Right so. Why I drink my delicious protein shakes.
I used to be heavy. Then I stopped being heavy. Then I started working out. Eventually, my muscles were continually sore, I didn't make any progress at the gym and basically, it all went south. Granted, I overdid it, but that's neither here nor there in this case. I was younger, stupid, overeager and I have learned my lesson. This was the moment where I analyzed my diet and while it already was basically either veggies or protein-rich, fat-free meats such as chicken, salmon and tuna, I didn't get enough protein. Even if I stuffed my face with it all day long.
Having lost weight, the stuffing-face-plan sounded rather crappy. Because I will never be as fat again as I was back then. I still have some pounds to go, but after 110lbs lost and 40lbs gained in muscle, I can say that I'm in good shape and on a good way. I'm doing this healthily now.
Anyway, stuffing face: out of the question. Psychological reasons. Enter yummy protein shakes. I get all my protein, I get to drink milkshakes on a daily basis... what's not to like?
Lo and behold, a week or two after I started with my delicious shakes, my muscles weren't sore anymore and I could do all the awesome things at the gym again.
Normally, I understand when people don't understand the whole bulking-up and going to the gym thing. Because back when I was still fat, I wouldn't have understood either. Hell, I wouldn't even have believed my future self, were I to magically timetravel back to meet fat me. But the thing is: Going to the gym and drinking protein shakes is not unhealthy.
Sure, if you do it like I did it in the beginning, then it gets a mite unhealthy, because constant pain and everything. However, you do this once and once only. And I believe the screwing this up is integral to the learning process. At least for me it was.
After I had figured out where I wanted to go, I could figure out how to get there. And I could help my body as much as I could to be able to cope with the strain that I am putting on it - I was the king of couch potatoes - so that I wouldn't be in constant pain, make progress and wouldn't invariably wreck myself. Protein shakes were part of that new regime (just to touch upon the subject of the thread once more).
Fast forward almost three years. I'm 110lbs lighter and I've put on about 40lbs of muscle. I am proud of myself. I am eating much healthier. No more kebabs except on very special occasions. I haven't seen the inside of a McD's in over a year. I actually know what I'm eating. Protein, carbohydrates, fat. I know how to mix those things to get what I need, to get where I want to. And yes, there is one vitamin pill a day involved. I do this as a backup, should I forget my apples or should something else occur. That way, I guarantee that I have enough vitamins to keep me absolutely healthy. Because I want to be in the best shape I can possibly be. And diet-control is a huge part of it.
As a vegetarian it is a little harder to reach my protein targets. Especially at work where vegetarian proteins are mostly not available during lunch. And in general plant based alternatives are mainly inferrior to animal based protein. There are some good sources like quinoa however.
I recently started eating quark next to taking Whey shakes. A great and convenient way to reach my protein targets. I take the 250ml Magerquark containers from Migros. One in the morning, one in the evening. Gives 27 grams of Cassein Protein per serving.
I would have thought that as a vegetarian, you would be eschewing animal products such as quark and would have a chickpea salad or something else full of protein - but vegetarian.
Hello guys, the place I buy my supplements is powerfood ch they have store in all Switzerland but also deliver everywhere. In stores like Atleticum, Sportxx or similar you just get a few products and they are usually more expensive. Hope it helps.
I was asking myself the same question, before actually starting working my best out at the gym.
I personally eat protein powder for three main reasons:
1) My daily intake it's about 1,2 grams of protein per kg of body weight. As I'm 80kg, that makes around 100g of protein. It takes 0.5 kg of meat to make 100g of proteins, and I couldn't possibly chew that amount of chicken breasts every single day
2) If I had to eat 0.5 kg of meat every day I would also eat a lot of calories and other macro-nutrients (fats, carbs), defeating dieting purposes.
3) Powder is extremely handy to take around. I can stick a shake in my gym bag and drink it just after I'm finished. I could have a box with a couple of cold turkey tights, but it wouldn't be as handy. In addition, powder stores for weeks in my drawer, while meat needs to be consumed almost immediately.
Regarding price, for the same amount of protein powder is much cheaper than meat, though definitely less tasty
By the way, I wonder why they don't make a Guinness tasting protein powder! I would happily grow an addiction