Protein Shake for my needs

jessiebritt

I have been pretty ignorant for most of my life as to how to take care of myself and what my body needs to lose weight. I see a lot of people who are working on weight loss, who have protein shakes as a meal replacement. I was always under the impression they were intended for body building ( a total assumption).

I like the idea of a meal replacement because of a few reasons:

a) When I add in my work out's, I have a hard time eating all my calories.
b) Most mornings I don't have time for "traditional" breakfasts.
c) I work shifts, so I need something that can double for breakfast/lunch or dinner when I'm in a time pinch.

I guess my questions are... am I taking it for the right reasons, or are there other benefits that I'm missing out on? Is this something that will aid in my weight loss? If it is right for me, any recommendations on what type I should take?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

EvanKeel

A protein supplement doesn't really do anything to help you lose weight as such. It's just a way to get more protein in your diet. I think the TEF for protein is technically slightly higher than fats or carbs, but like all food it's a source for calories and should be viewed like that.

Just like any other food, it'a s numbers game. Does the shake you're looking at have the right combination of carbs/fats/protein compared to the overall calories that you're looking for. Some people just drink some milk because that suits their macronutrient requirements.

The tricky part is not only finding one with the macros but also one that tastes good. I like the Optimum Nutrition Vanilla powder. I think it mixes well with different ingredients, and as far as I've been able to tell it's decent quality for the price. If I don't want to mess with powder, I'll have a Premier Protein shake that I get from Costco. They're pre-made and convenient for me for breakfast. 160 calories for 30g of protein isn't bad.

If you were body building, I think there's probably a discussion people could have about amino acid profiles, but I'm guessing you don't need to get that specific.

jessiebritt

Perfect, Thank You! That's absolutely the answer I was looking for.

kahyee

I like Vega One. It's pricey but it is more off a all in one nutritional meal than just a protein shake. Plus it's vegan friendly and tastes great, at least to me.