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Hi, I've read both books and was wondering whether I should have a protein shake even on non-workout days. Mark recommends having one after a workout, but what about other days?

Why not? Protein shakes are nice as snacks on non workout days. You can also blend with fruits,honey,cereals,nuts,peanut butter,ice cream,yogurt,natural juice,milk etc or make homemade protein bars and cakes.Yum!!

it won't hurt, but unlike after a workout (where you want fast protein absorption) you probably want it to be a bit steadier..so throw some fat in to slow digestion. Maybe some heavy cream, oil, eggs, whole milk, etc.

. Maybe some heavy cream, oil, eggs, whole milk, etc.

Yeah,those are better ideas for low-carbers.

I don't bother with the protein shake on non-workout days. I just eat more meat. I mean, that's 210 calories I get back, right? That's a 200g chicken breast right there, or half a steak!

--Matt B.

Gidday, depends on how you normally get the required amount of protein for your individual make up and circumstance/activity level. Not getting enough nutrition on non workout days makes working out a waste of time, even detrimental. Recovery and growth all takes place on non workout days. Really embracing and understanding that is crucial to progress for most people. As an extreme, consider what would happen if you just kept training away, without stopping. Or have a look at marathon runners at the end of their race. And imagine them trying to immediately run another one. Some African Cultures run down animals, using teams of hunters that dont let the animal rest, until it collapses and drops dead. Workouts are stress, and create a need to recover, and compensate/adapt, if progress is required.

Nutrition is a vital component of recovery, so, if you are unable to get enough (for you), consistant protein throughout the day, then definitely have shakes. If you engage in high level sports or activities, I would recommend shakes after doing them, for the same reason as having them after workouts, that is, to enhance recovery. Also, shakes can be really usefull before sleep, (slow release, or whey with oil/cream)for some really active people or athletes, or true hard gainers.

undertaker610 wrote:

. Maybe some heavy cream, oil, eggs, whole milk, etc.

Yeah,those are better ideas for low-carbers.

I put a scoop of zero carb isopure in my morning coffee with a tbspn of extra virgin coconut oil.

albertvipfitness wrote:I put a scoop of zero carb isopure in my morning coffee

And doesn't it get gloppy from the heat? Eww. But then, I don't like coffee either (except for a brief stint with iced lattes last month that turned into a diet disaster!)...

marochka_raduga wrote:

albertvipfitness wrote:I put a scoop of zero carb isopure in my morning coffee

And doesn't it get gloppy from the heat? Eww. But then, I don't like coffee either (except for a brief stint with iced lattes last month that turned into a diet disaster!)...

The beauty of this protein is that it is easily dissolvable in any liquid. Just pour, stir, and drink.

The beauty of this protein is that it is easily dissolvable in any liquid. Just pour, stir, and drink.

Well, yes and no. If you let it get too hot, it cooks. And it doesn't take much heat to do it. Warm coffee is OK, get the protein actually "hot" an it will turn into a pebbled, gritty goo that my co-workers referred to as "glop" when I ate it.

Curiously, soy protein doesn't share this same characteristic, and is great for cooking. Lately I've been enjoying experimentation with soy protein quite a bit. Not that I want it to be a primary protein source, but it's cheap, doesn't taste awful, and provides lots of protein in a cook-able form.

--Matt B.