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Why don't people just eat another piece of chicken or something similar?

Convenience mainly.

How much chicken can you eat?
Also proteins are different and you need the right tool for the job at hand.

I ask why do people resist protein supplements?
I can understand being anti-supplement. That's fine. Most of them are bull$hit. But protein isn't some stupid herb or whatever, it is food.
A chicken breast is technically a supplement. It is something you take in to supplement your diet, which is what "supplement" means.
So don't think of protein as a supplement, IT IS FOOD.

Hmm...my main beef (no pun intended) with protein supplements is just eating some high protein food seems more natural to me...how long ago were protein supplements invented?

There are actually some benefits over meat, etc. At times when you want a fast acting protein, like after a workout, whey is best because your body can use it faster.

Hmm...that begs the question...why would u ever need a fast acting protein?

You need a fast acting protein for before and after your workout. Your muscles function much better with protein. They can't grow without it. Natural doesn't always mean better.

You also need a lot of protein in general. It is hard to get it all in without shakes. That part of it is going to depend on your size and what you are trying to do though.

Yeah, what Ironman said. Fast-digesting protein is great for post-workout eating, when your muscles need it. It's good for when you need to eat with a time limit for performance - I prefer fast-digesting foods for my post-weigh-in pre-fight food when I compete.

And without protein shakes I have no idea how I'd get in all the calories my body is burning without turning to sugar...there is only so much chicken, fish, beef, pork, and eggs I can eat in a day. Post-workout, I'm going to need to rehydrate in a bad way - I work out and then I train MMA right after - so a gigantic blender load of whey protein and milk and water with a banana in it is much easier than drinking loads of water and eating a meal.

If you can get all the protein you need without protein powder, you don't "need" it. But it's a very useful tool, too useful to toss aside for many of us.

Hmm...I guess I see. I don't seem to need as much protein as others. And most people would abhor me for doing this, but if I do need extra protein I usually turn to more whole grains and nuts.

nuts are ok. grains are an incomplete poor source of protein.

It'd be almost impossible for me to eat enough protein in one day by just slamming down chicken. Not totally impossible, but pretty close. And it's hard for me to carry a couple of chicken breasts with me to eat at work before going to the gym and a couple more to eat afterwards while on my way to get groceries or whatever before going home.

I was resistant at first to the idea of taking protein as well when I firrst started exercising, but after I realized that a lot of my initial weight loss (my first goal last year) was actual muscle, I knew that I was going to have to do something else once I started lifting weights.

How much protein as u guys consuming? How much do you think you need?!

aw geez, not this $hit again.......
This thread could get interesting. I'll try not to incite another jihad here.

It really depends on how much you weigh. It depends on what you want to do too. I have heard everything from from the food pyramid's recipe for anorexia to some crazy bro talk that will have the largest of stomachs ready to bust. For me it varies, but 250 grams is typical for me.

A little running guy can probably get away with 100 grams though. Which is about how much I take in just before and after my workout if you add the total of both shakes. In real food that's like 3 chicken breasts, a couple eggs and a handful of nuts.

So now that we know more about you, we can see you don't need that much. Some whey would still get to your muscles better which may improve the running.

Many of us are into bodybuilding here and are rather large. So we need a lot more and tend to look at it that way.

Your question was phrased "people" and not "I", so we answered why people do that. It looks like you actually wanted to know why you should take it. For you only because of how it's digested. You could always drink some milk I guess.

I just don't even think of it as a supplement. You would call cookies food and not sugar supplements. They are more processed then whey. Whey is just an extract of milk.

To me creatine or tribulus are spplements.

I see the old "how much protein do you need" question came up again. Look, you're going to get many different answers, with the FDA on the low end, the supplement manufacturers on the high end.Most sports nutritionists recommend anywhere from o.7 gr P / LB of LEAN Bodyweight to 1.0 Gr P /LB lean bodyweight depending on activity levels. If you get a little less, or a little more, I certainly wouldn't worry about it. How much do I consume. I never even count, but looking back over yesterdays meals, it came out to around130 gr or so, and that was just with food. I weigh in at around 180, with LBM or probably around 150-155, so that put me on target, but it's generally something I usually don't even think about. Like Ironman said, I don't think of the powders as a supplement reall, I use them as food when I just don't feel like choking down solid food, or for convenience.
Tim

LOL...sorry. Didn't mean to pose such a "broad" question. I can see why that might be dumb. But anyhow, I guess in all seriousness I get about 100 a day. As many of my posts have been about running...I can see why you would think i might not lift. But I do actually. I'm not a bodybuilder by any means, but perhaps I will give protein shakes a try (as I said back over on my other post). I'll see if my training improves...and I may just come back and admit my folly if so.