Protein Shakes

joejoem

Hey I just started taking protein shakes, what is the best time to take it? I have started taking it an hour before I work out and then after dinner on a day off. What is the best time to take it for it to be most effective?

DonkeyKong

after your workout, within 30mins of training. +remember to make rel gins you need t least 1g/lb body weight of protein.

DonkeyKong

bloody "a" button on this key board doesnt work properly!!!!!!

joejoem

DonkeyKong wrote:

after your workout, within 30mins of training. +remember to make rel gins you need t least 1g/lb body weight of protein.

Can you explain that? What are rel gins? and the last bit, what do you mean?

Johnmb

joejoem wrote:

Can you explain that? What are rel gins? and the last bit, what do you mean?

"real gains".

The last bit means that the amount of protein you take depends on your body weight. Different sources will have different recomendations, DonkeyKong is recomending 1g of protein for every lb (i.e. if you weigh 150lbs, then you need to take at least 150g of protein to make any real gains.

joejoem

Johnmb wrote:

"real gains".

The last bit means that the amount of protein you take depends on your body weight. Different sources will have different recomendations, DonkeyKong is recomending 1g of protein for every lb (i.e. if you weigh 150lbs, then you need to take at least 150g of protein to make any real gains.

Ok cool thanks, so Im 200lbs so I take 200gs, I am taking three heaped tea spoons at the mo, I wonder how much that is.

Mr E

There is alot of variation in theories on the daily RDA of protein.... Do some googling (or search on this forum) for more posts on this.

johnnyc

i go to the gym 4 days a week do protein shakes work..i have taken them after a session they do fill you up thats all i recon they do. is there any proof they work

joejoem

Yeah I did a search and went through all of the threads (I think) but there wasnt anything much on directions for taking it, mostly disputes on what it is worth or what is the best brand. I bought it in Tony Quinn (which I gather isnt the best from reading previous threads) and he said to take 3 heaped spoons an hour before a work out, which is fine. I am usually starving when I get back from a work out but it is too late to eat, should I have another pint of it or is that over kill, and should I drink it on my off days? (I work out every second day.)

RonanC

johnnyc wrote:

i go to the gym 4 days a week do protein shakes work..i have taken them after a session they do fill you up thats all i recon they do. is there any proof they work

Does food "work"? Therein lies your answer.

RonanC

joejoem wrote:

Ok cool thanks, so Im 200lbs so I take 200gs, I am taking three heaped tea spoons at the mo, I wonder how much that is.

That's at least 200g protein over the course of a day, not immediately post workout.

Post-workout aim for between 40-60g protein plus glucose/ maltodextrin/ oatmeal (80-120g).

kasintahan

Protein powder usually comes with a measuring spoon inside the container.
Have a root around, it's probably settled to the bottom.


I'd guess 3 heaped teaspoons would be about 20 grams (of powder, not protein).

I can't advise on when to take it as I've been seeing virtually no returns on my 150 grams a day (spread out over 18 hours). This is probably down to the 5km run I do before weights (I want to drop bodyfat more than gain muscle ATM).

johnnyc

Just wondering ronanc i know if we eat plenty of protein it is suppose to help in development of muscle i was wondering do the protein shakes get absorbed and what results would u achieve if u did take shakes and vice-versa!!

RonanC

johnnyc wrote:

Just wondering ronanc i know if we eat plenty of protein it is suppose to help in development of muscle i was wondering do the protein shakes get absorbed and what results would u achieve if u did take shakes and vice-versa!!

Not supposed to help in the development of muscle, but essential!

Protein shakes (assuming it is whey protein and not casein) are an excellent choice post workout to prevent catabolism, facilitate anabolism, restore amino acid levels, etc. Whey is a highly insulinogenic protein and is easily absorbed, so is ideal at this point. Carbs are also necessary here to replenish glycogen and raise insulin concentrations.

You could have a post workout meal comprised of solid foods, but personally, I prefer a liquid meal so that I can eat again in a relatively short period of time. Drinking a shake is far easier than trying to eat potatoes and chicken after working out IMO.

At all other times, whole foods are more appropriate to reach your daily protein intakes.

