Protein shakes

[eltipo]

I always take a protein shake after my workout. It's usually something like this:

1 cup nonfat milk
2 scoops of whey protein (I use Optimum 100% Natural Whey)
1/2 scoop maltodextrin

During fat loss I usually drop the maltodextrin. Does this seem reasonable? Right now I'm doing HT1 and I've also thought about adding peanut butter to bump up the calories and the good fats. But then I've also heard that fat slows down absorption which is not good for a post-workout shake. Thoughts?

Do you take a protein shake at other times of the day? what about on non-training days?

Thanks

[Cynic]

1. A PWO shake should be as fat free as possible because the fat centends with the protein and carbs for absobsion.
2. I think you may need to up the carbs in your current PWO. The ratio should be 2:1 - 4:1 carbs to protein as measured in grams.
3. You're going overboard on the protein. You can save yourself money, since one scoop is 24g and the milk adds another 8g. That's already 32g and if you add another cp of milk, that makes it 40g.

My typical PWO shake is:

2 cps skim milk.
25g dextrose.
35g maltodextrin
30g whey.
5g creatine.

You don't need to drop the carbs PWO since you need them for glycogen replenishing. I typically get 100g pre, during and post workout and I'm losing at the rate of 1lb/wk.

I don't have a shake at any other time because I keep my non-workout nutrition low carb, so I don't have milk at any other time.

Your real efforts for fat loss will occur in the non-workout nutrition times. If you're eating six meals a day, that 42 feedings a week. If you're lifting 3x/week, that's one Pre and one PWO feeding of carbs and protein, for six feedings a week (that's less than 15% of the time). You need the carbs around that time, so the other 36 times is where you'll see the most gain/loss.

Follow the link in ParanoidAndriod's post here: pre/post drinks

[Ogedei]

You can make shakes with just water. All they would have would be protein and you could remain low carb.

Personally I typically drink 2 cups of chocolate milk after my workouts.

[Cynic]

I tried water once and that is the only time I'll have a water based shake.

[Lost Dog]

You can put peanut butter in your non-workout shakes. You can put anything that you think you can stomach in the non-workout ones.

[Matthew]

I put two scoops of orange gatorade powder and one scoop of vanilla protein powder in just over a litre of water. The protein powder by itself tastes (and smells) terrible, but mixed with the gatorade powder it tastes incredible. With the protein powder I just got recently the drink is 70g carbs/45g protein, but it used to be 70g carbs/20g protein.

I would keep the carbs in your PWO shake even while doing a fatloss program, that's when your body needs it most. If you want to cut carbs, take them out of your other meals. There's an article on this by.. somebody.. I'm not at home, I'll try to find it later for you.

[Matthew]

I had no luck finding the article I mentioned, but here's a clipping from another article I found - I italicized the relevant parts. I'm not too sure about the drinks that are posted, maybe someone else can offer their opinion.

Great Mid-Workout Drinks

These two concoctions below are great for providing your body with antioxidants; enzymes that may reduce muscle breakdown; whey protein (which increases your body's levels of a natural antioxidant called glutathione); and some glutamine, which is a natural component of protein. Mid-workout nutrition becomes even more important if you are following a low carb fat-loss plan.
An athlete exercising in a carb-depleted state experiences larger increases in stress hormones. Don't worry about violating your low-carb principles. During exercise, carbs have no detrimental effect on fat metabolism.



However, you should still limit carbs before and long after your workout; they'll stimulate the hormone insulin, which is good for building muscle but interferes with fat loss. Blend these up and enjoy one during your next trip to the gym.
Ingredients:

• Citrus Safeguard
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 3 ice cubes
  • 1 cup pineapple-orange-banana juice
  • ½ scoop vanilla whey protein
  Berry Barrier
  • 1½ cups cold water
  • 3 ice cubes
  • ½ cup Crystal Light fruit punch
  • ½ cup mixed berries
  • 1 T. glutamine
  • ½ cup skim milk

[Matthew]

Here's a quote from The Science of Nutrient Timing, by John Berardi.

In my experience, most trainees interested in carrying a low body fat percentage will benefit from simply eating protein and fats (with veggies) during the 3 Rest of the Day meals; carbohydrates and protein in a 2: 1 ratio during the 2 Energy and Anabolic meals; and carbohydrates and protein in a 1:1 ratio (some healthy fats can even be thrown in there) during the 2 Growth meals.

Go here and click on Nutrition, scroll almost all the way down and read Parts 1 and 2 of this article if you want to actually know what that paragraph was talking about.