Ready-To-Drink Protein Shakes to Fuel Your Day!

Ready-To-Drink Protein Shakes are a quick way to nourish your body on the go.  Say goodbye to fast food and skipping meals and see what a difference it will make in your life!  These shakes give you nutrients and energy for your day and can act as meal replacements so you never have to skip a meal.  Think of these drinks as a convenient, low-cost meal alternative packed with protein.

On average you need 10-15% of your caloric intake to be protein.  A good rule of thumb is to eat your body weight in grams of protein.  Most people that are working out and are trying to build muscle eat a minimum of 1.5 times their weight in grams of protein.  Your intake will change based on your fitness goals, amount of time in the gym and amount of food you eat each day.   

There are many Ready-To-Drink Protein Shakes available, so the most important thing to decide is what your diet is lacking so you can buy the right one.   Some are low-calorie, some are high in protein, and some offer carb-control.  They usually come in cases of 12 or more, so you can buy a bunch and stock them in your fridge at work or home to grab whenever you are hungry or when you know you won’t have time to eat.

Low-Calorie Ready-To-Drink Shakes include EAS Myoplex Lite and Atkins Advantage Ready-To-Drink Shakes.  These are about 160-180 calories each but you get 15-20 grams of protein in each can.  This is roughly how much protein you would get if you ate 3-4 eggs,  2.5 oz of chicken breast or a half cup of Tofu.  The Atkins brand is always trusted for not only low-calories but low-carbs (only 3 grams in each drink). 

High Protein Shakes are packed with protein, up to 50 grams in Shakes like the American BodyBuilding Extreme Body RTD 50’s.  You find about 42 in the EAS Myoplex 17 oz RTD’s and about 22 in the most popular Cytosport Muscle Milk RTD’s.   Labrada makes their Lean Body RTD with about 40 grams of protein, 260 calories, and added vitamins and minerals like Vitamin D, C, E, B’s, Potassium and many other nutrients.  To get this 50 or more grams protein in one meal you have to eat almost 2 chicken breasts, 8 chicken wings, a can and a half of tuna, 8-9 ounces of fish, or about two hamburger patties.  You can start to see how important adding protein to your diet can be.   

Last are the low-carb Ready-to-Drinks which range from 3-5 grams of carbs per drink.  EAS makes the Myoplex Carb Control 11 oz shake with 5 grams or the AdvantEdge Carb Control Drink with just 3 grams.  These along with Atkins ready-to-drinks are great for those watching their carbs and trying to increase their protein intake. 

Ready-To-Drink Protein Shakes or RTD’s are a really a convenient way to get you out of the habit of skipping meals or picking up fast food when you are in a rush.  Not eating is bound to make you sluggish and irritable, so don’t skip just grab a ready-to-drink shake and you will start noticing how much better you feel.  You will have better concentration, better workouts and a lot more time on your hands because you won’t crash after a long day.