How many protein shakes per day?

[ColoradoBoundo]

I just started like back in August, but right now I take 2 - 1 in the AM and 1 after I work out in the evening

Is 2 plenty or should I add a 3rd in there? Right now I'm trying to pack on a few pounds so I still have carbs in my diet (wheat pasta, wheat bread, whole grain cheerios, wheat wraps, etc... - I don't eat steak (Only fish and chicken)

[Nightbird573]

I just started like back in August, but right now I take 2 - 1 in the AM and 1 after I work out in the evening

Is 2 plenty or should I add a 3rd in there? Right now I'm trying to pack on a few pounds so I still have carbs in my diet (wheat pasta, wheat bread, whole grain cheerios, wheat wraps, etc... - I don't eat steak (Only fish and chicken)

It all just comes down to how many calories you are wanting to take in per day and what kind of macro breakdown you are using. When it comes to food intake, "real" "clean" food is always better because of less additives and it makes you fuller longer. Protein shakes are liquid and your body breaks them down and digests them faster, so they don't curb your appetite like real food might. If you want to drink 3, it shouldn't hurt you to do so. I used to drink multiple shakes through-out the day because it is very convenient, but I stopped because it was not satisfying my hunger.

[kfisherx]

zero protein shakes is ideal IMHO. Why do you propose that you must have protein shakes? If you can eat good whole foods and get your protein in that is way better.

This post makes me wonder where your head is... Do you have an idea of how many caloires you need to eat a day? Do you know how much protein, carbs and fat to get each day? You'd be far better figuring that out then to worry about how many protein shakes to drink in a day IMHO.

[Sami76]

Glad I saw this thread. After reading a recent thread in one of the other folders, I was kinda wondering if we needed to drink protein shakes. Seems like a lot of bb do (at least the men, anyway). I get 100-130 grams in a day from everyday foods, but was beginning to think that maybe there's something better (nutritionally) about getting the protein from shakes.

[ColoradoBoundo]

Well I know I need around 115g + of protein per day & I'm about 98% sure I'm not getting that many w/ just the foods I eat

Tell me if I'm wrong, but please don't blast me

Per serving

Oatmeal 4g
Most canned veggies 1-2g
Mixed nuts 3-4g
Chicken 23g
Turkey 8g
Tuna 13g (I can only stand it about 2x a week)
Peanut Butter 7g
Wheat Bread 7g
Eggs 6g
Orange Juice 2g
Fish 22g
Fruit
1% milk
Cereal 5g

* I don't eat cottage cheese - Can't stand the stuff

I know there's other sources, but I'm not going to sit here & list them all - My point is, I am eating really clean, but I know I'm not getting all my protein in from foods

I'm lifting pretty heavy & don't incorporate much cardio into my workouts - Really the only cardio I do is running/walking the dog & sometimes I do the stationary bike @ my gym for about 30 min. 1-2 x a week

I'm not much of a calorie counter, but I know I'm getting around 1800 - 2200 in any given day - I tracked them for about 2 weeks so I would know how many calories I was getting w/ certain meal setups

My calories will come down here in about 2 months (total of 6 months) once I've put some weight on & kept it on then I will start cutting

I'm fairly new to this so I like constructive criticism, not people asking me where my head is - Yes I know how much protein, carbs and fats I need each day & that's what brought on me posting my question about protein b/c I don't think I'm getting enough - I'm doing a clean progressive bulk, not a eat all the crap I can find bulk

I don't want to overload myself w/ carbs and fats trying to get more protein & I can't bring myself to force down cottage cheese or eat more tuna just yet - trying, but not there yet

Anyways, I do get in 5-6 meals a day

Just curious for those that do drink protein shakes and eat clean how many you drank per day

[Amanda76]

Aim to get at least 20g of protein from a complete source (think animal products, for the most part) and you'll be golden. The following are ideas to get you started. They are NOT limitations to serving size...like, I've never eaten just 3 oz of meat on purpose!

For breakfast have a cup of egg whites.

Snack: 6 large hard boiled egg whites

Lunch: 3-4 oz of chicken or tilapia or orange roughy or shrimp or...

Snack: Sure...why not have a protein shake here. Or a can of tuna. Although I don't know why you'd eat a can of tuna if you really don't like it when you have so many other choices. You could have some more chicken here if you wanted. Whatever.

Dinner: 3 oz of salmon or red meat (beef/bison/ostrich). Well, that's what I normally have as meat for dinner. You could also have chicken or fish or whatever.

Snack: Try a cup of greek yogurt if you don't like cottage cheese. Or you can have ANY of the above mentioned items. Just cuz everyone else tends to eat eggs for breakfast and cottage cheese at night doesn't mean you have to.

^^^That's 120+ grams right there ^^^^

[kpettitt]

I drink one after I workout because I can make it and get in the shower (I lift from 5-6am) and then I eat whole food around 8am. If I eat a second one in the day its because I don't have time to make something else. Also, I know this is bad- but it's cheaper than greek yogurt! (which I absolutely LOVE). But most of the time I reach for a can of tuna/chicken/turkey and a lavish bread wrap (10g of protein). I always look for higher protein breads, like the lavish, and cheeses. Anything I can find that is higher protein to help me get my protein in without relying on shakes.

