protein shakes. good or bad?

tcrawford112

hey everyone! i need some advice. i was thinking about trying out some protein shakes or protein drinks of some sort but im not really sure if they would help at all. i want something to give me energy and help me to shave the lbs but also get lean muscles. Any suggestions? any advice would help. whether good or bad. thanks guys!!!

MarieNevada

to get energy, you need to eat the right foods, as little processed foods as possible and as much whole foods. To lose the lbs you need to be in a calorie deficit. To get lean muscles you need to exercise with an emphasis on weight lifting. Protein shakes are a small part of that formula. I take them after my workouts but i do not rely on them to do anything but feed my muscles the macro nutrients they need to repair and get stronger and better. You can do all that without ever taking any protein shakes. They are not magic and will not substitute for the magic formula of Eat Less and Move More.

Pandorian

Buy some protein powder and make your own shakes, works out far cheaper, and if you're going to buy the pre-mixed ones make sure to check the label, half the cans labelled protein drinks locally have more carbs than they do protein.
Since I'm looking to supplement just my protein I prefer to buy whey protein or hemp protein and add a scoop or two of it to my greek yogurt or regular yogurt... or oatmeal... or in my pancake mix etc etc. Hmm yes both proteins have worked for me in my "shakes" at home, bullet jar, yogurt, protein powder, frozen berries and maybe a dash of juice to make it a shade more liquid.

RachelJE

I use Body by Vi and LOVE it. It has about 14 grams of protein per serving, but depending on what type of milk you use that increases. Usually I'm at about 20 grams per shake. The thing I like about it is it is a neutral flavor. So if you want a fruity drink, or a chocolate shake, or a coffee drink - you can make it taste like any of that. Most others either taste like chocolate or vanilla, so you are locked in to drinking 2 pounds of that. The other thing that is really important to me is the rich nutrients. I could send you a list of all the foods you'd have to eat to consume the amount of nutrients in one shake (13 eggs, 11 pieces of asparagus, 3 chicken breasts, the list goes on). So I do 2 shakes and 3 small meals a day, about 1200 calories per day. Before I started with the shakes, my hair was falling out by the handfuls and I was having a ton of health issues. Now all my bloodwork is back within a normal range and I feel incredible. And the first 8 weeks with the shakes I lost 20 pounds and 14.6 inches. It's made a huge difference in my life, and I just can't say enough.

NatalieBrooke88

AWESOME!

if:

-Low in sugar - 0-1 grams of sugar
-Low in calories
- High in protein - between 15-30 grams of protein. (Anything over 30 grams in one serving converts to fat)

I was previously buying Advantedge shakes - 7 dollars for 4 cartons. A rip off. I found a powder a Walmart fitting the above criteria for 14 DOLLARS. I will get at least 50 shakes out of this carton of powder- what a steal!

gp79

Shakes are nothing magical in terms of weight loss. It's simply protein in powdered form. To get the most for your money in terms of satiety, eat a chicken breast, or a steak or something that's chewable. Protein shakes which sound healthy won't fill you up and when you start adding things to them, the calories can quickly go through the roof. Pounding a 1000 calorie shake in less than a minute leaves you wanting more :P

Don't get me wrong, protein powder is awesome stuff and it's best used to supplement a diet of whole foods to ensure you're getting sufficient protein.

sandyt627

I love Optimum protein! The flavors are good, and though it's spendy, it's good quality. About 130 cals for a scoop, 3 g of carbs, 24 g of protein. You can do it with milk or water, though milk is always gonna be better. I use them as most of a meal...so like a protein shake and a piece of fruit or something. Just stay within your calories, do weight training and cardio, and you'll be fine. Protein shakes are a nice bonus, but not necessary.

sblueyez

I have muscle milk plus which is lower in carbs. I'm not actively trying to gain muscle right now so I don't use it much. I'm not too big in to meat so I will have some muscle milk when I feel like I'm not getting enough protein from other things. Quinoa and Greek yogurt pack a protein punch

cunnine

I've added protein to cold foods, does adding it to hot foods change the protein value?

Russellb97

Shakes are nothing magical in terms of weight loss. It's simply protein in powdered form. To get the most for your money in terms of satiety, eat a chicken breast, or a steak or something that's chewable. Protein shakes which sound healthy won't fill you up and when you start adding things to them, the calories can quickly go through the roof. Pounding a 1000 calorie shake in less than a minute leaves you wanting more :P

Don't get me wrong, protein powder is awesome stuff and it's best used to supplement a diet of whole foods to ensure you're getting sufficient protein.

Excellent post and perfect advice.
I do have protein powders but I use them to mix with foods. My favorite is a TBSP of PB and a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Mix it together and I spread it on the mission carb balance white tortillas. I also make bars, fudge, and pancakes with it.
You will be far less hungry if you eat your calories versus drinking them.

nsimportant

I use protein powder for my deserts like oats,coca,protein powder and some sweeteners or I use it with quark/cottage cheese and berries and casein protein for fluff . I love it

Btw

- High in protein - between 15-30 grams of protein. (Anything over 30 grams in one serving converts to fat)

Is this based on Your personal experience? Hmm maybe I should stop eating my 100g protein lunches or maybe not.