whey powder question please help :)

laurensohn22

Hi I'm trying to figure out if whey powder is a good choice to use daily . I want to lose about 50lbs and I've heard whey protein can help ? I've read a couple different reviews on this and was just wondering what everyone thinks is it just for building muscle or will this help me out ? Please be nice I'm just trying to learn Thanks in advance y'all are awesome and friend requests are always awesome

4theking

It will help in the sense that protein requires more energy to process/digest it, so your net caloric intake is lower.

kburns0709

as long as you stay in the calories it won't make you bulk up
i have a shake for breakfast and the great benefit they have is making you FULL you will not be hungry for a loooong time
at least thats why i use them, and I've lost weight i haven't bulked up

Kirsty_UK

It will help in the sense that protein requires more energy to process/digest it, so your net caloric intake is lower.

is that still the case with powder? or just to a lesser extent?

I think really it's mostly just a way to get more protein into your diet, and if you are doing strength work (recommended even for weight loss so that you lose fat, and not muscle), it can help recovery I think.

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

I was wondering this too! Gonna check back later for more opinions. :happy:

MissMaryMac33

Read labels! The contents of whey protein isolate powders vary greatly --- I drink 2-3 a day but I do NOT buy the kind with high cals/carb/fat/sugar -- I'm no trying to bulk up. I drink them for workouts and btween meals to keep me full and I love them.

fitaliciag

I drink whey everyday. I say it helps because it keeps your from losing muscle, helps you build it without getting bulky, and you need to increase your protein intake anyways. because making muscle helps you burn more fat :-) this is also why you need weight training along with your cardio.

nc90

It can work as a great meal replacement/ recovery drink. I usually go with making sure it's 100% whey, and doesn't have a bunch of added stuff that works to "bulk up" I have found the Biochem Vanilla Whey tastes good and not chalky like some other ones can. Usually if i'm using it as a meal replacement, I'll blend it with milk and a piece of fruit (strawberries, peaches, banana), but if I'm looking for recovery after a workout, I'll just mix with water to help with faster digestion.

Hope this helps!

4theking

It will help in the sense that protein requires more energy to process/digest it, so your net caloric intake is lower.

is that still the case with powder? or just to a lesser extent?

I think really it's mostly just a way to get more protein into your diet, and if you are doing strength work (recommended even for weight loss so that you lose fat, and not muscle), it can help recovery I think.

hmmm good point, not sure if powder requires less energy to digest.

SMHoff

IMHO, whey powder is a staple. You do need to look at the labels and consider ingredients and macros just as you would/should anything you consume. I personally use Optimum Nutrition (ON) 100% Gold Standard Whey but there are a multitude of brands and opinions out there. A good slow digesting protein to use prior to bedtime is Casein protein too if you are looking for options there.
Using protein powders as a supplement to a good clean diet is a great option (especially for post workout meal options which are key to building muscle and burning fat) it's a convenient way to get protein but should not take the place of too many meals/snacks.
There is alot of great information on bodybuilding.com if you're interested.
Best of luck in exceeding your goals, you can do it! Stay Strong!!

Sp1nGoddess

I read somewhere that in a study people to drank whey protein lost more weight than those who did not, even without other changes. You need ample protein to protect your muscle as your lose weight. If you don't have enough protein in your diet your body will steal it from your muscle. I find that I do lose more weight when one of my snacks is a protein shake w/ fruit & ground flax. And as mentioned above read the label. You want something that is less than 200 calories per scoop and does not have crazy 'proprietary' ingredients.

flimflamfloz

You won't bulk just by adding protein powder to your diet. In fact, unless you want to start a career as a female bodybuilder and you give bulking the dedication it requires, there is no way you are going to bulk at all....

That being said, IMHO too whey protein powder is a staple as the other person said.
Just helps you reaching high ratio of protein vs carbs/fat, helps building muscles, and thus increases BMR, helps losing body fat etc.

