Eat 6 meals to see results. Fact or Fiction?
You’ve probably been told that the only way to burn fat, build muscle, or “eat right” is by prepping and eating 6 full meals a day. And while that can work ... it's just not realistic for most people (myself included).
Life's busy ... I get it. Between work, kids, appointments, and everyday chaos, sitting down for six perfectly portioned whole food meals just isn’t in the cards.
But I've got good news: you can absolutely get in great shape without living in the kitchen.
Now before I get into why you don't need to live in the kitchen to see results ... let's talk about where the "6 meals a day" concept comes from.
Do you need to eat 6 meals per day to see results?
It's a little better to think about it in terms of 3 meals per day and a few snacks ... not as overwhelming as thinking about sitting down and eating 6 cooked meals every 3 hours (because who can really do that, ya know?). If you can ... more power to you. Keep it up!
But even 3 meals per day and some snacks can sound daunting to most of us ... it's just a lot more food than most people are used to eating.
But for lack of a better way to say it ... that's also a big reason why most people struggle to see fitness results.
They're lacking major nutrients in their diet ... the biggest being protein.
Most people just flat out don't eat enough protein ... because it's hard to eat the amount of protein you need in just 2-3 meals per day (which is how most people eat).
So, that's often why we preach eating 6 protein-based meals per day (or 3 meals + a few snacks) ... because you're much more likely to hit your daily protein goal if you do so.
When you consistently hit your protein goal:
-You burn more fat
-You build more muscle
-You have better appetite control
-You can even improve your blood sugar (which can help your daily energy levels)
Protein consumption is a crucial key to long-term fitness success ... period.
The only problem is ... it's not incredibly convenient to shove down a protein-based meal every couple hours.
That takes a lot of planning, a lot of cooking, a lot of food prep containers & dishes ... and it's tough to make time for all that.
And again, there's good news ... you don't have to do all that to see results and hit your protein goal.
Sustained Assimilation Protein Shakes: Not a Shortcut (Just a Smart Addition to Your Plan)
To me (and I’ve been doing this a long time) … the most helpful supplement out there is what’s called a Sustained Assimilation Protein Shake.
It’s simple … but incredibly effective.
It’s just a slower digesting protein shake, typically used as a meal replacement. It’s going to provide a slower feed of protein to your body (over multiple hours) … just like eating a chicken breast, lean beef, Greek yogurt, etc.
These shakes can be subbed in as a breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack.
They help you stay full, balance out cravings … and provide the essential amino acids you need to build muscle & burn body fat.
Think of how easy it can be if you’re already eating the normal breakfast, lunch and dinner … you could skyrocket your results by just adding something like a Sustained Shake in your day as an extra snack or two.
This can add anywhere from 25-100g of extra protein to your day … making it extremely easy to hit that protein goal (leading to much better results in the long run).
The best part, it requires no complete overhaul of your current diet, no extra cooking … just an added layer of convenience to make your life easier (and fitness results better).
Simply adding in 1-2 Sustained Shakes to your day will:
-Boost fat loss, muscle building, and muscle retention
-Help eliminate sweet and salty cravings
-Improve blood sugar
-Lessen snacking and overeating
-Create adherence & consistency to your fitness plan (the key to results!)
…plus, they’re fast, hard to mess up, and you can make a “meal or snack” in less in 60 seconds.
Not to mention, per serving … they’re going to be much more affordable than almost any other whole food protein sources. You’re looking at $1.80ish for 25 grams of high-quality protein. That’s hard to beat.
Quality Control: What to Look for in Sustained Assimilation Protein Shakes
There’s countless Sustained Assimilation Shakes to choose from … which is a great thing. So many delicious flavors … there’s something for everyone.
But above all else, quality is what makes the difference.
Some quality checkpoints to consider when grabbing a Sustained Assimilation Protein Shake Include:
-Cross-Flow Micro-filtration (a natural processing method used on protein powders)
-Low Temperature Processing (low-heat processing method that preserves the quality of protein powder)
-Clean, easy-to-digest ingredients
These methods help ensure you’re getting a quality product … where your body can easily breakdown the protein and use it for your fitness goal.
Who Benefits from these Shakes?
Well … everyone can benefit from these shakes. Like we’ve already talked about, hardly anyone is consistently hitting their daily protein goal. Even us as fitness professionals struggle on a daily basis to get enough protein in.
And remember, hitting your protein goal is one of the biggest keys in seeing the best possible results … particularly the people looking to build muscle & burn fat (which is just about all of us).
So, if you skip meals, run on nothing but caffeine, swing through drive-thrus & gas stations consistently for “snacks”, or you just simply struggle to hit your protein goal for fat loss and/or muscle building … you can (and probably should) be using a Sustained Assimilation Protein Powder.
It’s not only a better option … it’s a smarter option.
Finding the Best Option for You
There are tons and tons of options when it comes to Sustained Assimilation Shakes. And like we’ve already talked about … they very well could be the missing piece to your fitness results.
At Supplement Superstores, our Sports Nutrition Specialists will be happy to walk you through some options … and help you find which shakes fit your personal needs, goals & taste buds.
Just swing by your nearest S2 Location and we’ll be happy to get you taken care of!
*This article was written by Andrew Lynn, who has a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. He is also a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist.