Help Please!

Hey Guys,

so I've been having protein shakes for a while now (one in the morning, one post workout) and have just bought some creatine monohydrate to try out.

My diet is very clean and consists of chicken, red meat, veggies, nuts and berries.

I'm on a very tight budget and can only afford to take 2 protein shakes a day, and 5g of creatine.

My question is when do you think is the best time to take these? should I remain having protein in the morning and after a workout, and take the 5g creatine with my post workout shake? or should I have 2.5g half hour BEFORE my workout, and 2.5g after?

Thanks so much to anyone who offers help!

It doesn't matter when you take your creatine, it doesn't make any difference to how much creatine your body ultimately stores.

As far as protein shakes, you want to sandwich your training bout with protein. But it doesn't have to be protein shakes, it can be whole protein too. Protein shakes in the morning are for people who want to eat in the morning but don't have the time or inclination to make breakfast. Protein shakes immediately before are for when you aren't able to eat for a while prior to training. Take the shake about an hour before. Shakes after are for when you won't be able to eat meal soon after training. Protein shakes in general are for when people can't eat enough whole protein.

Triangle,

Thanks so much for taking the time out to reply!

As for your comments about protein only being a meal replacement, I don't agree with this at all.

I know liquid protein to be the best thing to consume post workout due to the speed at which it's absorbed by the body, as opposed to protein in whole foods, which takes time to digest.

My goal in training is to get bigger but stay lean, so lean muscle mass.

Would I benefit from taking 2 protein shakes post workout? one immediately, and one an hour or so later? Or is it better to feed my body the protein first thing in the morning after the fast of sleep? or should i even have protein BEFORE my workout?

as for creatine, would 2.5g before and after be okay? or just 5g after?

Thanks so much.

Redlac said:

Triangle,

As for your comments about protein only being a meal replacement, I don't agree with this at all.

I know liquid protein to be the best thing to consume post workout due to the speed at which it's absorbed by the body, as opposed to protein in whole foods, which takes time to digest.

This is a myth. If faster digestion improves results then why hasn't whey been shown to be superior to casein or whole milk?

Would I benefit from taking 2 protein shakes post workout?

Compared to what?

Or is it better to feed my body the protein first thing in the morning after the fast of sleep?

It depends on when you workout. If you workout soon after waking, then yes. If not, then it doesn't make much of a difference.

or should i even have protein BEFORE my workout?

Yes, its best to have protein prior to training, whether its whole or supplement.

as for creatine, would 2.5g before and after be okay? or just 5g after?

Thanks so much.

It doesn't matter when its taken. Anything is ok.

Triangle, whey has not been shown superior but a combination has, thus it is possible to think that fast digestion from whey=best and then once that is digested the casein will 'take over' right away.