Should I start using protein powder?

[Grand Crusader Absalom]

If you want a shrinked penis: Yes
Otherwise: No

Lulz were had

[Salystra]

If you want a shrinked penis: Yes
Otherwise: No

Waaaay too much fail in this post, thats steroids for your information and only through constant usage get a clue.

As for OP check your dietary requirement for protein levels based off your body weight, check how much you are getting per day and supplement your levels accordingly with protein powder (I myself use Anabolic Matrix Whey - Choc Mint 5kg for £43).

Can roughly check the levels you should be getting per day via www.iifym.com to get your carb/protein/cals per day required.

Then track your ENTIRE diet consumption for abotu a week to see your rough level (or keep tracking) on www.myfitnesspal.com

[Deleted]

If you're asking if you should use protein powder, the answer is usually yes. There's not really much of a downside, particularly if you choose a powder that's primarily protein with few other macros. I'm a skinny little runner/cyclist and I generally only lift one day a week, but I love a good protein shake after a good workout. Even if you're not shooting for hypertrophy at all, getting enough protein when you're breaking muscle tissue down in workouts is very, very helpful.

This is wrong on SOMANY levels I don't even know where to start.

Toomuch protein is VERY easily obtained and ruins liver & kidneys. Aswell as causing weight gain, intestinal irritation and other things.
Consult a local specialist near you (or try to find the correct information online), the place you work out at usually have a pretty good idea.

Any suppliments should NEVER be taken without serious consideration of their actual usage, dosage and also the possible risks that come with them.

[Salystra]

@Ayarez - Hence why I suggested you check your diet levels and then supplement as needed to the OP, when I started I was consuming 6+ shakes a day in the hope to build. This was before I chose to take further advice and read into it a bit more, the IIFYM site isn't the best but its certainly a good base for those not able/willing to do the macro nutrient calculations.

Protein doesn't really cause that much weight gain

[Deldavala]

Toomuch protein is VERY easily obtained and ruins liver & kidneys. Aswell as causing weight gain, intestinal irritation and other things.
Consult a local specialist near you (or try to find the correct information online), the place you work out at usually have a pretty good idea.

So much BS in so few sentences. Too much protein will not damage liver & kidneys. Weight gain is basic thermodynamics, if you have more Calories in than out you will gain weight. If OP doesn't achieve this even with high amount of protein supplement he wont gain weight. Intestinal irritation will happen if you are lactose intolerant, unless you go with the lactose free variants.

What people need to note is that protein powder is in most countries the most protein per $ and also easy to supplement into your ordinary diet. This is especially true in OP's case since he doesn't control his meals.

[Tripping]

Some say there are are effects from having too much protein, some say there isn't. Take it if you want, but remember, moderation and a balanced diet is the key

[Kuniku]

too mcuh protein CAN, in rare cases, cause issues with the body. A mate of mine started at the gym randomly (woke up one morning and wanted to get 'hench') was carefully told how to sort his diet and how to ease onto correct levels of protein by a PT, he ignored all the advice and went from having little to no protein in his diet, to almost 200g a day, but was only going to the gym twice a week and not lifting much (doing little to no exercise outside of the gym either). His kidneys didn't have a clue how to deal with the sudden increase in protein, and because he wasn't lifting sufficiently to warrant the use of that much protein it was all waste protein and it crystallised in his kidneys and produced some of the nastiest kidney stones I've ever seen (or the doctor that saw him had seen for that matter - they were big spikey mother fuckers!)

as others have said, sort out your diet first if you can, I too have the issue of living with parents and having little say over what my main meal is each night. track your macro nutrients as bset you can (myfitnesspal app is great for this) and see what levels of protein you're averaging and then work out what you should be at, and sure, make up the difference with powder if thats easiest.

[Deleted]

One of the best uses of protein powders is to plug in gaps present in your diet.

a balanced diet that you tailor to your needs should not have gaps that need plugging.

But, yes if you really dont have any control over what you eat (and really? thats going to cause you no end of issues if you are serious about either muscle building or weight loss), then supplements are a back up.

[Deleted]

a balanced diet that you tailor to your needs should not have gaps that need plugging.

But it's hard/expensive for most to meet the amount of protein recommended for people who avidly work out though, without taking protein shakes.

So much BS in so few sentences. Too much protein will not damage liver & kidneys. Weight gain is basic thermodynamics, if you have more Calories in than out you will gain weight. If OP doesn't achieve this even with high amount of protein supplement he wont gain weight. Intestinal irritation will happen if you are lactose intolerant, unless you go with the lactose free variants.

What people need to note is that protein powder is in most countries the most protein per $ and also easy to supplement into your ordinary diet. This is especially true in OP's case since he doesn't control his meals.

Also this. The only case where excessive amounts of protein (even way above 200 grams per day for days on end) might damage your kidneys is when you already have renal problems to begin with.

[Salystra]

a balanced diet that you tailor to your needs should not have gaps that need plugging.

Lean meat cost vs protein scoop cost - 1x50g scoop of the protein I use contains 40g of protein which is roughly equal to 125g of chicken breast, do the math cost wise.

