Thread: Protein shake first thing in the morning? But what if i'm working out first thing?

I would take protein and get some oats in you and a banana before training first thing - will just mean getting up earlier to eat it and digest it before working out.

Shakes will not add mass, food will - breakfast should be something like above (if you don't want a protein shake then have 4 eggs).

You need to be getting 5 good meals in you a day to start bulking up (example being Chicken, rice and veg).

Suggest you go to the diet section and read up.

The real work is in the kitchen mate

Its important to get protien in ya before training as well as after ,try and have your shake with water,30-45 mins before you train and then another one straight after your last rep. i would also have some ground poridge oats about 50gms in with your before shake and/or a banana to fuel your work out.

Originally Posted by Dagman72

I would take protein and get some oats in you and a banana before training first thing - will just mean getting up earlier to eat it and digest it before working out.

Shakes will not add mass, food will - breakfast should be something like above (if you don't want a protein shake then have 4 eggs).

You need to be getting 5 good meals in you a day to start bulking up (example being Chicken, rice and veg).


Suggest you go to the diet section and read up.

The real work is in the kitchen mate

Amen to that - great advice.

i train at 6am and get up at 5.15am and have 10g Glutamine and 3 BCAA tabs with 200ml orange juice then 100g of Recover from PHD for Post workout
then around an hour later I have 100g of oats and 60g Whey Protein then carry on as normal

Originally Posted by Scottydog81

Its important to get protien in ya before training as well as after ,try and have your shake with water,30-45 mins before you train and then another one straight after your last rep. i would also have some ground poridge oats about 50gms in with your before shake and/or a banana to fuel your work out.

It REALLY isn't as important as you're making it out to be - protein before and after that is. If you've had food the night before you should haveplenty of stored energy in glycogen. If you train early and can't stomach food or a shake, try using some BCAA's pre / during as an alternative. Then make sure you get a decent meal in you within an hour or so of finishing your workout, try make this your biggest meal of the day. If a shake is more convenient post workout because of work etc that's fine, but don't go thinking you HAVE to get one as soon as you're finished.

Sounds like you need to read up on diet as Dagman as suggested, get some quality calories in you from real food and you should see growth rather than trying to add the extra calories from shakes. Your diet should be based around food with shakes as an altrnative to make sure you're hitting the necessary amount of protein, if needed.

Despite what guys think, research papers cited on here several times show it really doesn't matter when and how often you eat, providing you get all your necessary protein fats and carbs daily: the body has huge nutruitional capacity.

There seems to be a slight advantage in eating some protein and carbs before and after training.

Research also shows that the maximize the body's use of its fat reserves it's best not to eat any carbs for an hour or two after getting up in the morning - but you can still eat some protein.

Make your shakes up with just an inch of water so you don't bloat yourself.

Originally Posted by Prodiver

Despite what guys think, research papers cited on here several times show it really doesn't matter when and how often you eat, providing you get all your necessary protein fats and carbs daily: the body has huge nutruitional capacity. But surely to consume for example 3,000 calories it is easier to split your meals.
There seems to be a slight advantage in eating some protein and carbs before and after training. Always have and always will.
Research also shows that the maximize the body's use of its fat reserves it's best not to eat any carbs for an hour or two after getting up in the morning - but you can still eat some protein. Makes sense
Make your shakes up with just an inch of water so you don't bloat yourself.

Eating 3000 cals a day mainly in 3 good meals swith snacks and shakes in between shouldn't be a problem: lots of eggs, bacon, sausages, porridge and buttered wholemeal toast for brekky (if you're a working man); soup and meat sandwiches with butter, salad and mayo for lunch; and soup, meat and potatoes/chips, salad with dressing, pie and cream for dinner.

Don't be afraid to eat fat - including saturated fat - you need it to make your testosterone work, and it provides even, long-term energy without raising blood triglycerides and causing insulin spikes which encourage fat deposition.

And make sure your protein intake is sufficient.

Actually, the number of cals you need to eat is unknowable and irrelevant - it will change markedly from day to day with routine, weather, etc.

So eat just enough carbs to get sufficient energy. You don't have to gain flab to gain muscle mass.

Originally Posted by Dagman72

I would take protein and get some oats in you and a banana before training first thing - will just mean getting up earlier to eat it and digest it before working out.

Shakes will not add mass, food will - breakfast should be something like above (if you don't want a protein shake then have 4 eggs).

You need to be getting 5 good meals in you a day to start bulking up (example being Chicken, rice and veg).

Suggest you go to the diet section and read up.

The real work is in the kitchen mate

boldened part is an outright myth and makes no sense at all.

Originally Posted by weeman

boldened part is an outright myth and makes no sense at all.

Yup, what is a shake, if not food? Somebody tell me?

Originally Posted by Prodiver

Despite what guys think, research papers cited on here several times show it really doesn't matter when and how often you eat, providing you get all your necessary protein fats and carbs daily: the body has huge nutruitional capacity.

There seems to be a slight advantage in eating some protein and carbs before and after training.

Research also shows that the maximize the body's use of its fat reserves it's best not to eat any carbs for an hour or two after getting up in the morning - but you can still eat some protein.

Make your shakes up with just an inch of water so you don't bloat yourself.

These days, I am inclined to agree with most of that.

My only exception would be in super fast protein isolates, I think they circumvent the bodies natural buffering system; at times this could be desireable, at others not so much.

But by and large I agree.

Originally Posted by weeman

boldened part is an outright myth and makes no sense at all.

What I was trying to put across is do not rely on shakes (yes I know they contain calories etc and yes do take them) but was trying to direct him to eat good meals.

Originally Posted by rs007

Yup, what is a shake, if not food? Somebody tell me?

lol, yes should have worded it better.