Best protein powders for muscle gain?

silvergull68 said:Do protein shakes actually make you gain weight?

Nope. Not really.

-Steve

briskjackal5 said:No.

-Steve

Protein alone doesn't make you gain weight. It's the caloric surplus that does the work—which, by the way, can easily happen if you're bumping up your protein intake too much.

but that would require a massive amount of protein, and probably some specific protein supplements too, I guess?

Look, if you’re slamming way too much protein, you’re basically just feeding your muscles extra fuel—it's extra nutrients for growth! But carbs? If you go overboard on those, that's where the real trouble starts because all that excess just turns straight into body fat.
- It’s funny how people—especially women—seem to think that once they start sipping on protein shakes (which are usually about 85% pure protein anyway), they’re suddenly going to wake up looking like a massive bodybuilder. Newsflash: ladies, your physiology isn't wired to just balloon up with muscle overnight. And honestly, look at all those guys grinding away at the gym every single day, sweating their lives out on the machines... if gaining mass were actually that easy, everyone would just be standing around shaking up bottles instead of doing the hard work. 🤣
A shake is best used right after your workout to get the most bang for your buck. Or, if you're someone trying to drop some weight, it can actually work as a dinner replacement—it keeps your calories low and stops you from reaching for something stupid like a chocolate bar, since the flavor of the shake usually hits the spot enough to satisfy that craving. 😉

dustyotter11 said:But wouldn't that require a massive amount of protein, and probably some specific supplements?

Exactly.
Protein provides 4 calories per gram. Just like carbohydrates. Interesting, isn't it?
The thing is, hitting high carb numbers is much easier than hitting high protein targets.

Jason Campbell70 said:Yeah.
Protein calories hit at 4 kcal per gram, which is—get this—exactly the same as carbs. Pretty wild, right?
But I guess hitting high carb numbers is way easier than smashing enough protein.

Maybe I’m not explaining this right since I'm just a total amateur here, but even if the calorie count is technically the same, I'm assuming they aren't really the 'same kind' of calories...
I mean, proteins get absorbed differently by the body, so those calories probably get 'stored' totally differently than carbs do...

Am I onto something here?🤷

I’ve been hitting the gym consistently for about a year now, and honestly, I've seen some solid muscle gains. But about two weeks ago, I decided to start messing around with some SCITEC NUTRITION MASS protein. And man, it’s been a disaster. Every single time I drink it, I end up feeling absolutely nauseous. Like, really sick. Does anyone actually know why this happens? It's driving me crazy because a few other guys I know who use this exact same stuff swear they don't have any issues at all. What gives?

It’s possible you're reacting poorly to the dextrose or maltodextrin. The supplement you picked isn't pure protein; it's loaded with carbohydrates as well. Once you have some extra cash to spare, look into getting some EAS protein—they're excellent.

Quick question for the group—do you think sticking with egg whites is actually better, or should I just grab some protein powder while I'm at the gym?

goldenfox24 said:Quick question—are egg whites better, or should I just grab some protein powder at the gym?

It really depends on what you're trying to do. If we're talking about that post-workout window, don't even bother with egg whites; you definitely want to go with a whey protein for that. During the rest of the day, though, whole eggs are probably your best bet since whey hits your system way too fast, and you don't want that extra energy just turning into fat. Also, please, for the love of everything, do NOT drink raw eggs. Your body won't absorb the protein nearly as well, plus you're basically playing Russian roulette with salmonella or bird flu. Just cook up a batch of 5 or 6 eggs—eat two or three whole ones and just use the whites for the rest.

So, I just finished swimming a mile out in the ocean—and honestly, I was moving at about twice my usual pace—and now I'm sitting here thinking I probably shouldn't be snacking on egg whites right away... hmm... which means I really ought to head over to the gym and grab one of those protein shakes instead.

You can definitely eat egg whites, just make sure you don't go eating them raw.

Seriously, how is whey protein going to turn into body fat? That’s incredibly rare, considering protein calories are burned off much faster than carbs or fats.

You could always just stick to egg whites after a workout, though you'd have to consume a massive amount of them, and they digest a bit slower than whey. When you actually run the numbers, whey ends up being more cost-effective than buying eggs. 😉

slytrucker47 said:How on earth would whey turn into fat? That’s highly unlikely, since protein calories burn off much faster than carbs or fats.

You could just eat egg whites after your workout instead, though you'd need to consume quite a few, and they digest slower than whey. When you actually run the numbers, whey ends up being cheaper than buying egg whites.😉

Whey isn't going to turn into fat, but it will convert into glucose if your glycogen levels are low—like if you're drinking whey on an empty stomach in the morning or right after intense cardio.

That's nonsense; proteins don't burn faster than carbs. They do, however, burn faster than fats.

You should always consume carbs, or a mix of carbs and whey, following a workout.

goldenfox24 said:Quick question: are egg whites better, or should I just buy protein powder at the gym?

Fix your diet. Cut out the junk—fast food, burgers, soda, alcohol—and just train. That's it. Whey won't do anything for you if your nutrition is garbage; remember, whey is just a supplement, an addition to your diet, not a fix. You can eat whole eggs too, because the yolk actually has way more nutritional value than anything harmful in it.
http://forum.teretana.net/viewforum.php?f=18
http://forum.teretana.net/viewforum.php?f=2

goldenfox24 said:Quick question—is it better to just stick with egg whites, or should I actually bother buying protein powder at the gym?

If you're talking about PWM, then whey is probably the better way to go.

Olivia Kelly46 said:Fix your diet—cut out the junk food (think greasy burgers, fast food, soda, alcohol) and hit the gym, and you're basically there! Honestly, whey protein won't do much for you if your nutrition is a mess; that's exactly why they call it a supplement or just an "add-on" to your diet. Also, don't be afraid of whole eggs—the yolks actually pack way more nutritional value than anything harmful!
http://forum.teretana.net/viewforum.php?f=18
http://forum.teretana.net/viewforum.php?f=2

I feel like my diet is actually pretty dialed in😁—I've stopped hitting up fast food joints, and I don't drink or smoke anymore, so I'm feeling good overall. However, I really want to bump up my strength—it's been a bit tough because I had to take a month-long break from the gym due to work—and I'm looking to put on some muscle mass. The thing is, no matter how much I eat, it feels like nothing is sticking.

That’s a solid training approach; using a pyramidal weight increase throughout your sets should serve you well. If you really want to go for it, pick up some creatine—it isn't some magic pill, but it does help. For actual muscle mass, stick to whey protein and focus on your diet; since you mentioned you've already sorted out your nutrition, you shouldn't run into any issues.

Bryan Fowler4 said:after training pwm:
whey protein + glucose

eat at least 6 solid meals a day, spaced out every 2-3 hours

oh, and you should probably focus on bulking first since you're way too light for your height...

yeah yeah blah blah, there are like 1000 threads just like this... maybe try searching once in a while

Like, what kind of logic is he using to decide he's too underweight?

Samuel Morales said:What kind of scale is he using to say he's underweight?

The scale being that a man with a standard build at that height should weigh at least twenty pounds more.🤷