Its not a case of not wanting to eat proper food in place of supplements but more the shear cost (convenience also) factor involved.

[Danifilth]

It all depends on the budget i steer away from protein powders at all cost if i can afford it. Changing your diet with fish chicken vegies beans and so on if you have the money to afford it not the canned stuff. If budget is low and don't like to cook or buy expensive fresh healthy frozen meals then the protein powder is the way the go. When i used to work at the casino hotel pushing 5 ton linen carts for 3 towers i used to drink 2 glasses of milk and eat 1 protein chocolate bar with over 30 grams on busy nights over 29 linen karts i drank 1 slim fast and eat 1 bar altogether. In a year i gained 70 pounds it made my job easier picking up queen sheets 30 pounds each bundle 2 per hand. When i lost my job i was at 280 and since i had no income i just ate a bowl of rice or beans every 14 hours pretty much once a day i went back down to 200. My body just got thin hardly any muscles the only muscles i got hard as a rock are my legs and upper back and shoulders. But yeah it all depends on your style

[Deldavala]

Lean meat cost vs protein scoop cost - 1x50g scoop of the protein I use contains 40g of protein which is roughly equal to 125g of chicken breast, do the math cost wise.

Its not a case of not wanting to eat proper food in place of supplements but more the shear cost (convenience also) factor involved.

Exactly this. In Norway 1kg of frozen Chicken breast is easily 10euro. For about 30 Euro I get a bucket of Whey(1kg), which is then cheaper protein per euro. Even better if I buy in huge bulks(can get 9kg for about 100 euro)

[Deleted]

Exactly this. In Norway 1kg of frozen Chicken breast is easily 10euro. For about 30 Euro I get a bucket of Whey(1kg), which is then cheaper protein per euro. Even better if I buy in huge bulks(can get 9kg for about 100 euro)

Which I why I say that protein powder is a backup, use it if you have to, but try to get your protein through your normal diet if possible its better for you. But if you really cant, then sure, go for protein powder, personally I dont find it overly expensive to get my protein from my diet and I'm not exactly on the largest wage in the world....

[Salystra]

Which I why I say that protein powder is a backup, use it if you have to, but try to get your protein through your normal diet if possible its better for you. But if you really cant, then sure, go for protein powder, personally I dont find it overly expensive to get my protein from my diet and I'm not exactly on the largest wage in the world....

But have you calculated how much intake you should take per day based on how much you work out and all your body specs?

You will be surprised if you do at how hard it is to make up that deficit while still maintaining a calorie balance.

[Stevegasm]

If you don't get enough protein in your regular diet, then yes. Otherwise, you don't need it. Getting it from regular foods is preferable though, but you can't go wrong either way really. If you're looking to bulk, don't forget carbs though.

[Grand Crusader Absalom]

If you don't get enough protein in your regular diet, then yes. Otherwise, you don't need it. Getting it from regular foods is preferable though, but you can't go wrong either way really. If you're looking to bulk, don't forget carbs though.

Why pop obsessed with getting protein from food? Protein is protein whether it comes from whey or chicken. Often times I'd prefer to drink my whey and be done with my intake. That way all I have to track is my calories and fit in nomnom choccies

Brb cutting on 3000 calories
Feelsgoodman.jpeg

[Deleted]

Why not start cooking then op?
It's a useful skill to have anyway.
Protein powder is fine.Don't listen to people that tell you otherwise.

But when it comes to macros and food in general do yourself a favor and read THIS. It'll make your life easier.

[Stevegasm]

Why pop obsessed with getting protein from food? Protein is protein whether it comes from whey or chicken. Often times I'd prefer to drink my whey and be done with my intake. That way all I have to track is my calories and fit in nomnom choccies

Brb cutting on 3000 calories
Feelsgoodman.jpeg

Generally, when you get your nutrition more from supplements, you feel hungry more often. Depending on the self control of the person, it can often lead to eating shitty food as it's easiest. For me, I usually have meal replacement type stuff on hand just in case I feel that way, but it's a bit of an expensive way to go. The OP is only 17 as well. May as well learn and practice to cook and prepare proper food while you're still young, the days are long, full of energy, and without responsibility.

[Shinagami091]

Since you're 17 and still a youngster you should have an easy time bulking up without the protein powder. Eat a lot of chicken breast, turkey, tuna. Those are all excellent sources of protein. You also want to make sure youre getting a good amount of carbs too if you're bulking so potatoes, pasta, wheat breads are good for that.

However, if you have little control over what you eat, which you likely dont until you get a job and buy your own food, protein powder might be a good substitute for now.

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I would recommend setting up a profile at bodybuilding.com and ask your questions in their forums. There you will find a ton of information there. There's even a subforum for teen bodybuilding. You will often get posts from knowledgeable people who actually know what they're talking about. You'll see less bickering back and forth like you do here.

[Salystra]

@Shin - Actually the information given here is all agreeing with for the most part along the same lines, apart from that one poster who seems to think he will lose his danglies by taking protein