If you work out regularly and you're trying to build muscle, two protein shakes per day is plenty. And if you're not that active, you likely don't need more than one protein shake per day.
To gain muscle, you'll need to get enough total protein each day. This can be from food alone or from a combination of food and protein shakes. Drinking one or two protein shakes a day (in addition to balanced meals) is usually enough for most people to build muscle without displacing whole foods from their diet.
It isn't wrong to drink 2 Protein shakes a day provided you are using as part of a balanced diet. A Protein Shake has, on average, about 23g of Protein per serving. This means that drinking 46g of Protein still leaves you with a deficit on your recommended daily protein allowance (in the UK, this is 88g for a man).
The obvious answer is that you slow down and sip your shake as you would any other drink. Here are some of the reasons why chugging your protein shake might be preventing an optimal digestive experience, and what you can do to improve it.
General recommendations are to consume 15-30 grams of protein at each meal. Studies show that higher intakes in one sitting — more than 40 grams — are no more beneficial than consuming the recommended 15-30 grams at one time. Don't waste your money on more protein than you need.
To build muscle, aim to eat 1.4– 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, says Cynthia Sass, RD, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics based in Los Angeles. (To calculate your approximate weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.)
Getting sick often without protein to boost the immune system. Mood changes or trouble thinking due to fluctuating blood sugar and protein's effect on the brain's neurotransmitters (which regulate mood) Muscle weakness, since amino acids are essential for building muscle mass.
Without exercise, the extra protein from the shakes might not be used well by your body. This could lead to issues like gaining too much weight or not having enough muscle strength. In the long term, it might also affect things like your heart health or how your bones stay strong.
Truth be told: You can overdo it on any type of food, even if they're protein sources. If you eat more than what your body needs, you are likely to gain weight. But, no, protein shakes as part of a healthy, balanced diet will not make you fat on their own.
The short answer: Many experts suggest having protein after a workout to build muscle mass. But preworkout or postworkout protein may help. Strenuous exercise creates microtears in the muscles. After a workout, your body repairs the damage using amino acids from dietary protein.
The Bottom Line
If your goal is to gain muscle post-workout or promote muscle recovery, having it right after your workout is key. If you're using a protein shake to supplement your diet and address protein gaps, drink it whenever your protein intake falls short during the day.
If your goal is to build muscle mass, mixing protein with milk is a better option. For those looking to limit their calorie intake, water is recommended. However, if you love the taste and texture of protein shakes with milk, then you may consider sticking to that, even if you're restricting calories.
In terms of seeing visible results, it's important to be patient. Building muscle is a slow process and requires consistent effort over an extended period of time. Depending on your starting point, it can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to see noticeable changes in muscle mass.
Peanut butter is high in protein, aiding weight loss, but it is rich in calories, so it can help you gain weight if you consume too much of it. Nuts are some of the healthiest things you can eat, providing proteins, healthy fats, and a range of vitamins and minerals.
Bananas contain the right amount of carbohydrates and calories. Therefore, incorporating bananas into your diet depends on your goals. You can eat up to one banana a day as part of a healthy diet for weight loss. But eating 2 to 3 bananas will add up to 350 extra calories that can help you with weight gain.