Whey protein for beginner?
 

Hey everyone,

I am about 5'9, 141 pounds, and looking to start working out on a regular basis to bulk up and get stronger. I am not a complete beginner, but this will be the first time I plan on going to the gym on a regular basis, a friend insisted I use Whey Protein. Is this necessary or recommended for a beginner? I've read positive things about it but I'm not entirely sure how much of an impact it will have on me and of course, I'd rather not spend the money if it won't to all that much. Is whey mainly for serious body builders in competitions or is it something I should consider? I also heard that it tastes horrible, so if anyone could reccomend any brands / what to mix it with, that would be great.

I am not much of a body builder, and I don't go to a gym but I did use to drink shakes made with whey protein. I used to have one in the morning instead of eating like I used to, eggs and bacon and toast with lots of butter, stuff like that. I think it helped me reduce a few pounds and I did feel a little more energetic. Lately I have just been drinking coffee and not eating at all in the morning which I am sure is pretty bad for me.

Anyways, as far as taste is concerned, the brand that I got was "Whey Delicious". I used to just put some orange juice and a few strawberries or raspberries or whatever I had into a blender with a scoop of it and I thought it tasted fine. I used to get the vanilla flavor. My wife would make the shakes too, and lately says that she thinks we should buy another tub of it since she actually liked the taste of it and having the shakes in the morning. So I would recommend this brand as far as taste is concerned. I haven't ever seen them in a store. I ordered from their website, http://www.wheydelicious.com/.

You need a certain amount of protein each day...more if you are working our harder. Read through these forums and you'll find more info as there have been several threads on the subject.

Personally, I drink a shake with fruit, milk or soy milk, flax meal (for Omega-3)and malted milk powder for breakfast unless I'm eating oatmeal. Then I drink just a protein shake later in the morning. On the shake for breakfast mornings, I eat some fiber like granola mid-morning, just as a snack and to get some fiber. Mixing milk makes the protein absorb slower while water makes it happen fast.

I find if I have protein in the morning (and a small snack mid-morning) I'm not so ravenous by lunch.

Also, I drink a protein powder and water shake after working out. I feel this aids in recovery and cuts down some on muscle soreness as the protein help the muscles rebuild. Of course, I could be full of crap!

My favorite powerder is ON (Optimum Nutrition). You can find it at
www.musclesurf.com

Your body needs lots of protein if you're looking to build muscle wether you're a beginner or a pro. I usually find it easier to get my protein with a shake than with food, especially right after I work out. Like thingstodo mentioned, your body uses protein to rebuild your muscles after you work them, so try to get some protein into you right after the gym and right before bed, your body does most of it's repair work while you sleep.
While the shakes don't taste that great, I've never met one that I couldn't choke back. I also like to mix Vanilla protein powder with some yougurt, granola and ground flax seed, makes a great breakfast or pre bedtime snack.

no its not needed. people use it so they can reach their daily protein requirements. the only time i would recommend taking it is right after lifting/cardio to aid in recovery.

personally i eat 210g of protein and drink 40g in my POW shake. the brand i use is Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey...no complaints on the taste.

never tried whey protein, but protein is protein. there is a lot of marketing hype, for different products, but the science behind it is all the same. in any case, the protein you take in will provide extra calories for you to bulk up and serve as a good sounce of muscle nutrient. one alternative to consider for lifting is creatine. works great, and long term data hasn't shown deleterios health effects as far as i know.

i wouldn't describe creatine as an alternative to whey. creatine facilitates water transport into your muscle cells... quite a bit different than what protein does.