Assuming your timetable allows it, another solid meal should be eaten approximately 2 hours later with moderate GI carbs and chicken/turkey/ tuna, etc.

johnnyc

Ronan c you know your stuff i take a milkshake after most gym sessions i recon they dont do an awful lot to you? but then again i have gained muscle maybe they do work

uum

First off - dont mix it with milk. too fattening.
Secondly protein is just food. You need to take the regulated dose every day for a good period before you will see results but you will if you train hard and regualrly and intelligently and eat well sleep well drink loads of water etc.
It is not an anabolic. Muscle wont just sprout all over you. BTW i dont do this but if you ate 500g of chicken a day you'd not need your protein shake.
I eat 200g chicken a day. Always attempt to get most of your daily cals from actual food as opposed to supp's. much healthier.

Transform

Less talk about the protein you are taking or are going to take and lets have more talk on the training program you are doing, amount on your bar or weight of dumbbells and number of months/years training?

I find that unless you have the fundamentals right then the shakes are not going to have much of an effect - well it will make your wallet lighter!

I personally do not think ANYONE should take them at all UNLESS they have first addressed the basics of nutrition and training though you would not ask this quesiton if you had this info first possibly? Could this be more of a magic bullet you are looking for or something you want to do as its 'supposed' to be the thing to do?

joejoem

I have a training program worked out, starting light and working my way up, in the gym 3/4 nights a week doing various different wieghts. About 30lbs on for arms/chest and 40 - 50 lbs for shoulders etc.

Easygainer

uum wrote:

First off - dont mix it with milk. too fattening.
Secondly protein is just food. You need to take the regulated dose every day for a good period before you will see results but you will if you train hard and regualrly and intelligently and eat well sleep well drink loads of water etc.
It is not an anabolic. Muscle wont just sprout all over you. BTW i dont do this but if you ate 500g of chicken a day you'd not need your protein shake.
I eat 200g chicken a day. Always attempt to get most of your daily cals from actual food as opposed to supp's. much healthier.

Technically it is anabolic as it promotes a positive nitrogen balance

Protein powders are good. Whey for post workout and breakfast (with something else) and casein (or whey with skimmed milk) protein for bedtime or during day.

joejoem

What are the benifits of Whey?

Funkstard

Whey is the fastest absorbed protein which makes it ideal for post-workout shakes, as opposed to casein protein (found in dairy) which is a slow digesting protein, which would be better to take before bed.

Easygainer

Kasintahan:Is that 150g from supplements or 150 total? I'm dieting and taking in +400g. Granted I'm probably carrying more muscle but you need 1.5g/lbs bodyweight dieting IMO because it's hard enough to maintain muscle. Don't drop carbs too low though (low being 1g/lbs bw, any lower and you'll look like you've been living in a sauna).

uum

400gm plus?
Mate, i dont mean to be telling you your business cas you know your stuff but unless you weigh 300lbs thats a crazy amout.
I have a study here someplace that states excess protein is excreted and a even worse a sports nurtition book that says the protein overloaded is stored as fat.

kasintahan

Easygainer wrote:

Kasintahan:Is that 150g from supplements or 150 total? I'm dieting and taking in +400g. Granted I'm probably carrying more muscle but you need 1.5g/lbs bodyweight dieting IMO because it's hard enough to maintain muscle. Don't drop carbs too low though (low being 1g/lbs bw, any lower and you'll look like you've been living in a sauna).

That would be about 150g - 160g per day in total.

I'm not heavy (72kg/160lbs) and so that's twice what I should need if I did no training (AFAIK). I'm more than open to suggestion, but I don't eat meat so that's not an option.

MonkeyNutz

anything more than 0.7-.08g / pound of protein just turns to fat.
0.5g/pound is good for normal workout. only bodybuilders should go above

Easygainer

MonkeyNutz wrote:

anything more than 0.7-.08g / pound of protein just turns to fat.
0.5g/pound is good for normal workout. only bodybuilders should go above

I dunno, any sort of hard training can break down muscle. I think 1g per kilo is too low, 1.5g I suppose if you're not weight training, but at least 1g/pound if weight training and more if seeking to gain muscle.

Kasintahan: There are lots of good sources of protein but as I said above if you don't wanna be very muscular up to 200g protein is grand, I thought it was for weight gain!

