Protein Shakes

BellaGowrie
BellaGowrie Posts: 45 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Quick question, sorry my nutrition knowledge isn't as good as it could be. If I drink protein shakes when I'm not exercising and just to hit my macros, what effect will this have on me? My sister's boyfriend said he always puts on weight if he drinks them and doesn't exercise or whatever.. But that doesn't exactly sound right.. Am I right in thinking that nothing will happen ahaha?

Replies

  • emilyisbonkers
    emilyisbonkers Posts: 373 Member
    as long as you don't go over your calorie goals it should just help you to feel more satisfied, and if you're eating enough protein it should help minimise lean body mass loss when losing weight :)
  • BellaGowrie
    BellaGowrie Posts: 45 Member
    Great, thank you! That's what I thought, but was just checking for when I'm not exercising :]
  • PrimalGirl
    PrimalGirl Posts: 148 Member
    Make sure it's a pure protein shake. The one I have is 23g of protein and 2g of carbs. Some so-called protein shakes will have 20g of protein and 25g of carbs - sugar.

    That'll make your blood sugar levels spike and then drop, making you feel hungry. You eat more, so you gain weight.
  • EATOBEY
    EATOBEY Posts: 2
    as long as you're measuring your protein shake ingredients, and therefore getting a more accurate idea of how many calories you're taking in, you should be fine if you don't break your daily calorie limit.

    what i think is happening with your sister's boyfriend: it's really easy to load up a protein shake with a huge amount of calories and not realize it if you're not measuring ingredients. "it's just a drink after all.."

    for me -- after adding all that whole milk, protein powder, nutella, banana, peanut butter, flax meal, and whatever else i fancied, i could very well end up with an 800+ calorie obscenity. it would taste incredible, of course. but guesstimating with protein shakes, for myself, was a really bad idea. especially on days when i was sedentary.

    that's my theory on what might have happened with your sister's boyfriend. but maybe he measures (as i do now), and there's some other factor at work.
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
    Quick question, sorry my nutrition knowledge isn't as good as it could be. If I drink protein shakes when I'm not exercising and just to hit my macros, what effect will this have on me? My sister's boyfriend said he always puts on weight if he drinks them and doesn't exercise or whatever.. But that doesn't exactly sound right.. Am I right in thinking that nothing will happen ahaha?

    As long as it is not putting you over your caloric goal you will be fine. Without going into a lot of detail your sisters boyfriend is "full of **it". You cannot gain weight off of one protein shake on a day you do not exercise.
  • JonnyQwest
    JonnyQwest Posts: 174 Member
    Your sisters boyfriend is talking out of his *kitten* because he feels self conscious about not working out......so he says some nonsense like "protein shakes make you fat" to sound like he knows what he is talking about. Next time he gives advice, ask him "Do you even lift bro?" LOL!
  • BellaGowrie
    BellaGowrie Posts: 45 Member
    Great, thanks for all the replies and information everyone! I've got Optimum Nutrition so next to no carbs, so looks like I'll be fine! Thanks again :]
  • emilyisbonkers
    emilyisbonkers Posts: 373 Member
    I just found out bulk powders do a banana fudge flavour.. mmm I want it!
  • BellaGowrie
    BellaGowrie Posts: 45 Member
    Hahaha mmmm!
  • KMasz
    KMasz Posts: 2,732 Member
    My boyfriend has cautioned me the same with protein shakes when I started lifting, but I have not noticed any weight gain. I may not be 100% correct here, so someone correct me if I am wrong... I think protein shakes (or maybe it's only protein shakes that contain creatine) can show a psuedo weight gain because they cause your muscles to hold on to more water (or maybe this only occurs when you workout, for muscle repair) But you should be drinking lots of water anyway for general hydration, so you shouldn't have to worry too much about it.
  • biodigit
    biodigit Posts: 145 Member
    As long as you're staying within your macros it would not make a difference - you can even have the so called sugary and carby ones, as long as the carbs and sugar are staying within your daily intake requirements.

    It's simply the laws of thermodynamics. Calories in vs. Calories out. It really shouldn't be anymore complicated than that.

    ...and yes, your sister's bf is talking out of where the sun don't shine :)

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