Did I mention protein powders make me sick? Well, not literally of course. At least I've been fortunate enough to avoid any spoiled or contaminated protein products. What I mean is that I've gotten really bored with drinking the same protein shakes every day. That got me thinking about an important question: is it really necessary to drink protein shakes in order to gain muscle?

My answer would be no way. As you probably know, you have to combine weight training with a proper meal plan to grow muscle. That diet must include sufficient calories and lots of protein (as well as healthy carbohydrates and fats, believe it or not). You can definitely eat solid foods, and in fact that is where most of your calories should come from. Eggs, fish, chicken, and other sources provide you with tastier ways to get your protein, but you will need a lot of it! That's where it gets tricky. You see, you'll probably need quite a bit of protein if you are trying to put on large quantities of muscle. The exact amount will depend on lots of factors including your current weight, your exact muscle building goals, and your metabolism.

However, many muscle experts and bodybuilding gurus will tell you that your protein requirements will be quite high such as 1.5 g of protein per pound of body weight. That's a lot of protein! Beginners can especially find it challenging to get enough protein in their diet. It's easy to see how protein shakes could supplement your diet.

But what about the boring taste of protein shakes? Well, you can try different Brands for one thing, but you might still be disappointed by the bland taste. Of course, a simple thing you can do to improve the taste is to add some kind of flavor to your otherwise bland shakes. Fruit, peanut butter, flax seeds, even chocolate (but watch that sugar!) can add some much needed zest to your daily routine. An even better option might be to find a set of protein shake recipes that will spice up your drinks and make your diet a little more exciting. While you're at it, you might as well pick a comprehensive muscle building program that includes specific exercises in other tips on how to put on large amounts of muscle safely and efficiently.