The truth about protein shakes

[AlteredBeast86]

Man, look, I love eating. My body needs it. After two hours my stomach starts to burn and I need food. I get lethargic and cranky after three hours of no food. I didn't get to my size eating three times a day, I'm sorry I just didn't. I'd have to consume three 1200-1400 hundred calorie meals to compensate for the smaller ones. That's insane, I'd go into a short term coma and pass out eating that much in one meal, plus I'd be hungry again after three hours anyways. Also, the body needs Amino's throughout the day to stop catabolism. It sounds like a gimmick, but I "fill out" after consuming them. I have been at this Diet and lifting game since the age of 14; I'm now 26. I've had a lot of time to compile empirical data on my body and how it behaves when I consume X, Y or Z. From my perspective, eating more often in less quantities with a sufficiently high protein based diet works the best.

That said, about protein shakes... man... OP come off it bud. Protein shakes are a simple staple in a diet. It is a small moving cog in a very big clock we call our bodies. It's a supplement... it does just that; SUPPLEMENT. I have used said supplement (the high protein, low carb/fat variety) for all 12 years of my lifting and training career, and I endorse it. Also, while I was personal training over at Gold's for three years, I had many clients improve their health and fitness by eating protein shakes instead of crap processed and refined starches. Again, just exercise some common sense when consuming it and have low expectations beyond what it is primarily used for.

 

[ThomasJohnThomas]

Every single time I glance fast over the forums, my eyes read "The truth about penis shakes"...
Isn`t the truth that you have to train right and use it right, or it will just make you fat? At least that is what people say, but I don`t know sh*t about this stuff. I doubt it is a good substitute for real, healthy, solid food, though.

 

[NP97]

Every single time I glance fast over the forums, my eyes read "The truth about penis shakes"...
Isn`t the truth that you have to train right and use it right, or it will just make you fat? At least that is what people say, but I don`t know sh*t about this stuff. I doubt it is a good substitute for real, healthy, solid food, though.

SO TRUE!
They are great if you wanna put on weight (which helps with building muscle) and aren't getting a sufficient amount of protein already. Too much isn't good, too little isn't good. Gotta be in that healthy amount zone.
Just eat some meat or eggs or something instead.

 

[JamesMonroe]

My point is that I never gained so much muscle and lost so much fat until I stopped the shakes and that I am gaining great muscle even with only 3 meals a day. Real food right after lifting as soon as possible is more effective than a protein shake. The "protein shake is needed right after lifting in the small window of opprtunity" excuse/theory is bullcrap. I have proven this for 2 years now. Just eat a good meal with protein, carbs and good fats ASAP. The secret is to have the food ready/cooked. If there is no way to eat at all for like 2 hours after lifting then yeah, I guess a protein shake would be needed, but hell.... I rather just have a cold wrapped tuna sandwich with whole grain bread and some almonds ready and waiting in my gym locker. The point of working chest and shoulders the same day is that the same muscles are used. It prevents overtraining. My routine is perfect for not overtraining any muscles more than once a week. If you guys need your chemical shakes and other "supplements" and/or 5-6 meals then go for it... but I don't have the time, energy, need or body to waste. I'm living proof that all you guys talk about is not needed to gain muscle and lose fat. I don't even do bulk and cutting phases. That's unhealthy.
My gains come gradually but surely from great workouts and proper/healthy diet.

 

[DemOne]

What chemicals are you even talking about? Kudos to you, you gain without needing to supplement anything, but you're just mouthing off a bunch of random crap that you can't back up with hard facts.

 

[BTBrian]

Man, look, I love eating. My body needs it. After two hours my stomach starts to burn and I need food. I get lethargic and cranky after three hours of no food. I didn't get to my size eating three times a day, I'm sorry I just didn't. I'd have to consume three 1200-1400 hundred calorie meals to compensate for the smaller ones. That's insane, I'd go into a short term coma and pass out eating that much in one meal, plus I'd be hungry again after three hours anyways. Also, the body needs Amino's throughout the day to stop catabolism. It sounds like a gimmick, but I "fill out" after consuming them. I have been at this Diet and lifting game since the age of 14; I'm now 26. I've had a lot of time to compile empirical data on my body and how it behaves when I consume X, Y or Z. From my perspective, eating more often in less quantities with a sufficiently high protein based diet works the best.

The human body is designed to obtain food 2-3 times a day. The liver and pancreas are designed to work 2-3 times per day. When you start eating 6-8 meals a day, those organs start being overworked, that is twice as often as they are made to work. Catabolism does not begin after 2-3 hours, that is a myth. In fact, it takes over 24 hours of no food before your metabolism changes at all. So there is absolutely no benefit to eating that often, except if you think you can't get enough calories in otherwise. The only real effects are that it is potentially harmful on your pancreas and liver (although I highly doubt anything bad would happen from overworking them, even for 40 years.)

