Protein Power? Yes or No?

mgero212
mgero212 Posts: 96
in Health and Weight Loss
I started using GNC Pro Performance® AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60™ - Chocolate after my workouts and would love to get everyone's input on it. I only use 2 scoops after a hardcore workout session and 1 scoop after a lighter workout.I am using it to help recover. I workout 5-6 days a week.

Monday: Circuit Training
Tuesday: Pilates/Cardio (run)
Wednesday: Zumba
Thursday: Circuit Training
Friday: Run
Saturday Circuit Training
Sunday: Rest

http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3513370&kw=048107087067&sr=1&origkw=048107087067#productTabset

What are your thoughts? Should I use it or not? If not, what else should I try?

Replies

  • ningggsm
    ningggsm Posts: 202
    You and I think a like! Haha. I've been wanting to start adding a protein drink into my daily intake, for I read that it does help maintain and build lean muscle. Havn't had the chance to try it out yet, let me know how it works out for you :)
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 627 Member
    I started using GNC Pro Performance® AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60™ - Chocolate after my workouts and would love to get everyone's input on it. I only use 2 scoops after a hardcore workout session and 1 scoop after a lighter workout.I am using it to help recover. I workout 5-6 days a week.

    Monday: Circuit Training
    Tuesday: Pilates/Cardio (run)
    Wednesday: Zumba
    Thursday: Circuit Training
    Friday: Run
    Saturday Circuit Training
    Sunday: Rest

    http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3513370&kw=048107087067&sr=1&origkw=048107087067#productTabset

    What are your thoughts? Should I use it or not? If not, what else should I try?

    By Circuit training to you mean weights? Or just body weight exercises like push ups, sit ups, lunges, squats and things like that?

    You should only use protein powder for two reasons in my opinion.

    1. You aren't getting enough protein in normal foods to hit your macros.
    2. You are doing alot of strength training and looking to build more muscle and bulk
  • MTBrob
    MTBrob Posts: 513 Member
    I started using GNC Pro Performance® AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60™ - Chocolate after my workouts and would love to get everyone's input on it. I only use 2 scoops after a hardcore workout session and 1 scoop after a lighter workout.I am using it to help recover. I workout 5-6 days a week.

    Monday: Circuit Training
    Tuesday: Pilates/Cardio (run)
    Wednesday: Zumba
    Thursday: Circuit Training
    Friday: Run
    Saturday Circuit Training
    Sunday: Rest

    http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3513370&kw=048107087067&sr=1&origkw=048107087067#productTabset

    What are your thoughts? Should I use it or not? If not, what else should I try?

    By Circuit training to you mean weights? Or just body weight exercises like push ups, sit ups, lunges, squats and things like that?

    You should only use protein powder for two reasons in my opinion.

    1. You aren't getting enough protein in normal foods to hit your macros.
    2. You are doing alot of strength training and looking to build more muscle and bulk

    WHat this guy said.. THAT being said Whey is also good as a meal replacement if you are in a hurry...
  • Scott277
    Scott277 Posts: 63
    Guys I disagree, if you actually look at the websites and what @mgero212 wants, she wants it to help recover.

    Whey protein etc is to help you recover just as natural protein is, it will help you build lean muscle and recover the muscles quicker after a workout.

    The problem is @mgero212 has got "GNC Pro Performance® AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60™ - Chocolate"

    Yes it is extremely high protein, so if you aint getting enough daily then thats fine but if you are its a lot of protein! Secondly it isnt specifically geared towards recovery, you can actually get stuff from Optimum Nutriton etc geared for recovery.

    Persoanlly I would stick to plain whey protein or isolates (i just started using myprotein.co.uk whey, good and cheap) but supposedly ON 100% is best. I have been advised that all the "mass gainers" and other bs stuff like that is full of additives and sugar, so i would just watch out with GNC stuff that it aint full of bs!
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    I personally have no opinion on that brand (I use Optimum Nutrition) but my boyfriend uses the same protein powder as you do and he really likes it a lot.
  • Spartan_Maker
    Spartan_Maker Posts: 683 Member
    Yes to protein from wherever you can get it.
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 627 Member
    Guys I disagree, if you actually look at the websites and what @mgero212 wants, she wants it to help recover.

    Whey protein etc is to help you recover just as natural protein is, it will help you build lean muscle and recover the muscles quicker after a workout.

    The problem is @mgero212 has got "GNC Pro Performance® AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60™ - Chocolate"

    Yes it is extremely high protein, so if you aint getting enough daily then thats fine but if you are its a lot of protein! Secondly it isnt specifically geared towards recovery, you can actually get stuff from Optimum Nutriton etc geared for recovery.

    Persoanlly I would stick to plain whey protein or isolates (i just started using myprotein.co.uk whey, good and cheap) but supposedly ON 100% is best. I have been advised that all the "mass gainers" and other bs stuff like that is full of additives and sugar, so i would just watch out with GNC stuff that it aint full of bs!

    The thing is...if you are hitting your macros for protein, you are getting the recovery aspect already. This whole Gatorade 03 "recover" stuff is confusing people I think. Get your protein in and you will be fine...its not some magic elixer that repairs muscles after a work out...its just protein which does it for you.

    So again, I go back to my orignal reply....if you are not hitting macros, use powder...if you are...leave the powder in the jar.
  • adamyoung1
    adamyoung1 Posts: 7
    Protein powders are fine but they are certainly no magic bullet. you are looking to take around a gram of protein per pound of bodweight, meaning a 150lb individual is looking at 150 grams of protein per day. As a standard shake will give you 30 grams of protein, you can see that it is purely a supplement.

    In terms of ease of use, they are great. In terms of cost - would be cheaper to wolf a litre of milk down you. In terms of satiation, 150 grams of chicken breast would be much more filling and provide the same protein.

