Protein - An Athlete's Best Friend

Protein - An Athlete’s best friend

As an athlete, there is nothing that you will hear more about when it comes to your nutrition than the word protein.  Why is that? Well that’s because protein is one of the three major macronutrients and it is the one that is primarily responsible for building and repairing tissues in our body.  And when it comes to any athlete, a very important tissue that we are focused on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is MUSCLE. At the core of what it means to be an athlete, you have to have highly developed muscles that allow you to perform at your maximum capacity in your sport.  

My name is Tre Watson. In addition to being a Co-Founder of UpGo, I have been blessed with the opportunity of playing Division 1 football in the NCAA and I am currently playing professionally in Canada.

 Some of my notable accolades are:

- 2018 Phil Steele & FWA All American

- 2018 First Team All B1G

- 2018 B1G leading tackler 

- 2018 Led nation in interceptions for linebackers 

- 4x Academic All B1G

The reason I even share my accolades, isn’t to brag or boast upon my accomplishments. My greatest accomplishment is my wife and son, but that’s a blog for a different time.

I list some of my accolades so that whoever reads this can trust me when I say, without proper supplementation, especially protein, I would not have been able to accomplish any of that.  Needless to say, there are very few individuals who have more experience with supplementing their diet with protein powder than myself and I am writing this blog to tell you my personal opinion on 1) Why protein is important for me and 2) Why UpGo Protein?

Why Protein is Important for me?

As a professional athlete, protein powders are a vital component in my strength building and recovery. Nearly every day, I have at least one high intensity training session and I absolutely have to find additional protein sources beyond breakfast, lunch, and dinner to maximize muscle growth and recovery. When I’m training, I am breaking down muscle fibers in my body. One of the most effective ways to ensure that those broken down muscle fibers recover and allow myself to get bigger, stronger, and faster is for me to give my body the protein it needs to repair those fibers and recover.  Nutritionists and strength coaches at every level of sport will tell you how crucial it is to get some form of protein in your body.

In my opinion, one of the best benefits of protein powder is that you can take it at any time whether or not you are participating in physical activity at all. Protein is quite literally my best friend. I am always strapped with an UpGo jug of protein because I am always on the move from one thing to another.  As an athlete, you are busy literally all the time. College athletes, we know how it is. You got your morning workouts,  class all day, practice,  work, study hall, and you have to find a way to get 8 hours of sleep in. The schedule is crazy packed. It becomes difficult to make sure you are getting the proper supplementation of protein in your body.

 In college or any busy schedule, we are always scrambling for meals and that can mean that we don’t eat everything that we need to be able to maximize our performance. Protein powders are an amazing resource because you can mix them with water or milk at any time; it doesn't matter if you’re in class, on the go, or even getting ready for bed.  Having the ability to supplement your protein intake whenever you want is something that you can’t put a value on and a reason why every athlete should also start thinking like me and declaring protein as your best friend. Bring protein with you everywhere. We’d be honored if it was UpGo protein.

Why UpGo Protein?

Guys, every person in a leadership position at UpGo either played in the NFL, ran in the Olympics, or played college sports in the NCAA. We started a nutritional supplement company because it is an area that we are all very knowledgeable on and we are passionate about.  By creating our own products we are making products that we would take ourselves by ensuring that everything in our products is clean and will positively impact the body. 

The two varieties of protein powder that we have here at UpGo are whey and pea protein. Both powders  are All Natural, Clean, Gluten Free, FDA Compliant, Taste Amazing and most importantly… are EFFECTIVE!  Our Whey Protein is derived from isolates in milk which is the most common source used for protein powders that many people are familiar with.  Our Pea Protein powder which, as you can probably guess from the name, is a vegetable-based alternative source derived from the common household legume. Both protein powders are equally effective in supplementing your protein intake and fit individual’s preferences based on their diet choices. Below are some of the top benefits of UpGo protein powders!

Benefits: 

• Supports muscle growth. 
• Aids muscle repair after exercise.
• Helps reduce inflammation. 
• Boosts metabolism.
• Assists in moderating blood sugar. 
• Increases both insulin and insulin sensitivity, which is beneficial for type-2 diabetes.

Protein has done wonders for me and my career. Whether you are a pro athlete, college athlete, everyday gym goer, or someone just getting into fitness, UpGo Protein is a great supplement to help you Ascend in Your Daily Life.

Feel free to comment on this blog or reach out to us if you have any questions! 

• Tre Watson 

tre@upgosupps.com