Drinking a protein shake when you didn't workout?

[rogerlam]

Was just wondering, are you meant to drink a protein shake daily, even on days you didn't go gym or do you only drink a protein shake before/after a workout?
Which option would provide the most gains?

[SoggyBiscuit]

whole foods are better

protein shakes are best straight after a workout because they are really quickly absorbed but it's better to eat real food.

BUT

if you're an ectomorph (i.e. tall and skinny and struggle to put on weight) it is totz fine to have a mass gainer in between meals so you can get enough calories in because it's difficult to eat like 5-6000 calories a day of whole food.

Other than that, though, there's nothing you can get from a protein shake that you can't get from whole foods (and then some, i.e. fiber)

[Omie Jay]

for efficient muscle gains you need to be consuming 2-4g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day, so it doesnt matter if you're doing a 3 day lifting routine (like i do) and still take a protein supplement everyday (including on your 4 days off), or lifting 5 or 6 times a week and take a protein shake everyday (incl on your 1 day off).
whole foods are better in the sense that they contain vitamins and minerals that arent found in powders, but whole foods also have a bit of fat in them (depending on how lean your cut of meat is).
supplements like protein powder (and bcaa's and glutamine and whatever other supplement people take) are there to *SUPPLEMENT* your diet, they're not meal replacements, nor should they be chugged down in copious amounts.

so it's best to formulate a well rounded diet THEN add how ever much protein powder to a shake that you find is necessary, depending on the amount of macronutrients you require.

[eshay lad 69]

bro ill tell you straight.

you want one gram of protien per pound of bodyweight.

depending on some peoples diets and routines, they choose to differing amounts of fats/proteins/calories depending if it is a workout day or not. generally if you have to be asking this question you would aim to be eating the same amount of fats/proteins/calories each day of the week.

and btw, protein out of a tub is the same as protein out of a food. the only difference is that food contains vitamins and other nutrients that generally the powder does not.

[SoggyBiscuit]

bro you need fat in your diet
edit: at omar jan

there is no reason to be having more than 1 a day, and it's best post workout when you need to deliver protein quickly to your cells.

[SoggyBiscuit]

and regarding BCAAs and all other amino acids, you can find them all in food

that's what a ~complete~ protein is it has the 9 essential amino acids. there are more than aren't essential, but you can find them all in animal products.

then you've got things like soy and grain products that contain protein, but they're not complete.

[Omie Jay]

bro you need fat in your diet
edit: at omar jan

there is no reason to be having more than 1 a day, and it's best post workout when you need to deliver protein quickly to your cells.

i never denied this, though i suppose i could have worded my sentence a bit better.

[bertstare]

i never denied this, though i suppose i could have worded my sentence a bit better.

strong sig.

[Azure]

and regarding BCAAs and all other amino acids, you can find them all in food

that's what a ~complete~ protein is it has the 9 essential amino acids. there are more than aren't essential, but you can find them all in animal products.

then you've got things like soy and grain products that contain protein, but they're not complete.

Yes EXACTLY. When I used to go to the gym everybody used to rave about BCAA supplements and how they're the best thing in the universe.

Idiot all your BCAAS should be in your protein (whether it's whey or a cut of meat)

[RANK 1]

does rice count as whole food?

[Brovy]

It is good to drink protein shake specially when we can't exercise because protein shake provides energy to the body and fulfills the deficiency of exercise. Protein shake is good source of energy.

[mac1996]

I reckon thats still alright, as long as your in recovery mode (muscle repairing)
coz u still need protein to repair ur muscles, so it gets you ready for ur next workout, to avoid overtraining