As a weight trainer, you know you should have rest days to let your muscles recover. You also know protein shakes give your body the necessary protein to help build your muscles. Putting two and two together, it seems perfectly natural to drink protein shakes on rest days, yes? This article will look at whether you should drink protein shakes on rest days or make it exclusively for days you work out.
Right off the bat, the answer is yes, you should drink protein shakes on your rest days. Protein is vital for muscle recovery, and your muscles recover more on rest days. As a result, it is essential that you consume high-quality protein sources, especially on days you are not working out. This will accelerate your muscle recovery and development. So yes, not only should you drink your protein shake on rest days, it is essential that you do.
💡 Quick Tip: Besides resting well and increasing your calorie intake, you need to work out. I recommend the Omni Rack Builder as it can help you begin your weightlifting journey with many exercises in one spot
Omni Rack Builder
Why are protein shakes important?
Protein shakes help you increase your protein bank for muscle building. Proteins comprise amino acids, which are your muscle’s building blocks. The human body produces a fair amount of amino acids. However, some essential amino acids necessary for muscle growth can only come from meals like meat, beans, nuts, and soy.
Because protein shakes contain essential amino acids that your body may not have, you provide your body with the necessary resources to build muscles when you drink them. Research has demonstrated that protein supplements considerably develop muscle strength and size in healthy persons who engage in resistance exercise training like lifting weights.
Best time to use protein shakes
Rest days are not the only periods you can leverage protein shakes, so here are some of the best times to use protein shakes:
As a substitution for your meals
Protein shakes are great as a casual alternative to standard meals. This means you can depend on them as a substitute for eating a proper meal, especially if you can not prepare it. You should ensure you include fruits, healthy fat, vegetables, and some protein powder scoops is you want to consume it as a substitute. If you intend to tow this route, take a look at the Premier Protein Shake, Caramel, 11.5 Fl. Oz.
📖 Related Article: If you're enjoying this article you may want to also check out: What's the Best Way to Dissolve Protein Powder?
You should know that this should not be a frequent venture as protein shakes are more of meal complements than alternatives. They simply complement regular meals. You can also buy and use whey protein, and I recommend the Isagenix IsaLean Shake Packets
💡 Quick Tip: You can increase your overall strength by starting small and using simple, portable gym equipment. I recommend the Hex Dumbells for this, as they are cheap and easy to use for beginners.
Hex Dumbbells
Benefits of protein shakes
Feeling fuller for long
Feeling satiated for long periods is a standard plan if you are desirous of dropping weight and eating less. Protein shakes are perfect for this because they can be very filling and leave you satiated for long periods.
Extra nutrition
Protein is vital for living, and the standard daily intake level for women and men is about 46 and 56 g, respectively. However, getting your necessary intake level from standard meals alone may be difficult, especially if you have dietary restrictions. In these instances, protein shakes can help you meet your protein targets.
Beef tendon as a supplement for protein shakes
Despite protein shakes’ considerable importance for muscle development, you can also source your proteins elsewhere, especially if you can not afford as many protein shakes as you want. A beef tendon is a fibrous band of tissues found in a cow's connective tissue between its muscles and bones.
Beef tendons are rich in protein; a 100-gram contains about 30 grams of protein. Not only does this make beef tendons excellent for muscle growth, but they are also excellent providers of non-carb protein as an equal amount contains only 0.5% of carbs.
Despite all these benefits, beef tendons are also very low in calories, making them excellent for muscle growth and fat loss. A 100g serving of the delicacy contains about 150 calories. Essentially, beef tendons are a low-fat, low-carb, high-protein meal.
However, it is advisable to supplement beef tendons with other protein sources because they may not provide sufficient essential amino acids. This is primarily because beef tendons are made up of collages.
Possible protein shake side effects
Here are some of the possible side effects of using the protein shake:
Nutrient deficiencies
Getting most of your protein from protein shakes rather than whole foods may result in you consuming fewer vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. While many shakes and protein powders include several nutrients, supplements are typically unable to replicate the protective ingredients from which whole foods naturally come, including immune-boosting antioxidants. Protein shakes also usually contain very little dietary fiber, which is crucial for good digestive health.
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Side effects
Whey and soy proteins are two common protein sources in weightlifting supplements, and they have potential side effects, despite being generally harmless. Those effects usually include fatigue, reduced appetite, digestive discomfort, and headaches.
Protein overload
Weightlifters typically require more protein than regular and sedentary people. Depending on their fitness goals and body weights, this is usually up to twice as much daily. However, drinking protein shakes daily combined with your regular diet may result in you regularly exceeding protein recommendations.
