Last Updated On January 1, 2026
You guzzle down your favorite protein shake once you've finished your workout because you know protein is important post-exercise nutrition to support muscle recovery and lean muscle mass growth.
What about when it comes to rest days? Should you drink protein shakes on rest days? I have all the details below.
Can You Drink Protein Shakes On Rest Days?
Yes, you can drink a protein shake on rest days. This is a common question about protein supplementation.
Rest day nutrition and what you consume on workout days don’t need to differ very much. This is because your body needs the same nutrients every day to support recovery.
To be clear, there is no need to drink protein shakes or take protein supplements to grow muscle or see improvements in the gym. You can get adequate protein from your diet, particularly focusing on high-quality protein sources.
The reason whey protein powder is popular and so widely used is that it's a very convenient way to increase overall protein intake. On average, a protein shake has 25-30 grams of protein and very little carbohydrate and fat.
As a result, protein shakes can be consumed to support a whole variety of goals, from wanting to build muscle and change body composition to losing weight.
Nutrient timing is important, although not as important as overall hitting daily nutritional targets. There is no specific time of day to take protein that offers an advantage.
There is much debate about the anabolic window, the 30 minutes you should consume protein after training to stimulate growth.
It is now considered that this anabolic window is 5-6 hours, and you won't lose your gains if you don't consume protein right after working out.[1] This further solidifies the fact you can drink a protein shake on rest days.
Athletes, bodybuilders, and recreational gym-goers can all benefit from drinking protein shakes on rest days to support nutritional needs and the demands of growing muscle.
What Are the Benefits of Consuming Protein Shakes on Rest Days?
Muscle Maintenance
Protein is the building block of muscle. It is made up of amino acids that allow muscles to grow and repair. Protein is essential for muscle hypertrophy, and more protein is needed when building muscle.
Protein shakes on a rest day will aid in muscle growth and muscle maintenance as they will provide your body with the nutrients it needs, particularly amino acids.
Additionally, other nutrients such as carbohydrates and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals have an important role to play in recovery to maintain muscle.
Improved Recovery
Getting in the right amount of protein is important in the recovery process. Recovery is vital to growing and maintaining muscle and increasing performance in the gym. You need to ensure you recover properly before training again, and this happens with rest and correct nutrition.
If you drink protein powder on a rest day, you’re providing your body with sufficient nutrients that support tissue healing and muscle growth.
Increased Metabolism
Protein is closely linked with metabolism. It helps restore essential amino acids required for muscle recovery, which in turn increases metabolism. The more lean muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism.
Protein has a higher thermic effect than carbs or fat, meaning it takes more energy to digest. In turn, this helps boost metabolism and will increase the number of calories you burn at rest.
If your goal is to lose fat, then you must consume enough protein. Drink a protein shake on non-workout days to ensure you're meeting your protein goal to support fat loss, increase lean muscle, and increase your metabolism rate.
Reduce Muscle Soreness
Adequate nutrition is essential when you train hard and do plenty of physical activity. More calories and protein are required to support recovery. Having moderate amounts of protein on recovery days may help reduce muscle soreness and get you ready for your next workout.[2]
Satiety
Drinking protein powder helps with satiety. A high quality protein source is so important for those who want to lose weight because this macronutrient keeps you fuller for longer, which is a very important aspect of being in a calorie deficit and makes dieting much more manageable.
How Much Protein Should You Take On Rest Days?
Daily protein needs are dependent on what your individual goals are and your body weight. Whether you are smashing a workout at the gym or in recovery mode, protein is an essential part of healthy living.
At minimum, adults should consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight per day (0.36 grams per lb), but this number increases for those who are active and who lift weights.[3]
Rest days exist to allow progress. Without proper rest, you will face diminishing returns eventually. Whether you should drink protein shakes on rest days is completely up to the individual, and there are no ill effects from having protein powder on days you don't have gym sessions.
You do not need to eat differently on non-workout days, and daily protein requirements remain the same as on workout days. Drink a protein shake on a rest day if you find it difficult to reach your protein target by eating only whole foods.
Daily protein intake should be the same because a higher protein diet is going to boost metabolism, build muscle and increase workout performance. Plus, it's beneficial to keep up the good habits you've built surrounding exercise.
Protein powders are useful when you find it difficult to get enough protein from food sources. Therefore having a protein shake is good to increase the amount of protein you're consuming.
Protein can be consumed at any time on rest days and should ideally be spread throughout the day. Due to reduced activity levels on rest days, your body may start to metabolize nutrients slower which can increase cravings. A protein shake on rest days will help reduce the amount of snacking.
Along with protein, it is important to refuel with enough carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores so you’re ready to train hard again. Foods such as sweet potato and brown rice are great carbohydrate sources to support recovery.
Do Protein Shakes Make You Gain Weight Without Working Out?
The only reason you would experience weight gain if consuming whey protein powder without exercising is if your overall diet puts you into a calorie surplus and your caloric intake is higher than the energy you expend.
Drinking protein shakes can assist with weight gain if this is your goal. If you want to lose weight, then protein shakes do have a place in the diet to increase overall protein intake, which is an important part of being in a caloric deficit. Protein helps with satiety and fullness, which makes dieting a lot easier.
Taking Protein Shakes On Rest Days Questions
Yes, you should drink protein shakes on rest days for bodybuilding. Adequate protein is required for muscle growth and when training hard.
Your nutrition every day of the week must support muscles to repair and replenish to see growth. A protein shake is great for bodybuilders due to the high demands of the training on the muscles.
When it comes to muscle growth, your rest day diet should not look too different from nutrition on training days, including consuming plenty of protein on rest days.
The only thing you might need to change is fats and carbohydrates. To support muscle growth, you want to keep protein consumption the same and reduce carbohydrates slightly. Supplements like protein powders, collagen, creatine, and omega-3s are all essential in the recovery process.
Extra protein is needed if you want to grow muscle, especially if you're someone who exercises regularly.
If you're lifting weights in the gym, then you need to consume around 1.2-1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. This is equivalent to 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight.[4]
Yes, rest days are absolutely essential to building and repairing muscle.
Rest days are just as important as workout days because the muscle is broken down during resistance training, and resting repairs and builds muscles to get bigger and stronger.
Stress hormones are released during exercise, and it's vital to reduce hormones such as cortisol to recover properly. Don't change your nutritional habits too much on rest days; continue to have as much protein as on workout days.
Conclusion
So should you drink protein shakes on rest days? Yes. Protein consumption supports various goals in the gym, from performance to muscle building, to weight loss.
Drinking a protein shake on rest days is a convenient and easy way to ensure you get enough protein to support muscle growth, but it is not required. You can get your protein needs from eating a balanced diet of high-quality protein sources.
References:
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/1550-2783-10-5
- https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/4/829
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096
- https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/files-for-resource-library/protein-intake-for-optimal-muscle-maintenance.pdf
Last Updated on January 1, 2026