    If cost is an issue or time saving - get some cheap whey protein (dont spend a load on the fancy ones, they literally do nothing more for you than standard whey). If cost is not an issue, get some lean meat down you instead. When you are dieting you need all the bulk you can get. A shake is going to be digested whey too quickly (pun intended) - regarding muscle gain this is of no advantage, but regarding feeling full a shake is a huge disadvantage.

    the only time a shake is satiating is when it is casein protein - tends to digest slower and make you feel fuller. even then, the cost outweights the benefits and you would probably be better off eating some cottage cheese.
  • MichaelWms
    MichaelWms Posts: 22 Member
    I believe you want carbs after a strong workout in addition to protein. Carbs not protein is where your body will get what it needs to immediatly recover after a strong workout. The carbs stop the catabolic process. I noticed this product was lacking in carbs...?

    60grams of protein in one serving of powder seems like a bunch. I use the Optimum Nutrition brand, maybe two scoops tops for about 50grams of protein in a serving. I would encourage you to drink more water than you normally would if you take 60grams of protein in a powder form as in my experiance it can "stop you up" if you know what I mean...

    Immediately post workout I use one scoop of Optimum Nutrition protein powder 24g of protein and 1/4 cup of maltodextrin "Carbo Gain" brand for 23.5g of carbs...Then once I get cleaned up I eat a meal.
  • adamyoung1
    adamyoung1 Posts: 7
    Optimum nutrition is a great brand, very cost efficient.

    Why do you take maltodextrin though? - wouldn't you prefer to eat something of calorie equivalent? that's 100 calories that could be going towards something tasty - although if the maltodextrin is nice then you enjoy it..... but isnt that stuff expensive as hell. Might as well just chew a spoon of sugar
  • SyStEmPhReAk
    SyStEmPhReAk Posts: 330 Member
    Whey protein is good a number of different things...

    Studies have shown that whey protein with BCAAs (branch chain amino acids) are needed for muscle maintenance and also help prevent muscle protein break down during workouts. GNC Wheybolic is a good protein to use because it has high concentrations of BCAAs (sidenote* I use wheybolic too). There are others that you can take also, not just gnc. Whey protein has also been shown to boost immune system levels in some studies.

    I use protein powder as a supplement to help build and retain lean muscle and hit my macro goals for protein throughout the day. In my humble opinion, if you're serious about the gym and building muscle it's a necessary supplement.
  • adamyoung1
    adamyoung1 Posts: 7
    True about the immune system thing - regarding BCAA's - most people who are consuming 1 gram per pound of bodyweight are doing more than enough to maximise the amount of BCAA's in their diet through food along, without the need for supplements.

    I use whey as a supplement, but only because it is more cost effective than expensive meat here. I would prefer to chow down on a hunk of chicken though, much more filling.
  • FungusTrooper
    FungusTrooper Posts: 227 Member
    Short answer: Yes.

    Long answer: Still ends in yes.
  • jstandfield
    jstandfield Posts: 150 Member
    I believe the formula is 1/2 gram per pound of body weight. That said your digestive system can only take in I believe 30grams per meal. So 1 or 2 scoops is all you need at a time. The plus to protein as opposed to carbs is your body works harder, as much as 30 percent harder, to process protein so you burn more calories just consuming it. Protein is expelled through urin if you take in too much. If your sweat smells like ammonia then you have too much protein and not enough carbs in your system. Whey shakes should be taken throughout the day depending on your protein macro but simple carbs should be taken after a workout, and the ratio to protein should be 2 to 1.i personally buy the expensive stuff because I want my whey low to no carb and I like added probiotics and creatine and stuff like that. There is nothing wrong with cheaper stuff just read the label. I mix mine with almond milk because I have issues with dairy. I hope this helps.
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    WHat this guy said.. THAT being said Whey is also good as a meal replacement if you are in a hurry...

    I don't use whey but my trainer wants me to eat 5 times/day. I really can't eat 5 'real' meals/day so I use protein shakes (pea/rice/hemp mix) for 1 or 2 meals per day. I'm fine with my protein intake and although I like muscle, I think I eat enough normally to build muscle.
  • adamyoung1
    adamyoung1 Posts: 7
    1 gram per pound of bodyweight is more commonly used in fitness circles, 1/2 gram would maintain at best, or possibly only be useful in a hepercaloric situation, but even then would be less than optimum.

    Regarding the 30 grams at a time myth - it;s just a myth. Our body can process much more than that - the study that looked at that only showed that anabolic rate is maxed out at 30 grams - it doesnt mean that more in one sitting is counterproductive. In fact, when using whole foods such as meat - the rate of protein digestion is much slower than Whey. cottage cheese for example, is digested at only around 6 grams per hour. If you take in more and more protein, your body just slows down the gastric emptying rate so that it is utilised better.

    A few studies showed that eating all the protein in one sitting versus multiple sittings did nothing regarding maintenance of lean body mass. even when people consumed 100 grams of protein in one sitting.

    the only study to show mutliple servings of protein to be more optimal was a boxing study looking at severely low levels of protein combined with excessively high levels of activity. Anyone doing this is retarded anyway, so the results are nullified.

    Oh, and btw, dont buy into the 'faster is better' claims with protein. In fact, casein and whey get into the blood stream at the same rate, but whey is more of a protein 'dump'. This doesnt mean better. Over an hour, whey performs better, but over the course of the day, the results are levelled out. This applies to whole foods over whey also.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    I believe the formula is 1/2 gram per pound of body weight. That said your digestive system can only take in I believe 30grams per meal.

    This has been shown to be false. You can absorb all of your daily protein in a single meal if you like. Your digestion just slows down in order to accommodate the extra protein.

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