When you start pursuing a fitness goal, one of the first things you think about is supplements. Pre-workout supplements, post-workout supplements, protein bars, and powders—you hear about them so much in the fitness industry, so you know they must be important for maximizing your results. And, the supplement you've likely heard about the most is a protein shake.
Protein shakes are often recommended as a meal replacement or a drink post-workout to help you get better results. They're meant to give you everything you need to build muscle efficiently and optimize your nutrition so your body is fueled properly to grow your muscles and get stronger, right? No, but that's what they like to tell you.
While everyone is different, I'm here to tell you that you should avoid protein shakes in most situations because not only can they cause health problems, but they don't really improve your results, either. Today, I'm going to share the truth about protein shakes and why you should avoid them as much as possible.
1. It can make it hard to focus on proper nutrition
If you decide to have a protein shake daily after the gym as a meal replacement, it can be easy to assume it's giving you the proper nutrition you need for that meal. But in reality, it's causing you to miss out on a ton of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
This can hinder your progress because you're not advancing your nutrition, which will not get you your desired results and can put your body in a bad spot. Not to mention, it can also make your body become starved of essential vitamins and minerals, which can negatively impact your health very quickly.
2. You never know what's in them
You never really know what's in a protein shake, and often, whatever's on the label isn't necessarily all that is in there. For example, did you know that protein shakes have often been found to contain heavy metals because of how they are manufactured? Obviously, that's something you would never want in your body, and this is just one of the things they don't tell you they contain.
Not to mention, a lot of protein sources in protein shakes really aren't that good for you either and contain all kinds of strange ingredients that aren't derived from good or natural sources. So, there's a big variable there that you never know what you're putting into your body when you have a protein shake, and if you consume them regularly, you could be putting yourself at risk for health problems down the road.
3. Protein shakes don't serve much purpose toward your goals
As a coach, I've trained thousands of people over the years, and I've worked with people who choose to drink protein shakes and those who don't. In my experience, I can honestly say that those who don't drink protein and eat whole foods instead will get far better results than those who eat non-whole food meals.
This is because whole foods contain real ingredients with real nutritional value, while protein shakes are manufactured of all kinds of processed ingredients that don't provide much value to you. No matter how high the quality of the shake, a meal replacement drink will never give you the same nutrient benefit as real food.
4. It's expensive
Next, protein is expensive. If you go down the rabbit hole of protein shakes, you'll find that when the quality goes up, the price goes up. So, if you want the best of the best and want to be as healthy as possible, you have to spend more, right? If you do this, then pretty soon, you're spending hundreds of dollars on the "best" protein supplements each month when they aren't even providing you with much benefit.
Not only is this expensive but paying this much for something that doesn't really serve your goals or provide you proper nutrition is a waste of money. Save your money and opt for some real food instead, and trust me, you'll get much better results.
5. It goes against the most natural form of eating
Lastly, protein shakes go against the most natural form of eating. If you want to be healthy, you should always eat a whole-food protein source to nourish your body correctly and give you the most benefit, not a shake made in a factory.
Many people use the excuse that they don't have time to eat, which is why they opt for a protein shake instead. If this is you, then you should take some time to reevaluate your lifestyle and prioritize your health more. Chugging a protein shake each day is not a solution to a busy schedule and is something you can correct easily in a few minutes by meal prepping and planning so you don't have to worry about making food during the day.
If you're serious about your health, you need to find food that will fuel your body correctly to become stronger, happier, and healthier. And truthfully, that won't ever come from a protein shake.
Conclusion
Overall, protein shakes, in my opinion, are not a great option for anyone. If you want to get healthier, make gainz, and grow stronger, you should always eat real whole foods.
Protein shakes are expensive, don't provide proper nutrients, and contain many sketchy ingredients you should never put in your body. For that reason, take some time to reevaluate your diet and incorporate whole-food protein sources into it instead. If you do this, you're bound to notice a difference in how you feel, your energy levels, and how quickly you achieve your results in no time.
If you need help finding the best whole-food protein sources for your diet, try our FREE 7-day trial and talk to one of our coaches. We'd be happy to help you get set up with the best food options for your body and say goodbye to the protein powder for good.