Protein Shakes Newbie

scward1991
scward1991 Posts: 67 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi

Looking for a bit of guidance as I am a little clueless..

At the point where I want to stop losing weight but become more lean and reduce BF percentage.

Diet wise I am pretty good, the occasional chocolate/booze session here and there (we are only human) but overall I am quite good, eat a lot of protein, salads, veggies where I can. I am 5ft 6, 127lbs now, down from 149lbs at the start of this year.

Started to notice a bit of a decline in my fitness performance and energy levels lately which has never been an issue before, I have been on a diet for so long now it seems I have forgotten that you can actually eat more than 1200 calories and not suddenly put on a stone in a few days!!

Wondering if protein shakes might be a good way to burn fat/increase lean muscle and also give me that extra burst of energy for exercise after work (just as an FYI I do Les Mills classes numerous times a week, Body Pump x 2 or 3, Body Combat x 3 and recently integrated Body Balance x 2 into my work out plan, whilst also making time for low impact walking too a couple hours a week where I can).

Does anyone have any recommendations of protein shakes to start off with, or recommendations on how to achieve a leaner look?

Again apologies as I am a complete beginnner, so looking for some advice!

Thanks :)


Replies

  • scward1991
    scward1991 Posts: 67 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    No protein shakes don't burn fat or increase lean muscle and they are a poor energy source for exercise.
    Protein shakes are purely a protein rich food in the form of a drink. Nothing special apart from being a convenient and relatively inexpensive way to supplement protein if required.

    It you are getting enough protein from your regular foods then it's pointless to supplement with more protein.
    And if you are maintaining rather than dieting then the need for a higher protein amount has reduced not increased.
    Started to notice a bit of a decline in my fitness performance and energy levels lately
    If that's diet related rather than fatigue then I would suggest more calories and probably in the form of carbs - they are your bodies primary exercise fuel.

    Thank you - I have been given a lot of information from the fellas at work about protein shakes so its nice to have a straight answer!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Protein shakes have become a fashion statement rather than a food....
    "Look at me - I'm a badass trainer because I have a shaker in my hand at all times" ;)
  • scward1991
    scward1991 Posts: 67 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Protein shakes have become a fashion statement rather than a food....
    "Look at me - I'm a badass trainer because I have a shaker in my hand at all times" ;)

    You do see a lot of them about - then you wonder if you are doing something wrong by not having one yourself!!!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    maybe stop eating in a deficit and look into recomp?
  • scward1991
    scward1991 Posts: 67 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    maybe stop eating in a deficit and look into recomp?

    Thats the plan - sorry I wasn't very clear in my initial post, not looking to lose more weight, recomp is what I want to do, just wanted to know if protein shakes were a good way of assisting that along...
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    scward1991 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    maybe stop eating in a deficit and look into recomp?

    Thats the plan - sorry I wasn't very clear in my initial post, not looking to lose more weight, recomp is what I want to do, just wanted to know if protein shakes were a good way of assisting that along...

    not particularly. as Si has already said, protein shakes are just extra protein.

    i have one maybe once a fortnight if i am not close to hitting my protein goal.
  • scward1991
    scward1991 Posts: 67 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    scward1991 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    maybe stop eating in a deficit and look into recomp?

    Thats the plan - sorry I wasn't very clear in my initial post, not looking to lose more weight, recomp is what I want to do, just wanted to know if protein shakes were a good way of assisting that along...

    not particularly. as Si has already said, protein shakes are just extra protein.

    i have one maybe once a fortnight if i am not close to hitting my protein goal.

    Thanks both - good to get input from people in the know.

    When you look online it is all pro protein shakes and tells you that it assists in the fat burning process.. You never really know what to believe as different places tell you different things!
  • cs2thecox
    cs2thecox Posts: 533 Member
    I'm a tiny bit shorter than you (5' 5.5") and about a year into recomp.
    I'm about 60kg, and using calipers my body fat was measured as about 16% in May.

    I eat 1,900 - 2,000 calories a day (sometimes more), which seems to work for me, along with lifting heavy(ish) 3x a week. I'm trying to fit some yoga in too as my flexibility is rubbish.

    I focus more on macros than calories now, as I find it more constructive for my mental health, and admit I do use protein shakes. My protein target is 130-150g a day, and I find it deeply uncomfortable to get that from "normal" food. To get it in, I normally snack on a protein bar, a high protein yogurt (the Arla 20g ones), and usually have a protein shake at breakfast.

