Protein Powders - To use or To not use

DBrooks1979

Ok,
Here is something I have been considering and thinking about and because of the great community here I wanted to toss this question out.

I have not been good at getting to my numbers when it comes to the protein levels that are recommended... I have looked at doing some protein shakes using protein powders but I am not sure if I want to use protein powders or if there would be a better way of getting to the the proper numbers without the use of the powders...

I would love to hear input from those who use it and why and what you like about it as well as monthly cost of having the protein powder... as well as from those who don't use it and do it some other way...

Thanks
Daniel

Equus5374

I use protein powder as a shake (I add all kinds of fun stuff) to help me get enough protein. I buy whey protein isolate powder from WalMart and feel it's pretty cost effective. I'll add stuff to the shake like a frozen banana, almond milk, canned pumpkin, frozen berries, etc. It makes a nice snack or meal at times. I've also mixed a scoop of protein powder in with Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla b/c I use chocolate protein powder) and it makes a mousse-like substance, in which I'll mix berries. It's yummy!

If that is you in your profile pic, thank you for serving this country!!!

DBrooks1979

Equus5374.... That is me in the profile picture.. so thank you for your kind words... I had never thought about adding it to greek yogurt.. I love greek yogurt but honestly had not thought about adding it there.. and thanks for your thoughts on using protein powders... gives me a bit more insight into the use of it.

memo1974

Equus5374 wrote: »

I use protein powder as a shake (I add all kinds of fun stuff) to help me get enough protein. I buy whey protein isolate powder from WalMart and feel it's pretty cost effective. I'll add stuff to the shake like a frozen banana, almond milk, canned pumpkin, frozen berries, etc. It makes a nice snack or meal at times. I've also mixed a scoop of protein powder in with Greek yogurt (plain or vanilla b/c I use chocolate protein powder) and it makes a mousse-like substance, in which I'll mix berries. It's yummy!

If that is you in your profile pic, thank you for serving this country!!!

Yep, same here. I use it as a "go to" for those days that I can not eat enough real food. I like Optimum Nutrition whey because it does not upset my stomach. With some other brands I get gas and bloated stomach, but I can't digest milk very well, so it may be just me.

I add it to my oatmeal sometimes, depends on the flavor I pick. Overall, it is a good to have supplement. Also, sometimes at the end of the day, if I feel hungry, it is an easy, healthy snack before bed.

FitPhillygirl

I drink protein shakes as a way of getting extra calories and protein into my diet when I'm at work and don't have time to eat.

PeiDub

I put a scoop in my coffee every morning. It works for me.

kshama2001

I like protein powder in fruit smoothies in the summer and in coffee with coconut oil this time of year.

MostlyWater

I'm not a breakfast eater so I've always relied on shakes, smoothies, etc.

youngmomtaz

I use them as needed. Probably 1-2 days a week on average. Days I won't be able to plan meals effectively, when I am lazy, when I feel like a milkshake, or days I am just in a rush. Typical shake style with berries/banana/pineapple and spinach is my go to, I will also add it to yogurt, oatmeal(or other hot cereal), or just take along a scoop or two to mix into water when I am out and about. I usually pack it when we go visit family because I cannot eat gluten due to migraines and the way my and my husbands families cook would leave me with very few choices. At least this way I can fill up without having to bring too many groceries along. It took me a while to find one I like and I stick with it mostly, just grabbed a pure hemp protein one off the shelf at my local pharmacy, I like the iron levels in it so thought it would be worth a try.

As an addition to the second part of your question:

What I do on days I don't want to use or don't have any protein powder on hand is plan well!! Make sure I have an extra egg white in with the two whole eggs I will eat, use full or fat free Greek yogurt to dip my fruit in or make add dip mix and dip veggies in it, pack along a tin of plain tuna to eat with my veggies, snack on cottage cheese, brig leftover roasted meat for my lunches, buy some jerky. There are tons of foods high in protein you just have to plan ahead to work them in.

ecjim

Thanks for your service Marine - Use Protein powder to get a more protein in your diet especially right after a workout. It can be a good source for additional low calorie protein. I will use it 2 X per day Eastcoast Jim

ecjim

PeiDub wrote: »

I put a scoop in my coffee every morning. It works for me.

I love that idea - Eastcoast Jim

morgankruse

I don't eat right and maybe I should start making protein shakes

youngmomtaz wrote: »

I use them as needed. Probably 1-2 days a week on average. Days I won't be able to plan meals effectively, when I am lazy, when I feel like a milkshake, or days I am just in a rush. Typical shake style with berries/banana/pineapple and spinach is my go to, I will also add it to yogurt, oatmeal(or other hot cereal), or just take along a scoop or two to mix into water when I am out and about. I usually pack it when we go visit family because I cannot eat gluten due to migraines and the way my and my husbands families cook would leave me with very few choices. At least this way I can fill up without having to bring too many groceries along. It took me a while to find one I like and I stick with it mostly, just grabbed a pure hemp protein one off the shelf at my local pharmacy, I like the iron levels in it so thought it would be worth a try.

