Protein Shakes....I'm just not convinced
MandyMcAwesome
Posts: 109 Member
I dont want to replace a meal with a shake, so let's just knock that idea out.
I hear a lot that people, especially women, should have protein after they work out. But I am not convinced that a protein shake is worth the 170-250 calories.
Are you drinking in your protein? Any suggestions?
I hear a lot that people, especially women, should have protein after they work out. But I am not convinced that a protein shake is worth the 170-250 calories.
Are you drinking in your protein? Any suggestions?
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Replies
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Well, I'm eating 6 small meals a day, and they are between 200 and 300 calories each. Protein is essential for muscle recovery, so I try to have high protein after my works outs, especially my hard ones. And if I'm not going straight to lunch or dinner, then I do a protein shake.
I make my own, and a scoop of protein powder is about 80 calories so if you made it with water or almond milk and fruit, you could probably even keep it under 200 calories total.
For me, it's more about working out in a healthy way and doing all I can to feed my body well and take care of it. So........I'm going to try to get good protein in after a work out. If that means a lower calorie dinner later, I'm ok with that.0 -
not worth it to me either. LOL. I sometimes use protein powder but not often.0
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But, FWIW, I don't make a habit of drinking ALL my protein. I generally have protein with every meal (my meal plan is basically low carb/low sugar/high protein anyways) and my work outs USUALLY are right before dinner so I'll come home and have chicken or fish. Protein shakes for me are a snack if I can't fit enough protein in elsewhere that particular day.0
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As long as you're hitting your daily protein target, it doesn't matter one bit.
~Alan AragonWhen speaking of nutrition for improving body composition or training performance, it's crucial to realize there's an underlying hierarchy of importance. At the top of the hierarchy is total amount of the macronutrients by the end of the day. Distantly below that is the precise timing of those nutrients. With very few exceptions, athletes and active individuals eat multiple times per day. Thus, the majority of their day is spent in the postprandial (fed) rather than a post-absorptive (fasted) state. The vast majority of nutrient timing studies have been done on overnight-fasted subjects put through glycogen depletion protocols, which obviously limits the applicability of the outcomes. Pre-exercise (and/or during-exercise) nutrient intake often has a lingering carry-over effect into the post-exercise period. Throughout the day, there's a constant overlap of meal digestion & nutrient absorption. For this reason, the effectiveness of nutrient timing does not require a high degree of precision.
The Primary Laws of Nutrient Timing
The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.0 -
I do my workout when I get up in the morning then eat a protein Sorbet, Its only like 9 grams of protein, But it has 10 grams of fiber Which is what I love. A cup of "sorbet" then a egg, it's my breakfast instead of follow up protein0
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As long as you're hitting your daily protein target, it doesn't matter one bit.
~Alan AragonWhen speaking of nutrition for improving body composition or training performance, it's crucial to realize there's an underlying hierarchy of importance. At the top of the hierarchy is total amount of the macronutrients by the end of the day. Distantly below that is the precise timing of those nutrients. With very few exceptions, athletes and active individuals eat multiple times per day. Thus, the majority of their day is spent in the postprandial (fed) rather than a post-absorptive (fasted) state. The vast majority of nutrient timing studies have been done on overnight-fasted subjects put through glycogen depletion protocols, which obviously limits the applicability of the outcomes. Pre-exercise (and/or during-exercise) nutrient intake often has a lingering carry-over effect into the post-exercise period. Throughout the day, there's a constant overlap of meal digestion & nutrient absorption. For this reason, the effectiveness of nutrient timing does not require a high degree of precision.
The Primary Laws of Nutrient Timing
The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.0 -
False.You should be eating a protein shake after you work out. It builds lean muscle that in turn burns calories faster than fat. Which equals less time and most importantly less work out time overall. I've lost 10 lbs in 5 days and I'm not hungry all the time or bored. Have you tried these shakes? 90 calories and they are amazing! Shake mix that tastes like a cake mix, no joke. I don't even add anything to mine I love the vanilla sooooo much but you can make anything. Key lime pie, cheesecake, apple pie, etc., or something as general as chocolate.You can get a free sample if you haven't tried them. www.ChellyHuff.myVi.net I actually miss them if I don't eat them. lol. Go figure.
It works out to a $1.50 a meal. Hope that helps. Life is to short to eat bad food or work out to hard. ;0)0 -
I ALWAYS drink a protein shake after my workout. Protein is essential for muscle recovery, to help maintain muscle. The bars are better because they have higher amounts of carbs for recovery but they taste horrible. I buy whey protein powder from Walmart and mix in in 6-8oz of water. It tastes okay and it gives you the protein that you need so muscle wasting does not occur as bad. It is 140 calories.
