New to subject - why drink protein shakes?

fteale

People have them because the diet and fitness industry have convinced people they are necessary. It's all about money. Like most things. Plenty of professional athletes manage just fine without them.

suzycreamcheese

People have them because the diet and fitness industry have convinced people they are necessary. It's all about money. Like most things. Plenty of professional athletes manage just fine without them.

im inclined to agree.
I think its important to get protein in your diet, but i feel better in myself when i get it without supplementing artificially

fteale

People have them because the diet and fitness industry have convinced people they are necessary. It's all about money. Like most things. Plenty of professional athletes manage just fine without them.

im inclined to agree.
I think its important to get protein in your diet, but i feel better in myself when i get it without supplementing artificially

I think there's a big difference between getting enough protein and the quantities the US fitness industry tell people they need. Meat eaters are never going to be short of protein from food.

dieselbugparrot

A glass of chocolate milk, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a homemade egg sandwhich will replenish your body's deficits for much cheaper than an expensive protein drink will.

Expensive? Interesting. A tub of Optimum Nutrition's Whey protein costs 44.99 and contains a 120 servings....each serving containing 24 grams of protein. At 37 cents per 24 grams of protein, I really can't think of a cheaper source of complete protein.

Optimum Nutrition's Whey. That's what I drink. I like the cookies and cream the best. After an intense workout (weights or cardio) I won't drink milk. I can feel it curdle in my stomach and makes me feel sick. The protein shakes really help me with the shaky muscle feeling.

jg627

People have them because the diet and fitness industry have convinced people they are necessary. It's all about money. Like most things. Plenty of professional athletes manage just fine without them.

im inclined to agree.
I think its important to get protein in your diet, but i feel better in myself when i get it without supplementing artificially

I think there's a big difference between getting enough protein and the quantities the US fitness industry tell people they need. Meat eaters are never going to be short of protein from food.

Good call. A protein shake doesn't melt off your fork in your mouth quite the same way that a juicy sirloin steak does :-)

cedarhurst2006

Thanks for all the great help but still a little fuzzy on the subject~ I don't have a protein shake after working out at the gym and alternate my weight lifting for every other day so that my muscles will recover. Are you saying that a protein shake after my workout would allow me to work those muscles again the next day? Do you have a protein shake as an alternative to a snack?

I am a diabetic and will eat usually an hour before the gym. After my workout, I'll have a piece of fruit usually. Why the protein shake then? Sorry to sound like such a nudge - trying to understand!

taso42_DELETED

Are you saying that a protein shake after my workout would allow me to work those muscles again the next day?

No absolutely not. You still need to give those muscles time to recover. 1-3 days. If you do weights 2 days in a row, make sure to hit different muscles the 2nd day.

Do you have a protein shake as an alternative to a snack?

Yes, it's a matter of convenience and simplicity rather than a matter of necessity. I want to re-iterate that these shakes are a tool or convenience. Nobody needs them. If you can hit your macro targets with 100% whole foods, all the better. If shakes help you fill in some of those calories and macros, no worries there either.

I am a diabetic and will eat usually an hour before the gym. After my workout, I'll have a piece of fruit usually. Why the protein shake then? Sorry to sound like such a nudge - trying to understand!

There is little or no benefit to meal timing. Eat when it makes sense to you. Make sure all your numbers add up at the end of the day. That is all.

tigersword

I hit my protein macro on food alone, the protein powder puts me over the top. I drink it purely as a supplement to my workout. Muscles use glycogen when they work hard, whey protein gets absorbed quickly and helps restore the glycogen to the muscles faster. It also contains complete proteins which allow muscles to start repairing themselves faster than if they had to wait for slower proteins to be absorbed.

I usually take it directly after a workout, right with lunch. Plus the extra protein in your system helps muscle from being broken down.

taso42_DELETED

whey protein gets absorbed quickly and helps restore the glycogen to the muscles faster

Whey protein gets absorbed quickly, yes.
But it is carbohydrates that quickly restore glycogen, not protein. This is why you often hear it recommended to take high glycemic-index carbs (like simple sugars and the like) directly following an intense workout - because they will quickly replenish glycogen.

Ultimately you need both protein and carbs. And fat. And water. And sodium. And potassium. And cholesterol. And fiber. And vitamins.