As an addition to the second part of your question:

What I do on days I don't want to use or don't have any protein powder on hand is plan well!! Make sure I have an extra egg white in with the two whole eggs I will eat, use full or fat free Greek yogurt to dip my fruit in or make add dip mix and dip veggies in it, pack along a tin of plain tuna to eat with my veggies, snack on cottage cheese, brig leftover roasted meat for my lunches, buy some jerky. There are tons of foods high in protein you just have to plan ahead to work them in.

youngmomtaz wrote: »

I use them as needed. Probably 1-2 days a week on average. Days I won't be able to plan meals effectively, when I am lazy, when I feel like a milkshake, or days I am just in a rush. Typical shake style with berries/banana/pineapple and spinach is my go to, I will also add it to yogurt, oatmeal(or other hot cereal), or just take along a scoop or two to mix into water when I am out and about. I usually pack it when we go visit family because I cannot eat gluten due to migraines and the way my and my husbands families cook would leave me with very few choices. At least this way I can fill up without having to bring too many groceries along. It took me a while to find one I like and I stick with it mostly, just grabbed a pure hemp protein one off the shelf at my local pharmacy, I like the iron levels in it so thought it would be worth a try.

As an addition to the second part of your question:

What I do on days I don't want to use or don't have any protein powder on hand is plan well!! Make sure I have an extra egg white in with the two whole eggs I will eat, use full or fat free Greek yogurt to dip my fruit in or make add dip mix and dip veggies in it, pack along a tin of plain tuna to eat with my veggies, snack on cottage cheese, brig leftover roasted meat for my lunches, buy some jerky. There are tons of foods high in protein you just have to plan ahead to work them in.

summerkissed

I only use it when my protein intake from food is inadequate.....makes for a yummy quick smoothie on days when I'm just running out of time

brdnw

ive had protein shakes for the past 5 years...id be eating nonstop otherwise to get enough protein...i try to get like 180g a day or so.

ki4eld

My go-to is Muscle Milk. I have some of the powders and some of the pre-made shakes I can grab and go. The Pro Series nutrition numbers are good and it's almost a daily thing for me so I can hit my protein macro. Plus, it's like drinking chocolate milk!

MommyL2015

I have some daily for lunch. And sometimes in the evening, warm, mixed with hot chocolate. I just got Trutein Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup today and OMG, that stuff could be dangerous it's so good.

rainbowbow

Protein powder is just a food like anything else. It's not something super duper special.

If you aren't hitting your protein goal through things like meat, fish, yogurt, other dairy products, nuts, seeds, legumes, etc. Then i see no reason why taking a scoop or two of protein powder would be an issue.


By all means, increase the other sources of protein in your diet. But if you find yourself struggling to eat what you want and enjoy while hitting your calories and protein, just take a protein powder. It's quick, easy, tastes pretty good, and is usually low in calories.

riffraff2112

Kind of a go-to back for me. Maybe once a week. In yoghurt mostly, sometimes in cereal, often in shakes.

Other main sources of protein for me...eggs, artifical crab meat (put it in sandwiches and salads), nuts, cottage cheese and yoghurt.

Nikkei74

What I like about it is convenience. What I don't like is the taste or texture. I've tried multiple brands, flavours and types - whey, soy, pea, hemp - and have never found an enjoyable one. In my experience the pea and hemp ones are gritty, and all of them are ridiculously sweet. If anyone can recommend one that's unsweetened and is available in Australia, I'd love to hear it.

Psychgrrl

I have a shake (Fitness Labs 6 Protein Blend) weekdays for breakfast, and often another mid-afternoon. Very tasty and convenient at the office. I drink Isopure during my long weight-lifting workouts because of the potassium, sodium and electrolytes. I have a couple others (Manitoba Harvest Hemp Protein) that I like to mix into oatmeal.

mlboyer100

It's an easy way to get your protein in without adding a lot of calories, carbs and fat! I have one every day, either loaded up or plain Jane, depending on my calories and macros. When you add a lot of fruit, which really tastes great,Mir also adds a lot of calories and natural sugars. I usually opt out for that and like my fruit chopped up on something where I can see and taste them. As far as what protein powders, look for Whey Isolate, lower carbs and higher protein. Always read the labels for they are not anywhere near being equal. Walmart and now Kroger sells Body Fortress Vanilla whey Isolate for abou $18. Best protein for the buck! Amazon sells "About Time" Strawberry whey Isolate, 2 lbs tub for $26-28. Very good too. I haven't found a good chocolate whey isolate I can afford yet.

youngmomtaz

Psychgrrl wrote: »

I have a shake (Fitness Labs 6 Protein Blend) weekdays for breakfast, and often another mid-afternoon. Very tasty and convenient at the office. I drink Isopure during my long weight-lifting workouts because of the potassium, sodium and electrolytes. I have a couple others (Manitoba Harvest Hemp Protein) that I like to mix into oatmeal.

The manitoba harvest one is what I just bought! Glad to hear it is good on cereal as that is my intended use. Bonus that I get to support something made in my province. The other one I use is by Young Living. Pricy but I am a distributer so I am ordering anyway when people are in need of items and it is the one I have found that fits some of my requirements and doesn't adversely affect my digestion.

