I drink a protein shake every morning, first thing, before I walk the dog and before my workout...easy to digest, helps me not loose steam in my workouts and I use it to add additional nutrients to my diet. (protein, Bee pollen, Udo's Fish Oil and Wheat germ. I also add fruit.)
It's my first 'meal' of the day. Takes less than 5 minutes to make and clean up -
I've been doing this for 6 months or more...it's perfect for me. For me to have a good intense workout I need solid, clean nutrition. I'm several sizes leaner and I've been more consistently strong with my program...
I've found protein shakes (and clean diet, overall) key (ESSENTIAL) piece of the puzzle.