The Beverage Ivanka Trump Drinks For Breakfast In The Morning To Build Muscle

Even though her father is in the White House, Ivanka Trump chose to stay out of politics during his second term. Instead, she moved to Miami with her husband, Jared Kushner, and their three kids. Although her mornings no longer include rushing to the West Wing, she told "The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast" that her mornings are still pretty chaotic as she rushes her kids to school.

Once she's back home, it's time for a little self-care. But that doesn't mean a slow, indulgent breakfast. These days, she kicks things off with a smoothie made with protein powder, banana, and cacao to help fuel her muscles. That's because Ivanka's fitness routine has shifted since leaving Washington, D.C. Once a yoga-and-Pilates kind of girl, she's now all about weight training.

In the beginning, though, she wasn't seeing the gains she hoped for. That's when she realized she needed to up her protein intake. According to the Daily Mail, her trainer recommends getting 20 grams of protein every few hours. That's when Ivanka started noticing "massive" changes. She says she feels stronger and leaner than ever.

The minimum amount of protein you need each day is about 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. That's roughly 54 grams of protein for someone who weighs 150 pounds. But keep in mind — that's the baseline for people who aren't active. If you exercise regularly, or if you're older and trying to maintain muscle as you age, you'll need more.

(Find out what can happen to your body when you start taking whey protein.)

You've probably seen big, beefy guys tossing scoops of protein powder into blender bottles after a tough workout. But does adding protein powder to your diet actually help? According to a 2018 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, it can. The review looked at 49 controlled trials on the effects of protein supplements and found that people improved their one-rep max by about 5.5 pounds. They also gained more lean muscle and increased muscle size compared to those who didn't use protein supplements.

That said, more isn't always better. Eating more than 1.62 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight doesn't lead to extra muscle gains. For a 150-pound person, that's about 110 grams of protein per day.

Ivanka also told "The Skinny Confidential Podcast" that she takes a creatine supplement in the morning before her workout. Instead of blending it into her smoothie, she mixes it with water and drinks it separately. While your body naturally makes creatine from the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine, you can also get it from meat, seafood, or supplements. When combined with resistance training, creatine helps with energy production, muscle repair, and muscle growth. A 2022 meta-analysis in Nutrition that pooled data from 35 studies found that supplementing with creatine during strength training increased lean body mass by an average of 2.4 pounds. However, women didn't see as significant gains as men.

While at the gym, Ivanka also adds electrolytes and an amino acid supplement to her water. According to the American Heart Association, athletes who exercise for prolonged periods may benefit from extra electrolytes, but for workouts under 75 minutes, plain water is usually enough. You can also maintain a healthy electrolyte balance through a balanced diet.

A 2024 review in Sports Medicine–Open found that supplementing with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) can reduce muscle damage and soreness after exercise. Since it takes about 30 minutes for BCAAs to take effect, some people prefer to take them before their workouts to help preserve muscle. But according to Garage Gym Reviews, BCAAs may be more beneficial after exercise to support recovery. However, there's no clear advantage to taking BCAAs during your workout.