Protein Shakes

twiniemily

Now I always thought protein shakes were for the 'shaved bulldogs that carry carpets' looking guys who purely want to bulk up. After reading a few comments saying these should be drunk for a mini meal type thing, should I be including them in my diet?

I am exercising 5-6 times a week, trying to consume around 1200 calories and tone up the thighs and stomach area.

MistyMtnMan

Most definitely. A protein shake isn't going to magically give you giant muscles. Lifting giant weights everyday is what is going to do that. A great protein shake is an excellent way to add more lean protein to your deit which is what will add to lean muscle and THAT is what will burn fat even at rest.

This stuff can be confusing but what I think a lot of people don't realize is, it is VERY difficult to add muscle especially for a woman. Unless you're lifting heavy weights on a daily basis and eating mainly protein you're fine. Basically you have to try REALLY hard to get big muscles.

Hope this helps.

getfitdiva

I usually have a protein shake right after a workout. I started incorporating them because (WebMD--> they help the body recover from intense exercise. Protein shakes do this mainly by restoring muscle glycogen, a fuel source for exercise, which gets used up during workouts.)

I have noticed an extreme difference in my recovery time and I'm not as sore so I can definitely get the most effective workout the next day. Hope this helps!

njean888

I use protein shakes 1 to 2 times a day. I'm not a big meat eater and this is a great way to get in the protein my body needs.

SeanMurphy

When it comes to shopping for protein, be sure you know what you're buying. There was a consumer reports expose not long ago on various brands, and some brands are laced with some nasty, toxic stuff.

You also want to be sure you're buying the right stuff, at the right price. "Protein shakes" are generally $4 worth of whey protein and 50 cents worth of sugar and flavor, sold in a giant tub for $30.

If you can find it, plain, unadulterated, "Whey Protein Isolate" is the way (whey) to go. It is flavorless and somewhat chalky on it's own, but you can add it to whatever you like. Water, orange juice, milk, cereal, yogurt, muffin batters, etc. If you go out and buy a tub of "mondo double chocolate fudge xl" protein shakes and they don't mix well, or you don't like the taste, you're stuck. However with plain whey protein isolate, you can mix it to your personal preferences.

Additionally, a tub of whey protein isolate will stretch a lot further because you're bringing your own sugar, flavors, etc to the party, and you didn't pay nutrition store prices for them.