[kudostojen]

I'm not a big fan of protein shakes but i use them for convenience.

I use to have half a serving in the morning and a full serving after weight training. On days i don't weight train i only have the half serving in the morning. I can't eat eggs and it's the easiest alternative next to a slab of meat.

Right now i'm at 2 shakes a day on the days i train. half in the morning, half after physio and one full serving after weight training.

...and it's cheaper on the pocket book to drink protein shakes. It's not the best reason to drink them but it is a factor in the equation.

[eriplex]

I usually have one scoop of protein powder a day. That is down from my old 2. I probably going to go without shakes after I finish my container. I'm leaning towards supplement free-ness, just out of preference. The only supplement I've messed with is protein powder.

Anyway, as long as your diet is varied otherwise and you like shakes- I don't see why you can't use them. They are an awfully convienent way to get protein in, whatever works =) Its all about preference I suppose

[kfisherx]

Well I know I need around 115g + of protein per day & I'm about 98% sure I'm not getting that many w/ just the foods I eat

Tell me if I'm wrong, but please don't blast me

Per serving

Oatmeal 4g
Most canned veggies 1-2g
Mixed nuts 3-4g
Chicken 23g
Turkey 8g
Tuna 13g (I can only stand it about 2x a week)
Peanut Butter 7g
Wheat Bread 7g
Eggs 6g
Orange Juice 2g
Fish 22g
Fruit
1% milk
Cereal 5g

* I don't eat cottage cheese - Can't stand the stuff

I know there's other sources, but I'm not going to sit here & list them all - My point is, I am eating really clean, but I know I'm not getting all my protein in from foods

I'm lifting pretty heavy & don't incorporate much cardio into my workouts - Really the only cardio I do is running/walking the dog & sometimes I do the stationary bike @ my gym for about 30 min. 1-2 x a week

I'm not much of a calorie counter, but I know I'm getting around 1800 - 2200 in any given day - I tracked them for about 2 weeks so I would know how many calories I was getting w/ certain meal setups

My calories will come down here in about 2 months (total of 6 months) once I've put some weight on & kept it on then I will start cutting

I'm fairly new to this so I like constructive criticism, not people asking me where my head is - Yes I know how much protein, carbs and fats I need each day & that's what brought on me posting my question about protein b/c I don't think I'm getting enough - I'm doing a clean progressive bulk, not a eat all the crap I can find bulk

I don't want to overload myself w/ carbs and fats trying to get more protein & I can't bring myself to force down cottage cheese or eat more tuna just yet - trying, but not there yet

Anyways, I do get in 5-6 meals a day

Just curious for those that do drink protein shakes and eat clean how many you drank per day

First of all there is NO SUCH THING as eating clean.... (Gawd, I hate that term). Nobody can define what clean means to anyone else but themselves. What is clean to you is not clean to me, etc..... So let's please drop that term and realize that reaching your goals is about YOU knowing what your daily calorie intake needs to be and then understanding how to reach that and get the macros that you need to get. If you cannot get this basic stuff down then you will flounder around forever asking a bunch of internet folks who eat clean how many protein shakes you should drink.

Do this... Take that menu that you posted above here and plug it into the program at fitday.com. What will happen once you do that is that you will have the total carbs, protein and fats that you consumed with that menu. Then it is really easy to tell if you are hitting your protein requirements and if you are not and are sufficiently full or don't have enough time to cook or buy food THEN (and only then) go ahead and suppliment with protein drinks.

[aussiemommy]

I mix one scoop of protein powder into my oatmeal in the morning, and have one shake post workout mid morning, then the rest of my protein comes from chicken and fish.

I'm eating around 1800 calories a day with this breakdown:

48g fats/176g protein/154g carbs

I buy a big container of protein, so for me it works out to be the most economical way to get the protein I need (about AU$1.40 per serve). My muscle gains speak for themselves, it's clearly working for me so you just have to do what works for you.

I could get the protein I need from food but we're trying to save for a house at the moment so anything that does the job for less money is a good thing IMO. Plus I like the convenience of the protein shakes.....especially when I have a toddler to care for and cook for as well

[user94984100999]

maybe a casein type shake at bedtime

[ColoradoBoundo]

Yaa............ sooooooo.... I'm just going to ignore you (kfisherx) - Your kind of throwing a negative vibe around & not really constructive - I'm sure I could go through your posts & be a bit*h, but I don't have the time & I try and post positive comments. If I don't agree w/ someone, I'M NICE ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't stand people like you

STAY OFF MY THREAD

To EVERYONE else, thank you - I think I'm going to continue my 2 shakes a day - Convenient and I'm not really wanting to put down any more food - To many freakin' trips to Wal-Mart

[kfisherx]

Yaa............ sooooooo.... I'm just going to ignore you (kfisherx) - Your kind of throwing a negative vibe around & not really constructive - I'm sure I could go through your posts & be a bit*h, but I don't have the time & I try and post positive comments. If I don't agree w/ someone, I'M NICE ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't stand people like you

STAY OFF MY THREAD

To EVERYONE else, thank you - I think I'm going to continue my 2 shakes a day - Convenient and I'm not really wanting to put down any more food - To many freakin' trips to Wal-Mart

I read and re-read my posts and I am not quite sure where you are picking up a "negative" vibe in my posts but I apologize for it. In my first post about where your head is at, I did not mean that in a negative way. I simply meant I was wondering about your base of knowledge about how this stuff works. This is because what you are asking is fairly foundational to basic nutrition.