MKEgal

The only time I've (regularly) bought / used protein powder was recovering from surgery.
I needed the extra nutrition, protein, calories, and really didn't feel like eating much.
(Also took certain vitamins & minerals specifically to support bone, tissue, & nerve healing.)
I used to regularly use Carnation instant breakfast, but as I've lost weight & calories, I had to cut that out.
So I found stevia drops that make my milk taste chocolate. Not the same, but pretty good.



Something you should look at if you're having trouble...
are your goals reasonable & healthy?

This calculator from the Baylor College of Medicine will tell you not only your BMI at any particular weight,
but how many calories & how many servings of various food groups to eat to maintain that weight.
https://www.bcm.edu/cnrc-apps/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html

Once you have that, are the percentages of calories you've set in MFP realistic & in the healthy range?
Here's a table which explains the healthy ranges, from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/1/1/T1.expansion.html

carbs, 45 - 65% of calories (4 cal per gram)
fat, 20 - 35% of calories (9 cal per gram)
protein, 10 - 35% of calories (4 cal per gram)

So for someone with a calorie goal of 2000 per day, that would be
50% carbs, 1000 cal, 250 g
25% fat, 500 cal, 56g
25% protein, 500 cal, 125 g
(just to take the simplest example as a starting point; adjust for your own needs, to see where you feel best)

DBrooks1979

Thanks everyone who has so far given their input on this... everyone has some very good insight on this.. and it sure makes me want to go spend a little money on my next shopping trip to pick some up to see if I can hit my protein macro more often.. I think it would help keep the muscle tone up and make it easier to burn off my fat in my belly...

Thanks everyone for this... I look forward to hearing more input on this.. so please MFP'ers please continue sharing your thoughts...

AnvilHead

DBrooks1979 wrote: »

Thanks everyone who has so far given their input on this... everyone has some very good insight on this.. and it sure makes me want to go spend a little money on my next shopping trip to pick some up to see if I can hit my protein macro more often.. I think it would help keep the muscle tone up and make it easier to burn off my fat in my belly...

Thanks everyone for this... I look forward to hearing more input on this.. so please MFP'ers please continue sharing your thoughts...

There's nothing about protein powder that will make it easier to burn off fat in your belly. It's a nutrient source just like any solid food. Adequate protein intake (along with strength training) helps preserve lean body mass while losing weight, but the only thing that will burn off fat is a caloric deficit (eating less than you burn) - and you can't spot reduce/choose where you want the fat to go away from. That's determined mostly by your genetics, and for most guys it means that the belly/lower back are the last places fat deposits linger.

The main benefit of protein powder is that it helps you hit your protein macro without a lot of other calories from carbs and fats. I try to get as much of my protein as possible from solid foods (it's more filling than drinking your calories), and supplement with protein shakes when I need the extra protein to hit my macros.

strozman

brdnw wrote: »

ive had protein shakes for the past 5 years...id be eating nonstop otherwise to get enough protein...i try to get like 180g a day or so.

This

DBrooks1979

I know that I can't spot lose as much as I would honestly like to.. I also understand that for men the belly is usually the last place to go... ... I just know its easier to lose when your hitting all your macro's and still eating at a deficit. Thanks for your words on all of this... I will be looking into cost and flavor's avilable to me in my area and then looking online to find the best available.

mountainrun73

I really like protein powders. I don't use them daily, but find I am able to tolerate a protein shake for breakfast (with maybe some fruit, spinach, and almond/coconut milk) better than solid foods most days. Plus, they are really convenient for when you are on the go!

kshama2001

Nikkei74 wrote: »

What I like about it is convenience. What I don't like is the taste or texture. I've tried multiple brands, flavours and types - whey, soy, pea, hemp - and have never found an enjoyable one. In my experience the pea and hemp ones are gritty, and all of them are ridiculously sweet. If anyone can recommend one that's unsweetened and is available in Australia, I'd love to hear it.

@Nikkei74 don't know if they ship to you but this is the least sweet whey I've tried to date:

Biochem Ultimate 100 % Whey protein, Natural, 24.6-Ounce Can

Whey protein isolate, Natural French vanilla flavor, soy lecithin, xanthan gum.

No yeast, wheat, gluten, preservatives, artificial color, artificial flavor or artificial sweeteners

tomatoey

I'm experimenting a bit to increase my protein and have another way of getting other stuff in (like antioxidants and fibre from berries, calcium from milk, magnesium from 1/2 a banana etc. Also to promote healing ).

I am also adding that stuff in because all the protein powders I've tried taste nasty.

The problem is that it leaves me hungry (I think because it's not solid food) and so I've been going over my calories. (If you're doing more exercise than I can do right now, that might not be a problem because you'll burn it off. But then you might as well just get it from food anyway.)

If I could just drink the powder with water, and have the blueberries etc. in solid form, it might be ok, but I can't make myself get just powder with water down. If you can find a powder that isn't disgusting, go for it.

RodaRose

How much protein are you eating?