How to Stay Consistent With Your Protein

The best protein powder is the one you actually drink every day. Not the one with the cleanest label or the fanciest tub sitting half-used in your pantry, the one that gets into you day after day. If you want to stay consistent with your protein, the trick isn't willpower. It's setting things up so the shake is something you look forward to instead of a chore you keep putting off.

I've hit my protein target basically every day for years, and honestly it has very little to do with discipline. It comes down to a handful of small habits that make the shake genuinely crave-able. Here's the exact system I use to hit my protein without thinking about it.

Why most people fall off their protein

Almost nobody quits protein because it stopped working. They quit because it got boring, it was a faff to make, or it started tasting like wet cardboard. Boredom, effort, taste. Sort those three and consistency mostly takes care of itself.

Every habit that lasts is one you don't have to force. So instead of white-knuckling a flavour you're already sick of, the move is to build a routine you'd choose even if nobody was tracking it. That starts with what's in your cupboard.

Keep two flavours on the go

This is the big one, and it's the habit that changed everything for me. I always have two proteins open at once, and they do completely different jobs.

One dessert flavour you actually look forward to

This is your treat. A rich, dessert-style flavour that tastes like something you'd order, not something you'd endure. When the afternoon hits and you want something sweet, this is what you reach for, and it happens to pack 25-odd grams of protein.

My go-tos here are the Ryse Loaded ProteinRyse Loaded Protein - Choc Cookie Blast (1kg)$161.95Shop → range. Choc Cookie Blast, Blueberry Muffin and Peanut Butter Cup all taste like the real thing. The other one I keep in rotation is MusclePharm Chunky MonkeyMusclePharm Pro Series - Chocolate Chunky Monkey (1.1kg)$88.45Shop →, which is banana-and-chocolate and stupidly good cold. These are the tubs that make the shake feel like a reward.

One neutral flavour that mixes into anything

Your second tub is the workhorse. Something plain, vanilla or straight unflavoured, that disappears into other food. Stir it through your morning oats, throw it in baking, blend it into a smoothie, even mix it into a coffee. A neutral protein is how you top up your total on the days a single shake won't get you all the way there.

MusclePharm Rich Creamy VanillaMusclePharm Pro Series - Rich Creamy Vanilla (1.06kg)$88.45Shop → is my pick for the flexible one. If you want something that vanishes completely, a plain unflavoured whey does the same job, have a look through the whey protein range for an unflavoured WPI.

Two tubs, two jobs. The dessert one keeps you keen, the neutral one makes it easy to hit your number when a shake alone won't. Not sure what your number even is? Start with how much protein you actually need per day.

Mix it hard: thick and cold beats thin and sad

This is where most people quietly let themselves down. They tip a scoop into a bottle, give it two lazy shakes, and end up with a thin, gritty, half-mixed drink that's genuinely unpleasant. No wonder they skip it.

Mix it properly and it's a different drink entirely. I want mine thick, closer to a real milkshake than flavoured water. Load your shaker bottle, use a bit less liquid than you think you need, and actually shake it like you mean it for a good ten to fifteen seconds. A decent shaker with a wire ball or a mixing disc does the heavy lifting. A good SmartShake starts around $19.60 and lasts for years.

If you've got a blender sitting on the bench at home, even better. A quick blitz with a couple of ice cubes makes it thick enough to eat with a spoon. You don't need any special gear to make a great shake, just a bit more effort than a half-hearted swirl on the way out the door.

Stack your creatine straight in

If you take creatine, and if you lift regularly you probably should, stop treating it as a separate job. Tip your daily 3 to 5g of creatine monohydrate straight into the shake. One drink, two boxes ticked, zero extra effort.

Unflavoured mono is perfect for this because it's tasteless and dissolves into a thick shake without you noticing it's there. I use Nexus Creatine MonohydrateNexus Creatine Monohydrate 150g (unflavoured)$27.00Shop →. The 150g tub is $27, or the 500g is $49.90 and works out cheapest per serve. It's the tidiest way I know to never forget your creatine again: if you've had your shake, you've had your creatine.

Finish it cold

Last piece, and it matters more than it sounds. Use chilled milk and drink it cold. Cold milk over water gives you a creamier, dessert-like shake, and a cold thick shake tastes like a treat while a lukewarm one tastes like a punishment. Keep your milk properly cold, mix it thick, and drink it straight away.

Cold plus thick equals dessert. Warm plus thin equals a chore you'll be skipping by Thursday. That gap is basically the whole difference between a habit that sticks and one that doesn't.

The simple daily routine

Put it all together and it's easy to run on autopilot:

• Two tubs open at once: one dessert flavour, one neutral.
• Dessert shake as your afternoon treat, made thick with cold milk.
• Creatine tipped straight into that shake.
• Neutral protein stirred into oats, smoothies or baking to top up the rest of the day.

None of it leans on motivation. It leans on the shake being good enough that you want it anyway. Get that right and hitting your protein stops being a target you chase and turns into something you'd do regardless.

Ready to sort your two flavours? Browse the full protein collection and grab one dessert tub and one neutral. That's the entire system, in two clicks.

FAQ

How much protein do I actually need each day?

It depends on your bodyweight and goals, but most lifters land somewhere around 1.6 to 2.2g per kg of bodyweight. We break the maths down in how much protein per day. Two shakes on top of normal meals gets most people there.

Is it a problem to have two protein tubs open at once?

Not at all, that's the whole point. One dessert flavour keeps you keen, one neutral flavour mixes into everything else. Having both open is exactly what stops the routine getting boring.

Can I really just mix creatine into my protein shake?

Yes. 3 to 5g of creatine monohydrate a day, tipped straight into your shake. Unflavoured mono like Nexus is tasteless and mixes in fine. Timing barely matters with creatine, consistency is what counts.

Does it have to be milk?

No, water works and mixes lighter. But cold milk makes it thicker and more dessert-like, which is the whole trick to actually wanting it. Use whatever milk suits you.

Which protein actually tastes best?

Taste is personal, but it's also the single biggest driver of whether you stick with it. Here's our rundown of the best-tasting protein powders so your dessert tub is one you'll finish.

How much protein is in one scoop?

Usually 20 to 25g, but it varies by brand and scoop size. Check protein per scoop so you know how many shakes you actually need to hit your target.