Funny that I get multiple reps for the posts I made in here and yet you think it is negative. I really am trying to be helpful and I stand by my psots as being technically accurate. You can ignore me and go on not knowing for sure or trusting some of your peers or you can learn how to do this the way the pros do it. It is really a pretty simple Math game and no other way to really do it with any sort of accuracy. Much easier, I would think than guessing, getting it wrong and trying something else over and over again. Perhahps some of the other more advanced folks can guide you since you seem to be mis-reading my intent.

Again I am sorry and I hope you consider trying what I talk about. I think it would help you tremendously to understand the concepts.

[marisa_grace]

I use protein after I work out, the one I use is low carb, I stick a berries in and sometimes my yogart, ice and blend it all up. Taste great. Before bedtime I use a slow burning protein, I dont add anything to this one except ice and water. It is soppose to work while your sleeping. I eat healthy, no refined white flour or sugar. Everything whole wheat and natural. I eat every couple of hours, small good stuff such as fruit, veggies and almonds. I eat beef maybe once a week, lots of chicken and fish, Quanoa is also a great source of protein to use in place of rice or pasta. Anyway thats just how I do it, seems to work for me. Good Luck!

[Amber-Leigh]

Hey,

I use on average 2 a day. Very convenient and good when I'm working like crazy and don't have time to sit and eat. I'm a flight attendant so sometimes I have to run to the back of the plane and drink a shake. It's better then going for hours without anything IMO.

[IronCitGrl]

I have a shake with two scoops right after I workout and try to avoid having any more than that. The shakes don't really fill me up that much. I'd rather chew my food and have it fill me up so I'd rather eat whole foods over shakes.

[Echo814]

I have two a day, one in the morning right after I wake up because I can't stomach solid food until two hours after I eat and the other after I workout. I also mix mine with skim milk for added protein.

[Bobbia]

I have 2-3. I'll usually leave one open in the fridge and sip from it throughout the day because I have a horrible sweet tooth and don't feel that I can move from meal to meal without a sweet taste in my mouth in between. :s

[Baldur2630]

I have 2-3. I'll usually leave one open in the fridge and sip from it throughout the day because I have a horrible sweet tooth and don't feel that I can move from meal to meal without a sweet taste in my mouth in between. :s

I'm not over fond of protein shakes BUT. I'm 74 and on a pension. I push weights 4 times weekly and I need about 3,200 calories daily. I would love to eat this as fish, chicken, liver, steaks etc. I eat 6 times daily, usually, for breakfast I mix up the night before 60 gms oats, 20 gms peanuts, 20 gms raisins, 50 gms whey protein and 180 gm raw whole milk (straight from the cow - not the crap that one buys in supermarkets). I take a protein shake to the gym with me and I can sip on this during training. I also take a liter or so of water as well.

Lunch is usually either fish, chicken, steak or liver, cooked in a variety of ways, with sweet potato and veggies. In the afternoon, I eat nuts, fruit, cold meat or whatever and at night, cold chicken or whatever protein is in the fridge, and I take another protein shake whilst I watch TV before we go to bed.

To get the amount of protein I need daily, if I could eat it all as real food, it would be great, but I just can't afford it. It costs less than a third of the price to get the protein from a whey protein shake than it does from any other real food.

We eat ZERO junk food, everything is cooked at home, no precook end crap.

[oregonchick76]

I'm not over fond of protein shakes BUT. I'm 74 and on a pension. I push weights 4 times weekly and I need about 3,200 calories daily. I would love to eat this as fish, chicken, liver, steaks etc. I eat 6 times daily, usually, for breakfast I mix up the night before 60 gms oats, 20 gms peanuts, 20 gms raisins, 50 gms whey protein and 180 gm raw whole milk (straight from the cow - not the crap that one buys in supermarkets). I take a protein shake to the gym with me and I can sip on this during training. I also take a liter or so of water as well.

Lunch is usually either fish, chicken, steak or liver, cooked in a variety of ways, with sweet potato and veggies. In the afternoon, I eat nuts, fruit, cold meat or whatever and at night, cold chicken or whatever protein is in the fridge, and I take another protein shake whilst I watch TV before we go to bed.

To get the amount of protein I need daily, if I could eat it all as real food, it would be great, but I just can't afford it. It costs less than a third of the price to get the protein from a whey protein shake than it does from any other real food.

We eat ZERO junk food, everything is cooked at home, no precook end crap.

Since you're 74 I'll cut you some slack, but pay attention to the post date. You just resurrected a 6 yr old post ;-)

[asteroidbooty]

Thanks for the resurrection. This thread has a lot more detail in it than the other protein shake threads I checked out.