Time for an experiment re: protein shakes.

Secret_Agent_007

Based on the fact that I had better weight loss while working purely on diet without exercise than I do WITH exercise, the only thing I can pin point as a possible cause is protein shakes.

Lately I've only had PS for dinner and thats the only thing I have after my workouts at the end of my day. I'm going to try a couple weeks having 3 - 5 grams of BBQ'd meat and a salad instead.

I'm just curious to see if anything changes.

UponThisRock

So you think it's the protein shakes, rather than something to do with calorie balance?

neanderthin

Why so much meat...just kidding, i'm sure you meant oz's. Anyway it's about calorie balance, not about the shakes.

I'm going to try a couple weeks having 3 - 5 grams of BBQ'd meat and a salad instead.

Secret_Agent_007

What is this balance you speak of?

UponThisRock

What is this balance you speak of?

Calories in/calories out

hamton

Your kind of have your feeding reverse from most people working out. I usually see people have their biggest meal after a workout. The theory is that most of the food you eat after a workout is used for recovery so they won't be stored as fat.

In any case, I doubt a protein shake is the factor in your weight gain. I estimate a protein shake to be around 200 calories. So if you exercise everyday you will consume 1400 calories in protein shakes in 1 week. So it'll take almost 3 weeks of protein shake consumption to equal 1lb. This is if you are eating at maintenance. This is why I highly doubt the PS is making you gain.

Most likely cause is that your muscles hold water when they are trying recover and build. This happens when you exercise. When you suddenly stop, the water flushes out of your system. Takes a few days. I've seen a lot of women say they lost weight when they stopped exercising. Then they conclude exercise makes them gain weight.