It is recommended to have 1g of protein for each lb that you weigh, or each 1lb of lean body mass. I used to drink the special k shakes since but it only had 10g, now that I've been drinking the whey that has 25g I get very close to my daily goal.0 -
I ALWAYS drink a protein shake after my workout. Protein is essential for muscle recovery, to help maintain muscle. The bars are better because they have higher amounts of carbs for recovery but they taste horrible. I buy whey protein powder from Walmart and mix in in 6-8oz of water. It tastes okay and it gives you the protein that you need so muscle wasting does not occur as bad. It is 140 calories.
It is recommended to have 1g of protein for each lb that you weigh, or each 1lb of lean body mass. I used to drink the special k shakes since but it only had 10g, now that I've been drinking the whey that has 25g I get very close to my daily goal.
The RDI is actually .8g/kg of body weight which is less than 1/2g per pound. Most people eat waaaay more than that--athletes and power lifters abide by the 1g per POUND rule but the average person doesn't NEED to.0 -
I added some to my oatmeal this morning and it kept me full till right now so I think it helps. I bought it to take after lifting and to make protein bars that I can take on the go with me for snacks. They are healthier than most you can buy in the stores.0
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I like them as a good snack that tides me over in between meals - in fact, just had one (mine comes out at 150 cals) after cycling home from work, on way to a restaurant for dinner. If I didn't have anything, I would have been starving by the time I got to the restaurant and then would have made bad choices. I guess any snack will do, but sometimes it is easier for me to drink my snacks rather than eat them.0
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The ones I drink come in either a powder form (which I make smoothies and such with) or pre-mixed form, which are easy to take to work. What I found is that the pre-mixed ones are ideal for me when I forget to pack an afternoon snack, so it's not a "meal" replacement for me, but a snack substitute. I've played with this for a little bit and if I have it as my snack around 3:00, then it holds me over until dinner and keeps me full.
Depending on the time of day when I workout will also determine if I have one after a workout or not. If it's late at night and that's the only time I could squeeze in, I typically don't drink one. First thing in the morning is a differently story. With my schedule, my workouts are typically never at the same time so I have to work with what I have.
Oh and the one I drink is 190 calories, & 20g protein. Perfect snack size.0 -
I try to drink a protein shake every day because I don't consume enough protein in my diet. For me this is an easy way to ensure I meet my daily limit, and also a great way for me to sneak in some iron - I add either kale or spinach to my smoothie (in addition to a banana and some type of nut milk). I've noticed when I drink my shake in the morning I don't have as many cravings the rest of the day because a number of nutritional needs have already been met.0
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Ok. I like the idea of having it for a snack because it fills you up and keeps your energy going. I just dont know about this "hurry up and drink this because you just worked out and your muscles are going to die" thing. It just seems like we are trying to trick our bodies. Will there be some type of rebound if I burn out on these and don't do it after a work out?
Also, not a big fan of cleaning my blender, so what brand pre-made shakes/bars are you consuming? Keep in mind that my goal is to slim down, not bulk up.0 -
Also, not a big fan of cleaning my blender, so what brand pre-made shakes/bars are you consuming? Keep in mind that my goal is to slim down, not bulk up.
Most pre-made shakes in the can / bottle and bars are crap in terms of quality. If you're on the run and that's the best you got then go for it. But there are plenty of quality protein shakes that can easily be made on teh run in a shaker bottle.0 -
Any examples?0
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Any examples?
Gaspari Nutrition - Myofusion
Optimum Nutrition - Gold Standard
MusclePharm - Assault
I've tried each and they mix very well in a shaker bottle.
Other's that I've read or been given recommendations for.
Trutein
SciVation has a new whey protein out that is pretty good but can't remember the brand name (bodybuilding.com)
Dymatize - forget brand name... (bodybuilding.com)
Edit: Don't be overwhelmed by the intial cost of the protein canister because if you look at it by cost per serving it's typically greatly less expensive than the pre-made stuff you buy at 7-11. At one time I was drinking Muscle Milk which I believe was $1.86 per serving. I'm spending like $0.76 per serving on my current protein shake, saving over a buck per serving which adds up quickly.0 -
I'm not into the whole theory of overloading on Protein, and I found that I'm not eating nearly enough - even when I'm only looking to get 25% of my calories from protein. I started using protein shakes along with switching to eating every 4 hours of so to keep my blood sugar level (I'm hypoglycemic) It seems to be helping. I'm more cautious of how I balance my carbs and protein now, but you'll never get me into eating 1g of protein / pound like some people do.0
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Ok. I like the idea of having it for a snack because it fills you up and keeps your energy going. I just dont know about this "hurry up and drink this because you just worked out and your muscles are going to die" thing...
