Protein bars and shakes? Worth it?

LBTP1993 on 09/06/2017 - 13:26

Hey guys,

So I'm new to the whole gym stuff and I'm in a predicament.

I'm currently in two worlds as to whether protein bars and shakes are worth the effort.

Currently trying to gain muscle and get bigger, I'll usually have a protein shake for lunch, with sort of protein for dinner (meat, chicken, fish) followed by a protein after my gym workout.

I don't know if its an excessive amount of protein in one day considering the bar and shake contains 20g and 30g of protein.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated;)

Sports & Outdoors

Comments

  • gaz3342 on 09/06/2017 - 13:31
    -5

    If you are doing a hard enough work out to make your muscles ache the next day, you should take a protein shake / bar immediately after your workout (the sooner the better).

    If you go to the gym and run on the treadmill for ten mins then do 2/3 sets on a weights bench broken up by 30 mins looking at your phone (I see so many people doing that these days) then you don't need to take additional protein.

    Unless you are a bodybuilder working out 3 hours a day 6 days a week, you do not need to take 2/3 protein shakes a day like some idiots do, it's bad for your liver & kidneys and makes you have smelly farts.

    Also, get as much protein as you can in your regular diet (chicken, fish, beans etc) and use the protein shakes / bars as a top up.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2017 - 13:35
      +7

      This is all bro science. There is no need to have a protein shake immediately after a workout or to hit the "anabolic window"

      Show me any data that says 2 or 3 shakes a day is bad for your liver?

      Don't give advice about things that you clearly know nothing about, the only thing you said that was correct as your last sentence

      • gaz3342 on 09/06/2017 - 13:44
        -5

        A quick Google search will reveal thousands of articles explaining why excessive protein is bad for you.

        I'm assuming you own a supplement shop ha ha

        • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2017 - 13:51
          +1

          Even if you were to have 3 shakes, @ 30g of protein a day, that is only 90g extra of protein. If you were to be eating like a normie you'd probably be hitting about 65-80g a day. So all things staying the same OP would probably be at about 170g MAX if he had 3 a day (which i agree is overkill)

          Most people who would be consuming 3 shakes a day would be "SUPPLEMENTING" protein shakes in for a different meal. Theres also THOUSANDS of actual scientific articles showing that anywhere from 1-1.5g of protein/lb of body-weight is beneficial to building muscle.

          If OP drinks alcohol even once a week it would infinitely more damaging to hit liver than eating an excess of protein

        • gaz3342 on 09/06/2017 - 14:10
          +1

          @karanimal: Yep totally agree with you on the alcohol part. I guess my comment was aimed at these people who do 16 bicep curls then drink protein shakes like their lives depend on them.

        • Strahany on 09/06/2017 - 17:17
          +3

          Excessive protein is bad for your kidneys - not your liver. And even then, it would take hundreds upon hundreds of grams of protein every day for a long duration of time to cause issues.

          Educate yourself.

    • jhmtaylor on 10/06/2017 - 10:11
      +1

      Michael Mosely did some research on protein supplements. You should be able to find it on YouTube.

      The executive summary, the create expensive urine.

  • BTP1993 on 09/06/2017 - 13:38

    Hey man,

    Thanks for advice.

    So pretty much just stick with my current workout plans then?

    • carlJack on 09/06/2017 - 17:39

      Protein shakes are supplemental only. Try to get more protein from the real foods. Try to limit your junk food and Alcohol for 6 months and see the difference.

    • iforgotmysocks on 10/06/2017 - 09:30

      To get big, lift big and eat big. #yeahbuddy #lightweight

  • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2017 - 13:40
    +1

    OP, eat more normal foods. A protein shake for lunch is not a good meal for building muscle…

    Go check out some meal plans on bodybuilding.com, tnation, etc and just get an understanding of what eating to build muscle actually looks like. I use shakes sparingly, typically when i am on the go and know i may need to add a bit of extra protein to hit my daily targets, i do not rely on them or use them daily.

    There is no need to worry about getting food into your system immediately after your workout. Do some research, calculate your daily metabolic rate, loosely try to hit about 500 cals above that. As a natural you'll never need to go above that to build muscle.

  • punkindrublic on 09/06/2017 - 13:44

    No you don't - your body only needs so much protein, with the rest simply being excreted (or leading to liver damage if you take way too much over a long period of time). In my view, the only real reason to take protein bars or shakes is so you feel full and stop eating extra (usually unhealthy) foods that undo any gains you'd otherwise get from working out.

