[Closed] What protein shakes do you use?

www.myprotenin.co.uk

They do nice shakers with a little ball in them so you don't get lumpy bits that make you want to vomit...

What do u use and where do u get it from?

A healthy mixed diet...

Myprotein.com (not for me, my Rugby playing gym monster son uses them)

Strawberry and cream flavour is nice but the Apple Crumble and Custard flavour is astonishing.

Egg nog

Frijj

I chuck a pound of raw steak in a blender and drink immediately after exercise.

On a serious note yop is protein packed and doesn't cost the earth.

When I'm lifting I use Matrix stuff, from eBay (they have a shop in Skelmersdale, can't remember the sellers name). It's about the cheapest I've found that tastes OK and doesn't get too lumpy.

[url= http://www.discount-supplements.co.uk/optimum-health-ultimate-whey-protein-6-75kg ]DiscountSupplements[/url]

I knew there would be someone piping up with 'healthy diet'.

Difficult to get that much protein with supplements (I aim for 200g per day). I like SciMx stuff, but I think all the brands are pretty evenly priced.

I've been using CNP stuff after exercise, used to use Maximuscle/Frijj millshakes. I'd rate 'em all about the same to be honest in terms of how I feel after a session and how they taste. Frijj were difficult to keep in the house 'cos of the bloody kids, but the Maximuscle/CNP is pricey, you makes your choice. I now get the CNP stuff cheaper per serving than Frijj so it might be worth seeing if you can get a deal if your LBS stocks it and you're buying it all the time.

Using MyProtein instant oats/protein for breakfast, it's cheap but gopping!

Milk. Scientifically proven to be the best stuff for you after exercise. All the protein your body needs plus everything else you don't get from supplements. Nature knows best.

I don't fancy drinking 10 pints of milk a day

And if nature knew best, why would we drink the milk of another species?

I'd have a go if it was breast milk....

sc-xc - Member
I don't fancy drinking 10 pints of milk a day

+1 for milk. Drink ten pints of any protein drink a day and you'll be a right fat barsteward. Drink 1 pint of milk after exercise and it'll do more than a fancy protein shake at four times the cost.

sc-xc - Member
And if nature knew best, why would we drink the milk of another species?

I don't drink 10 pints of anything a day, but a pint of milk will give me around 20g protein. A shake, will be more like 60g.

gears_suck - Member
sc-xc - Member
I don't fancy drinking 10 pints of milk a day

So. You're a cannibal then.

Not sure what you're on about.

sc-xc - Member
I don't drink 10 pints of anything a day, but a pint of milk will give me around 20g protein. A shake, will be more like 60g.

yes and 300 grams of refined sugar, stabilizers, anti caking agent, sodium, colouring etc etc.
Knock yourself out!

Whatever, expert.

Wel I think the women's lib movement would have something to say if we started corralling pregnant women into cow sheds and hook them upto the milking machines.

What are you doing to think your body needs 200 pr 600 grams of Protein a day? I doubt the human body can use 200g of protein a day even if you're pumping iron like Arnie.

Impact Whey Protein (unflavoured) from MyProtein is what I normally use. It's a decent price, doesn't have too many ingredients and mixes really well. Cheaper than milk for protein.

Been pleased with the High5 protein shake, mixes well with milk unlike some other brands, and a protein/recovery bar, ideal after evening races before the drive home.

So. You're a cannibal then.

sc-xc Not sure what you're on about.

sc-xc - Member
Whatever, expert.

Milk. Scientifically proven to be the best stuff for you after exercise. All the protein your body needs plus everything else you don't get from supplements. Nature knows best.

Has its place though, google the GOMAD diet. Used if you want to gain weight in a hurry.

I drink at least two pints of milk a day and I ain't fat at 64kg! Probably the best recovery drink you can have, in my opinion. If Have done something particularly hard, then I may have some scrambled eggs too. The way I see it, the lighter I am and the more toned my muscles become, without putting mass on, the easier it is to climb.

yes and 300 grams of refined sugar, stabilizers, anti caking agent, sodium, colouring etc etc.
Knock yourself out!

That's not protein powder, sounds like you're confusing it with drinking a can of coca-cola....

If you buy Whey Protein powder, then it's just that, no sugar, no flavouring, no additives....

I drink a pint of milk and i'll end up with my head down the toilet 10 minutes later bringing it back up.

Choc milk is good. Or after a longer ride, protein powder from Boots, £9 per 250g with 80% protein content. Mix 2 big spoons with Nesquik and 750ml milk. Prob 30-40p a go. But no need if your muscles aren't hurting after a ride. (edit, just looked up myprotein, will give that a go as it's a lot cheaper)

Otherwise use dried milk powder in place of protein powder, really cheap. 30% protein so 3 tablespoons is about 10g protein. Adds a bit to the milk anyway.