The best window for your body to be anabolic (Building and repairing muscle) is within the first hour after exercise. This does not mean that your body is ONLY repairing and building muscle in this stage, but adding a fast absorbing protein (i.e. powder vs fresh steak) causes you to make better use of this window of opportunity.
In saying above, Protein Powders are supplements, and will always be supplements (Well, maybe not always, lol.). Very good to Supplement your real food, but not to replace your real food.0 -
I work out hard enough that 250 cals doesn't matter to me, infact I need help filling calories so it works out great! I actually enjoy my protein shakes. I use frozen fruit and cocoa powder, they come out super desserty. (I sometimes do a "green" shake but that's way less fun!)0
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Ok. I like the idea of having it for a snack because it fills you up and keeps your energy going. I just dont know about this "hurry up and drink this because you just worked out and your muscles are going to die" thing...
The best window for your body to be anabolic (Building and repairing muscle) is within the first hour after exercise. This does not mean that your body is ONLY repairing and building muscle in this stage, but adding a fast absorbing protein (i.e. powder vs fresh steak) causes you to make better use of this window of opportunity.
Broscience.0 -
Protein shakes are for those who work out. Do you work out? If yes, then protein is more important than the cals it contains. You should be worried about your nutrition in this context. Not your cals. What meal can you eat for 130 cals and <100 sodium? I don't use shakes for replacement, but the logic there is slippery.
Outside of this, shakes are supplement. Not replacement. No one wiser would suggest using protein shakes as an exclusive means to protein. Hence, supplement. It allows those uber into exercise to get their nutrition needs reasonably.
EX: I have 125 lean lbs of muscle. It's advised I has at least 100g protein a day to meet my needs to maintain that (assuming I exercise) and meet the needs for the rest of my functions (hair., cell growth and repair etc). Someone sedentary needs only around 50g.
It would be incredibly hard to eat enough food naturally to get that. I could do it, with fish, chicken, yogurt, bacon etc etc all in the same day. But that can be hard to do and a conscience effort.0 -
I don't use them just because I'm too lazy to make them! I think that it depends though. Like, if you have breakfast lunch or dinner say and hour or two after you workout, I'd say skip the shake but definitely do still get some protein in. From either chicken or turkey deli meat, or Greek yogurt, something. But if it's hours until your next meal, you might want something with more calories, say, a protein shake. Personally, I hink the whole protein shake thing is totally overrated since there are so many other ways to get your protein in, especially if you're buying the pre made ones. Those are useless since a lot of them taste nasty or are loaded with sugar. Homemade ones are alright, but if you don't like them then don't drink em!0
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this^^^^ protein shakes are just to supplement your diet. If you meet your protein needs without then it doesn't make a difference.As long as you're hitting your daily protein target, it doesn't matter one bit.
~Alan AragonWhen speaking of nutrition for improving body composition or training performance, it's crucial to realize there's an underlying hierarchy of importance. At the top of the hierarchy is total amount of the macronutrients by the end of the day. Distantly below that is the precise timing of those nutrients. With very few exceptions, athletes and active individuals eat multiple times per day. Thus, the majority of their day is spent in the postprandial (fed) rather than a post-absorptive (fasted) state. The vast majority of nutrient timing studies have been done on overnight-fasted subjects put through glycogen depletion protocols, which obviously limits the applicability of the outcomes. Pre-exercise (and/or during-exercise) nutrient intake often has a lingering carry-over effect into the post-exercise period. Throughout the day, there's a constant overlap of meal digestion & nutrient absorption. For this reason, the effectiveness of nutrient timing does not require a high degree of precision.
The Primary Laws of Nutrient Timing
The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.0 -
Don't be convinced then. I drink a shake either in the morning just because I can't force myself to eat in the morning (idk why) or after a workout. So far, everything seems to working just fine for me.0
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they arent required but they can make things very convenient.
for instance when i used to weight lift in the morning before work, i woudnt have time to cook a sit down meal and eat it. with shakes it could just throw ingredients into a bender and drink it on the way to work. cant really do that with an omelette and side salad.0 -
I'll disagree with you on this Ron. There have been peer reviewed clinical studies that have shown that protein supplementation after workout is optimal.Broscience.The Window of Opportunity and its impact on Performance, Protein Synthesis and Muscle
Growth
Similarly to studies on glycogen replenishment, studies clearly indicate that if protein
is not consumed immediately upon cessation of exercise, performance, protein
synthesis, and ultimately, muscular hypertrophy, will be hindered.
