post exercise meal

buffalobill41

Is it enough to be doing a whey protein shake after a workout or should i try to get some real food as well? Seems like there is a school of thought that protein is more for weight loss and you just want tons of calories to get bigger. I know you need to have a calorie surplus to get bigger but i assume you still keep getting stronger without it right? I'm pretty small and not looking to get all jacked or anything but i do want to get stronger any recommendations would be great thanks.

cwolfman13

for the average person, it's not going to matter so long as you are eating an appropriate amount of calories overall. underfeeding is going to lead to recovery issues as well as performance issues.

you can get stronger without bulking, but there is a world of difference between strength gains on even a small deficit vs maintenance vs a surplus.

_lyndseybrooke_

buffalobill41 wrote: »

Is it enough to be doing a whey protein shake after a workout or should i try to get some real food as well? Seems like there is a school of thought that protein is more for weight loss and you just want tons of calories to get bigger. I know you need to have a calorie surplus to get bigger but i assume you still keep getting stronger without it right? I'm pretty small and not looking to get all jacked or anything but i do want to get stronger any recommendations would be great thanks.

Uh, and what school is that? Whether you're eating at a caloric surplus or not has nothing to do with what you should be eating after a workout. Also, you're not going to get "jacked" from eating, or drinking a protein shake.

A decent rule of thumb for lifting is carbs before and protein after - or carbs before and carbs AND protein after. A protein shake as your post-workout "meal" is fine. If you're not lifting, it doesn't matter nearly as much as long as you're eating enough throughout the day to fuel your workouts.

LolBroScience

Higher protein intake will help retain more muscle while in a deficit, and generally it is satiating so it can potentially help prevent overeating (which in turn will aid in weight loss).

Yes, you can get stronger while in a deficit or eating at maintenance although it may be slower progress compared to if you were in a surplus (especially as you become more advanced). Don't overthink it... just eat a balanced meal post workout at some point (or a few, whatever...) in line with whatever you're trying to accomplish - cutting, recomping, bulking etc.

DesertGunR

The shake is an acceptable way to add protein, though I find it more enjoyable to eat the real thing (just a personal preference). Adjust your macros to add extra 0.8g-1g of protein for every pound of lean muscle mass you already have and as you gain lean muscle mass keep adding protein. Though to have the muscle you are trying to build show, regardless of not wanting to get "jacked" you will still need to eat at a slight deficit in order to lose the fat that is currently covering it. It is basically a form of body re-composition.

Since you did not state what strength program you are on. Strength comes with lifting progressively heavier weights over time. Not by the number of calories you intake as you lift. If you are not on a structured program already, I would suggest one like StrongLifts 5x5 you can read more about it here stronglifts.com/5x5/.

Good Luck!