Hello.

Ive been going to the gym for a few months now and im just over 17 stone. I was wondering should I use protein shakes to help gain muscle ??? I ride bike trials and want to gain muscle and loose fat.

~Beav

Yes, a protein shake within 30 minutes of a workout is a great way to get the necessary nutrients to your body when it needs it.

While you could get the same results by eating a good meal after a workout, for a lot of people, it is a lot easier to drink a protein shake.

Thanks mate. Might go buy some tomoro then Do I drink it before or after working out?

~Beav

After your workout, preferably within 30 minutes after.

KK bud. Well I work out Monday morning in a free lesson then I have break so I can drink one then and wednesday night/friday I can drink when walking home

~Beav

sorry to invade your post Beaver lol.
I Also bought some protein shake a few days ago, and im wondering when its best to take it? because what ive been doing is drinking it, then going to the gym. is that correct or does it not matter when you drink it aslong as you do?

I would say that as long as you are getting enough protein, when is a little less important. However, I have heard from many people and read a few articles that protein 30 minutes after a workout is best.

just wondering would eating a bag off peanuts be any help to the protein side of things?

~beav

Yeah, peanuts have protein.

yup I do buy a bag off them usually after the gym

Shed loads of fat though, which may be fine depending on your diet, but does really pack the kcals in, although nice to snack on. Roasted ones which you normally buy from shops are even worse and have loads of salt in.

Cheapest way to get protein is to buy the unflavoured whey from somewhere like myprotein.co.uk. I got 10lbs/4.5kg for less then £30, which should last me many months. Another bonus is that you get to mix up the shakes so can change flavour and add other stuff depending on what you feel like.

Thing is with me im like 17.3 stone . (Lost 3 pounds last week) I do alot of exercise tho and ride like everynite (bike trials) and also go to gym monday/wednesday/friday and i might even go today which is sunday just to get extra hours in. Thing is when my bike is actually fixed I will only go gym monday/friday in my free lesson which is like 9-10:30.

~Beav

I've heard that its not that easy to lose weight and gain muscle at the same time, as to put on muscle you need to be eating more kcals then your using, to lose weight you need less. Are you doing any weights when you got to the gym or is it just cardio stuff?

I've only been going a couple of months, was doing weights, then 40 mins cardo, but have decided to seperate the two as cardio after weights is not as good for gaining muscle. Now I just work out till I'm dead and do a gentle 5-10 mins on the bike or crosstrainer to warm down and go out running on other days, which I think is working better for me, but its early days.

Advantage of making up your own shakes is that a lot of the premixed ones have loads of extra kcals in for bodybuilders who are bulking whereas with just the powder you control exactly what goes in them.

And plenty of calories .. Great for losing weight

Nothing but a peanut!

Since you posted this in the body weight forum, are you doing bodyweight training? You say you are 17 stone but you could also be 17 feet tall. There are nutritional stickies on what to eat when bulking or cutting as well as training programs in the weight lifting section.