When is the best time to drink a whey protein shake?

pixiewings101
pixiewings101 Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
I bought some today and I'm going to start drinking it on monday. Its a whey powder it has 16g of protein and is 90 calories. I'm doing the insanity workout to slim down and eventually build lean muscle. I feel like I searched the web and they either say 1) use as a meal replacement or 2) drink it after a workout to build muscle and bulk up.

I workout when I wake up, so yes I work out on an empty stomach because from also searching around the web about eating before or after a workout it said that working out before eating burns more fat. After working out I usually have a small bowl of cereal. I would drink my whey protein after working out but I do not want to bulk up. So as you can see there is a lot of confusion for me on when I should drink my protein.

I'm a girl, 22, 5'4 and currently at 140 goal is to get down to 120 then start toning up.

Replies

  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    Is it true that you burn more fat by exercising before eating? I thought it was just a calories in vs calories out thing and that it didn't really matter when you ate them?
  • Django1977
    Django1977 Posts: 73
    I bought some today and I'm going to start drinking it on monday. Its a whey powder it has 16g of protein and is 90 calories. I'm doing the insanity workout to slim down and eventually build lean muscle. I feel like I searched the web and they either say 1) use as a meal replacement or 2) drink it after a workout to build muscle and bulk up.

    I workout when I wake up, so yes I work out on an empty stomach because from also searching around the web about eating before or after a workout it said that working out before eating burns more fat. After working out I usually have a small bowl of cereal. I would drink my whey protein after working out but I do not want to bulk up. So as you can see there is a lot of confusion for me on when I should drink my protein.

    I'm a girl, 22, 5'4 and currently at 140 goal is to get down to 120 then start toning up.

    Hey there,

    strength training is anaerobic training means you burn alot of muscle glycogen (means stored sugar in muscles). So you doing it right with eating cereals (whole grain?). You could mix the cereals with the whey (so you have both - sugar and protein) or you could drink it after the cereals with water or milk. The first hour after working out the body is craving to build up from the workout so it wants sugar (complex better than simple carbs) and protein to restore the "broken" muscles.

    As you said it is a meal replacement but after workout its really good for your bodys anabolism.

    Cheers
  • pixiewings101
    pixiewings101 Posts: 10
    Its just from what I read when I searched on google "is it better to eat before or after working out" there are mixed answers with yes or no. The ones I have read said that since there is no food in the stomach to burn, your body finds something else to burn which would be fat. I'm pretty new to working out and I'm still learning as I go. Everyones opinions are different, so far I haven't seen a change in the scale, however, I have lost inches.
  • pixiewings101
    pixiewings101 Posts: 10
    Is it true that you burn more fat by exercising before eating? I thought it was just a calories in vs calories out thing and that it didn't really matter when you ate them?

    Its just from what I read when I searched on google "is it better to eat before or after working out" there are mixed answers with yes or no. The ones I have read said that since there is no food in the stomach to burn, your body finds something else to burn which would be fat. I'm pretty new to working out and I'm still learning as I go. Everyones opinions are different, so far I haven't seen a change in the scale, however, I have lost inches.


    (Posted this twice sorry I thought "reply" meant I was replying to you haha)
  • pixiewings101
    pixiewings101 Posts: 10
    I bought some today and I'm going to start drinking it on monday. Its a whey powder it has 16g of protein and is 90 calories. I'm doing the insanity workout to slim down and eventually build lean muscle. I feel like I searched the web and they either say 1) use as a meal replacement or 2) drink it after a workout to build muscle and bulk up.

    I workout when I wake up, so yes I work out on an empty stomach because from also searching around the web about eating before or after a workout it said that working out before eating burns more fat. After working out I usually have a small bowl of cereal. I would drink my whey protein after working out but I do not want to bulk up. So as you can see there is a lot of confusion for me on when I should drink my protein.

    I'm a girl, 22, 5'4 and currently at 140 goal is to get down to 120 then start toning up.