The importance of having a fast digesting protein right after a workout was
demonstrated by Esmarck et al. (2001), who investigated the effect of immediate
and 2 hour delay feedings of protein on muscle hypertrophy and strength over a 12
week period of resistance training in elderly males. An oral supplement of 10 grams
of protein, 7 grams of carbohydrate, and 3 grams of fat was administered. Results
indicated that both mean fiber area and quadriceps cross sectional area increased in
the immediate protein condition, where as no significant differences were found in
the 2 hour delay condition. Both dynamic and isokinetic strength increased, by 46
and 15 %, respectively in the immediate condition, whereas the delayed condition
only improved in dynamic strength, by 36 %.
As an additional comparison Levenhagen et al. (2001) administered an oral protein
supplement (10 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat) either immediately (EARLY) or
three hours after moderate intensity exercise (LATE). Results indicated that Net
balance was significantly more positive during EARLY, compared with LATE, for
isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, valine, BCAA, EAA, and NEAA. In
fact, while there was a net uptake of BCAA, EAA, and NEAA with the EARLY
condition, there was a net release of BCAA, EAA, and NEAA in the LATE condition.
Further leg protein synthesis was more than 3 times greater in the EARLY condition
than the LATE condition. Finally whole body protein deposition was greater in the
EARLY condition than the LATE condition.
That said I do believe that overall total protein intake for the day is the most important.
A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I'll disagree with you on this Ron. There have been peer reviewed clinical studies that have shown that protein supplementation after workout is optimal.Broscience.The Window of Opportunity and its impact on Performance, Protein Synthesis and Muscle
Growth
Similarly to studies on glycogen replenishment, studies clearly indicate that if protein
is not consumed immediately upon cessation of exercise, performance, protein
synthesis, and ultimately, muscular hypertrophy, will be hindered.
The importance of having a fast digesting protein right after a workout was
demonstrated by Esmarck et al. (2001), who investigated the effect of immediate
and 2 hour delay feedings of protein on muscle hypertrophy and strength over a 12
week period of resistance training in elderly males. An oral supplement of 10 grams
of protein, 7 grams of carbohydrate, and 3 grams of fat was administered. Results
indicated that both mean fiber area and quadriceps cross sectional area increased in
the immediate protein condition, where as no significant differences were found in
the 2 hour delay condition. Both dynamic and isokinetic strength increased, by 46
and 15 %, respectively in the immediate condition, whereas the delayed condition
only improved in dynamic strength, by 36 %.
As an additional comparison Levenhagen et al. (2001) administered an oral protein
supplement (10 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat) either immediately (EARLY) or
three hours after moderate intensity exercise (LATE). Results indicated that Net
balance was significantly more positive during EARLY, compared with LATE, for
isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, valine, BCAA, EAA, and NEAA. In
fact, while there was a net uptake of BCAA, EAA, and NEAA with the EARLY
condition, there was a net release of BCAA, EAA, and NEAA in the LATE condition.
Further leg protein synthesis was more than 3 times greater in the EARLY condition
than the LATE condition. Finally whole body protein deposition was greater in the
EARLY condition than the LATE condition.
That said I do believe that overall total protein intake for the day is the most important.
A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Meh. Acute studies on fasted trainees aren't really relevant to the real world;
AARR, Dec 20100 -
Protein synthesis is elevated for at least 24 hours post, so rushing to get protein is not necessary.I'll disagree with you on this Ron. There have been peer reviewed clinical studies that have shown that protein supplementation after workout is optimal.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/212892040 -
Whey protein is simply a protein extracted from cows milk / cheese.
Whey is a fast absorbing protein good for muscle recovery.
Because it's fast absorbing, body builders supplement whey after a workout to quickly provide their energy depleted body with what it needs to avoid catabolisation (muscle breakdown) — It also happens to be convenient in the drink or bar form, which is an added incentive to supplement it after a workout.
There are other good alternatives out there though, like: chicken, eggs, venison, beef, turkey breast (not deli, because its processed with chemicals normally).
The evidence is there for whey & muscle gain, ask or just look at any body builder.
Whether or it's good for weight loss, depends on your own preference. However if you use it for weight loss, I would make sure you get unflavored whey isolate (which is 98% pure whey protein or more I believe), as you won't have the added calories from crappy carbs they add.0
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