Protein shakes only and cutting

**Overhaulz** · 07-01-2009, 05:24 AM

Quick question that I didn't find asked in previous posts:

Can you still maintain a decent amount of muscle while cutting and pretty much ONLY drinking protein shakes? I know that there would absolutely be muscle loss as you're not getting proper nutrients from real food, but is this at all viable?

Can anyone with experience on the topic chime in please?

p.s. I guess I COULD try blending up chicken or steaks...does that even work to a point that it's so blended you can suck it through a straw?!

**C_Bino** · 07-01-2009, 07:54 AM

Why do you want to drink your food and not eat it?

**Overhaulz** · 07-01-2009, 09:09 AM

My jaw is wired shut for 6-8 weeks due to an accident, and solid food is absolutely out of the question. Trust me, this is *not* something I want.

**seriousmass** · 07-01-2009, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Overhaulz

My jaw is wired shut for 6-8 weeks due to an accident, and solid food is absolutely out of the question. Trust me, this is *not* something I want.

I used to suffer from dysphagia as a kid... which essentially means, extreme-difficulty swallowing..

trust me, you can definitely grind up ANYTHING into a blender. I've done steaks before, annything that doesn't have bones in it. (tough meat will even turn to a cream in the blender... gross, I know. But you gotta do, what you gotta do).

Luckily you've only got 6 weeks! I'd suggest making LOTS of vitamin shakes. I lived off those things (IE juicer, or just blend a lot of fruit into a slurpee-type drink).

Hope that helps bro. PM me if you need more ideas.

**Phate** · 07-01-2009, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by Overhaulz

Quick question that I didn't find asked in previous posts:

Can you still maintain a decent amount of muscle while cutting and pretty much ONLY drinking protein shakes? I know that there would absolutely be muscle loss as you're not getting proper nutrients from real food, but is this at all viable?

Can anyone with experience on the topic chime in please?

p.s. I guess I COULD try blending up chicken or steaks...does that even work to a point that it's so blended you can suck it through a straw?!

in this case i would suggest blending things like frozen fruit, cottage cheese, mixtures of slow, medium and fast releasing proteins, egg whites, natty peanuts butter, etc...these things will make a good smoothie while still giving you the benefits of real food, i would also suggest getting a vitamin/mineral powder to add so that you can drink the nutrients you will be missing due to lack of vegetables and such (can you still workout or are you bedridden?)

**seriousmass** · 07-01-2009, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Overhaulz

p.s. I guess I COULD try blending up chicken...does that even work to a point that it's so blended you can suck it through a straw?!

Chicken when blended actually doesn't taste too terrible! lol. I did it often. You might have to blend it at a pretty quick speed though, or else I used to find it would be too-grossly.. umm.. stringy to drink

**C_Bino** · 07-01-2009, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Overhaulz

My jaw is wired shut for 6-8 weeks due to an accident, and solid food is absolutely out of the question. Trust me, this is *not* something I want.

My suggestion is to reconsider cutting, I would definitely not be cutting when you can only consume liquid foods, do not put yourself at a caloric defecit in a state like this man.

Just maintain the muscle you have. I have never had this happen to me but if it did I wouldn't even worry to much about calories. I am guessing you arent working out either so just work on maintaining. Make smoothies and add plenty of oils.

Im afraid to say it but this may be one of the only times I would cheat on my diet to make sure I can get enough calories in.

**Phate** · 07-01-2009, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by C_Bino

My suggestion is to reconsider cutting, I would definitely not be cutting when you can only consume liquid foods, do not put yourself at a caloric defecit in a state like this man.

Just maintain the muscle you have. I have never had this happen to me but if it did I wouldn't even worry to much about calories. I am guessing you arent working out either so just work on maintaining. Make smoothies and add plenty of oils.

Im afraid to say it but this may be one of the only times I would cheat on my diet to make sure I can get enough calories in.

agreed 100%, trying to cut while like this would be as risky for your lean muscle as doing something like taking 150mcg of t3 during a calorie deficit, you won't like the results

remember, fat is way easier to burn than muscle is to build