Protein intake

LurayneMarie

Hi Ive noticed my protein intake isnt really up to scratch in my diet. How important is proper protein intake in aiding weight loss/if at all?
Does anyone recommend protein powder/shakes to help boost my intake? Are they just for body builders or people on vigorous exercise programs?
I exercise roughly 4-5 times a week with a mixture of running/walking/circuit training.
Will boosting my protein intake affect my weight loss at all? What does protein do in the diet?! Im clueless about this stuff!

Any help would be very welcome and much appreciated!

Thanks!

:flowerforyou:

shellyxxxxx

ive just posted something similar i also dont have a clue x

royam01

I'm interested! I don't have an answer though

lhuber1105

thanks for posting--interested too. My protein always seems low and yesterday while drying my hair I had clumps of hair fall out, by the root. I read this can happen with dieting due to low protein and iron, I am already anemic so there is the iron part and I am not a big meat eater so there is the protein part--interested in responses. I recently started drinking a protein drink after workouts.

Adsnwfld

Protein (generally) fills you up better then carbs. When you eat some carbs your blood sugar spikes and that can lead to fatigue, and a feeling of being hungry. Protein is the building blocks for muscle and in adequate amounts assist you in losing weight. You need carbs but protein is also needed and will help you feel full longer.

VialOfDreams

Protein is absolutely essential in tissue and muscle building. You need it to build muscle and to recover quicker after workouts.

If you are running, you need to have both carbs and protein, especially if you run a lot. After an hour of running, the fuel will primarily come from your muscle cells, so you need to have energy reserves. It is necessary to take in at least 7g of protein for women within the first 30-45 minutes of a workout.

Protein shakes are amazing. You can use protein bars as well, but shakes do tend to absorb easier.

Ben2118

Boosting my Protein and lowering my carbs has had a great effect on both my weight loss and working out. You need a lot of protein to feed your muscles, MFP figures are really low too, they say you can consume upto 1g of protein per lb of body weight so getting extra protein can sometimes be hard without supplements like shakes.

Protein will keep you full for longer and carbs tend to make you feel a little sluggish sometimes which never helps if you work out a lot.

I would probably look at something like a post workout Protein shake just to start with and see if it helps. I try get a lot of protein from my diet too but shakes really help if you are not feeling that hungry or don't want an actual meal.

Hope this helps.

Ben

rileysowner

Use a protein shake of some sort or other. It doesn't really matter which one you use, but make sure that it has very little fat and carbohydrate. You want the powder for the protein, you can add fruit for the carbs. I won't recommend one, but whey protein is absorbed fairly quickly, casien protein the slowest. I take my protein after my workout with some fruit blended in. It is a combination of whey protein and casien protein with whatever fruit I have available. I didn't used to take this, but one of my MFP friends recommended it, and I tried it and won't go back.

LurayneMarie

Wow thanks everyone for your response! From reading your comments Im realizing how much Im missing out on by not getting my protein in. I never even thought about it before. Im gonna head to the shops tomorrow and see what kind of protein shakes I can buy and @rileysowner thanks for the tip about adding the fruit too!

You have made me alot more educated this evening. Thank you! :flowerforyou:

melaniecheeks

I don't really go for artificial things like shakes, especially when protein is so easy to obtain from natural sources - a hard boiled egg, a slice of cheese, some slices of ham or chicken, a portion of baked beans, nuts, a glass of milk, half a tin of sardines...