Protein Shakes - What Are The Real Effects?

x00065954

Hi everyone,

First of, I am a small framed male who is skinny BUT got a flabby body (belly & chest). After 2 months of regular exercise (heavy cardio & weight training), I have seen improvements in my body but still that bit of excess flab around my lower abs and chest (moobs you might say :P) esp when I sit down. I am roughly 5'6/7 weighing at 58KG.

My overall objective is to gain weight and get bigger to my small and slender frame at the moment. My original plan was to cut the fat first and then plan on gaining weight with the help of protein shakes. But the thing is, will I gain my fat back if I was to move onto the protein shakes now? As I said I am still not completely flat on my body but it as been an improvement.

As well as whether or not should I move onto the protein drinks, with SO MANY out there which certain aspects should I be looking for in my scenario? I seen in the health stores the Maximuscle ProMax Diet protein shakes? Would that type of protein shake be best for me or will that just make me lose more weight? (As I just want to lose the fat not exactly the weight)

So guys, please help me here as I am really quite lost and dont really know what to do? Any advice will be of great benefit. Thank you all

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

x00065954

IrishFeeney92 wrote: »

Break it up into stages. Cut the fat with just cardio. then maintain the level of cardio fitness and start doing weights again.It’s impossible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. One requires a caloric surplus, the other requires a caloric deficit.

That does make a lot of sense alright. So what your saying is too dont mind about the protein for the moment and carry on cutting the fat and THEN move onto the protein is it?

Antisocialiser

I know this gets wheeled out all the time but there is probably no point in cutting until you actually have something underneath.

Forget the cardio for now (or do it lightly). Try a weights program like starting strength (or otherwise) and couple that with a high protein diet if you really want to change your bodyshape. Cut in a few months when you have put on a stone or two.

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

nice_guy80

IrishFeeney92 wrote: »

well protein is good for you so I would take it anyway, Itll stregthen your legs when your out running and help you recover, which in turn will allow you to run faster and longer which means you will burn more fat. so I would still take it, I mean I do and I feel it benefits big time. its just you wont be building upper body mass when your out running yano.Then when you want to seriously gain hit the weights and continue the protein.

ignore this please

cut down on your cardio a bit and give some dumbbell work and core exercises in the gym a go.
plank
side plank
russian twists
bridging

set up a small dumbbell weights circuit and go for it. Take no breaks and it is as good as any cardio. 2/3 circuits
lunges/squats
bench press/overhead press
pull ups (assisted if you cannot do one)/bent over row

MaceFace

Although I am currently 30kg heavier than the OP (orig. 40kg), I would advise a mix of resistance and cardio.

The weights will help build strength and may lead to some *minor* increase in muscle mass. The resistance training will also burn calories not just when you are working out but for some hours after.
You may also see some change to your shape with certain muscles tightening.

Do the cardio after your weights program.

One thing to remember is you will increase your muscle mass slowly (avg 0.5 lb per week in a good week).

As for Protein Shake - only take it if you are not getting enough protein in your diet. Some say 1 gram per lb, but from a lot of reading, I think that is mainly aimed at the serious guys. Still, 100 grams of protein should be easy enough to consume.

Give yourself a goal 6 months out of what you want to look like. Make it realistic and stick to it.

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

The Guvnor

Protein Shakes - What Are The Real Effects?

Side effects - may cause awesomeness!

The Guvnor

x00065954 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

First of, I am a small framed male who is skinny BUT got a flabby body (belly & chest). After 2 months of regular exercise (heavy cardio & weight training), I have seen improvements in my body but still that bit of excess flab around my lower abs and chest (moobs you might say :P) esp when I sit down. I am roughly 5'6/7 weighing at 58KG.


It just takes time to get where we want to be. 2 months is not a long time - be patient and more results will be forthcoming!:)


My overall objective is to gain weight and get bigger to my small and slender frame at the moment. My original plan was to cut the fat first and then plan on gaining weight with the help of protein shakes. But the thing is, will I gain my fat back if I was to move onto the protein shakes now? As I said I am still not completely flat on my body but it as been an improvement.


