If you’re a guy reading this, you’re probably thinking, “Hell Yeah!” If you’re a girl reading this, you’re probably afraid of becoming huge, so no shakes for you – you’ll just stick to your chicken breast right?
Many people may think that I’m a huge guy, because I drink a lot of protein shakes. I am a huge guy and I do drink a lot of protein shakes, but let me be the first to tell you PROTEIN SHAKES WILL NOT MAKE YOU HUGE!!! With all these bodybuilders sucking down protein shakes, how could I make such a statement?
There’s way more to getting huge than a shake or two. If it were that easy, then there would be more guys with Hulk like physiques walking around wouldn’t there.
First let me say that shakes can also help you burn fat and get smaller!
Let’s build a mental image and make some comparisons. How about a scoop serving of PVL Whey Protein Isolate, and a glass serving (250ml) of fruit juice? Both contain 120 calories, which isn’t going to get anyone huge. The Whey has 27g of protein; the fruit punch has 27g of sugar! If you were trying to burn fat, you know 27g of sugar won’t help that! It may in fact cause you to gain weight!
What else has 27g of protein? 3oz of roasted chicken breast does! Except the chicken has 135-140 calories in it which is 15-20 calories more than a scoop of whey. Hmmm…. will eating chicken breasts make you huge too? Here’s what we have so far and a few other examples
1 scoop Whey isolate = 120 calories / 27g protein / 0-1g carb
1 cup fruit juice = 120 calories / 27g carbohydrates (sugar)
3 oz chicken breast = 140 calories / 27g protein
1 medium banana = 112 calorie / 27g carbohydrates (14 sugar)
2 slices commercial bread = 138 calories / 24g carb / 8g protein /
8 egg whites = 117 calories / 27g protein
Do you get the picture? Hopefully you’ve put 2 and 2 together by now, but since you’re still wondering why bodybuilders drink protein shakes I’ll continue. It’s because they are digested really fast which makes them great after a workout. They are also very convenient and portable. What’s more important is that bodybuilders eat a lot more than regular folk, in terms of caloric intake and protein requirements. A 200lbs bodybuilder eats around 4000 calories and protein shakes are just a fraction of that. If you’re goal is to build muscles be sure to look at your overall diet and see how you match up.
If you’re trying to lose weight, protein shakes are a great way to keep your metabolism up, maintain healthy, lean weight, and are a low calorie snack to hold down your hunger between your bigger meals.
If you had the pleasure of reading my previous articles on “Are you taking protein shakes?” – you’ll know that whey protein is simply a powdered form of high protein food (think powdered lean chicken breast…Disgusting, but you get my drift). To conclude, on its own, whey protein is not a magical element for gaining or losing weight and isn’t just for bodybuilders; it can be a great addition to the meal plan of anyone looking to improve their health and physique.