28-Days-to-Lean Meal Plan
With the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded in just 28 days.
Read articleWith the right plan and the right discipline, you can get seriously shredded in just 28 days.
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Read articleEach of the following shakes makes one serving and fits into a certain point on your schedule. One warning, though: After trying these, you may not be able to go back to plain protein powder and water ever again.
7 Muscle-Building Shakes
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When to take: bedtime>> 1 cup fat-free milk
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 1 packet Swiss Miss Diet Milk Chocolate hot cocoa
>> 1⁄2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
Heat milk until hot (but not boiling) and pour in blender. Add protein, cocoa and cottage cheese; blend until mostly smooth.
Tip: Wondering why there’s no casein in this nighttime beverage? Cottage cheese provides all the slow-digesting protein you need to get through the night.
Nutrition Facts: 275 calories, 44 g protein, 20 g carbs, 1 g fat, 0 g fiber
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When to take: post-workout>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1 scoop vanilla casein protein
>> 1⁄2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
>> 11⁄2 cups root beer
In a separate bowl, slowly mix the protein powders into the yogurt, adding a little at a time and stirring well to avoid clumping. Pour root beer into a large glass and carefully add yogurt mixture. Do not stir.
Tip: The root beer’s carbonation makes this an extremely frothy shake to prepare, even though there’s no actual shaking. Make sure to use a much larger glass than normal.
Nutrition Facts: 443 calories, 48 g protein, 61 g carbs, 1 g fat, 1 g fiber
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When to take: morning or pre-workout>> 1 cup water
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1⁄2 can sliced peaches in juice, drained
>> 1 packet Quaker Lower Sugar Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal
Combine all ingredients; blend.
Tip: Unless you like the grit of uncooked oatmeal, you’ll need to pull out the big guns for this recipe. Use either a blender or an immersion blender.
Nutrition Facts: 305 calories, 24 g protein, 49 g carbs, 2 g fat, 3 g fiber
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When to take: morning or pre-workout>> 1 cup orange juice
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1⁄2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
Combine all ingredients; blend.
Tip: Be sure you buy real orange juice, not orange “drinks” or anything with less than 100% fruit juice.
Nutrition Facts: 280 calories, 27 g protein, 43 g carbs, 1 g fat, 2 g fiber
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When to take: pre-workout>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 1 cup fat-free milk
>> 1⁄2 Clif Chocolate Brownie bar, finely chopped
>> 1⁄4 cup chopped almonds
Put protein in milk and mix well. Top with Clif bar and almonds.
Tip: Keep a spoon handy for eating this shake — the bar and almonds will settle to the bottom of your glass.
Nutrition Facts: 457 calories, 39 g protein, 41 g carbs, 17 g fat, 8 g fiber
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When to take: morning or pre-workout
>> 1 cup fat-free milk
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 2 Tbsp. peanut butter
>> 1 medium banana
Combine all ingredients; blend.
Tip: Look for natural peanut butter, which won’t have added sweeteners or stabilizers. Don’t be concerned if there’s a layer of oil at the top; just stir that in before using, then store the jar in the fridge.
Nutrition Facts: 461 calories, 37 g protein, 46 g carbs, 16 g fat, 2 g fiber
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When to take: morning or pre-workout>> 1 cup hot coffee
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 2 Tbsp. honey
Combine all ingredients; mix.
Tip: Fitting this shake into your low-carb diet is easy — just cut the honey.
Nutrition Facts: 215 calories, 20 g protein, 36 g carbs, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber
8 of 8
When to take: post-workout>> 2 cups lemonade
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1 scoop vanilla casein protein
Add ingredients to receptacle of choice and shake or stir to combine.
Tip: Look for an all-natural lemonade that contains sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Besides being unhealthy in large amounts, HFCS is not the best form of sugar to have in your postworkout shake.
Nutrition Facts: 445 calories, 43 g protein, 65 g carbs, 1 g fat, 0 g fiber
When to take: bedtime
>> 1 cup fat-free milk
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 1 packet Swiss Miss Diet Milk Chocolate hot cocoa
>> 1⁄2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
Heat milk until hot (but not boiling) and pour in blender. Add protein, cocoa and cottage cheese; blend until mostly smooth.
Tip: Wondering why there’s no casein in this nighttime beverage? Cottage cheese provides all the slow-digesting protein you need to get through the night.
Nutrition Facts: 275 calories, 44 g protein, 20 g carbs, 1 g fat, 0 g fiber
When to take: post-workout
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1 scoop vanilla casein protein
>> 1⁄2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
>> 11⁄2 cups root beer
In a separate bowl, slowly mix the protein powders into the yogurt, adding a little at a time and stirring well to avoid clumping. Pour root beer into a large glass and carefully add yogurt mixture. Do not stir.
Tip: The root beer’s carbonation makes this an extremely frothy shake to prepare, even though there’s no actual shaking. Make sure to use a much larger glass than normal.
Nutrition Facts: 443 calories, 48 g protein, 61 g carbs, 1 g fat, 1 g fiber
When to take: morning or pre-workout
>> 1 cup water
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1⁄2 can sliced peaches in juice, drained
>> 1 packet Quaker Lower Sugar Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal
Combine all ingredients; blend.
Tip: Unless you like the grit of uncooked oatmeal, you’ll need to pull out the big guns for this recipe. Use either a blender or an immersion blender.
Nutrition Facts: 305 calories, 24 g protein, 49 g carbs, 2 g fat, 3 g fiber
When to take: morning or pre-workout
>> 1 cup orange juice
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1⁄2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
Combine all ingredients; blend.
Tip: Be sure you buy real orange juice, not orange “drinks” or anything with less than 100% fruit juice.
Nutrition Facts: 280 calories, 27 g protein, 43 g carbs, 1 g fat, 2 g fiber
When to take: pre-workout
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 1 cup fat-free milk
>> 1⁄2 Clif Chocolate Brownie bar, finely chopped
>> 1⁄4 cup chopped almonds
Put protein in milk and mix well. Top with Clif bar and almonds.
Tip: Keep a spoon handy for eating this shake — the bar and almonds will settle to the bottom of your glass.
Nutrition Facts: 457 calories, 39 g protein, 41 g carbs, 17 g fat, 8 g fiber
When to take: morning or pre-workout
>> 1 cup fat-free milk
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 2 Tbsp. peanut butter
>> 1 medium banana
Combine all ingredients; blend.
Tip: Look for natural peanut butter, which won’t have added sweeteners or stabilizers. Don’t be concerned if there’s a layer of oil at the top; just stir that in before using, then store the jar in the fridge.
Nutrition Facts: 461 calories, 37 g protein, 46 g carbs, 16 g fat, 2 g fiber
When to take: morning or pre-workout
>> 1 cup hot coffee
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 2 Tbsp. honey
Combine all ingredients; mix.
Tip: Fitting this shake into your low-carb diet is easy — just cut the honey.
Nutrition Facts: 215 calories, 20 g protein, 36 g carbs, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber
When to take: post-workout
>> 2 cups lemonade
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1 scoop vanilla casein protein
Add ingredients to receptacle of choice and shake or stir to combine.
Tip: Look for an all-natural lemonade that contains sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Besides being unhealthy in large amounts, HFCS is not the best form of sugar to have in your postworkout shake.
Nutrition Facts: 445 calories, 43 g protein, 65 g carbs, 1 g fat, 0 g fiber
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