Mr. Cheeseburger I only became interested in protein drinks after a friend suggested it. I was looking to get stronger and tone up, and since I was rehabbing my knee; thought the protein drinks would help. Sadly it didn’t do anything for me. Instead I gained unnecessary weight and didn't know what to do. My friend on the other hand, seemed to be getting stronger and had toned muscles.
The following semester I spoke to my health professor regarding protein shakes, and she suggested I find alternative methods to getting protein because the shakes add on extra calories, which wasn’t what I wanted. When I stopped drinking the shakes, I had withdrawal for a few weeks. I constantly craved the protein shakes and when I didn’t have them, I felt tired and sluggish.
Even though I no longer take the protein shales, I'm still tempted to try them whenever I work out. Maybe this time I can have it in less quantity. I still have the huge jar of protein powder in my room. Sometimes I take a scoop and have some just because the cookies and cream flavor is delicious. I don’t drink it religiously like I once did, so I figure a scoop every week or so won’t hurt.
Do you or someone you know take protein drinks? Do they work? Has it affected you or them in any way?
Comments (13)
I drink whey shakes at times, they taste good and contain a lot of proteins too.
I would much rather have protien from less manufactured, more natural sources such as fish and lentils.
If you're not working out so hard that you need all the extra calories try a plain protein powder mixed in water, or if you can't stand the taste, in the quantity of milk you already drink. The trainer who's currently trying to redeem me from all my bad habits says use it within a half hour of ending a workout. At that point your body can really use all the amino acids available in a protein shake.
I never used protein drinks but people have suggested that I take them because I am very skinny. Personally i prefer fish and meat for protein.
you have to burn what you intake. when i was working out hard, i ran in the mornings and lifted in the afternoons. i ate 6 times a day, 3 meals, 3 protein shakes. i followed this routine and had 1 day off a week. did i get bigger? yes of course. i actually ended up gaining so much weight so quickly that i hurt my knee. so now I just try and build lean muscle w/out the shakes. i miss the shakes though because it is the easiest way to get concentrated protein. you should really try looking up more information on bodybuilding.com or other weight training oriented sites.
and muscle milk is so good, just too darn expensive.
i can drink those for free but i don't.. makes me gag..
i hate the taste of protein shakes. i only drink them on days when i work out and the days after and even that is sometimes too much for me. i stopped drinking them because i felt like gagging every time i did have one. i dont recall suffering from any side effects such as feeling sluggish
Not my thing. I would rather get protein from meat.
They always say at Weight Watchers "don't drink your calories." And I think there's something to that. Unless you're that rare person who doesn't enjoy eating, I think you're best off eating for protein along with all the other nutrients.
try spirulina pills you shouldn't have any trouble with weight gain
I eat PowerBars for lunch, just because they are easy to throw in a school bag or grab out of the cabinet while I'm running around like mad. But I do move around quite a bit, even when I am "sitting still" I never actually sit still. So I kind of need the protein and carbs together to keep me going...
Most protein shakes like the ones you are talking about are meant to aid in weight gain. You have to be a serious gym rat not to gain on them.
I never drank any of the "muscle gain" protein shakes b/c I never wanted to gain weight and they had too many calories. During my eating disorder I drank the protein drinks by Bolthouse Farms, Naked, and Odwalla. Like FairyBunnyPrincess said, Spirulina provides some protein and it won't make you gain weight. I recommend the pills and not the drink b/c the drinks are an acquired taste.
I would steer clear of those things. Are you looking for a nice energy boost before your workout, or are you looking to build mass?
I usually have a shot of wheatgrass before my work out. I don't like to do yoga bogged down with a gut full of food, but the vitamins, minerals, and amino-acids give me some great energy and help me focus.
when you use protein shakes, you actually have to workout much much harder to burn off the unnecessary fats. you can't just workout, you must also do cardio. this isn't an once a week thing, it's something you must do every day. i don't use any protein shakes myself, since i don't care about being big and massive. and if i did want to be a bit bigger, i prefer to do it the naturally way.