Why drink protein shakes?

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yankeefamily05
yankeefamily05 Posts: 657
in Food and Nutrition
I am just curious. I tried researching this on here to see if I can come up with something but I can't. I see that I am +17 in the protein department for the day. Should I start drinking these after I workout....??? Whats the dealio:!?!?!:laugh:

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  • cdskates
    cdskates Posts: 49 Member
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    Protein helps keep your hunger down. Basically, that's the only function I've found for it...
  • wildeone4
    wildeone4 Posts: 204 Member
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    Protein helps repair your body (mainly muscles) after an intense workout! It helps it heal so that your results happen! It is an important thing to help your body heal properly!
  • monylove311
    monylove311 Posts: 251 Member
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    Protein keeps you full longer, gives you energy and doesn't add to your waist line like carbs do. I increased my protein and decreased my carb %'s. Its good to have at every meal, I think. Carbs make you more hungry and cause cravings, for me anyway.

    This is only my opinion, I'm not an expert. Do what works for you. Best Wishes!
  • CallejaFairey
    CallejaFairey Posts: 391 Member
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    if you are always over in protien through your food, i wouldn't worry about it. although they are handy to have if you have trouble hitting your cal limit, as some of them can be pretty high in cals. but other than homemade fruit/yogourt smoorthies, i prefer to eat my cals, but to each their own :)
  • bigdawg025
    bigdawg025 Posts: 774 Member
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    If you want my honest opinion... protein shakes are a worthless fad. Any nutritionist with a degree in it will tell you that your balance should be 50% carbs/30% protein/20% fat. It's just a moneymaker in the fad diet arena because so many trainers and such endorse them.

    If you are meeting your protein goals you do not need more on top of it. It will just make you spend unnecessary time on the toilet.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    If you're getting enough protein from your food I don't think you need them, but if you are low on protein or want to bump it up because you are exercising a lot, then they are an easy way to do it.
    I've tried a few but got really put off by the long long list of ingredients. I prefer to limit my processed foods and these seemed to have way too many things in the them that I couldn't recognise, so weren't for me.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    it all depends on your current diet and what you are trying to do.
    protein does not help you lose weight, doest not give you energy etc etc...your body uses carbs for energy first, then fats, then protein.

    if you are a vegetarian and dont get enough protein, then its fine to drink. i use them, being a vegetarian, because i body build..and its simpler and i get far more protein from the shakes (whey isolate) faster after my workout.

    if you are a meat eater you get plenty of protein and there is no need to suppliment. even vegetarians can get enough protein in their normal diets. unless you are lifting very heavy weights, there is no need to intake protein after a workout..since you arent damaging the muscles. if you are doing cardio, all you are doing to your muscles is increasing their endurance..this is a neurological issue, not muscle building..
  • monylove311
    monylove311 Posts: 251 Member
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    I like them because I don't eat a lot of meat myself and was routinely low in protein. I don't agree with the percentages listed, whether a nutritionist said it or not honestly. I know what works for me and its lower carbs. Not no carbs, but lower doses.

    I personally don't like most protein shakes, but I do like the Jay Robb Egg Protein Vanilla one. I have tons of mix ups in my diary with it if you're interested. Love it. Good luck and please, make your own decision on what's best for you. : )
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
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    Protein is the nutrient the body needs for growth and is found most abundantly in the body after water. Protein regulates your metabolism and your immune system IT ALSO PROVIDES THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR NEW MUSCLE TISSUE (as well as red blood cells). So if you are looking to build muscle (which you should be as muscle at rest burns more calories than fat, and is denser - therefore less volume for the same weight as fat) then protein is a VITAL part of your diet.

    I drink protein shakes each day and can say unequivocally that switching to a higher protein intake (40%) along with strength training has seen me dropping weight, and inches and gaining muscle definition :)
  • CriticalX
    CriticalX Posts: 212 Member
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    If you want my honest opinion... protein shakes are a worthless fad. Any nutritionist with a degree in it will tell you that your balance should be 50% carbs/30% protein/20% fat. It's just a moneymaker in the fad diet arena because so many trainers and such endorse them.

    If you are meeting your protein goals you do not need more on top of it. It will just make you spend unnecessary time on the toilet.
    50%/ 30%/20% sound good but mfp has it set way low
  • CriticalX
    CriticalX Posts: 212 Member
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    i only drink protein shakes after workouts 30-60 mins later
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    If you are only meeting the MFP base targets for protein then that amount is pretty low IMO. I personally aim for 1g/lb body weight.

    The good think about protein shakes is that they can be digested quickly. Therefore, when you workout and you damage muscle fibres and they need the protein (as well as carbs and other essential amino acids) to rebuild, you want something that is quickly digested ie. not a steak :)

    Also, good for something to fill you up between meals if you wish. Generally fairly low cal (unless you have a mass gainer which is just protein with added carbs and other fillers) will keep you satiated for a while and the thermic effect of food is higher for protein than any other macronutrient so it uses more energy to digest than other macros.

    Hope that helps

    Chris
  • cmg2008
    cmg2008 Posts: 139
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    bump .. i want to refer back to to later =)

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