Best protein powders for muscle gain?

jadedrifter2 said:this guy is the GOAT! 😂😂😂

Syrup is just what we call whey, and proteins are proteins... maybe learn some basic terminology first.

Syrup:

Check the label before you claim it's "good."

I could really use some advice or even just a second opinion on how to lose this extra weight around my midsection... I’ve been training in boxing, Taekwondo, and a bit of grappling for about three or four years now—nothing professional, just recreational stuff about three times a week. My diet? Honestly, I just eat whatever is available, whenever I feel like it. Since I work irregular shifts through the night, it’s pretty normal for me to be eating around 11 PM or later. Now, I’ve finally decided I want to slim down my waistline. Believe me, the workouts are intense; they usually run about 90 minutes. On my off days, I try to get out for a run or go cycling. I should mention that I’ve never actually watched what I eat before, because as long as my weight stayed steady, I felt fine. But now, I want to target that belly fat. How do I go about reducing my waist without necessarily skipping meals in the evening? On training days, I have lunch around 3 PM, hit the gym at 7 PM, and then I don't really eat again until around 10 PM because I'm awake until 3 or 4 in the morning. On other days, my last meal is around 6 PM, but man, it is incredibly hard to hold out until 4 AM... What can I do? How can I replace that late-night post-workout meal? My goal is simple: just lose about 2 or 3 inches off my waist and call it a day.

rustytiger27 said:Hey everyone, I’m just dropping in out of nowhere since I don't usually hang out in these threads, but my husband asked if I could check 'his forum' here😁 to see if there’s much of a difference between MVP and Optimum Nutrition protein (he also mentioned glutamine 🤔).
He’s been using MVP lately because he thinks it's cheaper than Optimum Nutrition, but if there are any big differences, he might give ON a shot. If they’re pretty much the same thing, he’ll probably just stick with MVP.

Thanks in advance, please don't roast me😁 🙈

So, basically,
I used to take the pure whey from Optimum for quite a while.
It tastes alright if you mix it with milk, but if you try mixing it with water, oh boy, good luck—some people just can't get used to the taste and end up just giving away a whole tub on Craigslist at the end.🙂

Then I switched over to MVP for a little bit, though not the pure stuff, but that mass gainer where the protein to carb ratio is like 50:50,
and I guess the flavor is way better than Optimum, but you have to be careful with that stuff because you'll put on weight faster than you can eat cookies.😁
I mean, I suppose that's really what it's designed for anyway.
I haven't tried the pure protein from MVP yet, but I imagine the taste is probably similar.
And honestly, it isn't even that much cheaper than Optimum.
Just bake him some potatoes and coconut in the oven and let's see how those muscles look.😛

Sam Roberts said:http://translate.google.com/?hl=en&tab=wT#en/en/Syrup

We’re talking about whey protein here, not a literal translation of the word...
One guy claims you need to drink whey after a workout 😲, while the other is just explaining what whey actually is. It’s a play on words.
Using Google Translate clearly isn't the best way to handle this.🙂

slydriver52 said:We’re talking about Whey protein here, not a literal translation of the word..........
One guy claims you need to drink Whey after a workout 😲, while the other is just explaining what Whey actually is. It's a play on words.
Google Translate isn't exactly the gold standard for this kind of thing.🙂

The guy is just trying to say that Whey means Whey—as in, the protein from the milk.
He didn't mean drinking straight liquid; he meant the proteins extracted from it. A lot of you keep saying you drink whey when you really mean you're consuming the proteins within it...

Google Translate works fine if you aren't trying to write an essay.

Sam Roberts said:The guy is just trying to say that Syrup MEANS whey—meaning whey protein is the protein extracted from the syrup.
He didn't mean you drink straight liquid byproduct; he meant the proteins derived from it. Most of you claim to drink whey when you’re actually consuming the proteins found within the whey.

Google Translate is a perfectly fine tool if you aren't trying to write a PhD thesis.

