Long whey to go. Can protein help me to lose fat?

To become a better runner I need to lose fat. I’ve always trained pretty hard, but my diet has never been very good. Too much beer, too many hangovers and too many takeaways have taken their toll. To lose fat, I need to build more lean muscle. To build that lean muscle I need to make sure I’m getting enough protein in my diet.

I’ve never been a fan of supplements, probably due to the way these products are advertised. Walk into any sport nutrition shop and you’ll be surrounded by pictures of blokes (always tanned and hairless) who look like they’re about to explode. It’s enough to put you off your breakfast. But if you want to add lean muscle it’s recommended that you eat at least 1 gram protein for every pound you weigh. I’m 11 stone (154 lbs), so I need over 154g of protein, which is the equivalent to around 6 chicken breasts or 24 eggs per day. No chance. This is where protein shakes come into their own, since a single shake can pack in 20-50g of protein depending on the brand.

Last month I decided to give it a go, I adjusted my diet to increase my protein, and starting having two protein shakes a day. The first tub I tried was 100% Whey Berry Flavour. It was disgusting. These tubs usually come in 2lb or 5lb containers, but why they don’t have small sample sachets to try them out is beyond me. My wife complained every time I opened the pack that it smelt like sick. It did. With milk it was nasty, but with water it was even worse. Top tip for mixing these shakes – buy a proper shaker! It makes a huge difference, I paid AED 45 (about £8) for one just like this (see right). If not, make sure you add a small amount of milk/water into the glass before the powder, stir and use the back of the spoon to smooth out lumps. Leave it a few minutes, stir again and then top it up and stir. A straw helps too if it’s still lumpy.

It was a relief to finish the pot (thankfully only a 2lb one!) and now my kind wife has bought me some Gold Standard 100% Whey Double Chocolate. The difference, it’s delicious! I should say, with milk it’s delicious, with water it’s… mm… drinkable, just. If you want to go crazy blend it with milk, ice cubes, banana and peanut butter, and that wipes the floor with a McShake.

It’s been a month, and so far I’ve not noticed the slightest difference in either my weight or appearance. Thank God it tastes good.

Fitness in Dubai features reviews of all the latest fitness programmes and local gyms, such as The Circuit Factory, 24 Fitness and CrossFit LifeSpark, as well as reviews of fitness fads, fitness tests and fitness equipment, from Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes to VO2 Max testing. Ultimately, this fitness blog - as featured in Good Taste, Men's Fitness, Time Out and Shape magazines - contains everything you need to know about fitness in Dubai, UAE, in the Middle East. Bookmark it now.