I thought I would put it to the scholars of ESB... A few years back, I used to take a lot of protein shakes, creatine e.t.c but never overly responsibly and dint workout anywhere near as much as I should have done..... No I am older and wiser (?) I have purchased some more Whey Protein and I'd like to use it to its maximum potential but I'm not sure exactly how much/frequently to take it... Each "serving" is 22g and apparantly it's best to have a drink half hour or so before training and another straight after however 44g of this stuff per day doesn't really seem much when I'm aware you are supposed to have roughly double your kg bodyweight in g of protein per day (so with me weighing 87kg I should be taking roughly 174g per day of protein per day... Is it advisable to have a drink before training, one after, and perhaps a couple more throughout the day, with meals perhaps?? Advice is always welcome :happy
Are you aiming to gain weight/add muscle mass? Are you trying to improve recovery? Or are you trying to get lean/improve body comp? It all depends on your goals. I'm not a big fan of protein before workouts. Protein isn't an efficient fuel source. You needs carbs pre-workout. If you're aiming to gain mass, your protein absorption peaks roughly 20 minutes after your workout, and you need carbs to help you absorb the protein, so put a little honey in your shake (if there's not much sugar in to begin with). Also, the whole "1g of protein per pound of body mass" thing is a mass building concept. If that's what you're aiming for then you want to be getting the majority of your protein through your foods (lean meats, eggs, milk) and ensure you're maintaining a balance with your carbs and fats.
Thanks Primate :good I think ideally I'd like to add some muscle mass whilst toning and improving strength, not complete Bodybuilder bulking up by any means, just improve size, strength and tone all over. I generally eat alot of carbs before workout for energy, but my diet isn't as perfect as it could be.... I tend to agree with what you say about 1g of protein per lb bm e.t.c, I guess it varies dependant on the persona nd what they are trying to achieve,... So I'm guessing for myself, stick to the carbs and shake before workout, drink plenty of water throughout workout and make sure I have a shake again within 20 minutes of finishing workout ane leave it at that....?
Most of your protein should come from solid food, a protein drink supplements this , it is NOT a meal replacement and drinking loads of it is pointless !
I'm only drinking it as a supplement, I'm eating a lot of fresh chicken, fish and eggs nowadays, just wondered how much and how frequently, as a supplement, would be best...
One after your workout and maybe another one some time during the day if needed. Like others have said it's only a supplement to get your grams or protein in through the day. Why people have this thing about the "right time" to eat and have protein shakes etc I don't know, the difference wouldn't even be noticeable.
15-25% of your diet based on calories should come from protein as an athlete (per lefty) if your on a 2000 calorie diet you should be having 300-500 calories of protein a day or 75-125 grams of protein a day. 1 g protein = 4 calories if your taking 44 g from shakes (and one before work out and one after work out is fine) then you only need 35-75 more grams and if your eating lots of chiken eggs and fish you should atleast hit the 75 gram mark and make it a bit of the way to the 125 mark....if you feel you need more try some cottage cheese or a protien shake before bed, but thats assuming your following a 2000 calorie diet.
