Do you actually need protein powder?
Everyone at the gym drinks protein shakes like it's mandatory. Do I NEED protein powder or can I get enough from food? I'm trying to build muscle and currently eating about 120g protein from food.
You do NOT need protein powder. It's a convenience, not a necessity. If you can hit your protein target from whole foods, that's actually better because you get other nutrients too.
That said, if you struggle to hit your target (which many people do), a scoop or two of whey is the easiest and cheapest way to fill the gap.
At 120g you might be a bit low depending on your bodyweight. What do you weigh? If you need to add 30-50g more, a shake is just easier than eating another chicken breast.
I hit 200g protein daily without any powder. It's doable but it requires eating a LOT of chicken, eggs, and Greek yogurt. Powder just makes life easier for most people.
For plant-based folks, protein powder is almost necessary to hit high targets. Getting 150g+ from plant foods alone is very difficult without eating massive volumes.
Username checks out — I probably use too much. 3 shakes a day. I should eat more real food honestly. But whey is just so convenient.
Think of protein powder as a food, not a supplement. It's just dried milk protein. There's nothing magical about it and nothing harmful about it. It's literally just convenient protein.
Good to know it's not mandatory. I'm 180 lbs so I probably need about 145-180g. I'll add a shake to bridge the gap from my 120g. Seems like the easiest approach.
If you're dairy-free, pea protein or rice protein blends are good alternatives. Taste has improved a LOT in the last few years.