The “Protein Window” Myth — How Big Business Shapes Our Beliefs
Why do you believe the things you believe?
Anyone who’s been in the fitness game for a while will remember the protein myth.
Around 10 years ago, it was commonplace to believe that in order to build muscle your absolutely had to get an intake of protein within the “protein window” of 30–60 minutes after exercising.
Most of us believed that if you didn’t consume some form of protein within 30–60 minutes of lifting weights, then your entire workout was nothing but a big waste of time.
After a gym session, many of us ran home as quickly as we could to try and get some form of protein within the crucial “protein window”. And conveniently for the protein industry, most of us did this by drinking a protein shake.
The “protein window” was, of course, hugely exaggerated. The truth is, it really isn’t essential to consume protein within 30–60 minutes of working out. It might help a little, but the effects are pretty negligible.
So why did so many of us in the fitness world believe this piece of misinformation? Because that’s the power big business has over our beliefs.
