If there’s anyone we’re taking workout tips from, it’s Montell Douglas. From appearing on Gladiators to quickstepping her way around the Strictly dancefloor, Montell is our literal fitness inspo at every given moment.
It takes a lot of work to look that good – and alongside being an avid fan of a certain cult classic face powder, former Olympian Montell is now letting us know her secret to getting those muscle gains. As many gym girlies will attest to, protein powder is a huge part of building any muscles. For Montell, there’s one in particular she’s reaching for.
Opening up about her favourite protein powder, Montell says, ‘My favourite has to be my Holland & Barrett clear protein. It’s got BCAA, it’s got great protein. It's a good friend for me and my body as well. It works really well for me because my body loves BCAA, so it has a nice blend.’
Revealing that she’s a big fan of the fact it’s clear, Montell adds, ‘It’s more like a juice than it is a milkshake.
'Now spring’s here and it’s sunnier, sometimes I much prefer that. My favourite has definitely got to be my Holland & Barrett clear lemonade in the spring and summer.’
www.hollandandbarrett.com
Holland & Barrett's brand is the Olympian's favourite, with Montell saying 'It's more of a juice than it is a milkshake.'
The powder boasts 20g of protein, 4.7g of BCAAs, as well as providing Vit B5 and B12. According to reviews, users say it ‘tastes good’ and ‘mixes well.’ Delicious!
What is clear protein?
Time for some protein 101.
Once upon a time, the only protein shakes were thick powders mixed with water or milk for a milkshake-esque drink (or in your porridge, if you’re feeling fancy).
Enter, clear protein. All the rage right now, clear protein includes water-soluble proteins. This means you can mix it with water, juice, or into smoothies, and have a much lighter way to get your protein down you than your heavy protein shake.
Think squash vibes, but with gains.
They're also typically more fruitier than classic protein powder - with more lemon and lime than cereal milk flavour...
What is a BCAA?
Part of the reason Montell chooses Holland & Barrett’s clear protein as her holy grail is because it includes BCAA – something she says her ‘body loves’.
Confused? We’ve got you.
We all know protein powder, but what we might not know is that plenty of protein powders nowadays also include BCAA – standing for branched-chain amino acids. They make up three of the nine essential amino acids that the body can’t produce on it’s own: isoleucine, leucine, and valine.
To sum it up in very simple terms… Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and protein is a building block of muscle. BCAAs are super important for optimising muscle growth and repair. While they’re not exactly protein, the two work together to make sure your muscles are getting the best gains in the gym.
Most proteins nowadays do include BCAAs, with whey protein usually containing all nine essential amino acids. Planet-based proteins that are best for our vegans and veggies out there can vary in their BCAA content – but as always, it’s worth reading the label to check.
If it’s good enough for Olympian Montell, then it’s certainly good enough for our booty workouts. If you see us sipping on a lemonade this spring, just know we’re reaching our gym goals…