Is it good to drink protein shakes and smoothies after workouts?

Question 1

Hello everybody! I am a big healthy cocktails lover. Especially if they are high in protein. Some of them, such as smoothies, taste really amazing! Actually, everything depends on the combination of fruits, vegetables, milk products, nuts or dried fruits. I used to make experiments mixing various types of products. As far as I know, especially useful for muscle growth are protein shakes.

As to my workouts, usually, they are rather intensive. I do different types of training. Such as cardio workouts, strength training, CrossFit and so on. I am also used to run in the mornings. Home exercises are also included in my workout routine. So my muscles need to restore after such a load. No wonder that my coach recommended me to have a protein snack after workouts.

As I like smoothies a lot, I want to start consuming them after a snack. I think these amazing snacks are the perfect source of protein! And what do you think guys? My urgent question is:

Can I drink protein shakes, fruit, vegetable, and milk smoothies after intensive workouts? Or what is the best time to consume these cocktails?

Protein shakes after workouts

Waiting forward to your answers. Thanks in advance!

Question 2

The topic seemed to me quite interesting, and most importantly – a very controversial one, with its many-sided opinions. And indeed, ask different people what to drink after a workout, and each one will respond to you. Someone will say that a protein shake is the best option, someone – that milk, well, and someone with foam at the mouth will prove that you only need to drink water.

The main fuel that provides a person with energy during physical activity in the hall is carbohydrates. Speaking about them, we immediately recall about glycogen – the rapidly mobilised energy reserve, the storage depot for glucose in the body. The reserves of this polysaccharide are limited, so any possibility of glycogen resynthesis is an important part of the recovery process between workouts. The faster the glycogen reserves are replenished, the better and faster the body will begin to recover.

Recovery of glycogen depot after exercise occurs in two phases:

the first (fast) – takes place without the presence of insulin and takes 30-60 minutes in time;
the second (slow) – proceeds in the presence of insulin.

Different drinks should correspond to the different length/intensity of training, as well as the type of activity (after all, not all pull only iron) of the athlete. Let’s go through each type of drinks and make our choice.

Water and its types
Simple boiled, filtered water should be number 1 on your list of liquids when you are exercising. Regardless of whether you are doing home exercises or cropping in the gym, the water during training should always be at hand. It is advisable to drink it every 20-25 minutes of activity or earlier if you feel dry mouth. A more advanced option is thawed or structured water. It “revitalises” the organism much better and gives it a great surge of strength.
Sports drinks
Isotonics – specialised drinks, whose main task is to restore the electrolytic balance and increase energy levels. This drink contains in its composition carbohydrates (about 14 grams per 250 ml of water), which allows it to delay fatigue and return energy back to the body. In addition to hydration and energy, it restores the balance of minerals, which allows you to extend the effective stay in the hall.It is recommended to use during periods of work on endurance and holding long training sessions with different types of load. Marathon runners or just lovers of jogging can also actively use this drink.
Juices and smoothies
Natural (or at least not nectars and juice drinks) juices can also be used as a drink after exercise. For example, cherry juice contains antioxidants and flavonoids, which reduce muscle soreness after exercise, removing swelling and inflammation. In a study conducted at the University of Sport in the UK, it was found that the runners, who regularly drank cherry juice before and after the workout, were able to recover their muscles after exercise much more quickly (than those who did not use it).
Protein shakes and gainers
A class of sports nutrition products that are directly intended to improve recovery processes. In particular, it allows you to increase the synthesis of muscle protein (proteins), increase blood sugar levels and charge the body with energy (gainers). This product is most suitable for the occupants of gyms and fitness rooms, who have extra money in their wallet and who want to speed up the approximation of their results.
Protein diluted in water/milk helps to provide muscles with high-quality and fast (especially in the case of hydrolyzate) building material. However, it is first necessary to raise the level of glucose in the blood, and only then drink protein.

I hope you figured out when you need to drink this or that drink.

Alina Ross · Answer · Published: December 31, 2018 | Modified: October 15, 2019

The topic seemed to me quite interesting, and most importantly – a very controversial one, with its many-sided opinions. And indeed, ask different people what to drink after a workout, and each one will respond to you. Someone will say that a protein shake is the best option, someone – that milk, well, and someone with foam at the mouth will prove that you only need to drink water.

The main fuel that provides a person with energy during physical activity in the hall is carbohydrates. Speaking about them, we immediately recall about glycogen – the rapidly mobilised energy reserve, the storage depot for glucose in the body. The reserves of this polysaccharide are limited, so any possibility of glycogen resynthesis is an important part of the recovery process between workouts. The faster the glycogen reserves are replenished, the better and faster the body will begin to recover.

Recovery of glycogen depot after exercise occurs in two phases:

the first (fast) – takes place without the presence of insulin and takes 30-60 minutes in time;
the second (slow) – proceeds in the presence of insulin.

Different drinks should correspond to the different length/intensity of training, as well as the type of activity (after all, not all pull only iron) of the athlete. Let’s go through each type of drinks and make our choice.

