I've mentioned before that protein shakes can be overkill if you're looking to lose weight.

For most hard-working men who spend most of the day sitting behind a computer, a protein shake is an unnecessary addition to your total daily calorie intake.

Interestingly, most of the ads that suggest you should drink protein shakes often feature monkey-type men in the gym downing the shake after their fourth weight training session of the day.

On a personal note, once I eliminated protein shakes from my daily routine, my waist size dropped significantly.

That's because many whey protein powders are designed to have the same effect on your body as sugar.

That is right.

This is because in order for your muscles to recover quickly from training, you need to stimulate the hormone insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that transports nutrients to the muscles.

So the faster you can get nutrients into your muscles, the faster they will recover.

The problem is, if you're drinking protein shakes from behind your desk all day, more than likely you'll start storing some of that excess "sugar" as fat.

It's not all doom and gloom now.

There is a really effective way to maximize your shake's ability to recover from strenuous exercise. Just keep the word "strenuous" in mind.

By strenuous I mean either intense interval training OR strength training.

So if you want your muscles to recover quickly but don't want to build abs in the process... here's what to do.

Exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (men burn much more fat on an empty stomach than when they eat a meal before training)

After completing your workout, wait 1 hour and then drink your shake. And it is done.

Why it works.

By waiting an hour, you will allow your body to cleanse the blood of fatty acids, triglycerides and toxins.

In short, you burn fat after training.

People often make the mistake of turning this process off immediately so they don't lose any "profit".

Trust me, the difference you make after just one week is more than impressive.

The 1 hour wait also creates a greater demand on the muscle tissue to absorb any protein and/or nutrients.

So if you're having a busy day…

Exercise, wait one hour and dip your protein shake with a banana.

That's muscle recovery without abs.

My downloadable "Rip Method" shows you the easiest way to get in shape when you're a busy guy on the go. You'll learn all the tricks of the trade so you can stay slim 365 days a year (even when you don't have time