How Many Protein Shakes A Day? Guide to Protein Before/After Workouts

Adding protein shakes to your nutrition plan is a great way to get extra protein for people with fitness goals. Protein is important for athletes that want to increase their performance, build muscle, and speed up recovery.

For those people wanting to lose weight, it is also important to add protein to help increase lean body mass and elevate fat loss.

In this article, we discuss how many protein shakes a day you should take. We also discuss what a protein shake is and how it can benefit your athletic performance.

So, if you are looking to increase muscle mass, build leaner muscles, and speed up your recovery after a hard training session, keep reading.

Protein powder shakes may be a convenient way to consume protein, but at some point, you may wonder if there is a limit to how many shakes you should be drinking each day. Like any good thing, there comes a point when you can consume too many protein shakes.

What Is A Protein Shake?

A protein shake is a convenient way to consume more protein in your diet. It not only provides you with much-needed nutrients but also promotes muscle growth and assists with weight loss.

So what is a protein shake?

A protein shake is a drink made from mixing protein powder together with water or liquid. However, most people tend to mix other ingredients as well, such as bananas, berries, and other fruits.

This gives the protein drink a good ratio of protein to carbs, which can help promote muscle healing after a strenuous workout.

Protein shakes are also a convenient way to refuel when you don’t have access to high-quality protein foods on the go. That means they are widely used by people across all sports, including weight lifting, running, cycling, and team sports.

Making your own protein shake also allows you to prepare the right amount of protein you need after a workout. Most people will need 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight to benefit the most from including protein shakes in their post-workout meal. For example, an 80kg person would need to take in slightly more than 64 grams of protein for optimal results. However, this will also differ slightly based on the length and intensity of the training.

When Should You Take A Protein Shake?

Studies have shown that the best time to take a protein shake is within 15-60 minutes after finishing your workout. This allows you to replace lost nutrients within your anabolic window, which is the perfect time for the body to start the healing process.

Since protein has an important role in repairing and rebuilding your muscles after a workout, many people think that protein shakes should only be taken after exercise. However, recent research has shown that it doesn’t matter if you take a protein shake before or after a workout. Both will benefit your muscles in the short term.

Another study on the effects of consuming protein before or after a workout found interesting results. They split 21 men into two groups, with one group taking 25g of protein before, while the other group directly after the same workout. They found that there were no significant differences in muscle strength and size after the 10-week study. Again showing that as long as you consume protein around your workout, you can gain the same benefits.

How Many Protein Shakes A Day?

Like anything that is beneficial to the body, it is tempting to have more than you need. However, there is a point when consuming too many proteins shakes stops making a difference.

However, to be clear there is no set rule on how many protein shakes you should take each day. Although having too many won’t have long-term detrimental effects on your health. It will just end up becoming more expensive in the long run and any excess protein that is taken will end up being stored as fat. This can ultimately lead to weight gain over time, especially if you consume more calories than you need.

Benefits of A Protein Shake

There are many benefits to having protein shakes before and after your workout. Some of these benefits include:

– Convenience
– Helps build muscle
– Repairs muscles faster after a workout
– Increases muscle mass
– Aids weight gain and weight loss
– Helps prevent hunger

For most people, the biggest benefit is the convenience before or after a workout. A protein shake can be taken with you in the car or even to the gym, making it an easy way to add protein to your diet when you are on the move or don’t have access to food.

Alternatively, if your goal is to lose weight, adding protein shakes to your diet can help restrict the number of carbohydrates, calories, and fat in your diet. This is especially important when snacking or needing food in a hurry, as it keeps you away from easy foods that are high in fat and calories.

In conclusion, there is no harm in adding protein shakes to your diet 2-3 times per day. Just remember the most important time to take them is before or after a workout. That way, you know you are getting the benefits of the nutrients when your body needs them the most.