MOVFitness

#1 Right Source

The most important aspect of your protein shake is where the protein originates and how it gets blended into the shake.  Most shake shops use the cheapest form of protein: soy.  I’m not a fan and believe we should use whey.  While this is known by most, it is unknown that there are different types of whey.  When creating a shake yourself, make sure to get 100% Whey Protein Isolate that has been filtered using some form of unchemical and unaltered molecules.  The best in is Croff Flow Microfiltration (CFM).  If the package doesn’t say, then it most likely is NOT CFM.  As of date published, our favorite pick is NOW Whey Protein & it has been for years.

#2 Bad Sweeteners

As crazy as it sounds, most protein shakes are cancerous!  Yes, aspartame found as the last ingredient or those sneaky companies who write “Natural & Artificial Flavorings” can cause cancer!  It is much healthier to just add fruit to make your shake sweet.  If you really must add sugar, add pure honey.  It is easy to burn off these carbs, but it’s mindblowing that you’d rather take cancer over a few extra calories.

#3  Wrong Ratios

So a protein shake is great if you are trying to supplement protein to a meal, but it isn’t suggested you drink this by itself.  A meal replacement protein shake means that it is an entire meal.  Most of us are using protein shakes as entire meals, so why not drink an MRP instead?  It is unknown to most that you actually need carbohydrates to help protein get absorbed.  Also, our bodies can’t absorb much more than 40g of protein at a time.  With this in mind, I recommend taking a protein shake with 20g of carbohydrates, 40g of protein, and 5g of fat.  Or a shake with an Exchange of 1 6 1

#4 When to take what

There are three different types of protein shakes to take in my opinion.  The Protein shake, the MRP, and the Bedtime Shake.  The protein shake should be taken during competition or immediately prior to working out.  It’s main purpose is to raise get amino acids back into your system immediately without causing any digestion to happen.  This is great when working out since we don’t want our body to cramp up.  The MRP is just what it says - a Meal Replacement Protein shake.  Use this when you want a protein shake instead of a meal.  It should have the 1 6 1 ratio mentioned in Rule #3.  The Bedtime Protein Shake should have calcium caseinate in it.  It actually isn’t very beneficial to have a whey protein shake before bed.  So pay attention to when you’re having your shake and use the correct tool for the job at hand.

#5 Get your Fiber

It isn’t very beneficial to have the protein shake by itself as it will just pass through your system.  We mentioned having carbs, but we didn’t mention fiber.  This is so important it deserves it’s own line in the rulebook.  Without getting fiber, protein will pass through your system and can lead to diabetes.  It will help make you feel full, and help in digestion.  Fiber also slows down the absorption rate and curbs your blood sugar level.  So make sure to look for fiber when choosing a shake.  If your shake doesn’t have any, or if you’re making your own, do one of these two things.  Add wheat germ - the best part of bread that is usually left out.  It can be picked up at your local grocery store.  Or blend in some oats.  They grind smoothly into the blender, especially if you let them soak in some water first.  If you’re really adventurous, throw in the peeling to your fruits.  The peeling holds the most amount of fiber.