Is there any point in me drinking protein shakes?

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  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I am trying to lose weight before gaining much muscle, because focusing on one thing at a time is easier for me.

    I can understand that, but realize it's hard to build muscle. Really hard. It's much easier to maintain whatever muscle you already have.

    I can lose 3 lbs of muscle in a single month by running a modest 500 calorie deficit and not lifting weights. Know how long it would take to build those 3 lbs back? 3 months. And with those 3 lbs of muscle I'll get 2 lbs of fat, which will require another few weeks to get rid of.

    So.. be careful. I strongly suggest you do whatever you can to preserve the muscle you already have. Building more is really hard, especially for women.
  • rachaelheaney
    rachaelheaney Posts: 116
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    Lordy, I didn't realise I was going to start arguments. Haha!
    Thanks for all the input though, guys.

    Basically, what I'm getting is, protein from food is the better choice, but when I'm struggling a protein shake won't do me any harm, especially when I'm strength training. And I also need to work out my body fat percentage to really know how much protein I need...

    Whey is food. I don't know why people think of it as some drug.

    Whey is one of the proteins in milk. When they make cheese, out of milk, whey is part of the liquid that doesn't turn into cheese. They pull the protein out of the liquid and, voila, whey.

    Remember Little Miss Muffet? Remember what she was eating when the spider came to mess up her day? Curds and whey. Cottage cheese and whey.

    Whey is food. If it was good enough for Little Miss Muffet, it's good enough for the rest of us.

    I don't think of it as a drug, but it's certainly a supplement.
  • rachaelheaney
    rachaelheaney Posts: 116
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    Once you start strength training I'd make sure you're getting at least 100-120g of protein a day.

    Protein helps your muscles repair.

    Thank you. :smile:
  • rachaelheaney
    rachaelheaney Posts: 116
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    I am trying to lose weight before gaining much muscle, because focusing on one thing at a time is easier for me.

    I can understand that, but realize it's hard to build muscle. Really hard. It's much easier to maintain whatever muscle you already have.

    I can lose 3 lbs of muscle in a single month by running a modest 500 calorie deficit and not lifting weights. Know how long it would take to build those 3 lbs back? 3 months. And with those 3 lbs of muscle I'll get 2 lbs of fat, which will require another few weeks to get rid of.

    So.. be careful. I strongly suggest you do whatever you can to preserve the muscle you already have. Building more is really hard, especially for women.

    I am strength training though. Modestly, yes, but still strength training. I don't want to enter into some serious plan without consulting with a PT first, which is why I have the session with one booked. I'm doing a bit of research into how much protein I need at the minute though. There's no reason not to add in maybe a half scoop or something at the minute if I find I do need more. So thanks!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I am trying to lose weight before gaining much muscle, because focusing on one thing at a time is easier for me.

    I can understand that, but realize it's hard to build muscle. Really hard. It's much easier to maintain whatever muscle you already have.

    I can lose 3 lbs of muscle in a single month by running a modest 500 calorie deficit and not lifting weights. Know how long it would take to build those 3 lbs back? 3 months. And with those 3 lbs of muscle I'll get 2 lbs of fat, which will require another few weeks to get rid of.

    So.. be careful. I strongly suggest you do whatever you can to preserve the muscle you already have. Building more is really hard, especially for women.

    I am strength training though. Modestly, yes, but still strength training. I don't want to enter into some serious plan without consulting with a PT first, which is why I have the session with one booked. I'm doing a bit of research into how much protein I need at the minute though. There's no reason not to add in maybe a half scoop or something at the minute if I find I do need more. So thanks!

    Yes, absolutely, I just want you to understand the tradeoffs and what you're trying to accomplish. Best of luck to you.

    BTW, here's a great summary of recent research in protein consumption:
    http://www.jissn.com/content/3/1/7

    If you do decide to use some protein powder, my favorites are Dymatize Elite (not All-Natural) and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard for whey and Syntrax Matrix for a blend. Whey is absorbed very quickly and is generally recommended for early morning or post-workout, while the blend is a mix of proteins designed to be absorbed a bit more slowly and is good for general or nighttime use.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    it's only really important when you are trying to build muscle. if you are getting close to your goals with your normal diet and not eating at a large deficit from your TDEE, then i don't think you really need to supplement your protein with shakes. building muscle is a different story, and that's really what the whole protein shake industry caters to... people actively trying to maximize muscle growth.