    Unless you're looking to enter a Mr Universe competition (which brings with it a whole suite of long term health problems) you'll be fine just having a protein shake/bar once a day, supplemented by 'normal' meals consisting of a bit of meat (note: no need for a 500g steak every night) and a few good servings of mixed veggies.

    Everything else is pseudoscience or a cynical marketing ploy to get you to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on unnecessary supplements

    • ATTS on 11/06/2017 - 13:40

      " Mr Universe competition (which brings with it a whole suite of long term health problems) "

      could you elaborate on what kind of health problems?

  • BTP1993 on 09/06/2017 - 13:45

    Oh no I have a protein shake alongside my lunch. Mainly keeps me full for the rest of the afternoon.

    Currently also taking Maltodextrin in my shake which obviously is carbs. I mean if I'm trying to bulk, do I really need to have it in my shake?

    • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2017 - 13:52
      +1

      no, dont use maltodextrin. It's a waste of carb, you could be eating something delicious instead ;)

      You are on the right track OP

    • Colombian on 09/06/2017 - 14:50
      +1

      Protein shake alongside your lunch is a waste. What I do is drink proteín shake between my meals when I don't have peanuts, almonds or other nuts at hand.

      I usually drink 1-2 shakes per day rarely 3. This because my day starts at 2:15am and end about 8pm Mondays to Fridays.

      I go to the GYM for some gains though.

    • carlJack on 09/06/2017 - 17:40

      Protein shake for a snake is a good idea not for main meal

  • Gronk on 09/06/2017 - 14:04

    Try and get as much of your protein as possible through your normal diet, and eat a variety of proteins to get a good spread of BCAA's.

    I work to a general rule of 1g protein per KG of muscle for maintenance, 2g for bulking, although I struggle to put away that much food in a day personally.

    Given that you're new to the whole scene I'd be concentrating on getting your (normal food) diet and form sorted in the short term then review after 6 months or so.

    • ATTS on 11/06/2017 - 13:44

      how many g of protein from food do you need if trying to lose weight?

      • Gronk on 12/06/2017 - 13:52

        You'd still want to be around 1g/kg to maintain the muscle you already have but for weight loss you'd want to do that while maintaining a calorie deficit.

        The average adult daily calorie is something like 8700kj so to maintain a deficit you want to be below that target. I prefer to do it with plenty of exercise so I can eat normally, I've tried maintaining ~6500kj and it was awful.

  • Baebs on 09/06/2017 - 14:08

    I go .8-1g per kg body weight since i've been busy with life + get lazy over winter. I'd suggest doing your own research and visit fitness forums rather than bargain forums SMH.

    I don't get the superficial mentality of how gym revolves around supplements. Build strength first.

  • BTP1993 on 09/06/2017 - 14:10

    So many different opinions on here 😣😣😣

    I'm at my heaviest weight ever so I know my revised diet and protein is working so I'll keep on, keeping on :)

    • John Kimble on 09/06/2017 - 17:36
      +1

      I guess even if it's a placebo effect, it's still an effect?

    • BuyoTheCat on 09/06/2017 - 20:15

      When you say at your heaviest weight ever, are you trying to lose fat? and get your weight down

      Its is true. there are varying opinion. However lets start from the beginning.

      Firstly
      What is your current status and what is your target in 3 months time and 6 months.

      Keep this in mind. There are no short term fixes and there are no magic bullets.
      There will be sweat and tears and you will need determination.

  • myusername on 09/06/2017 - 16:24

    had a doctor tell me years ago the equivalent to a protein shake is a raw egg, spoon of sugar and water mixed in a glass

  • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2017 - 16:35
    +1

    1g protein per 1 pound of body weight is the aim if youre trying to build muscle

  • [Deactivated] on 09/06/2017 - 16:35
    +1

    As this is OzBargain, I think you should be going the cheaper route. Oats and Lentils are high protein. Eggs, mushrooms and fish.

    Beyond that, even 2 tonne heavy horses turn oats, hay and grass into beefcake. Gladiators in Roman times ate oats.

  • Briefcase Mong on 09/06/2017 - 17:08

    If you are on a budget I highly recommend bulk nutrients protein powder compared to ON and other big brands. It's pretty much the same protein for more value for your money. I have tried some of their samples and they're pretty good considering how much your paying.

  • Strahany on 09/06/2017 - 17:21
    +2

    Is protein necessary? Yes.
    Are protein supplements necessary? It depends.

