Protein Shakes Help Please!

Protein shakes are a great way to increase your protein intake and control hunger. It's best to drink one after a work out to help your muscles recover, but it's also a useful way to curb your appetite. It would be ideal to drink it when you find yourself wanting to snack like mid morning or mid day, maybe right after work. Protein is the most filling macro. Use it when you're hungry and aim for at least 1g/kg of body weight or 1g/lb of lean tissue.

Good brands-for whey protein if you want a powder, nectar by syntax is zero sugar, zero carb, zero fat, all protein. If you want a ready to drink protein shake (usually tastes better) I'd definitely go with pure pro 50. The vanilla bean flavor is 240 calories and 50g of protein (so 200 calories from protein). It's definitely the best tasting protein shake I've ever had. Designer whey is also pretty yummy and they have a wide variety of flavors.

If you are vegan or have a dairy sensitivity, I like rice protein powder. I can't remember the name of the one I use, but it's like 80% calories from protein and it's vanilla.

Thanks, is it best to mix my own? Is there a brand I can find at Walmart?

No. If you live in Texas you can get it at HEB. Other than that, there is Amazon and SmartPowders

I would only suggest one of three brands:
Optimum Nutrition as stated above (most expensive)
Dymatize Elite (slightly cheaper)
SmartPowders brand (cheapest)

The quality of all of these is roughly equal.

I personally use Optimum Nutrition because I like the way it tastes and mixes, but it's up to you. Be careful about getting super cheap stuff or other brands. Some companies have been know to basically sell sugar powder claiming its protein.

Isolate Protein is best for women, Watch the sugar count... "Pure Protein" Which is at Walmart has a good nutruition and low calorie count!

"Isolate" is good for everyone.

Pure Protein is crap. Has about 50% of the advertised protein. Typical Walmart quality.

They should be used only if you can not meet your protein requirements with regular food. Four ounces of chicken will go a lot farther in keeping you feeling full than some powder mixed with water. Probably not a bad thing if you are eating lower cal to lose weight.

Ridiculous. Shakes can be used as a meal replacement and they are quite filling.


For those curious about protein content of different brands. "Body Fortress" (WalMart brand) was measured at 53% of it's advertised protein content.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0Ag9uT-E4EIL7dFZPZnR0WVZybGtFWnRKNzdKNm9XOVE&toomany=true#gid=0

I was really bad at getting my protein in, so recently I spent a bunch of time figuring out what would work best for me. I'm not sure if it is what will work for you, but hopefully it helps. FYI I am working on losing weight/getting healthy, not building mass. I'm not sure what your focus is, but that may make your logic different than mine.
I like the Advantedge Carb Control shakes. Designer Whey also has a shake that I like, but I don't remember what it is called right now. Those are premixed ones and are both available at Walmart. I also add protein powder to my morning smoothies. I spent some major time finding one that was not high in sugar. I noticed that the soy protein powders had more carbs than the whey powder. The powder I use is Six Star Whey Protein Elite in Vanilla Creme (also from Walmart). I only use half a scoop and I hardly notice the taste in my fruit and veggie smoothie.
What I have found from some internet research is that they reccomend protein in the morning, about a 40 minutes before a workout (to "supercharge" your workout) and right after after (to help rebuild muscles). Right after is the most important, though. It sounds like a lot, but it really doesn't add up to that much unless you want it to. I often do smoothie in the morning, protein in a meal before my workout and a protein shake or bar right after my workout, but it depends what time I workout and when I am hungry.
Sorry It took so long to explain!

I drink NNW 100% whey protein (vanilla flavored) and I get it at my local grocery store in the supplement or organic sections! It comes with a scooper I think it is 108 calories per scoop and 22g protein.
I usually put one scoop, 1 cup skim milk, 1 banana, 1 tbs low sodium natural peanut butter and ice into the blender and it is REALLY good!! I am going to start just having that for dinner at the end of the day after my workouts!

Basically "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". SmartPowders is like 38 for 5 pounds (plus shipping, so lets say $45), Dymatize is about $45, Optimum Nutrition is about $55. So if you're paying significantly less than$7-10 a pound, be suspicious.

Also, check and see who your protein is made by. For example, the Jillian Michaels is made by "Pure Protein" which is a decent brand. But it's also got a celebrity on it, so it's way marked up.

You can also take a spoon full of your protein, add a bit of water and microwave it for 30 seconds. If it gets super clumpy, you're good. Otherwise, fake.

Mine is about $9 a pound, My web search didn't show anything bad. I will do the microwave test tonight. Again, thanks!