Protein Shakes and Workouts.....

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gemtayls
gemtayls Posts: 42 Member
in Getting Started
Hi Guys... just wondering if anyone can give me a bit of advice...

. I want to start adding some extra protein to my diet but the usual eggs, chicken etc. do use a lot of calories. Can anyone recommend a good protein shake that is high protein, low carbs / fat?

My plan was to give Jillian Micheals 30 day shred a go as although I go spinning a couple of times a week when i work late I don't have time for a lot of other classes so my reasoning was to do the 20 min workout before work on a morning. Therefore get up at 7, do the workout and replace breakfast with a good protein shake to get the extra protein as well as help repair my body after the workout.

Also do you all use your exercise calories? I'm a bit wary of using them as i think whats the point of replacing the calories you burned, also I have read a few times that they can over-estimate the calories in the tracker which is scary... perhaps i might eat half the calories I burn? I don't know... A little help would be grand :)

Thank you :)
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Replies

  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    :happy:

    yes, yes
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    :huh:


    Why do I have a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach?
  • Whyareyoumad
    Whyareyoumad Posts: 268 Member
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    Absolutely! Each and every time!
  • gemtayls
    gemtayls Posts: 42 Member
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    Sorry I've posted my actual question now.... Novice at these forums haha... any help would be great :blushing:
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    I want to start adding some extra protein to my diet but the usual eggs, chicken etc. do use a lot of calories. Can anyone recommend a good protein shake that is high protein, low carbs / fat?


    Here's the thing - any protein shake you drink will have more Calories per gram of protein than the chicken (or other lean meat) you consume.

    4 oz of chicken (using the data from a package I have at home) will give you 110 Calories, 20 g Protein, 3 g Fat, 0 g Carbs. That's 5.5 Calories per g protein - or another way to look at it is that it's almost all protein. Any powder you use (at least the ones I'm familiar with) will have additional carbs and maybe more fat. And that's just the powder, not to mention any milk or whatever else you may put into the shake.

    If you really want just the protein, go with the chicken - or other lean meat. They really don't have as many Calories as you likely think.
  • gemtayls
    gemtayls Posts: 42 Member
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    Ah OK awesome, thank you :)

    So would you say maybe to have a couple of scrambled eggs on a bit of wholemeal toast would be just as beneficial for protein intake / calories etc as replacing breaky with a shake?

    Sorry for all the questions, I want to be armed with the right info when I tackle this early morning exercise routine haha.. if I'm gonna do it I might aswell do it properly!
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I want to start adding some extra protein to my diet but the usual eggs, chicken etc. do use a lot of calories. Can anyone recommend a good protein shake that is high protein, low carbs / fat?


    Here's the thing - any protein shake you drink will have more Calories per gram of protein than the chicken (or other lean meat) you consume.

    4 oz of chicken (using the data from a package I have at home) will give you 110 Calories, 20 g Protein, 3 g Fat, 0 g Carbs. That's 5.5 Calories per g protein - or another way to look at it is that it's almost all protein. Any powder you use (at least the ones I'm familiar with) will have additional carbs and maybe more fat. And that's just the powder, not to mention any milk or whatever else you may put into the shake.

    If you really want just the protein, go with the chicken - or other lean meat. They really don't have as many Calories as you likely think.

    I definitely agree that you should try to get your protein from real sources whenever possible, but just throwing this out there - Isopure Zero Carb has 50 grams of protein in 210 calories. I definitely agree to avoid some of the richer protein shakes unless you need the extra calories or just really love the taste. The nice thing about protein shakes is they're tasty (or they can be) and easy.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    I definitely agree that you should try to get your protein from real sources whenever possible, but just throwing this out there - Isopure Zero Carb has 50 grams of protein in 210 calories. I definitely agree to avoid some of the richer protein shakes unless you need the extra calories or just really love the taste. The nice thing about protein shakes is they're tasty (or they can be) and easy.


    Really? Thanks for the info - I'll look into that one next time I'm in the market for some protein powder.

    Heck, I'll look into it now. :happy:
  • RyanDryFly
    RyanDryFly Posts: 92 Member
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    Egg whites are good too. They have about 4.7 calories per gram of protein.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I definitely agree that you should try to get your protein from real sources whenever possible, but just throwing this out there - Isopure Zero Carb has 50 grams of protein in 210 calories. I definitely agree to avoid some of the richer protein shakes unless you need the extra calories or just really love the taste. The nice thing about protein shakes is they're tasty (or they can be) and easy.


    Really? Thanks for the info - I'll look into that one next time I'm in the market for some protein powder.

    Heck, I'll look into it now. :happy:

    It's a bit pricy, but the lack of carbs is awesome. I prefer the mint chocolate chip and make it with some ice and Metromint spearmint water, sometimes with a bit of sugar-free chocolate syrup. That particular flavor also includes a nice shot of potassium, which I usually have to supplement otherwise. It's good stuff. Otherwise, when I don't feel like putting all the extra chemicals and artificial sweeteners in my body, I just go with the unflavored variety. :smile:
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    I want to start adding some extra protein to my diet but the usual eggs, chicken etc. do use a lot of calories. Can anyone recommend a good protein shake that is high protein, low carbs / fat?


