Protein shake??!

Protein shake??

umm yeaa what do they do?? and can i make them or do i have to buy them??
if i can make them what do i use 2 make them??

Protein shakes allow you to make sure you are consuming enough protein during the day to support muscle-building and fat loss.

Since you should be splitting your daily food intake into six smaller meals, it can sometimes be difficult to eat six whole food meals over the course of the day. Protein powders can serve as replacements for some (but not all) of those meals. So let's say you are eating breakfast, lunch and dinner as whole food meals, you can use protein shakes as snacks to fill in the other 2-3 meals.

Also, because protein shakes are convenient and easy to transport, you can mix a scoop or two with water immediately following your workout, which is a critical time for providing your body with nutrients.

There are different kinds of protein powders available, including egg, casein (milk protein), soy and whey. Whey is preferred by many bodybuilders because it's relatively inexpensive, digests very quickly and is very mixable. Because it digests quickly, it makes an ideal post-workout shake.

You do not need to take them to gain muscle, especially if you are eating well. They aren't a magic bullet. However, I personally find them very effective for pre- and post-workout nutrition, when you need to get aminos into your muscles quickly.

In terms of how to use them, buy a good quality whey protein (I like Optimum Nutrition's 100% whey -- choose your flavor, there are several) and you can either mix it with water in a shaker bottle (available at a health food store or at Target) or you can mix it with skim milk (a great combination after your workout.) You can also mix protein powder with ice cubes, milk or juice in blender to make a frozen smoothie. You can add things like peanut butter, fresh/frozen fruit and even oatmeal to make it more nutritious.

Best of luck!