Should You Drink Protein Shakes on a Rest Day?

Hello Ziddis! Are we even fitness enthusiasts if we haven’t considered protein powders even once in the earlier days of our fitness journey? We all know protein shakes have become a staple in fitness routines but a question popped up. Do we need to drink protein shakes on a rest day? Let us hop in and understand more about this to find an answer.

Benefits of Protein Diet

Protein is a super essential macronutrient that plays a crucial role in:

• Muscle building
• Muscle repair
• Muscle maintenance
• Keeping you full and satiated
• Controlling your appetite
• Helping you improve your metabolism by maintaining a steady metabolic rate even at rest
• Fortify your immune system
• Regulate your hormone production

Read Also: Your Complete Guide to a Plant Based Protein Diet

Best Protein Diet

We all have different dietary preferences, whether personal, religious, or allergies. Hence it is important to find protein sources for all sorts of diets. While protein shakes are great and can be a part of all dietary preferences, you may not always get enough protein for your daily requirement from just the protein shake. It is important to include other sources of protein in your diet. Some of the best protein diets are:

• Animal source: eggs, chicken, fish, lean meat.
• Dairy sources: paneer, Greek yoghurt.
• Plant source: almond milk, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, nuts and seeds.

A good mix of these foods ensures you get all the essential amino acids along with proteins needed for muscle maintenance and recovery.

Benefits of Protein Shakes on Rest Days

We often associate protein shakes with workout days. But are we doing it wrong? Should we be having protein shakes on rest days too? Here is how protein shakes help:

• They are a quick and easy way to meet our daily protein requirements halfway.
• They support our muscle recovery even without exercising because our muscles need amino acids at all times for wear and tear.
• Protein shakes on rest days help maintain lean muscles by preventing muscle loss.
• Even on a rest day, your body undergoes similar patterns of hunger. By having protein shakes on rest days, your body will stay satiated and prevent you from overeating on cravings.

Skipping protein on rest days can slow recovery and even lead to muscle loss over time so make sure to stay consistent with your protein intake.

Best Protein Shakes to Consider

MuscleBlaze would love to give recommendations on types of protein shake bases you should consider depending on your fitness goals.

• Whey protein isolate is for fast absorption and is great for post-workout recovery.
• Casein protein is slow digesting due to lactose in it but it is ideal for overnight muscle repair.
• Plant-based proteins like oats protein or soy protein are great for vegans and lactose-intolerant people.
• Blended proteins are a mix of fast and slow-digesting proteins that help in the sustained release of amino acids.

Best Way to Get Protein on Rest Days

You may have understood by now how important protein is even on rest days. Here is how you can get your daily quota of protein on a rest day:

• Do not skip your protein shake
• Have whole foods and fit foods for natural nutrients
• Spread our protein intake evenly throughout your meals for better absorption of proteins
• Combine different protein sources to get the added benefits of amino acids.

Takeaway

You can and should have protein on rest days! Your body continues to repair and rebuild muscle, even without exercise. Having whole foods is always the best approach but a good protein shake can help fill the gaps when needed. Stay consistent with your protein intake and you’ll see better muscle recovery and overall fitness progress.

Sources:

https://www.geneticnutrition.in/blogs/genetic-life/protein-shake-on-rest-days?srsltid=AfmBOorSMF14qN6nBfncirNMD0QLwfl5GxZKxPCN48JLTCsjcvT1z0-l

https://blog.nasm.org/what-to-eat-on-rest-days-to-best-support-muscle-growth