Another vote for myprotein whey. Vanilla is nicest in my view. If you want to get big you
need to eat 🙂

Apple Crumble and Custard flavour is astonishing.

Is that good or bad astonishing?

I usually get mine from myprotein. The chocolate ones aren't very nice, choco-nut was appalling. The natural banana one's the nicest I've tried so far.

Dymatize elite gourmet protein is the best (can make it up with water and it still tastes great) but it's so expensive. Their chocolate peanut butter is lovely.

I think for a fit male training five days a week (based on 180lbs) you should aim for an intake of about. 80g per day!

You can take more in but I think your body just gets rid of excess, a nice conversion into urea, so you can pee out that nice expensive protein!

As a nutritionist I can confirm that people using supplements may as well pour their money down the toilet.
Even with heavy training you can and are better off getting all your protein from real food. Your body will only accept and process so much anyway....
Supplements are all about making money unfortunately. If you prepare some food and eat properly at the correct time then that is more than sufficient. I have in te past used a shake but only as a last resort, when there was no other option!
Ask yourself when did you ever really notice a difference that a protein shake made.
Also be aware if the sugar content in milk shakes.... Up to 50g in most!
Go and weigh 50g of sugar out and ask yourself if you really need that every day?

As a nutritionist I can confirm that people using supplements may as well pour their money down the toilet.
Even with heavy training you can and are better off getting all your protein from real food. Your body will only accept and process so much anyway....
Supplements are all about making money unfortunately. If you prepare some food and eat properly at the correct time then that is more than sufficient. I have in te past used a shake but only as a last resort, when there was no other option!
Ask yourself when did you ever really notice a difference that a protein shake made.
Also be aware if the sugar content in milk shakes.... Up to 50g in most!
Go and weigh 50g of sugar out and ask yourself if you really need that every day?

Well said, jonny m! Never read such nonsense as appears above. I ran 50-70 miles a week for over 20 years (and competed at a good club standard) and a balanced diet was all my body required.

Ask yourself when did you ever really notice a difference that a protein shake made.

They taste nice and are a better sweet fix than something with loads of sugar in ie the milkshakes people are on about in this thread. And an easy/convenient source of ~20g protein. I only really have mine if I haven't had time to make proper food or had a day where I've not eaten much protein though. Good for a quick breakfast before work as well.

jonny m, I was told that a shake is good as it can be absorbed much faster than digesting meat protein and the faster it gets to the muscles the better, so I switched from eggs or fish and pasta etc after a big ride to a shake and some simple carbs right after a ride, and a similar good meal later. Is that right/wrong? I'm also sceptical of sports foods generally but I have seen improvements in my riding from better recovery and adaptation since making that change, maybe other things have been a factor though like different riding/training patterns.

Nobody has asked why he is using supplements. The clue is in the name they are supplements to your diet. Depending on your goals they can be useful if used correctly.
Jonny m, surely as a nutritionist you know this otherwise why would you have had protein in the past as a last resort?
They can be convenient and usefull if you are timing your food intakes and for other reasons than after a bike ride.

I wasn't born a nutritionalist so yes I've had the odd protein shake in the past until I knew better
Look at the sugar content in the majority of them, and most of them taste horrid too.
What I will say is that it's much better for you to get your protein from Lean meat/eggs/nuts/fish etc than it is to drink a highly refined, processed, usually artificially sweetened, minging mikshake.
Agreed it can be absorbed quicker than the above but there's ways and means of getting around this. If you must have a protein shake try making your own out of some milk,(almond, gold etc) fresh fruit or berries, peanut butter, honey (organic where possible) etc and take it with you for post ride/race
At least you know what's in it then....

Sometimes it's easier to down a shake after a session than prepare real food. Today I had time so I made a delicious trout, rice noodle and veg meal to eat straight after a brutal 50 mile team training ride. On say a Wednesday night at 10pm after a hard day at work followed by an interval session, then a quick shake before driving home can be a real blessing.

And yes, by consuming extra protein after doing hard (extremely hard) training for a hill climb event last autumn I'd say my leg muscles visibly grew more than previous training without extra protein.
I get it where I can: Peanut butter, eggs, cheese, meat, milk, nuts and shakes.

Got to be smashing yourself silly to make it worthwhile though.

I'm not disputing they are better than real food but to say "As a nutritionist I can confirm that people using supplements may as well pour their money down the toilet." is a bit misleading.
And I also find a readily available protein source after heavy training reduces DOMS in my experience.

So a simple protein and milk mix is good quick-fix for post-ride and a good meal that evening is always needed.
I quite like the sugar content of a bit of Nesquik in it if I get in properly tired, but w/o that it's not much at all. The only sachet of branded recovery powder I have here is 14g sugar per 65g sachet (50% of the carbs in it is sugar), that does seem a high % compared to the protein powder I have that is less than 0.5%.

