Does protein shakes helps?

Hits · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 12:18 pm Post subject: Does protein shakes helps?

Do any of you here drink protein shakes? I have not and was wondering if they really do help. I work out at the gym each morning and one of the workers asked me the other day if I wanted one. I couldn't because I don't take my wallet to the gym so I had no way to pay for it...otherwise I would have tried one.

If I were to start drinking the protein shakes...should I consider them a meal replacement and not eat my normal breakfast?

Maybe an expert here could enlighten me!

Thanks,
Hits

Light · Posts: 2029

They sure do Hits.
I do take sometimes Weider shakes with a high concentration - about 90%.
Proteins before and after will "feed" your muscles. You can really see the results. Go with quality proteins with the highest concentration and the lowest fat and carbohydrates.

The down part is that this shakes can give you a "beer belly". It depends form person to person.

Good luck.

Guest · Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 6:33 pm Post subject:

Protein shakes are a great way to increase your protein intake, which is essential for most people if they're looking to build muscle and for any one who wants to lose weight.

In terms of using them as a meal replacement, weight loss programme's like Herbalife's Shapeworks and Slimfast, which are shake based do work for many people as they're convenient and realtively cheap when compared to regular food. Maxi Muscle, Weider, Met-Rx also make some good shake mixes.

They're not the answer for everyone, though, and I would suspect that they're not the best way to establish new eating habits - you're unlikely to exist on two/three shakes a day for the rest of your life!

I have a protein shake/smoothie every morning for breakfast as I've not got much of an appetite first thing, and often as a snack before I go to the gym after work, or 30 minutes or so after a workout.

Look for a quality protein - soy and/or whey - with around 20-35g per serving with no more than 5g fat per serving. Sugar free (glucose, dextrose, sucrose) is best. Fructose is ok as a sweetener.

I like to make mine in a blender with some fresh or frozen fruit and 50:50 soy milk:fruit juice. Give it a whirl and see what you think!