Take a look at the thread. He was responding to someone who kept trying to "correct" a third party who suggested using syrup as a post-workout option by claiming it isn't whey protein. In America, we know the difference between the raw ingredient and the processed supplement, even if a translator treats them as identical.
It’s pure nonsense, plain and simple.🙂

I don't know who's crazy here, but whey is just protein powder. People can say whatever they want while thinking something else... not my problem. Forum debates are mostly nonsense anyway, myself included 😁

Sam Roberts said:I don't know who's delusional, but whey is just Syrup. If people want to write one thing and mean another, that’s their problem. Most forum debates are just nonsense, myself included. 😁

I get sucked back in too, even though I've told myself a hundred times to stop wasting my breath on these forums. Yet, here I am again. My colleagues in the industry tell me it’s a waste of time—and they're right. There is zero point in trying to educate people who are dead set on believing bodybuilding myths.
This is the last word from me on this topic!🙂

brightdrifter54 said:thanks...
And one more thing... any advice for dropping some body fat? Like, what's actually the best way to handle diet or whatever else?
I wouldn't call myself overweight or anything—it’s just that since I hung up my cleats and stopped playing soccer, a little extra padding has started to settle in around the edges... haha.

If you’re looking to drop some weight, long-form steady-state cardio is probably your best bet—nothing beats that slow, steady burn. Pair that with a daily deficit of about 500 calories, and you’re basically set. Though, I don't really know your stats—like, how much you're weighing right now or what your height is—and that makes a difference. Are we talking about getting lean and seeing muscle definition, or are you just trying to see a much lower number on the scale? It’s a different game depending on which one you're chasing.
When it comes to eating right, I guess the basics aren't actually that complicated—it’s just the execution that gets tricky. You basically just aim for smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day instead of those massive, heavy dinners—and then there's the whole business of cutting out the junk... you know, the sugary stuff, potato chips, all that processed nonsense. Stick to whole grains and lean proteins—chicken, turkey, whatever—and that’s pretty much the gist of it. Simple enough, I suppose.

Champs-Élysées vibes... sort of. It’s got that same energy—big, bustling, maybe a little too much going on at once—but you know, different scenery. kaže:
Hey there.
I could use some advice—just a little bit of guidance from anyone who's been around the block. So, I’ve been hitting the gym for about a month now, mostly aiming to pack on a few pounds of lean muscle and really refine my physique. Honestly, I’m already seeing changes, which is pretty cool—I’ve put on about five pounds, and the skin tone feels different... more firm, I guess? You can actually see the muscle definition starting to peek through. My glutes are finally starting to lift—looking more like they're heading north instead of south, if you catch my drift—and my arms and shoulders are definitely taking shape too. 😁 I’ve been trying to get my diet and hydration on track lately—you know, doing that whole "healthy living" thing—and I think it might actually be backfiring because my appetite has gone through the roof. Not that I ever really had an issue with food before—I've always been pretty steady—but now? It's like my body is overcompensating for all this good stuff I'm putting in it. Just one of those things, I guess. I’m curious to hear what you all think—based on your own experience, what are the best shakes for pre- and post-workout if the goal is putting on some mass? Just to be clear, I’m not looking to start chugging powders or any of those "magic" supplements. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against them, but I’d much rather stick to whole, natural foods if possible. I’m standing at about 5'9" and weighing in at 120 pounds—just a bit on the leaner side, I guess.

jadedrifter2, come on—lay some wisdom on us already. 🙂

I’m going to burn it all down. 😁 It’s honestly pretty tough to pin down which shakes are actually worth it—especially since you mentioned you aren't really interested in those pre-mixed, ready-to-drink powders. If I remember correctly, that specific shake we talked about earlier would probably be better suited for your post-workout window. Before you hit the gym, though, you should focus more on carbs—things like bananas, raisins, or maybe just some honey... just something to fuel up. You might want to reconsider switching to a standard whey protein powder instead of those liquid RTD versions you see sitting on the shelves at places like Target or Walmart. Powdered whey is generally much better for after a workout, mostly because it's hard to get that same kind of quick absorption from solid food alone. Honestly, grabbing a chocolate milk after a session isn't a bad move either, though I don't think you need to obsess over every single calorie. Given your height and weight, you likely have one of those fast metabolisms where nothing seems to stick anyway—it's a blessing and a curse, I guess. Just keep training hard and the results will show up eventually.