Protein shakes are just powdered protein so if used in conjunction with a healthy diet then there will be no issue with you gaining the fat back. Their real advantage apart from cost per gram of actual protein is convenience.

As well as whether or not should I move onto the protein drinks, with SO MANY out there which certain aspects should I be looking for in my scenario? I seen in the health stores the Maximuscle ProMax Diet protein shakes? Would that type of protein shake be best for me or will that just make me lose more weight? (As I just want to lose the fat not exactly the weight)

If you've never had protein shakes before then the best advice would be to try before you buy - it can be a little daunting buying a big tub for the first time and you want to try and get a basic, mild flavour at the start imo.

The good news is that the ones available today taste far better than the ones I started out on!:D

So guys, please help me here as I am really quite lost and dont really know what to do? Any advice will be of great benefit. Thank you all

See text above.

x00065954

Cheers guys for all the responses have helped me a lot really appreciate it. My current training regime in the gym is core exercises for about 40/45 mins and then move onto free weights for 40/45 mins and then finally my cardio (running) for 30 mins. I do this roughly about 3 or 4 times a week and also I go jogging outside if Im not in the gym.

So should I continue this routine and add the protein shakes along with them? As for my diet I defiantly know Im not consuming enough protein so thats why I was looking into the protein shakes

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Well I can tell you one effect....increased flatulence....

Antisocialiser

2lb protein per 1kg of bodyweight is a pretty good number to aim for.

Protein shakes will help financially and time-wise.

MaceFace

Antisocialiser wrote: »

2lb protein per 1kg of bodyweight is a pretty good number to aim for.

Protein shakes will help financially and time-wise.

I'm sure you meant grams

Red_Wake

MaceFace wrote: »

I'm sure you meant grams

Waht are you saying,I eat slightly under my bodyweight in protein every day and the only inconvenience I suffer is having to navigate my way through the crowd of females clambering over each other to feel me up.

yit

From a scientific literature point of view, the efficacy of protein supplementation is still controversial and it's thought that a high protein diet may be as/more beneficial. You can clearly see here though that it is very popular amongst it's users

x00065954

Yea it certainly does seem quite popular. So just one question that I always seems to trouble me. If I continue my diet plus add the protein shakes along with my workout, will the protein make me fat (gain the flab back on my body) or will it help me and turn my flab into muscle??? Please help guys as you can tell I'm pretty much clueless about all this stuff.

Chancer3001

my advice is to do starting strength and eat lots of protein.

The protein will go to building muscle, not to fat - assuming you are lifting heavy and arent over eating carbs/fat.

x00065954

Chancer3001 wrote: »

my advice is to do starting strength and eat lots of protein.

The protein will go to building muscle, not to fat - assuming you are lifting heavy and arent over eating carbs/fat.

Cheers for the feedback. One last thing is that which type of protein should I be looking for or brand is best? I have been doing a bit of window shopping and noticed the Maximuscle brand in quite a lot of stores esp in the health store. One specific protein that caught my eye was the Promax Diet Protein http://www.thehealthstore.ie/index.php/sports-nutrition/maximuscle-promax-diet-strawberry.html Would this type of protein be best for me? Or will I go onto the more regular one http://www.thehealthstore.ie/index.php/sports-nutrition/maximuscle-cyclone.html Thanks guys

Chancer3001

myprotein.com/ie/ sells cheap whey protein.

They also do sample packs so you can try flavours for bout a euro each.

Its easy to get started. Hard to keep it going long term.

My advice would be just do 6 lifts

deadlift, chins, squats, rows, bench and dips.

try and increase the weights you can do all the time.

The Guvnor

I was in Argos yesterday and had the pleasure of seeing a 5lb tub of protein on sale for €89.99 - ambitious pricing if ever there was some.:)

Ant11

The Guvnor wrote: »

I was in Argos yesterday and had the pleasure of seeing a 5lb tub of protein on sale for €89.99 - ambitious pricing if ever there was some.:)

Madness, when a 5kg bag is going for 62euro from myprotein.

The Guvnor

Well it was flavoured!:D