Lamar

something bout protein shakes that you all need to know is that you have to sip them..not take them in quickly cos it absorbs alot more than if you gulp it all down.....

joejoem

Lamar wrote:

something bout protein shakes that you all need to know is that you have to sip them..not take them in quickly cos it absorbs alot more than if you gulp it all down.....

Where is the logic in that?

rasherboy

i dont think there is any it all ends up in your stomach where it is absorbed! dont matter how fast it gets there

joejoem

rasherboy wrote:

i dont think there is any it all ends up in your stomach where it is absorbed! dont matter how fast it gets there

Yeah I thought that was bull ****, well it goes into your stomach where it is broken down and then it is absorbed through you big and small intestines, and your kidneys.

Poopman

Can you still expect to make any serious gains if you don't take any protein supplements?

Lamar

hey I wasnt the one that conducted the study....I read up about it on the net a while back.......go search for it if you wanna see the benifits

rasherboy

Poopman wrote:

Can you still expect to make any serious gains if you don't take any protein supplements?

yes!! but if you arent on supplements you will still need protein! eating things like tuna etc....all have high protein levels and creatine(small amount) in them so you would not need summplment...not saying it wudnt be easier without them!
basically you still need alot of protein and for it to be eaten at the right times!

Funkstard

I think when you hit your first plateau you'll be singing a different song about protein shakes

rasherboy

Funkstard wrote:

I think when you hit your first plateau you'll be singing a different song about protein shakes

what you mean?

joejoem

Funkstard wrote:

I think when you hit your first plateau you'll be singing a different song about protein shakes

I dont get this either?

Plateau - define -
1) An elevated, comparatively level expanse of land; a tableland.
2) A relatively stable level, period, or state: Mortgage rates declined, then reached a plateau.

johnnyc

I was thinking of buying a protein substances what would you think of promax is that the best protein shake their

joejoem

johnnyc wrote:

I was thinking of buying a protein substances what would you think of promax is that the best protein shake their

In saying that, are you living in New York?

rasherboy

best? every1 thinks a different 1 is the best! it depends on your need! if you are into to seriously heavy weight lifting you will need something different to if you are only doing little bits here and there

Funkstard

A plateau, when you hit a brick wall in your goals, when you're doing the same you were when you were gaining, but you stop getting bigger and stop getting stronger for no reason, other than you've hit a plateau and you need to change it up to keep shocking your body.

IMO, it's then you need to change your routine around and up the protein intake to keep your body guessing

rasherboy

doing weights for 2 years and nvr happened to me! sometimes it gets harder...so you push yourself harder! if you push yourself enough then there is no need!

Easygainer

rasherboy wrote:

doing weights for 2 years and nvr happened to me! sometimes it gets harder...so you push yourself harder! if you push yourself enough then there is no need!

You couldn't have linear growth, otherwise adding only 5lbs a week to your bench, assuming you started at 100lbs, you'd have 600lbs bench by now!

Everyone hits a plateau and the best thing to do is go back in weight and begin the progression again til you get higher etc. It's progressive overload training, Stuart Mc Roberts' book Beyond Brawn has it - great book!

And whoever said promax is the best protein, you been smoking crack? E50 for 2lbs??? E40 for 5lbs of IDENTICAL quality protein if you look around and better taste too. In fact every maximuscle product is completely overpriced and overhyped - for instance, Cyclone. E60 or so for 2lbs? wtf? The cost of the separate ingredients in that - protein, creatine, glutamine and HMB is minimal, maybe E30 to make on your own. Secondly, HMB has never been shown to work - you're far better off taking BCAAs, as HMB is a derivative of one of its constituent amino acids. Add to that the lies they tell you about their up to date research etc etc (all their products have been on shelves for years just cheaper!) and you have a crappy co.

rasherboy

no there isnt linear growth but it still is growth!i am getting stronger! there is a wall i wasnt sayng there wasnt just that it isnt necessary to use protein to get past it! it can be done without it! it may be easier with protein but it is not necessary!

johnnyc

joejoem no i am note from new york..kerry.i was asking peoples opinions of promax?

rasherboy

ok heres my opinion it is good but over expensive! and their are many other proteins as good or better which are cheaper so i wouldnt use it!