Joseph Stewart38 said:Hmm... I always figured that mixing my own shakes—just tossing some whey in with a decent carb source—would be way easier on the wallet than buying those pre-made mass gainers. Now, you’ve kind of thrown me for a loop with that comment... but I get it. It seems like everyone's out there preaching the same thing—don't waste your money on commercial gainers because they're a total rip-off, just whip up your own blend at home instead.🤷

I think they’ve got a point—honestly, I see where they're coming from. When people start complaining about how expensive mass gainers are, they're usually looking at the massive carb count in those formulas—which, let's face it, isn't exactly high-value fuel. When I mentioned earlier that buying your own stuff is cheaper, I was mostly talking about the protein side of things. Back in the day, I used to stick to Scitec Anabolic Whey or maybe their 100% Whey Isolate—I can't quite remember which one was my go-to—but the point is, I’d grab those massive 5 or 6-pound tubs, basically whatever the largest size was available at the local GNC or Walmart. I never ended up paying more than... $167 I mean, I think prices have jumped quite a bit lately—everything feels more expensive than it used to be—but when you look at the math, he actually snagged over 100 meals in those bulk packs. Once you sit down and crunch the numbers... it ends up being less than... $1.75I’ve tried messing around with my own homemade shakes—trying to get that perfect blend—but honestly, I just couldn't hit the mark without spending a fortune. It’s one of those things where you think you're saving money by doing it yourself, but once you factor in the ingredients and the effort... well, the math just doesn't add up. At this point, I’m telling you, it’s much better off just grabbing something pre-made from the store—and definitely go for the bulk size if you can find it!
Another thing—and I might be overthinking this, but hear me out—when you buy pure protein powder without all the extra carbs, you’re basically holding the keys to everything. If you want a gainer, you just add your own carbs. But if you go out and buy a pre-made gainer, you’re stuck with just that. You don't get the flexibility of a clean protein meal, you know? So, if you're actually trying to get the most bang for your buck—which, let's face it, we all should—I wouldn't suggest buying those mass gainers. Buying the protein gives you two options for the price of one, whereas the gainer just leaves you with one specific, rigid choice.

Joseph Stewart38 said:Regarding the whole glucose situation—it’s not really about whether it works for me or not. It’s not like I have some weird physical reaction where it sits heavy in my stomach or anything like that—my digestion is pretty chill, I guess—but I was mostly just wondering if there’s a better way to go about it. You know, something that isn't just straight-up sugar... turns out, pure sugar is a bit much.

It’s hard to say if there’s actually something "better"—I mean, what does that even mean? It doesn't necessarily have to be better for everyone else, just... better for you. You kind of have to play around with the different pieces, mix things up, and see what actually clicks—whatever feels right in the end.

It’s that old cliché, isn't it—no pain, no gain—and honestly, I’ve spent half my life wondering if we actually need the "pain" part to get anywhere. You see people at the local gym, pushing themselves until they’re practically seeing stars, and you have to wonder if they're actually making progress or just flirting with a trip to the urgent care clinic. It’s a bit of a grind, really—that constant push against resistance—but maybe there's something to it. Or maybe we just enjoy being slightly miserable for the sake of a goal. Who knows? Either way, it's a cycle. kaže:
jadedrifter2
Look, please—just stop with these so-called "tips" of yours. It’s getting a little embarrassing at this point. You really ought to just sit down and actually read some books for once.
Look, that’s just my two cents—and honestly, a pretty fair one if you ask me. Without actual arguments, this whole discussion is basically spinning its wheels, and playing semantic games with definitions isn't really going to get us anywhere either.
Look, I’m no expert—definitely not some kind of genius—but I do pick up a few basics here and there. I really feel like I should probably sit down and actually learn how the body processes energy... you know, the science behind it all. Look, you really ought to realize that energy is split into three distinct systems—systems that, if I'm being honest, you don't have the slightest clue how to wrap your head around. It’s really just the fundamentals—the kind of stuff you absolutely have to wrap your head around if you ever want to stop guessing and actually start building your own training program from scratch. Look, buttermilk just isn't whey—it’s not even in the same league. And honestly, I think you might have misread the situation there, too.You’re really just out here picking on everyone else—kind of a tough guy act, isn't it? 🤦

So, ATP, carbs, fats—do I really need to go into the specifics of metabolic timing for all that? And honestly, you had it wrong—energy doesn't exactly "split into three separate systems," but look, I really don't have the patience to keep correcting you on this...

Maybe take a quick look at the dictionary first—and then, if you really want to get technical, look into how whey is actually processed—and then just try to connect the dots... if you can.