    Sure... but you don't NEED to consume protein shakes to build muscle.
  • rachaelheaney
    rachaelheaney Posts: 116
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    Yes, absolutely, I just want you to understand the tradeoffs and what you're trying to accomplish. Best of luck to you.

    BTW, here's a great summary of recent research in protein consumption:
    http://www.jissn.com/content/3/1/7

    If you do decide to use some protein powder, my favorites are Dymatize Elite (not All-Natural) and Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard for whey and Syntrax Matrix for a blend. Whey is absorbed very quickly and is generally recommended for early morning or post-workout, while the blend is a mix of proteins designed to be absorbed a bit more slowly and is good for general or nighttime use.

    Thank you! Hefty bit of reading that report, but it seems interesting.
  • darwinwoodka
    darwinwoodka Posts: 322 Member
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    I use them to maintain lean muscle mass while keeping my carbs down. A quick way to reload glycogen level after an intense workout or strength training. They pack a lot of nutrition for very low calorie count.
  • WinnerVictorious
    WinnerVictorious Posts: 4,735 Member
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    I am trying to lose weight before gaining much muscle, because focusing on one thing at a time is easier for me.

    I can understand that, but realize it's hard to build muscle. Really hard. It's much easier to maintain whatever muscle you already have.

    I can lose 3 lbs of muscle in a single month by running a modest 500 calorie deficit and not lifting weights. Know how long it would take to build those 3 lbs back? 3 months. And with those 3 lbs of muscle I'll get 2 lbs of fat, which will require another few weeks to get rid of.

    So.. be careful. I strongly suggest you do whatever you can to preserve the muscle you already have. Building more is really hard, especially for women.

    i'm going to have to call shenanigans on this.

    you are claiming that during a month where you run a modest 500 calorie per day deficit and end up losing 4 lbs, 3 lbs of that is muscle? 75% muscle?? sorry, i can't accept those numbers as accurate.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    i'm going to call shenanigans on this.

    you are claiming that during a month where you run a modest 500 calorie per day deficit and end up losing 4 lbs, 3 lbs of that is muscle? 75% muscle?? sorry, i don't accept those numbers as accurate.

    Call shenanigans all you want, I speak from experience. I pulled a muscle in my back a couple of years back and, stupidly, kept my calorie deficit going while I was unable to exercise. Lost about 3 lbs of lean mass and 1.5 lbs of fat according to both the scale and the calipers.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Ah here are the numbers:

    December 2: 154.2 lbs, 14.3% body fat. 132.1 lbs lean mass, 22.1 lbs fat mass.
    January 2: 150 lbs, 14.2% body fat. 128.7 lbs lean mass, 21.5 lbs fat mass.

    So my numbers were slightly off. About 3.4 lbs lean mass and 0.6 lbs of fat mass lost while recuperating. It was about a year before I got the lean mass to 133, though that's mostly because I've had lingering back issues that have kept me from lifting much of anything heavy.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    OP: you may benefit from further increasing your protein intake. You certainly can do this through non-shake means though.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    How much protein are you currently consuming?

    <snip>

    I changed it to 98 because the default was too low. On most days I'm making anywhere between 60 and 80 from sources like tuna and greek yoghurt.

    I think that 80 is probably a better goal than 60. A good rule of thumb is 0.8g protein per pound of lean body mass. I did read a study where it indicated women who ate a minimum of 72 grams a day lost more fat and less lean body mass than the women who ate around 50 grams of protein. Personally, I shoot for 100 grams but consider 80 grams as a minimum. I can usually get to 60 grams without even trying or planning anything.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Lordy, I didn't realise I was going to start arguments. Haha!
    Thanks for all the input though, guys.

    Basically, what I'm getting is, protein from food is the better choice, but when I'm struggling a protein shake won't do me any harm, especially when I'm strength training. And I also need to work out my body fat percentage to really know how much protein I need...

    Whey is food. I don't know why people think of it as some drug.

    Whey is one of the proteins in milk. When they make cheese, out of milk, whey is part of the liquid that doesn't turn into cheese. They pull the protein out of the liquid and, voila, whey.

    Remember Little Miss Muffet? Remember what she was eating when the spider came to mess up her day? Curds and whey. Cottage cheese and whey.

    Whey is food. If it was good enough for Little Miss Muffet, it's good enough for the rest of us.

    But powdered whey is not the same as an ounce of cheese melted over meat. :bigsmile:

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