The reason you get hungry after 2 hours is because you have programmed your body and told it that it will get food after 2 hours. Believe me, I used to be the same way I would eat about 1000 cals for my three meals and then 500-600 in between each meal. I felt like I was going to starve to death if I went 3 hours without a meal. Then I finally stopped doing that 5 meal per day thing and after a couple weeks I got used to it and I no longer feel hungry within an hour after meals. It's all in conditioning your body.

 

[ProjectX]

To be perfectly honest, no protein shakes should not be a substantial source of nutrients or even of just protein. Protein supplements are just that, supplements. If you are claiming that the other ingredients are harmful/ poisons, I suggest you reevaluate how much you value your health and actually read labels, in addition to buying a reputable brand. The simple fact of the matter is that protein shakes can be advantageous in heavy weight training, especially given the amount of damage you do to your body by training to failure. Personally I would attribute one's sudden increase in muscle mass and fat loss to inexperience. You can train for years, but if you finally figure out what your actually doing two years into training, that is basically because you were a noob and are finally getting it right. Its not a simple protein shake that would hold one back, its futile training methods and knowing what you are doing especially with regard to your other dietary and nutritional habits. Honestly you could make a stronger case for type of equipment/ rep scheme being the limiting factor in your recent breakthrough. Blaming a shake is a cop out.

 

[IWantToBe9Inches]

5/6 meals a day is more effective than 3 as you are constantly torching your metabolism. And you will not get enough protein out of just real meals without consuming a hell of a lot of calories so if you're cutting this may pose a problem unless you're bulking. Protein shakes do work and will give you the recommended amount of protein you need 1g of protein for every pound of bodyfat, with less calorie intake than eating normal food.

 

[DemOne]

5/6 meals a day is more effective than 3 as you are constantly torching your metabolism. And you will not get enough protein out of just real meals without consuming a hell of a lot of calories so if you're cutting this may pose a problem unless you're bulking. Protein shakes do work and will give you the recommended amount of protein you need 1g of protein for every pound of bodyfat, with less calorie intake than eating normal food.

Again, eating more often does NOT do anything to alter your metabolism.

And 1g of protein for every pound of body fat? What the hell are you on about?

 

[IWantToBe9Inches]

I'm not sure about the first one thats just what I was told by Steve Cook, you can google him, also I've been working out for 2 years now 5 days a week and when I started eating my calorie intake in 6 meals 'spaced' throughout the day then it was better

"How Much Protein Do You Need? The United States RDA is 0.8g/kg or 0.4g/lbs. This is 80g protein per day if you weigh 200lbs. But this recommendation is based on studies done on average, sedentary people.The minimum if you train hard is 1g protein per pound of body-weight per day. That's 200g daily protein if you weigh 200lbs. You'll reach this amount easily by eating a whole protein source with each meal." What are you on about?

 

[IWantToBe9Inches]

lmao i see what i did i wrote body fat instead of body weight accidentally, my sincerest apologies Dem0ne

 

[AlteredBeast86]

The human body for thousands of years was used to Feast or famine, not two to three meals a day. It looks like we could all argue until we are blue in the face, so I'll take my experience and what's working for me, and you guys take what works for you. But let's make this clear, if we had to exchange bodies for a day, I don't think you'd be griping much, while I on the other hand would be pissed. Hahaha, such a Dbag thing to say. Oh well, I'm leaving it.

 

[DemOne]

Just because you think something works for you doesn't mean it's the way it has to be and the only way it can be. Just sayin'.

 

[AlteredBeast86]

Also, for the record, when I joined the Marine Corps and did my training, we were of course forced to eat only three times a day. Humongous ass meals, three times a day...and guess what? I was still hungry as sh*t after two hours. It never stopped. Guess what else happened? I lost muscle, alot of it. You know what everyone's single desire was while at OCS? PROTEIN SHAKES! All of us craved it.

Oh yeah another thing on the multiple meal thing... I weigh 220 lbs, which means minimum I'm eating 220 grams of protein to maintain my muscle. I usually go up to 275 grams a day. That, after many years is my optimal protein consumption--275g. So if I plan to eat only 2-3 meals a day I have to consume either 92 grams a protein a meal or a whopping 137 grams in one meal. That's like eating a 22 oz steak three times a day, or 22 whole eggs. What makes sense is eating 40-50 grams six times a day, unless of course that is a RIB EYE STEAK, then I'll gladly switch over to the 2-3 meal day plan. MMMM... Rib eye...

 

[AlteredBeast86]

I'm sure I said people can do what they want DemOne. I obviously think my way is superior, and others think their way is superior. I'm not trading my methods, which obviously work. Sounds reasonable to me.

One last thing, no offense to anyone here. I think we are all kind of getting a little near and dear to taking things personal. I honestly think if your way is working then keep at it. It's as simple as that. The body is immensely complex, and what works for one person may not work for the next, and I realize that.

