Protein Shakes / Supplements...

[SteveS Cup]

Hi guys,

I'm back at the gym and loving it. I go every lunch time for a good 45 mins and I'm doing various weights etc, mainly using the machines as to be honest, I don't really feel confident with free weights and I seem to get a better work out from the machines (focussing on certain muscles).

I also do a bit of cardio now mainly rowwing but I'm trying to run (well jog but I bloody hate it).

I've read an awful lot about all these maximuscle shakes and I want a bit of advice.

I'm still a bit over weight technically, so I'm not wanting to put weight on, but I would like to increase my muscle definition / size as quickly as possible.

Am I best off just sticking to what I'm doing and eating well or is there anything out there which would actually help me???

Any help or advice would be much appreciated!

[rog007]

It's a well worn cliche but a balanced healthy diet with slightly less calories going in than going out will suffice. If you got to the stage where you wished to become competitive (regardless of discipline) and were training more than 3 hours a day, then maybe some quality supplements to help the body recover faster would be in order. Until then, supplements are simply a waste of money. IMHO (ex competitive athlete).

[N88]

rog007 said:

Until then, supplements are simply a waste of money. IMHO (ex competitive athlete).

If you can get the same protein/whatever from the food you eat, which I know I can't.

[rog007]

Why not? And remember you don't need excessive amounts. Nuts, fish, green vegetables, chicken, turkey; not available to you?

[DownUnder.]

rog007 said:

Why not? And remember you don't need excessive amounts. Nuts, fish, green vegetables, chicken, turkey; not available to you?

1g of proteing for every 1lb of body weight. I weight 180 lb's, how can normal people afford that without supplementing.

[Silver993tt]

rog007 said:

Why not? And remember you don't need excessive amounts. Nuts, fish, green vegetables, chicken, turkey; not available to you?

Exactly. Plus all ofthose contain the nutrients you need for a healthy nutritional intake. Protein shakes/supplements will provide none of that. It all depends on how you value your long term health compared to a "quick win" short term "look".

[Dibblington]

Pseudo-science sold to gym douchebags who do 30 minutes exercise and think that's all there is to achieving ripped abs.

No substitute for a more active lifestyle all day long and eating healthily. Forget the pots of expensive milkshake, zizz up a banana in a pint of milk and go for a bike ride. Fresh air does wonders and 15 hours of exercise on a summers day isn't uncommon when you're larking about with mates

[monthefish]

SteveS Cup said:

I don't really feel confident with free weights and I seem to get a better work out from the machines (focussing on certain muscles).

That's OK in the initial stages, but don't become too reliant on the machines;

as well as exercising the primary muscle for that particular exercise, free weights also require the use of the stabilising muscles (that the machines don't), and so training with free weights will be a superior workout from that perspective.

On the subject of supplements, they are not 'magic beans' that will magically make you lean/toned/ripped, but they do very much have their place to achieve the correct level of nutrition where diet/circumstances of a normal working life prevent this. It is very difficult to achieve decent protien levels without unwanted fat/carbs, in a normal works/office canteen for example.

The focus should be on the word 'supplement' i.e. supplement to a healthy diet.

[Dale19]

I buy whey in bulk unflavoured, 5kg £35, have one first thing in the morning, and on a training day i'll have one after i've been to the gym. As mentioned, its a supplement, not the basis of a diet.

Its simple, cheap and easy.

A 5kg tub will last ages.

[Ordinary_Chap]

Silver993tt said:

rog007 said:

Why not? And remember you don't need excessive amounts. Nuts, fish, green vegetables, chicken, turkey; not available to you?

Exactly. Plus all ofthose contain the nutrients you need for a healthy nutritional intake. Protein shakes/supplements will provide none of that. It all depends on how you value your long term health compared to a "quick win" short term "look".

Come on man taking protein is NEVER going to ruin your health. In addition to this it's a supplement not a replacement for food.

Anyway, MYProtein is a great place to get good quality cheap protein and is widely used by the bodybuilding industry.

Most folk as said advocate anything between 1-2g of protein per pound of body weight. I personally aim to go above 1.5 but everyone is different.

[alfa pint]

Back to the original post, if you buy carefully there are some whey powders which contain a st load of carbs and some that don't. Cyclone, for instance, is a proper bulking up shake powder as it has massive amounts of calories in it too.

I'm in a same boat as you - I'm nearly 40 and don't want to increase my waist. I eat healthily. I run or cycle to work. I do circuits 3 x a week and a weights session 2-3 x a week.

I have a tub of whey powder (Holland and Barrett own brand type) which has no added sugar, uses artificial sweeteners instead and therefore only has about 300 calories when I mix it with a pint of skimmed milk.

I also remember being advised by someone who knew these things that your body can only digest 20g of protein at a time, so it's a case of eating little and often and that's where these shakes can come in.