protein shake - timing matters?

sengalissa

I workout (shred) in the morning before breakfast. Since I do eat back calories and my protein intake tends to be low I want to try out drinking a shake. One drinks them right after workout, right? However, that is breakfast time, and shake plus breakfast is too much. So I thought I could make the shake an afternoon snack. My breakfast (cereal + soy milk) contains the same amount of protein as the shake (20g). Or does the after-workout protein have to be accessible more easily than in cereal?

Unknown

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Francl27

What helps is protein. If you have some in your usual breakfast, you don't even need a shake.

timbrom

For weight loss, it doesn't really matter that much, whatever floats your boat. For peak performance it's usually recommended to have some carbs pre-workout for energy, and a mix of carbs and protein post workout, but it sounds like you get that from your cereal.

sarahertzberger

I would do the shake afterward from what my trainer told me yesterday, you have about 45 minutes that you need to get in a fast-digesting protein in your body

geegee9539

I drinks 2 protein shakes a day and have a protein bar. One shake and one bar I eat in between meals as a snack and lately have been having a protein shake for dinner along with veggies. Timing really doesn't matter as long as you are getting the protein your body needs, especially if you are working out. Your body needs fuel throughout the day to raise metabolism and burn calories. Obviously adding a workout and extra protein helps this process better. If I workout in the morning, I usually eat a banana for the potassium prior to workout. Then I eat a protein based breakfast afterwards. For me, protein in the morning verses any kind of carbs works better and gets your metabolism going for the day. Keep up the good work!

SideSteel

The answer is context dependent to a degree but to make a sweeping generalization out of it, it's probably not going to make a significant difference in your progress whether you drink the protein shake vs eat the breakfast and consequently you are going to be best off choosing the one that maximizes your dietary adherence.

jacksonpt

Do you eat anything before your workout?

gaz_0001

As already stated, there is no ideal anabolic window.

Try and balance out the protein as best you can throughout the day.

sengalissa

Thanks everyone!

Someone asked if I ate before workout - I don't. I find it terrible to to jump ropes etc with food in my stomach.

jacksonpt

Thanks everyone!

Someone asked if I ate before workout - I don't. I find it terrible to to jump ropes etc with food in my stomach.

If you're workign out in the morning, and the last time you ate prior was dinner the night before, then that puts a bit more importance on getting some protein post workout. It can be from real food (eggs, yogurt, etc), or from a shake... but when working out fasted, there is an increased benefit (for most people) to having some protein post-workout.