For us mere mortals - focus on a reasonably balanced diet and don't overthink all the meal timing stuff.

fteale

whey protein gets absorbed quickly and helps restore the glycogen to the muscles faster

Whey protein gets absorbed quickly, yes.
But it is carbohydrates that quickly restore glycogen, not protein. This is why you often hear it recommended to take high glycemic-index carbs (like simple sugars and the like) directly following an intense workout - because they will quickly replenish glycogen.

Ultimately you need both protein and carbs. And fat. And water. And sodium. And potassium. And cholesterol. And fiber. And vitamins.

For us mere mortals - focus on a reasonably balanced diet and don't overthink all the meal timing stuff.

Exactly. In the UK, sports recovery drinks are 3 to 4 parts carbs to 1 part protein. That is the optimum ratio for recovery. The whole protein shake thing is just a cynical marketing ploy.

ccyha1

You said it.

jg627

whey protein gets absorbed quickly and helps restore the glycogen to the muscles faster

Whey protein gets absorbed quickly, yes.
But it is carbohydrates that quickly restore glycogen, not protein. This is why you often hear it recommended to take high glycemic-index carbs (like simple sugars and the like) directly following an intense workout - because they will quickly replenish glycogen.

Ultimately you need both protein and carbs. And fat. And water. And sodium. And potassium. And cholesterol. And fiber. And vitamins.

For us mere mortals - focus on a reasonably balanced diet and don't overthink all the meal timing stuff.

That must be why milk tastes so yummy after a hard workout.

taso42_DELETED

Exactly. In the UK, sports recovery drinks are 3 to 4 parts carbs to 1 part protein. That is the optimum ratio for recovery. The whole protein shake thing is just a cynical marketing ploy.

Supplements are a huge industry with a ton of marketing, for sure. But that doesn't automatically make them evil or useless or a conspiracy theory. From what I've seen on this and other threads, people who use supplements such as whey use them as a convenience. The marketing departments do what they do, but I haven't really seen much in the way of regular people trying to push supplements on each other. They are neither "good" nor "bad". Just like chicken breasts and milk are neither good nor bad.

Fit_ClaudiaQ

Ques: I meet all my macronutrients daily, sometimes even go over fiber & protein intake BUT it's hard for me to meet the 1270 cals a day, could I possibly take a protein shake to meet the calorie intake & repair my muscles faster OR is too much protein harmful?
Also, are they meant to drink only after lifting weights or also after doing cardio?
Take in mind that I'm on here to lose weight...

I drank protein shakes after working out for about a month & when I went in to get my monthly measurements..turns out I had lost inches but NO weight :-/ & of course as a woman we get discouraged when not seeing the numbers drop. I do understand that it's better to lose inches rather than weight but as a heavy women I NEED to see the numbers drop, ya know atleast 2-4lbs/month.

Feel free to look at my diary.

Rae6503

Ques: I meet all my macronutrients daily, sometimes even go over fiber & protein intake BUT it's hard for me to meet the 1270 cals a day, could I possibly take a protein shake to meet the calorie intake & repair my muscles faster OR is too much protein harmful?
Also, are they meant to drink only after lifting weights or also after doing cardio?
Take in mind that I'm on here to lose weight...

I drank protein shakes after working out for about a month & when I went in to get my monthly measurements..turns out I had lost inches but NO weight :-/ & of course as a woman we get discouraged when not seeing the numbers drop. I do understand that it's better to lose inches rather than weight but as a heavy women I NEED to see the numbers drop, ya know atleast 2-4lbs/month.

Feel free to look at my diary.

Are you using MFP's default ratios? They have protein set really low at 15% of your total calories. I changed mine to 30%.

In regards to the calories / protein / weight loss, I really fell you should be eating at least your 1270 NET if not more.

CalamityCat

I use them because I'm veggie - I find that I get my protein from not great sources otherwise!

TK421NotAtPost

People have them because the diet and fitness industry have convinced people they are necessary. It's all about money. Like most things. Plenty of professional athletes manage just fine without them.

If I was a professional athlete instead of someone who spent 50+ hours at the office with not enough time to prepare meals to fit my daily protein requirements, then yeah, I might very well not eat protein shakes. Instead I would have my professional chef or prepare my own meals. But since I don't have those kinds of luxuries or that amount of time, I opt to use protein shakes as a tool to help me meet my daily macros.

joejccva71

Protein shakes are for when you are unable to get your minimum protein macro requirements from whole foods. They don't have any "magical" properties. Alot of it is marketing.

saradas

I drink them , because I am vegetarian and cant get enough protein with out consuming associated carbs with it.