Protein is everywhere. Is your training going anywhere?

You can buy protein in a shake, a cookie, a cereal, or a bag of chips. But if someone asked what changed in your training this month, would your answer be as specific as the number on the wrapper?

That is where I want to start. Before we argue about the best protein powder, let’s ask what the protein is supporting.

Why the high-protein trend deserves a closer look

In its August 11, 2026 industry update, Glanbia highlighted protein snacks among the major trends in active nutrition. It is an ingredient supplier, so this is a commercial view of the market, not independent proof that those products improve your health. It does explain why the conversation is worth having now. [Glanbia: Nutrition trends for active adults in 2026 (August 11, 2026; industry source)]

The useful part of this trend is the attention to nutrition. The part I would challenge is the assumption that a higher number on a package automatically means a better plan. A product can be useful. It still needs a reason to be in your day.

Does protein actually help build muscle?

Yes, alongside resistance training. A meta-analysis by Morton and colleagues pooled 49 randomized trials involving 1,863 participants. Protein supplementation produced additional improvements in strength and fat-free mass during training. The average extra gain in fat-free mass was about 0.30 kilograms compared with control conditions. That is an average difference between groups, not the total gain from training and not a promise for your body. [Morton et al.: Protein supplementation and resistance training meta-analysis (2018)]

The same analysis estimated that gains in fat-free mass leveled off around 1.6 grams of total daily protein per kilogram of body weight. Treat that as an estimate across studies, not a hard biological ceiling. The included participants were healthy and were not in energy-restricted diets; the result should not be stretched into a universal prescription for every person trying to lose weight. [Morton et al.: Protein supplementation and resistance training meta-analysis (2018)]

My coaching takeaway is simple: look at your food and your training together. If you are going to invest attention in one, give the other a place on the calendar.

How much protein do you need?

The International Society of Sports Nutrition’s position stand gives 1.4–2.0 grams per kilogram per day as a range sufficient for most healthy exercising people to support muscle building and maintenance. That is total protein from food and supplements combined. Individual needs depend on context. [ISSN position stand: Protein and exercise (2017)]

For an 80-kilogram adult, the calculation is 80 × 1.4 = 112 grams and 80 × 2.0 = 160 grams per day. This illustrates the range; it is not an instruction that everyone should eat 160 grams. If you have kidney disease or a prescribed diet, set your intake with your clinician or registered dietitian.

Do you need a protein shake after every workout?

Whole foods can meet protein needs; supplements are a practical option when they help close a gap. The ISSN review also describes the importance of total daily intake and notes that exercise increases responsiveness to protein well beyond the minutes immediately after a session. You do not need to treat the walk to your car as a countdown to losing your workout. [ISSN position stand: Protein and exercise (2017)]

I would start with a question: what will you actually eat when the session ends? If a shake helps because the next meal is hours away, give it that job. If a normal meal works, you do not need to add a supplement just to make the workout feel complete.

Before buying more protein, check your week

Here is the review I would put ahead of another purchase. Use it to decide what needs attention, without turning your meals into a second full-time job.

• Write down a few typical days of eating. Get a reasonable picture of your current intake before deciding it is too low.
• Look at the whole meal. Alongside a protein source, make room for vegetables, fruit, carbohydrates, and fats that suit your needs and preferences.
• Record your training. Note exercises, loads, repetitions, and how the session felt. Give yourself something concrete to review with your coach.
• Name the problem a supplement would solve. Convenience, appetite, budget, and access are useful considerations. A label alone is not a reason.
• Choose an adjustment you can repeat. Review how it fits your life before adding another rule.

Build a plan you can explain

At RISEN, the starting point is a goal we can agree on. Then we assess where you are and build the work around it. Nutrition coaching needs that same clarity. What are we changing? Why? How will we know whether it is helping?

If you want one-on-one personal training at Dave Fisher’s Gym, we can start there. Bring your questions about food, your current routine, and the things you keep getting stuck on. You do not need to arrive with the perfect supplement stack.

Explore one-on-one coaching at RISEN↗︎

Know what the protein is for. Then give your training the same attention you give the label.