I'm getting much more definition to my body since I upped my protein intake. I just find it really hard to get the 80-100g (as suggested by MFP) without shakes a lot of the time.

I use The Protein Works for whey, or Good Hemp Nutrition for my hemp protein shake. I prefer hemp to whey but the g of protein is much less.

200g seems like a shed load to want to take though, unless you are vegan?

Protein shakes do work, esp if you have a big training load or don't eat meat.

I make my own, only use shakes if I am away from home and doin something particularly long and hard.

250ml of almond milk (unsweetened)or hazelnut or soya but occasionally use ordinary milk
A little ovaltine 'lite' and camp coffee (should get rid of these really)
honey
teaspoon of chia seeds
banana or blueberries
and I add a scoop of All-Sports basic protein powder

And blend.

I did read that a 50 year old absorbs protein at 50% of the rate of a 20 year old so feel I need a bit more than average (I am 55 and ride 10-12,000km per year). Also read that we can only absorb ~25gms per hour

Interesting read, especially johnnym's comments regarding supplements, to which I would subscribe.

Ive never taken or consumed a manufactured or powder protein shake or concentrate and TBH when does one know if additional protein is required? Earlier, someone mentioned if the muscles are hurting after exercise. Is this an indicator?

I do like the above recipe of almond milk, honey, banana, chia seeds - all natural with no processed sugars etc, but as I asked earlier, at what point do I start introducing this smoothie/shake as a protein booster. How will I know if my protein levels need boosting?

Thanks in advance

Earlier, someone mentioned if the muscles are hurting after exercise. Is this an indicator?

I would guess that most people who use them do so either because a) it seems like a good idea or b) they've done a little bit of research online about how much protein they "should" be getting and worked out they're not getting enough from their regular diet.

It's a tricky one for sure. Could be snake oil, although I "feel" like I recover better with more protein. I agree that you could easily get more protein from your diet but a) I can't be bothered and b) that would be pretty expensive.

http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/shop-by-category/protein-supplements/whey-protein/pure-whey-isolate-90.html

But I'm not using it for cycling related training.

I don't think so, it's not a sensation I'm familiar with, unless I've got the flu or something. I guess he could be talking about DOMS, but that is just where the muscles are unused to the work, if you exercise regularly you don't get it

Yes you can, weight training for example.

I just got one of these as a freebie on the way to work

[img] [/img]

it was really horrible

Frij shakes for me!

Yes you can, weight training for example.

Thanks for your input zilog. I'll do some internet research, although given my current lack of knowledge/information on my existing protein level/balance and whether upping my protein intake would benefit me, feels like a shaky starting point.

Would it be worthwhile seeking a Nutrionalist or Naturopath to establish where I'm at and then identifying possible requirements that could help me attain or maintain appropriate levels/balance?

Thanks

if you are getting DOMS from weight training it's because your workout lacks consistency not because you need more protein.

Are you trying to say your legs don't hurt the day (or 2nd day) after a hard ride or gym session?

[img] http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQwXIZSvF6fX9YkLB5FDRPutHlFRZGroz6zrkyO85CjA9MBRTlT6KqMsHQx [/img]

if you are getting DOMS from weight training it's because your workout lacks consistency not because you need more protein.

I wasn't making the link between DOMS and protein intake, if by consistency you mean using the same weight and exercises all the time, then yes you are less likely to get DOMs over time, however if you regularly up your weights and use different exercises to target muscle groups then this is good inconsistency* and will more likely develop DOMS.

*If muscle bulk is your goal

The rise of the protein drinks for ordinary people - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22753620

Earlier, someone mentioned if the muscles are hurting after exercise. Is this an indicator?

I don't think so, it's not a sensation I'm familiar with, unless I've got the flu or something. I guess he could be talking about DOMS, but that is just where the muscles are unused to the work, if you exercise regularly you don't get it.

As a former gym instructor / monkey / guinea pig (delete as you see fit) I've found so much of supplement usage is psychological - If you think its making you bigger / faster then you'll work out harder as a result. So much of training and performance is in your head, if you have the money to spend on what is effectively a training aid then do it, there are more cost effective ways of getting stronger, but you've still got to put the work in...

MyProtein here as well.

Can't say I'm able to analyse exactly what I've achieved as a result though, other than filling myself through low-carb/high-protein intake.

Actually, the one that has changed is that fact I now eat about 50-75% of what I used to when out on a riding/run. Which is a right result for me.

myprotein - mint choc.

great as pre-ride drink
keeps better than milk (amongst a host of other reasons)

A healthy mixed diet...

