[Please enjoy a guest article from former NFL player, Chris Gronkowski!]
Why Should You Drink Protein Shakes?
No matter your workout goals, protein shakes are beneficial to your diet and your exercise routine. If you’re looking to build more muscle, upping your protein intake stimulates your muscle growth. Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are essential to building muscles, so drinking protein shakes throughout the day will amp up this process.
For those looking to lose weight, protein shakes can be a healthy meal replacement that will ensure you get enough protein while decreasing your calorie intake. Losing weight involves eating a healthy diet and burning off more calories than you consume. Replacing your breakfast with a protein shake is an excellent way to fuel up for the day during a diet.
When to Take Protein Shakes
Fitness experts have a mix of opinions and theories on the best time to take a protein shake, but it’s basically broken down into three categories: pre-workout, post-workout and as a meal replacement.
Pre-Workout
Your muscles run on protein and the amino acids it contains. If you want to reach your maximum potential during your workout, consuming protein beforehand will give you more stamina and energy as you exercise. Protein shakes are the perfect way to prepare yourself because it’ll provide you with that fuel without weighing you down the way an entire meal might. The best time to drink a pre-workout shake is about 30 minutes before you plan on exercising. To effectively complete your workout, you should also have a protein shake after your workout.
Post-Workout
If you’re only planning to drink a protein shake once a day, immediately following your workout is the best time. Your body burns a lot of its energy while exercising, so helping your muscles to repair and rebuild themselves as quickly as possible is important. Your body can’t begin to grow that muscle back up until it has more fuel to ignite the process.
Ingredients
Whey:
When buying protein there are several types to choose from, but if you’re just starting to integrate protein shakes into your diet, you should purchase 100 percent whey. This type of protein powder is great for both people looking to build muscle and lose weight. Whey can help to build lean muscle, which is important for those who want to drop weight because it will spark your metabolism and help your body burn fat. Those trying to bulk up will help stimulate their muscle growth.
Casein:
If you’re interested in experimenting with different types of supplements in your protein shakes, casein is a good place to start. This protein is derived from milk, much like whey, but it contains all ten essential amino acids. While this is great for muscle growth, casein slows down your stomach’s ability to absorb nutrients, so this powder is digested at a much slower rate. If you’re going to use casein in shakes, try using it as a meal supplement for breakfast or before bed, not as a method of muscle recovery.
For a balance of casein and whey, try a protein blend and utilize the best of both supplements.
Vegan Protein:
Because the two most common types of protein are extracted from milk, vegans looking to incorporate protein shakes into their diet may want to consider this supplement. Usually, vegan protein powder contains pea powder, hemp powder, rice powder, chia and peanut butter powder.
What Should You Mix with Protein Powder?
Coffee Shakes
A great way to supplement your morning meal and cut out coffee with too much sugar and additives, coffee shakes are easy to make and packed with protein. You can prep several servings of these so you can just grab one and go each morning. Add brewed coffee and ice to unsweetened almond milk and vanilla or chocolate protein powder for a healthy start to your day.
Peanut Butter
A delicious addition to any protein shake, peanut butter is also a solid source of protein, carbs to break down that protein and good fat. One of the most common protein shakes with peanut butter includes chocolate protein powder and bananas.
Fruits
You can add basically any type of fruit, frozen or fresh, to a protein shake. For a unique orange creamsicle-flavored drink, mix ice, freshly squeezed orange juice, vanilla extract, almond milk and protein powder. Another favorite recipe includes strawberry-banana yogurt, ice and whey powder. Add fresh fruit for extra flavor. You can also experiment with peaches, yogurt, almond milk and cinnamon. Feel free to get creative with your ingredients once you’ve mastered the basic recipes.
Ice Shaker vs. Blender Bottle
There are dozens of options for protein shakers and insulated tumblers on the market these days, but you should understand how each type works before making a purchase. The typical blender bottle uses a small, metal mixer ball to release supplements into your drink, which tends to make a loud clanging noise each time you shake it. With the Ice Shaker, you don’t need to worry about keeping track of this extra piece—simply add ice to your drink and shake. The Ice Shaker uses a plastic agitator that twists into the lid to blend a smooth shake. The double-insulated, vacuum-sealed walls keep your drink fresh and cold for more than 30 hours without perspiring. The tapered design makes it easy to clean the inside and the right size to fit in a cupholder.
Make A Protein Shake Gronk Style
As the owner of a protein shake company, I think I know a thing or two about making a solid protein shake. About 95 percent of the time, I’m using whey protein in my mixes. One of my favorite shakes to whip up that’s easy and quick uses whey with PB2 (powdered peanut butter), unsweetened vanilla almond milk and ice.
To prevent the whey powder from sticking to the bottle at the bottom, add a bit of milk and ice first. Then, add the protein and peanut butter powder. Before shaking the tumbler, be sure to check that the agitator is completely screwed into the lid. Then, close the lid and listen for two clicks to ensure that it’s fully sealed and you’re not going to fling protein shake everywhere. Now, shake the bottle for a perfectly blended workout drink.