    Hey there,

    strength training is anaerobic training means you burn alot of muscle glycogen (means stored sugar in muscles). So you doing it right with eating cereals (whole grain?). You could mix the cereals with the whey (so you have both - sugar and protein) or you could drink it after the cereals with water or milk. The first hour after working out the body is craving to build up from the workout so it wants sugar (complex better than simple carbs) and protein to restore the "broken" muscles.

    As you said it is a meal replacement but after workout its really good for your bodys anabolism.

    Cheers

    Thank you for that so from what you are saying it is okay for me to drink after working out, and to also use it as a meal replacement. Since I'm using it as a meal replacement I should be losing weight rather than bulking up my muscles. Am I getting that right?
  • suzycav77
    suzycav77 Posts: 189 Member
    i have to have breakfast when i wake up so i have mine in porridge on gym day's!! give it a whirl it's yummy
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
    I drink mines whenever I feel like it.
  • Django1977
    Django1977 Posts: 73
    I bought some today and I'm going to start drinking it on monday. Its a whey powder it has 16g of protein and is 90 calories. I'm doing the insanity workout to slim down and eventually build lean muscle. I feel like I searched the web and they either say 1) use as a meal replacement or 2) drink it after a workout to build muscle and bulk up.

    I workout when I wake up, so yes I work out on an empty stomach because from also searching around the web about eating before or after a workout it said that working out before eating burns more fat. After working out I usually have a small bowl of cereal. I would drink my whey protein after working out but I do not want to bulk up. So as you can see there is a lot of confusion for me on when I should drink my protein.

    I'm a girl, 22, 5'4 and currently at 140 goal is to get down to 120 then start toning up.

    Hey there,

    strength training is anaerobic training means you burn alot of muscle glycogen (means stored sugar in muscles). So you doing it right with eating cereals (whole grain?). You could mix the cereals with the whey (so you have both - sugar and protein) or you could drink it after the cereals with water or milk. The first hour after working out the body is craving to build up from the workout so it wants sugar (complex better than simple carbs) and protein to restore the "broken" muscles.

    As you said it is a meal replacement but after workout its really good for your bodys anabolism.

    Cheers

    Thank you for that so from what you are saying it is okay for me to drink after working out, and to also use it as a meal replacement. Since I'm using it as a meal replacement I should be losing weight rather than bulking up my muscles. Am I getting that right?

    Hey there,

    you will not bulk up in a diet. The thing is... if you are dieting and do strength training you will loose weight and build up a bit muscle. We are talking about in the first 2 years of bodybuilding about 150 - 200 gramms muscle per month (TOP if you have good genetics)!!! So you will not be bulky overnight 8-).

    Your body needs after a workout energy. You get muscle tears from your workout and the body wants to repair that.. For that the body needs energy. Carbs for the healing process and protein in its mini form amino acids which will be "installed". So the body will become stronger after the workout so you can handle more weight the next time.

    So think about protein not as a bulking method. Better think about it as a basic element of your body to heal.

    I hope I could help
  • JJordon
    JJordon Posts: 857 Member
    I use whey post-workout. Whey powder can be found anywhere. I normally combine whey with egg whites or egg beaters.
    End of day? Or non post-workouts? I use casein protein powder. Casein, for shakes, also gets combined with egg whites and beaters. Casein protein you'll probably have to find at a health supplement or food store like GNC or Vitamin Shoppe.

    Whey and egg fast release.
    Casein slow release.

    Look it up.
  • bamaboy13fly
    bamaboy13fly Posts: 2 Member
    careful with what your workout is in the morning before eating. it is recommended to do low intensity cardio because if your workout is high intensity your body will burn muscle instead of fat for the extra energy. try drinking half a scoop before morning workout to save your muscles and make your body rely on burning fat.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    careful with what your workout is in the morning before eating. it is recommended to do low intensity cardio because if your workout is high intensity your body will burn muscle instead of fat for the extra energy. try drinking half a scoop before morning workout to save your muscles and make your body rely on burning fat.

    From what I've read this is because the body can't metabolise the fat as quickly as it can obtain energy from breaking down the muscles.

    As long as you have a good deficit of calories you will lose weight but you don't want to lose too much lean muscle, or become lightheaded when exercising.

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