    Shakes certainly aren't anything magic, but if you have a protein target that is pretty high then they can be a useful way of getting there without having to gnaw on endless bits of chicken ;)
  • scward1991
    scward1991 Posts: 67 Member
    cs2thecox wrote: »
    I'm a tiny bit shorter than you (5' 5.5") and about a year into recomp.
    I'm about 60kg, and using calipers my body fat was measured as about 16% in May.

    I eat 1,900 - 2,000 calories a day (sometimes more), which seems to work for me, along with lifting heavy(ish) 3x a week. I'm trying to fit some yoga in too as my flexibility is rubbish.

    I focus more on macros than calories now, as I find it more constructive for my mental health, and admit I do use protein shakes. My protein target is 130-150g a day, and I find it deeply uncomfortable to get that from "normal" food. To get it in, I normally snack on a protein bar, a high protein yogurt (the Arla 20g ones), and usually have a protein shake at breakfast.

    Shakes certainly aren't anything magic, but if you have a protein target that is pretty high then they can be a useful way of getting there without having to gnaw on endless bits of chicken ;)

    Thank you this is really helpful! My BF% is about 20% at the moment but without calipers I don't know for sure, just going on my scales % although I have heard this is inaccurate.

    If you don't mind me asking is your lifestyle fairly sedentary? I feel like the focus on macros will also be more beneficial for me in order to make the most of the food I am eating and its benefits..
  • scward1991
    scward1991 Posts: 67 Member
    Sorry I mean lifestyle as in career sense- I spend most of my day sat down in an office as opposed to out and about on my feet so all my exercise is in the evenings and on weekends!
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
    scward1991 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    Protein shakes have become a fashion statement rather than a food....
    "Look at me - I'm a badass trainer because I have a shaker in my hand at all times" ;)

    You do see a lot of them about - then you wonder if you are doing something wrong by not having one yourself!!!

    There's nothing cool about protein shakes. People drink them because it's hard to get enough protein by food only sometimes.
    And they are easy. I would hate to chew on a piece of chicken breast on my way to work.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    You know I've found that I used protein shakes to help get more protein when I was in a cut (losing fat) because higher protein helps maintain muscle along with lifting weights, when you are losing fat.

    Now since I'm bulking, I actually need less protein and many more carbs, while keeping in my calorie goals. Carbs fuel the workout. Total calories tell your body whether to store energy (muscle and fat) or get rid of it. :)
  • Shull_rachael
    Shull_rachael Posts: 430 Member
    I use premier protein. I like the strawberry and vanilla. They're 160calories, 30grams of protein and I think 1gram of sugar. I only do this because I can't get enough nutrition in. I would much rather be eating food then having a shake but they're good for on the go. This was recommended to me by my doctor and dietitian. So if you're still looking for something I'd check these out. You can get them at Walmart but they're cheaper online.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited September 2017
    Good afternoon! Protein Shakes - or whatever we call them - are S U P P L E M E N T S.

    If, for whatever reason, we are not able to get enough of something via what we eat then the use of supplements is a great thing. However, if you are getting what you need via what you eat then you do not need any supplements (well, generally speaking a good multi-vitamin is ALWAYS a good idea). Yes, they are all the rage. And, for most people, not necessary. Trendy does not equal necessary.

    There is a formula to figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate (there is one for men and there is one for women). That formula is tried and true, but it is a formula. Everyone is different so use this as a starting point:

    BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) – (4.7 x age in years)

    This is the formula for women. Use this to figure out your Basal Metabolic Rate. Again, it is a starting point. And, it is in Pounds | Ounces. You can convert it for KGs. There are 2.204 pounds in 1 KG. That is, if you need to do so.

    You take the BMR and multiple it by an "activity factor" and that gives you your AMR (Active Metabolic Rate). Those Multipliers look like this:

    *Sedentary (little or no exercise) – your AMR = BMR x 1.2
    *Lightly active (light exercise/work 1-3 days per week) – your AMR = BMR x 1.375
    *Moderately active (moderate exercise/work 3-5 days per week) – your AMR = BMR x 1.55
    *Very active (hard exercise/work 6-7 days a week) – your AMR = BMR x 1.725
    *Ultra active (very hard exercise/work 6-7 days a week) – your AMR = BMR x 1.9

    That should help you find your maintenance caloric intake. (BMR + AMR)/2 = Maintenance.

    Again, these are formulas. We humans are not formulas. So, use this as a starting point. You will likely need to use the "trial and error" approach to find out what truly works for you.

    Weigh yourself every day at the same time (usually, once you wake up and go to the bathroom) on the same scale and take the average of each day over the course of one week. We do this because the human body fluctuates with respect to weight all the time. Women have the added situation of their menstrual cycle. So, use the weekly average over time.

    Congrats on the great success! I surely hope that this helps you.

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