@bridgette26 Whey is just a supplement, not a magic strength potion. It's a way to make up for not getting enough protein in your regular diet.
A 20% loss in performance is not from a small change in your macros, something major is fucked in your training and recovery. Your sources of protein are going to have much smaller effects on your gym performance.
Calculate your macros. How much protein are you getting? Are you getting enough sleep? How is your training? The younger you are the less these factors matter. As you get out of puberty there will be a lot more things to lock in to get results.
@bridgette26 Get one of the balanced vegan protein powders from a reputable brand like orgain, myprotein, etc. They're blends of pea, rice, etc that give you the same EAA blend as whey. Study after study has shown they're just as good as animal sources.
@bridgette26 If you're using quality protein sources and eating enough of it it shouldn't matter what you use.
I question if protein is really the issue.
You targeted diet, but what does the rest look like? What's your programing look like? How many days per week are you working out? What's your work life look like? Are you getting consistent sleep? Are you taking rest days or doing deload weeks to let your body heal?
@only1kirk The soy hate is so silly, and has no basis in reality. Soy protein isolate has a 0.99 PDCAAS score, so it's effectively no worse than whey and egg protein(scores of 1.00).
@bridgette26 Vega protein is amazing, it’s made with essential amino acids to help absorb the plant protein. I saw no difference in effectiveness between whey and Vega. I am lactose intolerant so I switched to try it out but it was really the cheaper whey proteins that affected me. If you are in the same boat, Jym protein is a little cheaper but very high quality and had no problem plus it tastes amazing.
@michaelr89 I experienced similar acne issues with whey as OP when I was in my 20s. I ignored it for the longest time but finally switched to a plant based powder. It all cleared up and I felt pretty silly for not switching earlier. After a few years I got fed up with basically paying double for the plant stuff and experimentally went back to whey. The acne didn’t come back and I’ve been using whey ever since. Not sure the company changed their formulation (have always gotten optimum nutrition brand) or if I just had some hormonal stuff going on that the whey was exacerbating.
@minster01 Yeah now that I'm done with puberty I try it out occasionally. I suspect it will stop one day. I dealt with acne for all of high school and finally found out when I got a concussion my senior year and didn't lift for 2 months
@minster01 I'd bed your hormones naturally calmed down and the whey is no longer contributing to it. Its definitely worth it to try stuff like this again later in life as we did change as we get older.
@minster01 FWIW I’m in my mid-30s and still have this issue with whey. Some people are just especially sensitive I guess. The vegan proteins I’ve tried are terrible so I’ve been getting my protein through foods only.
@bridgette26 Pasteurized egg whites are high quality pure protein that you can drink directly, blend in a smoothie, or cook like regular eggs.
Also look at unsweetened soy milk and silken tofu, which is a soft tofu that also blends well in smoothies or can be eaten directly like a pudding. Soy does have some fat and carbs too though so keep an eye on the macros.
