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I am bulking and have crafted a shake that I drink 2x a day. Does this shake provide accurate nutritional value for bulking? What should I add/remove?
The shake:
1 banana (105 cal)
3 packets of original quaker's oatmeal (100 cal each)
1 tbsp peanut butter (100 cal)
1 scoop Gladiator protein powder (25g protein)(110 cal)
1 cup milk (100 cal)
Ice
Bulking is a process by which a sustained calorie surplus (along with sufficient protein) is used in conjunction with resistance training to maximize an individual's potential rate of muscle growth. To maximize muscle protein synthesis, you want to be consuming something like 20-40 grams of protein 3-6 times per day with 3-5 hours between each meal (while also training). The muscle building benefit of a protein shake is that it is a fast to digest source of protein, and the most appropriate time to use such a shake is after a workout.
With that said, let's review your shake.
Pros
Cons
Unless you're just struggling to eat enough calories there is no need for you to have this many calories in the shake (much less to have it twice a day). I would suggest dropping your shake down to just skim milk & protein powder (as well as any specific flavorings/texture modifiers you would like to toss in). If you need the extra carbs for sports, that's fine, but if you're only doing resistance training it doesn't make sense to have that much.