They say there’s no pain, no gain—which is one of those classic clichés we all swallow just to get through the day—but I’ve always wondered if we take that a little too literally sometimes. It’s like when you hit the gym and feel that specific kind of ache the next morning... you tell yourself it's progress, though part of me suspects it might just be poor form or maybe just getting older than I’d care to admit. Still, I suppose if everything were easy, we wouldn't bother showing up at all, right? Just another one of those life lessons that sounds much deeper when you're actually mid-struggle than it does when you're sitting on the couch thinking about it.
Nah, you don't really need to listen to doctors, nutritionists, or fitness coaches—they usually don't get it anyway. People here on the forum actually have a better handle on certain things than they do 🙂
.

Just blindly following what they say won't get you anywhere, honestly—it’s mostly just contradictory stuff, three different perspectives clashing against each other... I could give you examples, but there's probably no point. It's not my goal to come in here and prove what I know or don't know to anyone; I just offer some friendly advice to people who ask for it. If you feel like your knowledge is somehow more superior, better, or more extensive than mine, then fine, whatever—nobody's forcing you to listen to me. But this stubborn back-and-forth where everything boils down to an ego trip over "who knows more" is just exhausting, so I'm stepping away from this conversation
.

Jason Campbell70 said:Whey:

Actually look at the ingredients before saying "it's good."

That’s kind of like if I showed you a picture of a carton of milk and tried to compare it directly to casein... this specific liquid whey isn't "good" because it's only about 1-2% actual whey, plus a bunch of other stuff that isn't great. This is just the byproduct left over from cheese production—the "water" they used to just toss out. When you buy actual whey powder, you're getting concentrated whey—and I'm not talking about processing methods like concentrate, isolate, or hydrolysate, just the raw amount of the actual ingredient—without all the junk that's present in this version.......for example, think about dark chocolate with 70-80% cocoa versus a cheap bar with 5 or 10%. The first one is healthy, the second isn't, even though they're both technically "chocolate"... you see what I mean?

slydriver52 said:If you look at the replies, you'll see he was responding to someone who keeps trying to "explain" to a third party that whey liquid isn't the same thing as whey protein. Here in the States, we know the difference between liquid whey and whey powder, even if the translations make them sound identical.
It's just total chaos, really🙂

Good grief, you are incredibly clueless and remarkably persistent with that stubbornness of yours...

jadedrifter2 said:I’m going to burn it all down. 😁 It’s honestly tough to pin down which shakes are truly the best. If you aren't interested in those pre-mixed powders, then I’d suggest sticking to what we talked about earlier: save that specific shake for after your workout, but before you start training, focus on getting some carbohydrates in—things like bananas, raisins, or even just some honey. You might want to consider switching to whey protein powder rather than those ready-to-drink liquid versions you see at places like Target or Walmart. A high-quality powder is much better for post-workout recovery because it's difficult to replicate those specific nutritional benefits with solid food alone. That said, grabbing a chocolate milk after a session isn't a bad idea either. I don't think you need to overthink your diet too much right now. Given your height and weight, you likely have a pretty fast metabolism, so you probably aren't struggling to keep weight on regardless. Just train hard and the results will follow.

I’m just sitting here jotting down those ingredients you mentioned for that shake recipe. I wanted to make sure I had it right. After my workout tonight, I decided to mix together an egg, some chocolate milk, and a banana—I actually cut out the Oreos this time around. To top it all off, I just finished a big serving of cottage cheese with olive oil and washed it down with two bottles of kefir. Honestly, I think I've hit my limit for the evening. 😁
It’s true, I really do have a very fast metabolism. During my second pregnancy, I gained about 40 pounds, but those extra pounds just melted away within a few months without me lifting a single finger. Honestly, I was eating like there was no tomorrow because my son was breastfeeding, and I didn't want to risk my milk supply drying up. But it doesn't matter; 150 is that stubborn number I just can't seem to move past, no matter what I do. At this point, I'm pretty sure hitting the gym is the only thing keeping me sane. 😍

"slydriver52"

Since you’re clearly spending all your time scouring the internet just to come here and lecture me, let me set the record straight: you’ve completely misinterpreted how energy systems work. ATP doesn't just dump energy into your system on command, and there isn't some magical stopwatch that marks exactly when one system switches to another. It’s not a black-and-white binary process. Besides, if you had any grasp of physiology, you’d realize that during a standard set of heavy lifting at the gym, glycogen depletion isn't even the main story. It all comes down to volume and intensity..............
I've had enough of this................

slydriver52 said:jadedrifter2

Look, if you're spending all your time digging through stuff online just to come over here and tell me I've misinterpreted how energy systems work... ATP doesn't just dump raw energy into the system at a specific, measurable second when one system kicks in versus another; it isn't really that black and white. Besides—and I'm assuming this part is obvious to you—when you're doing standard weightlifting at a place like Gold's Gym, your glycogen depletion isn't actually that massive. A lot of it comes down to volume and intensity, among other things...
I think we've reached the limit here...

