Protein bars vs. shakes

[Boots Riley]

Would both do me some good? I got into an argument with someone at GNC today. They kept trying to get me to buy some generic weight gainer (which I did not want) to replace them with. Anyway, it got me the thinking. I wanted the bars to replace a meal or two during the day. I also wanted the shakes for before or after my workouts. Is that too much or should I stick with just one of them?

 

[marqui77]

I would avoid most bars like the plague, they often time have the same amount of fat, sugar and calories as a snickers bar, however there are a few good low carb and oatmeal/protien bars. Shakes on the other had most are made with minimal fat and carbs, and they the best route to go imo.

 

[pintoca]

skip bars except for the most outrageous situations where it is really impossible to get a regulart meal... even in that case, try to get a good quality bar (I tried Weider's 42% Protein a couple of times, it is supossed to be the only bar out there with more protein than carbs).

as for shakes... you only need a simple whey isolate and some dextrose for your PWO.

Really man, you want to grow, you need to eat, real food, don't make your diet dependant on shakes/bars

 

[vin01]

you could make your own protien bars..
cheaper and customized.

there are several recipes floating around the boards here.
I have not yet made any myself, but plan to make a ton when i'm back in school.

 

[Railgun]

I think a shake would be a good idea (especially after a workout), but I'd skip the bars. I never could get one down without drinking about half a gallon of water with it. The shakes taste a lot better too.

 

[Boots Riley]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to get some whey before school starts next week. Another question:

Do I need a carb and fat with my shakes? I looked on the back of a bottle and the carbs/fat were extremely low. I just want to get everything as if I were eating a meal.

 

[Mammoth2500]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to get some whey before school starts next week. Another question:

Do I need a carb and fat with my shakes? I looked on the back of a bottle and the carbs/fat were extremely low. I just want to get everything as if I were eating a meal.

If your using it as a meal replacement then i would say that its a good idea to have some fat in there. Fat is essential to good diets as well.

 

[mm107]

Read my thread on my protein bars ill goo look for it now. Ingrediants are all Real foods + Whey. So its vey good combo. Plus all macros balanced. ALOT OF CARBS ALOT OF PROTIEN And ALOT OF EFA FATS(All natural peanut butter bars).

NOT ALOT but its an ALL Around meal equally balanced. Plus they taste great, small, and are a shitload of cals.

 

[rbtrout]

If you're wanting to gain size, you need to eat - more cals than you burn each day. If you have a lack of time, adding some weight gainer powder to a protein shake isn't a bad idea or mrp's and mrb's aren't a bad idea, either. In the afternoons, I add 1/2 scoop of ON's Serious Mass (low sugar) to 2 scoops of ON's Pro Complex in 12 oz of water. I'm getting around 600 cals, high protein and low sugar. I do that because it's quick and I don't have a lot time to eat a full meal. In the am, I switch it up. Protein shake with a small meal or protein shake with an Avid Source carmel peanut roll. 24 g's of protein with 22 g's of carbs and 6 g's of fat.
As far as fat goes, flax seed oil & olive oil are both good sources of good fat. A tablespoon of either is usually about 130 cals.
If time isn't a factor, then you're definitely better off eating solid foods. Either way, if you're eating properly, you can gain decent mass with minimal bf% gains.