I've seen many people say that they have a protein shake about 45min to an hour after a workout, to aid muscle strength/repair.
My trouble is, I have a lot of protein powders and I literally can't stand any of them. I do use them, but only very, very sparingly, and for some reason the thought of having one after working out makes my stomach turn.
Is there any reason I can't just eat something high in protein (sardines, eggs, chicken, tuna, etc) after a workout? Does ingesting it in liquid form give better results?
If your main goal is muscle growth, the ideal post-workout meal is a fast acting carb (some people use honey or sugar!) to quickly transport a quickly bio-available protein to your muscles for muscle repair. That's why most bodybuilders use a "recovery drink" of a protein powder with carbs in it. If you are more interested in general fitness and fat loss, I'd avoid the drinks with suagrs, and just eat a high quality protein and a good carb. Cottage cheese and some fruit would work fine.
I use skim milk, a banana and ice cubes with whey powder and froth it up in a blender. Banana does a really good job of covering up the chalkiness of protein powder.
I haven't found a protein powder that I "love" they all taste weird... So I just dilute it in half a cup of water or milk and gulp it down. If I have time I will make a shake with frozen strawberries, splenda and lots of vanilla... but usually I just gulp it down
Thanks for the information, Mel, and thanks to everyone for all the excellent suggestions. Cottage cheese and fruit sounds wonderful. And Ilene and Robert, you've managed to make a protein shake sound... well, almost tempting
Some people use Dextrose or Maltodextrin as the carbohydrates along with a protein shake. (Have you tried Optimum Nutrition or All The Whey?) These products are relatively cheap, but you can use honey as one poster suggested or even smarties.
Also, egg whites are fine substitute if you don't want to drink a shake.
I believe your window of oppurtunity is 45minutes so you might want to consume something shortly after weightlifting instead of waiting an entire hour. (if possible.)
I drink a "Pria" shake -- they're made by Powerbar, and I have it right after working out. It has a fair amount of carbohydrates, 13 g of protein, and they taste _AMAZING_.
They're like, 3 dollars for a four-pack at WalMart. they're great post-workout, and are my personal drink of choice.
Thunderbunny, thankyou! I'll start drinking one right away instead of waiting. The time frame was another thing i wasn't sure of. Ive been on a big kick with boiled eggs lately so the egg whites will work out well.
Konstine, I actually just bought some Pria shakes today, in vanilla and strawberry. I also picked up a couple other brands, but if the Pria's taste that good i'm sure it will become a regular addition to my grocery list
protein powder post-workout