The "smart" ones have had enough...

Of course you don't get it when you take everything you read at face value. ATP is a molecule where, essentially, adenosine triphosphate is broken down into adenosine diphosphate plus phosphate to generate energy. We have a general idea of how different systems release energy, but we don't have exact, granular data for every single moment. It isn't as black and white as you think. ATP, carbohydrates, and fats don't just "hand over" energy directly. The body undergoes specific metabolic processes to produce energy, so claiming that ATP, carbs, or fats provide energy is technically nonsense. That’s the crude reality.

Here is a decent article that provides some actual information; give it a read so you can learn something.
Once you finally grasp how the body utilizes energy, it should become obvious that you don't need glucose during a standard weightlifting session, let alone right before it. Even if you're doing high-intensity training with short breaks—like supersets used by advanced lifters—you don't need glucose because those sessions aren't long enough (roughly 40 minutes). For longer sessions like powerlifting, glucose isn't necessary because you're performing sets of five reps max, so there's no significant glycogen depletion. In a classic bodybuilding-style workout where sets last about 20-25 seconds at roughly 70% of your 1RM, with rests longer than 30 seconds over a 1 to 1.5-hour period, glycogen consumption isn't even a major factor.
And I won't write an entire essay here, but I'll just point out that spiking your blood sugar with glucose mid-workout is also a bad move because it can actually trigger fatigue.

http://www.kp-fitnes.com/strucni-cla...organizmu-1201

slydriver52 said:I mean, I definitely get sucked back in too—even though I’ve told myself a thousand times I’m done with these forum debates. Yet, here I am, popping up here and there, despite my colleagues telling me it’s a total waste of breath. It’s especially pointless trying to explain things to people who are dead set on believing bodybuilding myths.
This was actually the last thing I had to say about this topic! 🙂

slydriver52 said:jadedrifter2

Look, if you're spending all your time reading stuff online just to come over here and tell me I've misinterpreted energy systems, then we have a problem. ATP doesn't just dump energy directly into your system, nor is there some precise, clockwork moment when one specific system kicks in—you can't really view it in such black-and-white terms. Besides, if you follow that logic, I assume you also think glycogen depletion during a standard heavy lifting session at the gym isn't a major factor. So much depends on volume and intensity...
Honestly, I've had enough................

And then you just drop a third "educational" article on us

jadedrifter2 said:And then you drop a third "educational" article on us, too.

You're right. I should have walked away a long time ago; you’re just too stubborn to grasp the very things that would actually benefit you.
I have much more productive ways to spend my time than engaging in these debates...

Best regards,

Look, whey isn't the same thing as buttermilk, even if one is derived from the other; you can buy buttermilk separately at any grocery store. Some people drink buttermilk thinking it’ll hit them with the same anabolic effect as whey protein, which is why I said it doesn't really matter—but there is a distinction. It's like those folks who grab a handful of raisins before hitting the gym because someone told them to; sure, they're eating fruit, but that’s not exactly the same thing as consuming pure glucose. If we're going to talk about proteins, we need to actually differentiate between buttermilk and whey protein isolate. You still run into people out in rural areas who look at you sideways and ask why on earth you'd bother buying a tub of whey when you've got plenty of buttermilk sitting in the fridge at home.

Justin Harris12 said:Whey isn't just liquid whey... it's derived from it, sure, but they aren't the same thing. You can buy actual whey separately. Some people drink plain whey thinking it hits like whey protein powder, which is why I said it doesn't matter. It's like people grabbing a handful of raisins before a workout because someone told them to—that's not the same as eating pure glucose. If we're talking proteins, we need to distinguish between liquid whey and whey protein isolate. There are folks out in rural America who wonder why they’d bother buying supplements when they've got plenty of milk products at home.

so just read this

check this out too

basically, you have whey protein vs. actual liquid whey...

I wanted to clear up some confusion regarding whey versus whey protein: they aren't actually the same thing. Whey itself is the base material, which then undergoes filtration to create concentrates. From there, those undergo further processing—specifically through a steaming process—to extract the purest possible form, known as an isolate.