Shake Things Up | Building a Basic Protein Shake

It is important to get in your six small meals each day in order to hit your macronutrient requirement, which will help you to form the beach body physique you have been aiming for, right?

And this should be easy, because it’s not like you don’t have other stuff going on that would hinder you from gobbling down a piece of grilled chicken and a cup of brown rice for an afternoon snack.

Note the sarcasm.

This is where protein shakes come in handy. The best thing about them is that they are quick and easy to customize to your liking, giving you no excuse to miss a meal.

Here is what you’ll need to build a shake with a solid ratio of protein to carbohydrates to fat:

The Foundation: Protein

Whey, Casein or a blend of both types of protein will work well here depending on when you’re consuming them.

Morning: whey; for quick absorption from your near catabolic sleepy state

Post-Workout: whey; for rapid delivery to your thirsty muscles

Anytime Snack: a blend of both types of protein; for an immediate and sustained release of protein and amino acids to the muscle

Bedtime: casein; for a slow and steady release that will last throughout the night to hinder catabolism

The Goods: Fruit & Milk

The “goods” aspect of the shake is where you should be getting the majority of your vitamins and minerals along with some useful carbohydrates.

Fruit:

Fruit, as we all should know, carry an ample amount of vitamins, minerals and many other nutrients which are all essential for metabolic functions that will lead to further muscle growth and fat loss.

Choose from nutrient-dense fruits, such as bananas, strawberries or blueberries. They contain an abundance of potassium and antioxidants that are key nutrients for anyone who plans to implement exercise with their healthy eating habits.

Skim Milk:

Skim milk has calcium and vitamin D to help big strong bones…not to mention the extra eight grams of protein per cup that it carries. No wonder it “does a body good.”

*Be aware of how much you consume because of its high sugar content. Try and limit milk in your shakes for the morning or post-workout.

Fatty Goodness

Coconut Milk:

This creamy goodness has about 10 -12 grams of healthy fat per 1/4 cup, which aids in boosting testosterone. It also adds a creamy and smooth consistency that most homemade shakes are missing.

All-Natural Peanut Butter (or any nut butter):

Besides its great taste, peanut butter carries about 16 grams of healthy fats that aid in fat oxidation and fight inflammation. Add this to any shake you’re looking to boost the calories in, or densify the nutritional profile.

Go Get Shakin’

So there you have the 101 of Building a Protein Shake. Remember to use a quality blender and vary the amount of ice depending on how you prefer the consistency. More ice will give you more of a smoothie, which can be a great alternative to a plain blended shake. If you want to get aggressive, add in some raw oats, spinach for fiber and potassium, sliced almonds or your girlfriend’s cell phone – that’ll stop her texting for at least a night.

How do you make shakes?

In a blender? With Haagen-Dazs? Or do you just listen to Latin music really loud while watching Dancing with the Stars?

We want to hear about in the comments!