If you have made going to the gym one of your resolutions for 2014, perhaps to bulk up, lose some weight or simply to look better, it is crucial to know that the body you are looking to achieve is made both in the gym and the kitchen — or, if you really want to be technical, also in bed, as achieving any fitness goal requires hours and hours of workouts, sufficient rest and the right kind of food. Hemp!

Typically, the nutritional needs of an average person can be sufficiently covered by the meals he eats. However, when you begin training and continue to progress, you will definitely need to supplement your diet with a protein powder. Why protein powder?

Protein powders come in a variety of forms including whey, soy, casein and hemp protein powder. As any seasoned gym rat will tell you, finding enough time to juggle between commitments at work, at home and in the gym can be immensely difficult. One of the advantages of consuming protein powders is you have one more box to tick off your task list. Instead of spending a huge amount of time planning your meals, protein powders offer a quick and easy shortcut.

A good training regimen will involve some form of resistance training. And as you push rep after rep, set after set, your body undergoes major changes which involve both the breakdown of muscle tissues and the repair of these tissues. As such, it is important to provide your body with the necessary materials that are needed to repair the muscles and recover from the stress of exercising. Protein powders readily provide these.

Protein powders are best consumed before and after a workout. Prior to a workout, a protein shake can prepare the muscles for the rigours of a challenging workout. Post-workout, a shake will immediately replenish the nutrients lost by the body.

Hemp protein is derived from the seeds of the industrial hemp plant. While whey protein is one of the most popular kinds of protein powders, hemp protein offers several advantages.

First, hemp protein contains a high amount of protein. An ounce of hemp powder contains 14 grams of protein. In terms of quality, hemp protein is considered a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids which are necessary for a variety of bodily functions and which are not available or cannot be manufactured by the human body.

Hemp protein also has the added advantage of containing a desirable amount of both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which in turn offer a variety of benefits including reduction of inflammation and prevention of heart disease.

Hemp protein is also a good source of fibre. While an ounce of whey protein will only yield a gram or less of fibre, the same amount of hemp protein can yield as much as four times that quantity.

Finally, if you are a vegan or vegetarian, hemp protein is a viable alternative. While some vegans or vegetarians use soy protein, most have a hard time processing this type of protein and thus turn to hemp.

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