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Milk vs. Pro JYM

Don't have Pro JYM handy for some reason? The next best protein drink for both pre- and post-workout comes courtesy of the cow.

Milk vs. Pro JYM

I’ll put Pro JYM up against any of the hundreds of different 100% whey protein products on the market and claim it superior for a number of reasons:

  1.  No other protein powder surpasses the quality of the ingredients contained in Pro JYM.
  2. Pro JYM tastes amazing and has a great thick texture, which is just an added bonus.
  3. Scientific research proves beyond doubt that a protein blend of whey and casein produces better gains in muscle size and strength than whey protein on its own. This reason is so pronounced that I’m amazed at how many 100% whey products are still on the market.

In fact, I can think of one very common protein drink in particular that’s more beneficial for gains than 100% whey:

Yes, milk.

In the absence of Pro JYM, believe or not, milk is a great option both before and after workouts.

And here’s why…

  • Numerous studies have shown that both pre- and post-workout milk ingestion boosts protein synthesis, which leads to muscle growth. This shouldn’t surprise you, as milk contains both whey and casein proteins.
  • Milk protein is around 20% whey and 80% casein. That’s pretty close to being perfect for a protein source, especially around workouts, because you get both fast-digesting (whey) and slow-digesting (casein) sources, which keeps muscle protein synthesis boosted for longer. By comparison, Pro JYM 40% whey, 50% casein and 10% egg protein.
  • The only thing would make it better would be to add egg protein (which is medium-digesting), but you can do that by simply having a hard boiled egg or two along with your milk.

Milk Macros:

1 cup of milk provides 8-10 grams of protein and 12-15 grams of carbs. The fat content depends on what type of milk you’re drinking: skim (non-fat), 1%, 2%, whole milk, etc.

Don't Skimp

Skim milk is the way to go, right? WRONG.

I recommend not going with skim milk. Research has shown that whole milk beats skim in terms of protein synthesis and muscle growth. So it’s not just the protein that matters, but the fat as well. At the very least, choose low-fat milk, though I’m a fan of whole milk.  

Go Organic

Organic milk is a little pricier than the normal stuff, but it also provides more omega-3 fats, more CLA and more vitamin E, so it's worth the money.

Directions for Use

4 cups of milk = 32-40 grams of protein and 45-50 grams of carbs. You know what that is? It's more or less an ideal post-workout protein/carb ratio.

You can also split that dose up if you don't feel like chugging four cups of milk at once. In that case, have 2 cups of milk pre-workout and 2 cups post-workout.

Make it Macro Friendly

Don't forget, macronutrient totals are still in play here. If you're following, say, my Dieting 101 guidelines, include your pre- and/or post-workout milk consumption in the macro calculations, since there's a significant number of carbs in milk, not to mention fat if you're drinking whole milk.

Bang For Your Buck?

Okay, so you're probably thinking that replacing Pro JYM with milk would save you money, right? Well, possibly not. Part of it depends on the price of milk where you live. Let's do the math...

1 gallon of milk = 128 ounces. And each ounce contains roughly 1 gram of protein.

In Los Angeles (admittedly not the cheapest place in the country for groceries), you’re paying 5-6 cents per gram of protein when buying a gallon of organic milk.

Pro JYM, on the other hand, costs around 4 cents per gram of protein.

So is milk really cheaper than Pro JYM? Not really, no. Of course, if milk in your area is cheaper than LA, that changes the numbers a little bit.

Are You Lactose Intolerant?

If so, chugging milk is probably not a great option for you. But you can certainly find lactose-free milk. Just keep in mind that that will increase the price, as lactose-free varieties tend to be more expensive.

As for Pro JYM, it's virtually lactose-free, with less than 0.5 gram of lactose per scoop.

Milk It!

So again, milk isn't actually more cost-effective than Pro JYM, unless you're buying non-organic, which I don't recommend. But there's room for both milk and Pro JYM in your diet. You can mix the two together, drink them separate, whatever.

Drink up... and enjoy!

 


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