If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

The Muscle and Brawn Forum is dedicated to no nonsense muscle and strength building. If you need advice that works, you have come to the right place. This forum focuses on building strength and muscle using the basics. You will also find that the Muscle and Brawn community stresses encouragement and respect. Trolls and name calling are not allowed here. No matter what your personal goals are, you will be given effective advice that produces results.

Please consider registering. It takes 30 seconds, and will allow you to get the most out of the forum.

Muscle Building and BodybuildingTopics related to muscle building, bodybuilding, including training and fullbody workouts. If you are looking for great advice on gaining muscle this forum is for you.

Do you all still take your protein shakes a on days you do not lift? Should I skip it if I am not working out?

If you like to drink Protein Drinks on rest days, and this assists you to hit your protein goal, by all means do so. If you want to replace the Protein drink with a hard protein (such as Ham, etc), you can do this as well. The main point being, is to attempt to hit your protein (and other macro) goals each day--whether its a rest day or workout day.

What are your current personal goals?

I ask this because how one partitions their macro nutrients within their personal calorie allotment, depends on the goal one seeks. If one is restricting calories for example (dependent on current physical disposition, and calorie deficit), the focus point may be a bit different as compared to one eating in a personal calorie surplus.

In addition, if one is in a calorie deficit, for some its not a good idea to drink their calories, as this has a faster rate of digestion as compared to a harder form of protein (such as fish, beef, turkey, and so on). In this personal situation, one may opt to eat hard protein most of the time, and use protein drinks sparingly (like in the life-event where hitting your protein target may become difficult), or pre and post workout conditions.

In contrast, if one is eating in a surplus (to put on good weight), drinking calories (such as protein drinks) generally is not that a great of an issue.

The main focus, at least in my opinion, is to hit your protein (and macro) targets each day, whether its in liquid form (Whey, etc), and/or hard protein items. And, whether its on a rest day or workout day, it simply doesn't make a difference.

And, lastly to answer your question in a different way. You DO NOT NEED any sort of Protein Drink (whether its casein, whey, or whatever protein), if you are able to get enough protein simply through solid foods. So in this sense, no you do not have to have a protein drink on rest days or workout days, if you are getting enough in your normal but targeted eating habits. Just simply hit your targets each day, despite which day it is.

The main focus, at least in my opinion, is to hit your protein (and macro) targets each day, whether its in liquid form (Whey, etc), and/or hard protein items. And, whether its on a rest day or workout day, it simply doesn't make a difference.