We get this question asked a lot by newcomers to the lifting lifestyle. Don’t fret, supplements can be very confusing and protein powders are no different. The short answer is, no they aren’t necessary. BUT….
If you want to make your gains easier, after protein powders are SUPPLEMENTS not food, then yes you should drink them. For starters, protein shakes are huge time savers. What food can you whip up in the 10 seconds it takes you to pour and shake protein powder into a bottle that will deliver 25 grams of protein just like that?
That’s convenient! But if you are trying to bulk you know how hard it is to hit those clean calories in such large quantities, i.e. 3500 calories in a day. A protein shake will allow you to push yourself even after you feel like you can’t have another bite.
But here’s the thing, protein powders and shakes are just supplements. Like any supplement, they aren’t a requirement and not taking them isn’t going to kill you in the gym. Will it make it easier? Heck yes!
Cheers!