Protein shakes.....how do you know what you need?

curvykim78

I see a lot of people here are drinking protein shakes or talking about making foods with their protein powders. How do you know if a protein powder is something 'you' need?

EAH123

I met with a trainer to discuss this. He told me I needed to have 120-140g of protein daily. I can't eat that much protein on my own, so I supplement. I use Bluenonnet's Whey protein Isolate. It has 26g of protein. I don't like the taste in water so I use 1% milk. It works for me.

Toddrific

Supposedly you should have .8 to 1.2 times your lean body mass in protein a day. (less if you are younger, more if you are older)
People generally just do 1g per 1 lb of LBM.

Protein powder can be used to supplement if you aren't getting enough sources of dietary protein. Meat, dairy, beans, eggs are great sources. Real food sources should be a priority, with powder supplements.
Sadly many people do the opposite.

curvykim78

Do you decide it yourself or is it something you should ask a doctor about first? I don't want to go backwards in my weight loss plans.

tross0924

well it's hard to say "nah, don't talk to your doctor about it, you'll be fine." So like every diet or exercise plan every made "you should consult your doctor before beginning this or any other / diet or exercise plan"

But that being said, I don't really see a down side to protein powders. All they are is a way to get more protein into your diet. If you think you need more protein and don't feel like boneless skinless chicken at every meal then they're a good way to get that. As to who gets to be a part of the decision that you need more protein, well that's entirely up to you.