Should I Drink Protein Shakes On Rest Days?

One of the most common questions before fitness enthusiasts is whether or not they should drink protein shakes on rest days.

Quick Summary

Yes, drinking protein shakes on rest days supports muscle repair and growth while maintaining consistent protein intake.

The answer is quite simple, your body requires proper nutrients every day (be it a workout day or a rest day).

Fitness enthusiasts require protein to support muscle growth and recovery on workout and rest days.

Therefore, it makes sense to consume protein shakes on rest days to optimize muscle recovery. The best thing is that you can consume protein shakes any time of the day or night.

This is primarily because consuming the right amount of protein every day is more important than the timing of consuming protein.

Why Consume Protein Shakes On Rest Days?

Protein shakes should be consumed every day because they:

• Support tissue healing and muscle growth
• Help your muscles grow, heal, repair, and recover
• Boost metabolism
• Increase the calories your body burns when you are resting
• Stay fuller longer
• Help you receive all the food, protein, and nutrients you need even on rest days
• Help you stay in top shape, especially if you don't have time to prepare nutritious meals
• Provide the correct amount of protein for your daily fitness needs and overall goals
• Protein shakes are reliable and safe if they are for a portion of your daily protein intake

Will Drinking A Protein Shake On Rest Days Help Me Achieve My Goals?

Protein shakes are an excellent option for elite athletes, powerlifters, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts who want to build muscle or lose fat.

Studies have demonstrated that whey supplementation can significantly enhance protein metabolism while speeding up the otherwise tedious and complicated process of muscle recovery.

Moreover, whey supplementation can reduce muscle soreness, damage, and fatigue.

However, it's important that you choose the right protein shake for your fitness requirements, based on your goals.

• Building muscle: If your primary goal is to build granite-solid muscle, you should buy protein powders that have a high biological value to support muscle growth. The biological value of a protein powder is how well it can be absorbed and utilized by the body. For muscle building, whey protein and whey protein isolate are excellent choices.

• Losing weight: If you want to get rid of stubborn abdominal and visceral fat, you should buy protein shakes with no added dextrins, sugars, or maltodextrins. If weight loss is your primary goal, you should not buy protein powders with added branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) unless you have a highly efficient diet and workout plan as they can promote muscle growth and lead to weight gain.

Whether your primary fitness goal is to improve overall fitness, lose weight, or build solid muscles, you should always remember that recovery days are the golden days when the real magic (muscle growth, healing, repair, and recovery) happens.

This is the biggest reason why fitness enthusiasts make it a point to consume protein shakes on even rest days.

Is It Safe To Drink A Protein Shake Every Day?

It is perfectly safe to consume premium-grade protein shakes every day. However, you should use them as per the instructions on the product pack or as advised by your doctor.

You should never overdose on or abuse protein shakes. The use of protein shakes is generally not advised to pregnant, breastfeeding, and lactating women, unless otherwise specifically recommended by your doctor.