EDIT: in case you are looking for a good whey protein, you can try "reflex instant whey chocolate powder" (love the taste of it, does not affect digestion). But try others by all mean if you want, this is only my fav brand.

mrsxbrightside

I would check with your doctor before using this. I thought it was harmless, so I bought some of it - the Body Fortress kind - and it turned out to be a huge mistake. Several hours after drinking it, I woke up with a very bad pain in my stomach, like a hunger pain, then I got a migraine (I never get migraines). This had never happened to me before, so I looked it up on the internet and found other stories similar to mine. This particular type of whey protein can increase the acidity in your body as well. I recommend checking with your doctor first. I don't know if I was allergic or what exactly happened, but I haven't had any more of it.

lyssaloo

I think whey is great for losing weight or building muscle. I drink it every day. Eating a diet high in protein and low in carbs and fats will help you lose weight more quickly. Aim for 50% protein 30% carbs and 20% fat out of what you eat in the day. It's a great fat burner. Also, if you work out a lot and drink whey after your workout it will help you be less sore the next day, because it will take the protein to the muscles that need repair. Whey protein is also great because it is so quickly absorbed by your body. It can be absorbed in as little as 15 minutes. That means you're getting a lot of benefit out of it and not a lot of the protein is going to waste or passing right through you. And although you always here that carbs are our source of energy, proteins are even more so our source of energy. Carbs are our initial source of energy, meaning soon after we eat them they give us energy. Proteins on the other hand will provide us with energy for 3 to 5 hours after we eat it. I hope this help answered your question. And also, along with what other people have commented here, don't drink any protein shakes that have high sugars or high carbs or high fats. Find one with low sugars and low carbs and high in protein. Good Luck!

CandeesLand

I use protein powder almost every morning as my breakfast, a scoop in with my coffee to make it taste like a nice flavored mocha. and sometimes again in the afternoon as a post lunch pick me up. It does keep you full for a while and they can be low cal/fat/carb so it does help you stay within your goals. There are lots of different kinds with different amounts of cals/protein/carbs/fat/sugar/fiber/sodium. Just pick the one that works best for you, also, I always go to amazon and read reviews of the powder I am going to buy, some of them are nutritionally great, but taste aweful or don't mix well, and you wont use it if it sucks.

kcphilly

I have a whey protein drink every morning and usually one after I do strength training. I'm not a breakfast person at all so for me it helps because I lose my excuse for not wanting to eat in the morning. I like Optimum Nutrition brand...very little carbs (3g) and 23 grams of protein for a scoop. Does fill me for awhile and then I'm not tempted to snack. Love the chocolate flavor and I add some cinnamon to the powder as well.

Won't make you bulky and if you get a good one you basically get a carb free meal which will help you get leaner.

flimflamfloz

I would check with your doctor before using this. I thought it was harmless, so I bought some of it - the Body Fortress kind - and it turned out to be a huge mistake. Several hours after drinking it, I woke up with a very bad pain in my stomach, like a hunger pain, then I got a migraine (I never get migraines). This had never happened to me before, so I looked it up on the internet and found other stories similar to mine. This particular type of whey protein can increase the acidity in your body as well. I recommend checking with your doctor first. I don't know if I was allergic or what exactly happened, but I haven't had any more of it.

Well, they sell "mix" these days, a complete solution mix of proteins and hormons and various other things. I don't buy these personally, just like to be in control (and know exactly what I ingest).
If you buy the pure protein thing however, there would be little difference with eating a tin of tuna AFAIK.

crux

'If' you can get your protein from natural sources, then I think that's better.

Most Whey powders contain at the least artificial sweeteners. Some contain all sorts of additives that I don't even recognise.

Makes me laugh when people say they eat clean and yet they consume protein powder!


Now, don't get me wrong... I have been using Whey protein powders for a long time, because it's an easy, cheap way of helping to raise your days protein intake. It's especially easy after a workout to drink a milk/powder shake instead of grill some chicken or fish etc...

But I'm getting sick of the taste, the ones that taste good often contain the most crap, and those that are less flavoured taste minging.

I'm seriously considering dropping the Whey powders and just drinking fat free milk for recovery and eating more dietary Protein.

laurensohn22

So is there a best brand that isn't to high in price ? I was thinking of trying the body fortress one first but I'm not sure