 

[Razor.69]

DemOne it's hard for me to explain in English but i will ask you only one question-how much proteins body can use per meal?I'll tell you-30 g. And 50 in stiff meal.Notice that if you eat two meals in day and you must eat atleast 2000 cal. So you must eat 1000 calories in one meal?And you really think that your body can use all of that or make fat instead?But if you look in this 4 meals is 500 calories per meal and that is much better-less will go into the fat.Calculate those proteins i have writen above and find out how much calories your body can use and not store.

 

[DemOne]

Also, for the record, when I joined the Marine Corps and did my training, we were of course forced to eat only three times a day. Humongous ass meals, three times a day...and guess what? I was still hungry as sh*t after two hours. It never stopped. Guess what else happened? I lost muscle, alot of it. You know what everyone's single desire was while at OCS? PROTEIN SHAKES! All of us craved it.

Oh yeah another thing on the multiple meal thing... I weigh 220 lbs, which means minimum I'm eating 220 grams of protein to maintain my muscle. I usually go up to 275 grams a day. That, after many years is my optimal protein consumption--275g. So if I plan to eat only 2-3 meals a day I have to consume either 92 grams a protein a meal or a whopping 137 grams in one meal. That's like eating a 22 oz steak three times a day, or 22 whole eggs. What makes sense is eating 40-50 grams six times a day, unless of course that is a RIB EYE STEAK, then I'll gladly switch over to the 2-3 meal day plan. MMMM... Rib eye...

Of course you lost muscle when you joined the Marines. They don't train you to gain size, they train you to utilize your muscles. I know how the Marines train, damn near all of my friends are either active or retired Marines, and I've seen how being in the Marines has shaped their bodies. You can build strength while hardly gaining muscle mass.

A good soldier is a lean, light, and strong soldier, not a big, bulky, larger muscles that will get tired quicker, soldier. You weren't in the core to build the body you wanted, you were in the core to be trained to kill and be the most effective at killing.

I'm sure I said people can do what they want DemOne. I obviously think my way is superior, and others think their way is superior. I'm not trading my methods, which obviously work. Sounds reasonable to me.

One last thing, no offense to anyone here. I think we are all kind of getting a little near and dear to taking things personal. I honestly think if your way is working then keep at it. It's as simple as that. The body is immensely complex, and what works for one person may not work for the next, and I realize that.

This isn't anything about what is superior or not, it's about how the body actually works best. You see, there's a difference between stating what really works and stating your opinion about what you think works best for you, just because you have to eat such a large quantity of calories.

 

[CUSP82]

Do they make these shakes taste either like coffee or a chocolate chip thick shake? If they do sign me up. Hey it's getting late; maye I should go give my wife my version of a protein shake!

 

[DemOne]

DemOne it's hard for me to explain in English but i will ask you only one question-how much proteins body can use per meal?I'll tell you-30 g. And 50 in stiff meal.Notice that if you eat two meals in day and you must eat atleast 2000 cal. So you must eat 1000 calories in one meal?And you really think that your body can use all of that or make fat instead?But if you look in this 4 meals is 500 calories per meal and that is much better-less will go into the fat.Calculate those proteins i have writen above and find out how much calories your body can use and not store.

I'm sorry, but that whole "your body can only digest 30g of protein" thing is a myth and far from the truth. It's not even like every gram of protein you put into your body will even be used for building or maintaining muscle.

Your body will only use what your body will use, and that all depends on your bodies rate of protein synthesis. If the body isn't going to use it, it's going to be broken down, sent out as waste, or stored as fat. Unfortunately the internet and gyms are full of false information about protein, size and frequency of meals, and just general nutrition period, so people are stuck believing these stupid lies that are usually designed to sell more supplements.

Hell, if eating 2 or 3 meals a day was bad for the metabolism, there should be no way that I've been able to maintain my current weight while still gaining muscle (while taking in less protein grams than my weight), and not gaining fat.

bodybuilding.com and GNC are probably the biggest source of these bogus myths that keep tricking people like you.


I'm not a nutritionist, but I've read up on and studied nutrition, as well as picked the brains of sports nutritionists, and have learned how the body really works. I'm not a body builder, I'm an athlete. I know how the body will use the calories I consume, how much of what I need, and I know that I can still gain muscle quite easily while only consuming 60-90g of protein a day.

 

[JamesMonroe]

Whether it's because I have a good routine or better rest periods now for 2 years, the fact is that I'm gaining lots of muscle every month which is obviously visible and I'm losing lots of fat, eventhough I'm only eating 3 meals a day and not consuming any shakes now. Yes, it works for me, and I'm not saying it will work for everyone, but I'm sure many other people can do the same, therefore having less man-made chemicals in their body and having to spend less money in supplements and tons of food.
Btw.... I'm also 220 lbs. and I'm doing just fine with very little.