Protein shakes are the ultimate after-workout drink, and many weightlifters look to its proteinous offerings for muscle recovery and development. You know you should drink your shake every day, but you are not quite sure whether drinking two protein shakes a day is okay. This article will examine how much is too much and whether drinking two protein shakes a day is too much.
Why do we take protein shakes?
Learning why you take protein shakes is an excellent place to begin understanding how much protein shake is too much. Protein shakes raise your body’s protein storage for muscle recovery and building as proteins comprise amino acids, which are your muscle’s building blocks. Your body creates amino acids; however, you can only get some vital amino acids for muscle growth from meals like meat, beans, nuts, and soy.
Because protein shakes consist of these essential amino acids that your body may not produce, you give your body the necessary resources to develop muscles as you take them. Research has demonstrated that protein supplements considerably build muscle strength and size in healthy persons who engage in resistance exercise training like lifting weights.
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Drinking two protein shakes every day
After learning how they work, it is easier to estimate whether drinking two protein shakes every day is good. How many protein shakes you need daily generally depends on a few factors. They include your protein and calorie requirements, general daily nutrition intake, and health targets. Similarly, your protein and calorie requirements also vary depending on different factors. These include your body weight, height, age, sex, and activity level.
As a general rule, you should consume 300-500 calories daily for every pound you want to gain weekly if your goal is buffing up. In addition, the minimum protein requirement for regular humans is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. However, as a weightlifter, your protein requirement increases as more protein will go toward muscle repair and development. As a result, your daily protein requirement climbs to approximately 1-1.2 grams per kilogram.
💡 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
A typical protein shake gives you about 20-30 grams of protein and roughly 120-160 calories per serving. This means two daily protein shakes should offer the additional necessary calories and protein for you to gain weight, as you need about 300-500 calories per day to gain a pound of weight in a week. So, drinking two protein shakes every day is okay.
How many protein shakes is too much protein shakes?
If two daily protein shakes are okay, how many is too much? Many experts have recommended that if you must drink multiple shakes daily, you should be at most three. While drinking more than three protein shakes may not harm you, it may still be harmful to your goals. Consuming too much protein can result in gastrointestinal symptoms like stomach upset, gas, or bloating. Furthermore, it can affect your consumption of other essential macros. Finally, because your body can only absorb so much protein, any excess protein will be stored as fat, which may hinder your aesthetic aspirations.
Drinking shakes on rest days
While you can drink your protein shake any day, consuming them on rest days is beneficial and advisable. Protein is essential for muscle recovery, and your muscles recover more on rest days. Because of this, it is vital that you eat high-quality protein sources, especially on days you do not work out. This will speed up 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
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
Depending on your schedule, you should be able to substitute meals for protein shakes. If you are interested in leveraging protein shakes to supplement your meals, you should try the Premier Protein Shake, Caramel, 11.5 Fl. Oz. Despite its capacity to serve as a substitute, this capacity still needs to be improved, and you should see the shakes as something other than a traditional meal. They simply complement regular meals. You can also buy and use whey protein, and I recommend the Isagenix IsaLean Shake Packets.
Related article: What's the Best Way to Dissolve Protein Powder?
After your workout sessions
There is a small window tight after working out where your body is able to quickly absorb the necessary materials from what you eat for muscle development. Because of this post-workout period’s feature, it is an excellent time to drink your protein shake for optimal protein shake benefits. You may still be returning from the gym and not want to miss this period, so I recommend the BlenderBottle Shaker Bottle Pro Series.
Benefits of protein shakes
Feeling fuller for long
Feeling full for extended periods is a common objective for people looking to lose weight and eat less. Protein shakes are excellent, as they can help you feel satiated for extended periods. A review has since found a correlation between protein shake use and weight loss, noting that supplementing weight loss programs with whey protein could lower body weight in persons who are obese or overweight.
Extra nutrition
Protein is necessary for human life, and the recommended daily intake level is about 46 g for women and 56 g for men. However, reaching your required protein intake level from just regular meals may be challenging for reasons like dietary restrictions. For these people, protein shakes present a way to meet their protein targets
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