MILK: A Food for Muscles
Milk is often a staple in our fridges. But other than pairing nicely with cereal, the occasional cookie or just a nice tall glass on its own, the real question is: Do we know why we are drinking it? Do we know when the best time to drink it is, especially to maximize its muscle gaining potential? Probably not.
Milk is packed with protein. It also has all the necessary vitamins needed to help repair our muscles after strenuous use and, therefore, enhance muscular growth and build strength. Here are some other things about milk that can assist in your health and fitness journey.
Weight Loss
Packing on muscle can be a long process that typically starts with trimming our body up and losing some unwanted weight. Shedding unwanted pounds doesn’t mean you aren’t going to lose gained muscle, but can help with muscle tone and definition. Adding low-fat or skim milk to your diet can be a major weight loss factor versus a diet that avoids milk completely.
Great Post Workout
Hopefully we all have seen and felt the benefits of using Shakeology, and if we haven’t, maybe we have another favorite post workout protein drink. Adding milk to this drink instead of water can enhance the muscle gaining ability to new heights. With an average of 9 grams of protein and containing all eight essential amino acids, it will help those muscles repair and grow. Milk can also increase flavor and make post-workout supplement much more enjoyable thus making it much more likely to stay on routine.
Full Body Fitness
While muscle gaining may be at the forefront of our goals, complete overall wellness is a fantastic benefit as well. With nutrients like calcium, potassium and vitamin D (fortified), to name a few, a nutrition plan that includes milk can help improve good cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, support the production of serotonin, and is also essential for building healthy bones—thus creating a strong foundation to pack our muscles around.
So, don’t pass up milk as just another staple in your fridge. Take a look at how it can benefit your overall health and wellness goals. It may just be that missing piece to help you reach your goals—and it’s available at ANY local gas station or grocery store!