    Here's the thing - any protein shake you drink will have more Calories per gram of protein than the chicken (or other lean meat) you consume.

    4 oz of chicken (using the data from a package I have at home) will give you 110 Calories, 20 g Protein, 3 g Fat, 0 g Carbs. That's 5.5 Calories per g protein - or another way to look at it is that it's almost all protein. Any powder you use (at least the ones I'm familiar with) will have additional carbs and maybe more fat. And that's just the powder, not to mention any milk or whatever else you may put into the shake.

    If you really want just the protein, go with the chicken - or other lean meat. They really don't have as many Calories as you likely think.

    ^^This. I've found chicken and tuna to be the lowest calorie, highest protein options before protein powders. I have 18g/scoop protein powder at 94 calories. It's unflavored and NEEDS more than milk added. So, any shake that I make is going to be 200+ calories.

    As for eggs, buy the egg whites. Most of the protein is in the whites and you can get 20g+/- of protein for 100 calories with those.
    Sure, you gotta add things to that, as well, but a wedge of Baby Bell cheese is about 35 calories, plus cooking spray and salsa/veggies. You can end up around 150-175 calories, which is pretty good, imo.
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
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    I want to start adding some extra protein to my diet but the usual eggs, chicken etc. do use a lot of calories. Can anyone recommend a good protein shake that is high protein, low carbs / fat?


    Here's the thing - any protein shake you drink will have more Calories per gram of protein than the chicken (or other lean meat) you consume.

    4 oz of chicken (using the data from a package I have at home) will give you 110 Calories, 20 g Protein, 3 g Fat, 0 g Carbs. That's 5.5 Calories per g protein - or another way to look at it is that it's almost all protein. Any powder you use (at least the ones I'm familiar with) will have additional carbs and maybe more fat. And that's just the powder, not to mention any milk or whatever else you may put into the shake.

    If you really want just the protein, go with the chicken - or other lean meat. They really don't have as many Calories as you likely think.

    Actually, I am a huge fan of Promasil. For starters, their flavors are by far the best of any shake out there. But nutritionally, they offer 22g of protein in 100 calories. That is superior to the 20g / 110 of 4oz of chicken. And they have 0 carbs.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/index2.html

    If you're using MFP as designed, you eat your exercise calories back because the caloric goal you're given for the day already has your deficit built in to meet the goal you entered.


    Yes, MFP does have a tendency to overestimate. I usually recommend starting at 50% of your exercise cals and adjust from there.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    I have a smoothie in the morning and I just add a scoop of syntha-6 whipped vanilla cream (tastes amazing). My smoothie may come to 400 cal, but after having a morning workout and knowing I'm not going to eat until at least 12 since I don't have a mid morning snack I can afford it. But I do agree if I could get in extra chicken or eggs I would, but no time in the morning for that.

    I'm also doing 30DS (highly recommend for a quick workout). I eat my BMR and my exercise calories.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    Here's the thing - any protein shake you drink will have more Calories per gram of protein than the chicken (or other lean meat) you consume.

    4 oz of chicken (using the data from a package I have at home) will give you 110 Calories, 20 g Protein, 3 g Fat, 0 g Carbs. That's 5.5 Calories per g protein - or another way to look at it is that it's almost all protein. Any powder you use (at least the ones I'm familiar with) will have additional carbs and maybe more fat. And that's just the powder, not to mention any milk or whatever else you may put into the shake.

    If you really want just the protein, go with the chicken - or other lean meat. They really don't have as many Calories as you likely think.
    [/quote]

    Actually no - there are protein shakes out there with less or the same calories and MORE protein than what you can get fom meat...
    Premier Protein (Costco at around $1.50 (CND) per325ml shake - 160 calories, 30g protein. 3g fat, 3g fibre and 5g of carbs.....You can't get much better....I prefer that and oatmeal for breakfast to a big piece of chicken or steak (that wil have more fat and calories)....
  • GenoPrice
    GenoPrice Posts: 477 Member
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    ON Gold Standard Whey protein powder has only 111 calories, 1g fat and 2g carbs per scoop which gives you 29g of protein. I have the vanilla icecream flavour with instant coffee as a recovery drink before work.
  • ThatsSOcleve
    ThatsSOcleve Posts: 39
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    100% gold standard whey protein whatever flavor...I enjoy this with 1 cup ( 8 0z.) of skim milk. 1 scoop of protein powder and shake :)

    I enjoy strawberry flavor.
  • creativerick
    creativerick Posts: 270 Member
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    If you want protein to calorie ratio - and don't want to eat tuna, chicken, turkey, pork, super lean beef, etc.

    100% Whey Isolate is probably your best bet. Any brand should work. I currently use ISO 100 by Dymatize. 25g protein per 110 calories. Tastes great, mixes really well (no chunks ever), and is less than $1 per serving.
  • born2drum
    born2drum Posts: 731 Member
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    Get Optimum Nutrition GOld Standard Whey Protein. Best Calorie to carb to protein ratio and inexpensive. Can't bea that.

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