Leaving aside the typical STW response to questions that weren't asked... 🙄

Just started using myprotein after years of Torq and SIS stuff. I like being able to buy the base ingredients and to mix them specifically for what I need. Works out a lot cheaper too.

What I meant is DOMS (had to look that up) as well as that post-ride muscle fatigue. Doesn't matter how much you ride or train, a tough day leaves you feeling that way right? Sometimes you have to push harder than your usual level, or for longer.

great as pre-ride drink

Why would you take a protein shake before a ride 😕

Why would you take a protein shake before a ride

On longer rides I find this helps me not feel massively hungry. Though I think it's more down to not being able to schedule in eating some proper food at the right time ahead of the ride.

it staves off hunger
pure convenience - its not why i bought it in the first place, but its how i ended up using it most often. Its hardly crucial, but given the choice, i would throw a pint down my neck before heading out.

its between a snack and a meal, in that I dont get the post sugar crash from a snack nor the bloated full heavy feeling from a full meal

I don't think that's an indication of lack of protein though, probably a proper warm down/stretch/foam rollering followed by an easy spin the next day is more useful.

And if nature knew best, why would we drink the milk of another species?

not at the start of our lives we don't - plus can you remember what breast milk tastes like - yuck.

Leaving aside the typical STW response to questions that weren't asked...

the OP asked where people got their protein from and a healthy diet provides all the protein people need. The body can make all but 9 amino acids required and eating a good diet will provide all the protein you need. too much protein will cause weight gain, impaired liver and brain function.

too much protein will cause weight gain, impaired liver and brain function.

Reference please (for impaired liver and brain function.)

reference: 25% of the above thread?

Chocolate milk (Nesquik or similar) works for me as a recovery drink. I use it after harder sessions on the bike and it seems to do the trick.

Haven't seen any good quality studies that would lead me to part with the extra cash that the supplements cost.

Also I like having the excuse to drink loads of chocolate milk despite being a grown man.

Peanut Butter.

Reference please (for impaired liver and brain function

when proteins are broken down ammonia is released. this is normally made safe by the liver. too much protein = too much ammonia = impaired liver function = impaired brain function. technical term is Hepatic encephalopathy.

People like to use supplements because it feels like an easy way to get better without having to work harder. And in this instance they usually taste nice so it's a good excuse.

Usually the supplements are based on some good science but then take to the extreme - eg it's been shown that protein can help recovery, even from aerobic exercises, but then people take that to mean they need a protein shake which has way more protein (and calories) than necessary.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18863293

But the Oxford research team and the British Medical Journal said the science does not back up that claim.

Dr Heneghan said: "The evidence does not stack up and the quality of the evidence does not allow us to say these do improve in performance or recovery and should be used as a product widely."

Nutrition expert Professor Mike Lean of the University of Glasgow described what little evidence there is that certain amino acids, which form part of proteins, may improve muscle strength as "absolutely fringe evidence and I think that that is almost totally irrelevant, even at the top level of athletics".

Prof Lean said the market for supplements is "yet another fashion accessory for exercise… and a rather expensive way of getting a bit of milk."

FWIW, anecdotally, I'm convinced that protein drinks and the industrial volumes they seem to be drunk in by many people at gyms are why there are so many very bulky/muscly but chubby looking people at them.

its the same as isotonic drinks - no better than water

Must admit if I drank a pint of full fat milk after a long summer ride I'm good as gold the next day. If I don't I'm spent.

when proteins are broken down ammonia is released. this is normally made safe by the liver. too much protein = too much ammonia = impaired liver function = impaired brain function. technical term is Hepatic encephalopathy.

That's not a reference. I was expecting a peer reviewed paper looking at people taking protein supplements showing that in the typical quantities taken, by gym users, they are suffering actual harm.

Too much of anything is bad for you including exercise...

If you want a peer reviewed paper then go trawl pubmed yourself. you'll also get hard stools with too much protein. too much protein is too much protein wither you are a lazy arse like me or a body builder. For the vast majority of us protein shakes are not required

showing that in the typical quantities taken, by gym users, they are suffering actual harm.

I agree, I reckon that's unlikely. More likely they're just making themselves fat. And having hard poos 🙂

too much protein is too much protein

If there is an award for meaningless statements then you've just won it!

If you're going to go around posting on a Protein supplement thread that people are risking liver and / or brain damage as a result, you really ought to have something to back it up other than if you take an unspecified, but probably huge, amount, you may or may not do some harm.

I also don't get the 'making themselves fat' bit either. AIUI your body can't convert protein to fat but can metabolise protein as a source of fuel, but generally only once depleting carbohydrates. So I'm not sure how it's going to make you fat if you're just taking whey protein in water as excess protein is likely to be excreted unused. I recall you can only absorb so much (30g IIRC) in one meal.