    A balanced diet with plenty of protein sources can be efficient, but it does take a conscious effort to consume protein rich foods. In reality, protein shakes should be treated like no other food source, and incorporated accordingly. Only extremely lean meat like tuna (in spring water or brine) can come close to the ratio of protein to other macronutrients. Whey Protein Isolate is the most filtered and is almost 100% protein, thus these can help with hitting your target for protein consumption without hitting a caloric surplus (or too much of a surplus, if a small one is desired).

    Oh, and the "drink it X minutes after training" line is trash; it's about your overall nitrogen balance at the end of a period of time (a day is usually the easiest way to approach this).

    • KLoNe on 20/11/2017 - 19:15

      Is protein necessary? Yes.

      Correct. Every one of the macro nutrients are necessary (P/F/C)

      Are protein supplements necessary? It depends.

      Incorrect. Under no circumstances are they 'necessary'. Can they be beneficial? Used correctly; absolutely.

      • Strahany on 20/11/2017 - 19:27

        You’re wrong on both counts.

        Humans are more than capable of substituting for carbohydrates in a zero carbohydrate diet. Conversely, both protein and fat play essential roles at the cellular level which means that they are inherently necessary.

        As for protein supplements, they’re absolutely necessary if you do not consume sufficient protein throughout your normal dietary choices; whether you’re trying to build muscle or not. Maybe that’s someone who has an eating disorder, or someone unable to eat whilst on ventilation in ICU, or someone who makes poor dietary choices. Regardless, there are circumstances where they are necessary; secondary to a proper diet being impossible to accomplish, or the particular individual unwilling to consume one.

  • John Kimble on 09/06/2017 - 17:33
    +1

    For the average person, most of the time it just results in expensive pee…much like multivitamins.

  • RyanMK on 09/06/2017 - 19:10
    +1

    Although getting your daily protein intake from real food would be the best option, I believe protein supplements have their place. I personally aim for approximately 170-180g of protein a day. I usually manage to get up to 150g with food, and supplement the remaining 20-30g with a protein shake or bar.

    I know folks are of the opinion that if you're serious about building muscle, you could plan and meal prep in advance, and not need to rely on supplements. But when you're living alone like me and work full time, having the ease of protein supplements as a back up in case you haven't prepped your meal is always good.

    Lastly, if you're serious about any fitness plan, I believe it is important you track your macros. Myfitnesspal is a great app that tracks macros and is quite easy to use. By tracking macros, you can see where you need to tweak your diet pretty easily to achieve your goals. For example, if you're already getting enough protein from your daily meals, it will be pointless to have 3 shakes a day!

    Good luck and lift hard!

    • ATTS on 11/06/2017 - 13:51

      just curious, how many grams of meat do you need to eat to get your 170-180g of protein?

      am i right to assume meat isnt 100% protein? like it contains fat and other stuff?

      also, do you guys ever feel flat during your workouts? if so how do you resolve it?

      • RyanMK on 11/06/2017 - 15:38

        just curious, how many grams of meat do you need to eat to get your 170-180g of protein?

        My main diet usually consists of eggs, chicken and tuna/salmon. Occasionally I will have red meat. As an example, a typical day for me will consist of:
        A 300g chicken breast, which is approximately 70g of protein.
        3 large eggs give me about 20g of protein.
        200g of canned tuna gives about 30-35g of protein.
        Lastly, I get about 20g of protein from other foods such as pasta, rice, veges, and milk.

        So that makes up about 140-150g gram of protein a day. I supplement the rest with a shake or protein bar, which gives about 25g of protein.

        am i right to assume meat isnt 100% protein? like it contains fat and other stuff?

        Correct! If you're worried about fat, just choose the leaner meats like chicken breast, turkey or tuna. I choose not to eat too much red meat as I have to watch my uric acid intake.

        also, do you guys ever feel flat during your workouts? if so how do you resolve it?

        I think everyone has a different method for getting 'pumped' for a workout. For me, I take caffeine before a workout. Can be a shot of espresso or a long black. I find that I workout better in the evenings after work compared to in the morning before work too, but that's just me personally.

  • buckster on 12/06/2017 - 09:28
    +1

    Realistically, performing effective exercises at an appropriate intensity with a diet that has a fair level of protein in it but most importantly enough calorific content for you to get bigger is all you need.

    Supplements etc can help make the process more efficient but you need to have the basics down first.

    Otherwise there's always steroids lol

  • Super doobie on 07/12/2017 - 21:22

    AMINO ACIDS…AMINO ACIDS….AMINO ACIDS….. I have used them before (BSN) and weather they really work or it was mind over matter I rate them as they were great for RECOVERY.
    Where is the CHEAPEST place to buy these supplements or when is there a massive sale on ????????????

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