Water and its types
Simple boiled, filtered water should be number 1 on your list of liquids when you are exercising. Regardless of whether you are doing home exercises or cropping in the gym, the water during training should always be at hand. It is advisable to drink it every 20-25 minutes of activity or earlier if you feel dry mouth. A more advanced option is thawed or structured water. It “revitalises” the organism much better and gives it a great surge of strength.
Sports drinks
Isotonics – specialised drinks, whose main task is to restore the electrolytic balance and increase energy levels. This drink contains in its composition carbohydrates (about 14 grams per 250 ml of water), which allows it to delay fatigue and return energy back to the body. In addition to hydration and energy, it restores the balance of minerals, which allows you to extend the effective stay in the hall.It is recommended to use during periods of work on endurance and holding long training sessions with different types of load. Marathon runners or just lovers of jogging can also actively use this drink.
Juices and smoothies
Natural (or at least not nectars and juice drinks) juices can also be used as a drink after exercise. For example, cherry juice contains antioxidants and flavonoids, which reduce muscle soreness after exercise, removing swelling and inflammation. In a study conducted at the University of Sport in the UK, it was found that the runners, who regularly drank cherry juice before and after the workout, were able to recover their muscles after exercise much more quickly (than those who did not use it).
Protein shakes and gainers
A class of sports nutrition products that are directly intended to improve recovery processes. In particular, it allows you to increase the synthesis of muscle protein (proteins), increase blood sugar levels and charge the body with energy (gainers). This product is most suitable for the occupants of gyms and fitness rooms, who have extra money in their wallet and who want to speed up the approximation of their results.
Protein diluted in water/milk helps to provide muscles with high-quality and fast (especially in the case of hydrolyzate) building material. However, it is first necessary to raise the level of glucose in the blood, and only then drink protein.

I hope you figured out when you need to drink this or that drink.

Question 3

Hi!
Suppose if you weigh 70 kg, then you should take about 100 grams of 70% protein per day. If someone did not know, then in proteins there is no 100% protein. Maximum 90% – 95%. And on average – 70% – 75%. That is, taking 100 grams of 70% protein, you consume 70 grams of protein.
If you weigh 100 kg, it will be 150 grams per day. And you need to take it every day the same amount. Regardless of whether you have training today or not
Usually, the protein is mixed with water, milk or juice. The amount of fluid does not matter. The only thing – it should not be boiling water. In hot water, protein denatures (coagulates) and loses some of its properties.
Your daily dose is better to drink in two doses. Since at one time the body is difficult to absorb this amount of protein. It is usually taken between meals. I recommend drinking it between breakfast and lunch and immediately after exercise. And if there is no training on this day, then between breakfast and lunch and before dinner.
In principle, you can divide at least ten receptions. But it will be unnecessary and unnecessary troubles. You can drink it all at once. But it is likely that part of the protein simply does not digest.
If you want to lose weight and take protein for this purpose, then you should drink it not in addition to regular food, but instead of food. What does it mean? This means that you need to replace part of the usual food with protein. Suppose you drink it as a snack between meals. You can also replace protein with dinner or breakfast. This is done in order to increase the amount of protein per day, without increasing the total caloric intake.
So, drink it after training, it is the best time! See you

Question 4

Hello there! When is the best time for drinks? Well, it depends on what you want. Protein shakes are great for mornings as well as before or after your training or before going to sleep. Drinking protein shakes in the morning will prevent your muscles from amino acids deficit. Taking it before your workout is obviously good as it helps to increase protein synthesis. Why should we drink it after? To restore your muscles after an intensive exercises. I think it is very easy to understand and memorize. What about fruit or veggie smoothies? I have my favorite one to drink after the exercises. It is made of coconut milk, protein powder, cinnamon, almond and cocoa butter, cocoa powder and a date. Tastes wonderful, like a dessert.

Question 5

Hello!
It seems to me that everyone wants to know secrets for building muscles. If you want to increase your muscle, it is necessary to fill in amino acid reserves in time. To do this, you should eat more often and eat 2-4 portions of the protein of 20 grams in intervals between meals. If you know in advance that food intake is delayed, use an integrated or slow protein.

Protein cocktails a few hours before training perfectly replace such nutritious products as meat, cheese, legumes and give the athlete strength to train. Especially these cocktails are relevant for professional skiers, runners, and bodybuilders. As a result, the athlete feels less tired, the endurance of the body increases, the period of adaptation becomes less.
Well, a protein cocktail after a workout can replace lunch. In this case, in addition to the necessary muscle building protein, it does not have fats and carbohydrates. Due to the rapidly soluble proteins that make up the cocktail, this type of protein is rapidly absorbed. In addition, protein cocktails may include mineral supplements and multivitamin complexes, which makes it even more useful.
Morning use of protein cocktails stops the process of catabolism. By the way, you can drink protein cocktail to support the body during long training in the situation when the interval between workouts exceeds three hours

Along with the ready-made protein cocktails, you can make cocktails on your own, as professional athletes do. To do this you should mix the powder protein with milk or low-fat yogurt. If you are distracted from professional sports, then the question “How to drink a protein cocktail?” can be answered as follows: protein cocktails can be drunk during the day instead of one of the meals. You can also take them in a hike when you know that you have a lot of physical activity, and you will not have the opportunity to eat.

To sum up, it is important to understand that if the blood does not have sufficient concentration of amino acids, the body will not stop using muscle tissue as an energy source. Easily digestible proteins will support the desired level of amino acids, which means that your muscle mass will not decrease during classes.