protein Powder as a supplement to your diet

If you are an athlete, body builder, or exercise a lot; it’s quite possible you will benefit from using protein powder as a supplement to your balanced diet.

Making a balanced meal in the morning before heading to the gym can be a bit hit or miss. Whereas a banana or overnight oats + a protein shake is just what your body needs before a workout or weight training session!

30-Minute Beginner’s Workout

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It’s sometimes hard to know how to get back into working out again. Here are our recommendations for a 30-minute beginner’s workout to get you back into the training groove after some time away. We have also included some protein powder tips to help boost your muscles during training.

Start small

While it’s great to aspire to a long and intense training session, it’s best to start small. Set aside 30 minutes of workout time, and start with small sets of basic activities. If you can’t reach the 30 minute mark straight away, don’t worry – it is better to do a shorter workout than none at all.

Stretches

It’s important to warm up and warm down, especially if you haven’t exercised in a while. Spend 5-10 minutes warming up, stretching your muscles and loosening any tired joints. Some effective stretches to include in your beginner’s workout are:

  • lunges
  • standing quad stretch
  • side stretch
  • plank
  • star jumps
  • yoga stretches

Cardio

It’s important to include some cardio in your workout. Get your heart rate up, burn those calories, and feel the burn! Some great low impact cardio options are: walking, pilates, barre, or zumba. There are lots of short online workouts available, or take a class to dip your toes in.

If you have access to a gym, do a 15-minute fast walk / jog or cross-trainer blitz to speed your heart rate up. If you don’t have access to a gym, invest in a skipping rope or mini-trampoline for extra exercise opportunities.

Resistance bands

Work your muscles with some resistance bands, barbells or a kettle bell for 10 minutes. Be sure to watch tutorials or see a personal trainer to ensure you are working your muscles correctly. Avoiding injury during weight work will make getting back into working out a whole lot easier.

Finish with a warm down and stretch.

Protein Powder Tips

If you are building workouts into your regimen, you may consider drinking a whey protein drink before your exercise. As you build up your workouts to 1+ hours, and increase the intensity, your body will need energy food, and protein drinks offer that.

Good luck with your 30-minute workout, and enjoy getting your workout mojo back!

Body Building Boost

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So, you’ve been bodybuilding for a while, but you’ve reached a plateau. It’s time to up your game and work hard on building muscle mass and bulking up. This is where our Mega Go Mass Pro XL Protein formulation comes in…

All-in-One Formula – Mass and Size Building

If you are trying to gain muscle mass and size, then combining the Mega Go Mass formula with your bodybuilding training is the way to go. Step up your intensity and push yourself harder with this blend of quality calories.

Great for Athletes

If you are an athlete serious about your training and recovery regimen, and want to ensure your body has everything it needs for your training plan, a boost from Mega Go Mass Pro XL is what you need.

Nutrition

Mega Go Mass Pro XL Protein Gainer has 3 main sources of protein – 26g from whey and milk*, 13g from soya, and 4g from oat powder.

*Per serving of 100g with 500ml milk

Add 4 heaped scoops (200g) to 800-1000ml skimmed milk or cold water (best in two shakers) and shake for approximately 5-10 seconds (or mix it in a blender) until fully dissolved. The servings are very big, so halve the recommended amount if needed.

3 Ways to Use Protein Powder in Meals

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If boosting your protein intake is your goal, here are 5 easy ways to use protein powder in meals to increase your daily consumption.

Add flavoured whey protein to yoghurt

Most health conscious people have yoghurt in their fridge, and adding a flavoured protein powder is a great way to save money on yoghurt flavourings; but also add a boost of protein to start your morning.

Try our Strawberry Delight flavoured GoPro Whey Bodybuilding Protein to plain yoghurt for a delicious morning treat.

Fruit salad sprinkles

Did you know that you can sprinkle protein powder on fruit salad for a healthy breakfast or dessert option? You don’t want to use too much, as the texture can be off-putting. But a small sprinkle is a great case of ‘every little bit helps’.

Try our tutti frutti blend of Muscle Power All-in-One on your next fruit salad.

Pancakes

Pancakes are probably the easiest and most delicious way to include protein powder in your meals. With no detracting from the texture of the pancake, flavoured protein powders actually enhance any pancake recipe.

Try the Chocolate Cookies flavour Mega Go MaXpro Lean Protein powder in your next batch of pancakes – you won’t be sorry!

If you get really adventurous, you can even try using protein powder in salad dressings! Try these fun snazzy protein shake recipes for something different too.

Fruit salad - Photo by Adél Grőber on Unsplash

Cost Effective Protein Boost With Mega Go Protein

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Looking for a cost effective protein powder? Our Mega Go Protein complex is a high protein boost in an economy blend. Without losing impact or quality, but built for those training hard and in need of large quantities!

Large Tubs

Available in 2kg and 4kg tubs, our Mega Go Protein is built for those needing big quantities at great prices. If you are training hard and want to keep your protein at an optimal level, it is best to take a serving around 1 hour before your training, followed by another immediately afterwards. Read more information on when you should use protein powder here.

Great Flavours

Available in great flavours: Chocolate Mint, Strawberry Delight, Tropical Banana, Velvet Vanilla, Chocolate Cookies, Chocolate Hazelnut, and Jamaican Coconut; there is bound to be a flavour for everyone.

Economy with Quality

There’s no reason to skimp on quality when creating a cost effective economy blend of protein powder. With the Mega Go Protein formula, you get 28g of muscle building protein per serving and there are a huge 100 servings per 4kg tub.

This is a great daily protein blend, and with all the great flavours, you won’t get bored! See our Protein Powder shop for all the varieties.

strong woman is drinking sports nutrition