Do I need a protein shake?

A question I get asked a lot is ‘do I need a protein shake?’, this is usually asked by someone who is just starting the gym and looking to do as much as they can as quick as they can to get the quick results.

The answer isn’t neccesarily straight forward, if you understand what a protein shake is and know how it can help you then it is certainly beneficial for you to include these in your day to day life. If you are unsure what the benefits are and you are replacing meals with them and having them ‘because thats just what you do’ then it probably isn’t the best uidea for you to introduce them into your day to day life.

Protein shakes are called a supplement for a reason, they are there to supplement your diet, not replace aspects of it. So if you see a meal replacement shake, pick it up and then throw it as far away from you as you can.

I go back to this analogy pretty much daily, if your dog was overweight would you give him a protein shake? No. Therefore this shows that it isn’t just a quick fix.

Protein shakes are perfect for those of us who need to increase our protein levels but struggle to increase the amount of food we are currently eating, or struggle with the balance of composition of the nutrients we are taking in.

The best time to take your protein shake would be straight after a workout, that is when you will get most bang for your buck and your body craves protein the most. This doesn’t mean that you can’t add it in your porridge in a morning or your yogurt in an evening to increase the protein in that meal.

Something I try get my clients to do and something I do is post workout, have a protein shake within 15-30mins, again that isn’t life or death and then ideally eat a balanced meal (carbs, fats, protein) within 90mins of finishing your exercise. These are the optimal times to get the most from the protein you are intaking, again it isn’t life or death if you are unable to do this.

The long and short of this blog is that protein shakes and protein supplements have a place in everyone’s diet, however if you can hit your protein targets through your food then this would be a much better option as it is easier for your body to digest than what a ‘man-made protein’ would be.

If you are unsure or want to ask me any other questions just click the link below.