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Shake It Up Baby: Protein Powder in America

Iris Kyle

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Conclusion The idea of perfecting the Human body has been around for quite along time, and the quest to accomplish the perfect body will forever be in the works. This quest will be accomplished hand in hand with protein powder, and protein powder has proven to be a extremely effective tool for athletes to fuel their bodies with. While the Fitness industry is ever changing and evolving, so to will the supplements that are accompanied with it. Unfortunately there is a clear and present bias in the fitness industry, even though both genders will continue their quest to perfect their bodies. Athletes like Iris Kyle wont let gender bias's in the fitness industry today to stop her. In the Female division the sport has dropped her weight class of "Body builder" due it it being unattractive. There has been an outcry by the fans of the sport that don't want to see women get as big and muscular as she has. Although she is a ten time Ms. Olympia champion, she struggles to find competitions that will let her compete due to her weight. despite this controversy, she like many Americans have incorporated a protein based drink into their lives. The idea that a high calorie based substance with the necessary vitamins and minerals to sustain extreme performance should be in demand. As some modern brands of Whey Protein based powders offer things like, 1250 calories per serving. a serving size being two scoops of protein powder, mixed or cooked to you're preference. Protein powders have solidified their place in the fitness industry as a staple product that any athlete needs to have in their diet. The applications of a high protein diet mixed with the necessary carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and nuts, with provide your body with the fuel necessary to keep it healthy in the long term.
The 1970s and 80s saw an increase in the sexualization of the fitness culture. These changing ideas for how the male and female body should look have changed the way the Protein Powder is marketed. Marketing for protein was originally showing moms at home feeding a little baby, worried about gaining weight slowly transformed over the years to incorporate that protein can be for everyone. The ads for protein now show men and women with very little body fat, probably just got done with a workout, and are sweating a little bit, six packs and string bikinis. This sexualization is nothing short of genius marketing strategy, the idea that having a fit and tone body will get you a certain lifestyle was extremely appealing to many people and this type of marketing persist to this day. The problem with this sexualization of the fitness culture is that it has created a gender bias that makes people think they need to have a certain kind of physique in order to be attractive. While the general population witnesses these types of advertising, it creates a bias in the way the fitness industry markets its products. But it also goes hand in hand with the way that we think people should look. The Men are supposed to be toned, muscular, and have a very alpha male type physique. Meanwhile the women are generally supposed to have a very slim abdomen, with large bust and hip areas. this idea is very primal, because when you get down to it Body Building is the ultimate expression of your physical or outward appearance. It is only when people go against the grain of popular culture do they stand out, when they push their body to the extreme like Mrs. Iris Kyle. Who without a doubt is the most controversial Body builder of all time. Fueled daily by Protein powder, Iris Kyle has won ten Mrs. Olympia's and has exposed gender bias's within the fitness industry.

The Ms. Olympia competition has scratched the weight class of body builder, opting to keep the less muscular and "more attractive" weight classes, in a attempt to gain more popularity by exploiting the female body. This move might prove detrimental to the Olympia competition. As hindered as some athletes are due to politics, nutritionally speaking anyone is virtually unstoppable. The way we fuel our athletes and everyday Americans with protein has drastically changed throughout history, and in america the popularity, effectiveness, and taste of protein powder will only ever get better. After swimming over from the Atlantic learning about the history of Whey and where the idea of having a strong outward appearance came from. Immigrants took their knowledge of exercise and diet, then blended it with american culture to create the foundation of a market that would emerge to grow beyond anyones expectations. Even though today there complications within the Body building community, its athletes and Americans everywhere benefit from the nutritional products produced by the companies that fuel the fitness industry, with Protein Powder being the main product sold within the industry.
Iris Kyle So we’ve inherited an evolutionary and sometimes misogynistic perspective that prevents us from accepting that a woman’s body comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The mass media today has done a lot of damage in perpetrating this myth as we are now bombarded 24/7 with images of what women ‘should’ look like. This creates a “reality” for our subconscious. The second issues is that yes, women’s bodybuilding is indeed a niche sport, just like other women’s sports that may not get much attention or funding from the vast majority of the public. Anyone here sat and watched hours of women’s archery, or wondered how much “pro archery” athletes make? Call me a realist but I think no matter what people do, bodybuilding (in general) will remain a niche sport.