To much protein?

Blacktie.

Hey everyone just wondering if I should slow down with the protein drinks. I take 3 shakes a day with 40g of whey protein in each one. I workout 3 times a week but I take the protein shakes 3 times a day regardless if I've worked out or not.

This works out as using about a 5lb tub in a month which costs me 40 euro! That's nearly 500 a year and this is not cheap considering I'm a student who just left my job to focus more on college.

Do I really need to be drinking these 3 times a day even on my off days to recover fully or should I tone it down on my off days or tone it down in general!?

Thanks guys

g'em

Blacktie. wrote: »

Do I really need to be drinking these 3 times a day

Almost certainly, no.

What other protein do you get in your diet? As a very, very rough guide you need around 1g of protein per lb of bodyweight so unless you have zero protein elsewhere in your eating habits you could probably drop a lot of your shakes.

Blacktie.

Well I usually have a lean source of protein for dinner like chicken or beef or something. I have ham or turkey sandwichs sometimes chicken for lunch and I try to drink alot of milk. Maybe a litre and half a day. Thing is when I put all this in fitday (or when I did anyway kinda gone off it lately) it usually only adds up to around my bw (165lb's) after the protein shakes are added in.

g'em

how about getting some eggs in at breakfast or hard-boiled eggs as snacks during the day? Sliced meats tend to be highly processed, mostly water and have a high sugar/ salt load. Try and double up on your chicken serving instead if that's possible.

Cottage cheese is also great, snacking on nuts/ nut butters will also help and the milk is a brilliant source of complete protein.

Don't worry if you're not bang on 1g/lb - you'll still make gains. How have you progressed so far? Are you getting stronger/ leaner?

Blacktie.

Yeah I'll try get in an egg in the morning. I used to snack alot on nuts but went off them for a while but have a few bags in the house now so I'll prob get back to that again. Mmm cashews! Not a fan of cottage cheese. Just not my thing. Never knew the sliced meats were heavily processed. I'll try and stick with the chicken so.

Yeah I have made alot of gains over the last few months definitely put on some muscle especially around the big muscle groups chest, back and legs. Feels great when you see people who havnt seen you in a year or two and they say what hppened to you you've beefed up lol

g'em

Blacktie. wrote: »

Yeah I have made alot of gains over the last few months definitely put on some muscle especially around the big muscle groups chest, back and legs. Feels great when you see people who havnt seen you in a year or two and they say what hppened to you you've beefed up lol

lol, good on you, you're on the right track so. Milk, peanut butter, eggs and chicken are your friends

gnolan

I was under the impression that it was one gram of protein per lean lb of bodyweight. So say if you were 200lbs with a BF% of 25%, you would want to be getting 150grams of protein.

cavanmaniac

Slightly OT, but what's the established wisdom on taking your protein shake on days off from the gym?

I do about an hour weights every session, 3/4 times per week, but wouldn't class myself as a heavy lifter or anything, just an average joe. I often wonder if I should be bothering with taking a shake twice a day (morning and right before bed) on days that I haven't worked out/am resting? I just wonder if it's excessive and unnecessary?

g'em

gnolan wrote: »

I was under the impression that it was one gram of protein per lean lb of bodyweight. So say if you were 200lbs with a BF% of 25%, you would want to be getting 150grams of protein.

I've heard a variety of different theories tbh, and in essence that's all they really are: theories and guesstimations. The protein requirements for any given individual will vary dramatically according to the type of training they do, their metabolic rate, their propensity to build lean mass etc. (e.g. a sedentary office worker will probably only need 0.4g protein per lb bodyweight). The 1g/lb bw is probably overestimating slightly, but there's no harm in that - the number of people who accurately know their own bodyfat are far and few between anyway, so the simpler the equation the easier it is for people to follow. Besides, better to overshoot your protein needs than undershoot them - protein is fantastically metabolically beneficial, and having a higher protein than carb/ fat ratio whilst staying within your calorie boundaries each day will aid maintaining a high lean mass, low bodyfat physique.

cavanmaniac wrote: »

Slightly OT, but what's the established wisdom on taking your protein shake on days off from the gym?

Protein supplements are really just food in powder form. If you takes shakes on your days off and your body needs it, it will get used. If its not needed it'll get excreted/ stored as fat so it's up to you whetehr or ot to drink them. High protein diets are a good thing for most people - how you get that protein is up to you, just bear in mind that wholefoods have a range of nutritional benefits that will be lacking in shakes (fibre, antioxidants, vitamins & minerals).

Blacktie.

Just started putting my diet into fitday again. Turns out I'm actually getting my bw in protein without the shakes . Might just save the whey protein for straight after my workout now! Thanks for the help g'em

dave80

Blacktie. wrote: »

Just started putting my diet into fitday again. Turns out I'm actually getting my bw in protein without the shakes . Might just save the whey protein for straight after my workout now! Thanks for the help g'em

so your getting enough protein without the shakes, but your calorie consumpstion will now be reduced without the shakes which will reduce gains!

Blacktie.

Na the shakes altogether were only bout 300 calories. Could easily replace that with a handful of nuts!

dave80

Blacktie. wrote: »

Na the shakes altogether were only bout 300 calories. Could easily replace that with a handful of nuts!

300 calories can make all the difference, just make sure to have your 'hand full of nuts' everyday!

quirkster

the days ur recovering are v.important days to have protein. it when your muscles are growing/recovering from the last workout, looking for protein to build and repair. if you dont give it to them, they wont grow at their optimum rate

injured365

Just as wee note...eggs and full fat milk are very high in saturated fats and as such not the best to be comsuming

celestial

injured365 wrote: »

Just as wee note...eggs and full fat milk are very high in saturated fats and as such not the best to be comsuming

Incorrect.

injured365

I might be wrong but do explain please?