Thinking about buying some protein powder.

Is it best to drink it before or after working out??

I normally eat 3 meals a day (I know the ideal is 5-7). Normal breakfast, lunch (could be anything from sandwich, instant noodles, stir fry) and then dinner is usually about 7.30pm after working out (at about 6pm).

I sometimes have a snack around 3pm but thats maybe just a few biscuits and cup of tea.

Is it best to have a protein drink before or after workout??

hi,
you should drink it directly after the training. Then the trained muscles are full of blood and the protein of the whey shake will get there where it is needed.

Eat some simple carbs with it like a banana.

cheers, marcus

I think somewhere in JSF someone posted a study showing the preworkout drink was most effective.

john takes his whey afterwards
http://www.johnstonefitness.com/menus/mar_2009.html

If it works for john it works for me, too. :D

Actually both works, although from a physiological standpoint the pre-workout shake should work better.
Do not forget, that the initial digestion of any protein-mixture takes its time. After this time there will be the first peak in aminoacid levels in the body.

Anyway... your muscles won't shut off and not grow or repair if they get their protein 30minutes later... the body is a complex machine and you can expect it to have some protein in store even if you haven't had a shake. You eat normal meals next to having shakes, don't you? Most meals take hours to be completely digested and your body can produce most aminoacids on his own.

Still.... if you are a maximum performance athlete things might stand differently. But even taking all things into consideration - there is scientific evidence and there is experience... try both out.... try to find out what feels right. The difference will most probably be marginal at best.
I myself actually take a post-workout-shake :) even without bananas or carbs in other forms - but for me its mostly because its more convenient because I go to the gym directly after work and because I have something to look forward to... because it just tastes great and almost feels like a cheat meal.

We can have lengthy discussions on this topic and there definitely is a lot of truth in most things, but I think its safe to say, that you should try and find what works best for you.

I think it depends on when you train. If you are lifting first thing in the morning, then preworkout might be better--you'll find a lot of advice here saying don't workout fasted. A preworkout drink gives your muscles some fuel for the workout, especially if you have carbs with it.

I train after work, which means I've eaten three meals already, the last one over an hour before I workout. I make sure all meals have adequate protein, and my preworkout meal is carberific. Because of my preworkout eating habits, I don't feel the need to have a preworkout protein shake because my body is already fueled and primed for the workout. I do have a protein shake and a banana right as I leave the gym and then have dinner when I get home.

I think preworkout and postworkout nutrition are both important, but because I lift later in the day, preworkout is more important for me; without good preworkout nutrition, my workouts aren't as intense and I am more aware of the draining effect toward the end and after I'm done.

But preworkout nutrition is everything I have during the day, not just a shake to slam right before I hit the gym. I try to tailor my eating to maximize the benefit to my workout. Training in the morning would completely change my eating habits.

You can have protein drinks whenever you want. ;)

Protien drinks can work anywhere in your daily intake...
Once after a workout or three times at various meals throughout the day....doesn't really matter as long as it fits into your plan...

I take one right after a workout and right before bed.
Sometimes I will throw one in as a meal replacement for convenience sake...

Pre, During, or post, you make the decision. If you find that you need an extra kick then do it before. If feel that you need a pick me up afterward, then do it post.

Add some carbs to it. Juice or even milk work well.

What matters most is making sure you hit your macros at the end of the day.

Good advice in this thread. Remember too that meal timing and digestion play into it relative to when you are training. If pushed, I would always go with the PWO shake. Be sure the shake includes protein AND carbs at a minimum.

Just an FYI, we offer a great PWO shake called Opticen and it is on sale now.

www.atlargenutrition.com

Good advice in this thread. Remember too that meal timing and digestion play into it relative to when you are training. If pushed, I would always go with the PWO shake. Be sure the shake includes protein AND carbs at a minimum.

Just an FYI, we offer a great PWO shake called Opticen and it is on sale now.

www.atlargenutrition.com

To Chris's point, i just started using At Larges Opticen PWO during a 6 week strengh program, the results are very noticeable compared to when i only used there Nitrean and some Brown rice PWO. Not to mention as one poster above mentioned, it tastes so good and is so filling it's something i look forward to....:tucool: And serves as a very good, on the run replacement meal anytime of the day.when its all said and done its really is what Macros you hit at the end of the day...Good luck

Hi Asy1mpo,

First, well done for taking steps towards reorganising your meals to work best for training. You'll find it has more and more benefit as time goes on.

One thing worth being aware of is that all protein is fairly slow to digest, even though some kinds of protein are faster or slower than others. So, no matter when you eat it, it's not available to the body straight away. If you're eating 3 times a day, though, you'd definitely want to make sure you get plenty of decent protein in EVERY single meal, no matter what time your training is. "Decent protein" doesn't have to all come from protein shakes (though that is a very convenient source, and potentially cost-effective compared with other protein foods, if just considering the quantity of protein). Eggs, lean meat, dairy food and fish are all valuable additions.

I would also ditch the biscuits (they are moving you backwards), and think about some better carb sources than noodles (e.g. beans, vegetables, and fruits). Protein isn't a magic ingredient, it works alongside countless other substances in your food.

If you have trouble adding enough protein because you haven't the appetite to eat a mass of eggs and meat three times a day, every day, you'll find that protein shakes such as the ones Chris supplies will make it a pleasure to consume any needed amount of protein. Similarly, if you struggle to find something to eat instead of the biscuits, nuts are a fantastic alternative. Like biscuits, they contain a lot of fat, but (unlike biscuits, which contain a type of fat that zaps your health and training efforts), nuts contain a kind that only makes you stronger and more healthy (and hence more ready to succeed in the gym). Think of your body as a high performance engine: do it a favour and give it high performance fuel like it deserves! :)

To Chris's point, i just started using At Larges Opticen PWO during a 6 week strengh program, the results are very noticeable compared to when i only used there Nitrean and some Brown rice PWO. Not to mention as one poster above mentioned, it tastes so good and is so filling it's something i look forward to....:tucool: And serves as a very good, on the run replacement meal anytime of the day.when its all said and done its really is what Macros you hit at the end of the day...Good luck


Thanks for your comments and business!:tu:

To Chris's point, i just started using At Larges Opticen PWO during a 6 week strengh program, the results are very noticeable compared to when i only used there Nitrean and some Brown rice PWO. Not to mention as one poster above mentioned, it tastes so good and is so filling it's something i look forward to....:tucool: And serves as a very good, on the run replacement meal anytime of the day.when its all said and done its really is what Macros you hit at the end of the day...Good luck

Agree with this--just got Opticen during the recent 15% off sale, and man is that tasty stuff. I like it as an post-workout drink; I mainly use it to help hit the macros, but PWO is just a real convenient time for it.