Protein Powders...???

chocolate milk is a good alternative. I like the organic horizons low fat one. But as for protein powder, I like the GNC's Amplified line. I've only had the cookies n' cream and the chocolate, and I mix them with milk instead of water. Taste pretty good, won't break the bank but are still expensive.

This line is my favorite too! The cookies and cream flavor is awesome! Love the chocolate too. If you buy a membership to GNC, you can get 10% off all month, and 20% off during the first week of every month. They also have this line a lot for buy one get one half off. So when the time rolls around and they have the sale, we get two huge tubs of it for about $90. A little pricey but they work. I don't use the full serving of 3 scoops though...I only use one.

I've been using Nitrean+ which tastes good and mixes into liquid easily. I only use it if at the end of the day if I haven't hit my protein quota. It's not too expensive per jug. It has a blend of whey, casein and egg protein.

Or just eat another chicken breast. Powders and bars are good if you cannot get enough protein from your regular diet.

^^yep.

You only need them if you are not getting enough protein from food. Protein powder in itself does not build muscle. Enough protein (and food) and strength training does that.

I like Optimum Nutrition and Trutein.

i just recently delved into protein powders, so i'm a newb. prior to now i've just been finishing up the dusty old protein powders in the house that other roommates bought and never used.

i listen to a ton of podcasts, and one brand that kept coming up was Mt Capra.
Some of their supplements seem to be very popular with triathletes.

it's not as cheap as some other brands.
but it has essential minerals, electrolyte support, amino acids (great for sore muscles), and probiotics.
http://www.mtcapra.com/DEEP-2-30/

i can tell the probiotics has had a really positive effect on my digestive system, way more than the fermented food i try to eat. at first the taste was an adjustment, but now it's gotten to the point where i look very forward to my morning smoothie! cuz it makes my insides feel so damn GOOD! (and it also tends to curb my appetite somewhat, i guess because it's so packed with nutrients).

PS also, if you're an endurance athlete, i'm a huge fan of Master Amino Acid Pattern pills. i only use them for marathons, but they make recovery happen so much faster it's amazing. (amino acids are connected to protein intake but i'm not sure how exactly so maybe someone more sciencey can answer that) (i went to art school) http://www.masteraminoacidpattern.com/

I love EAS by Abbott. I drink it with Almond Milk.

I second this, I use the EAS Lean 15 in Chocolate, I always mix mine with almond milk & coffee, drink it over ice... It tastes just like a fancy coffee but its only 160 calories and full of protein

ETA: I added the powder because I do have trouble hitting my protein goal. I normally have a Zone bar also for another 14g of protein, plus some chicken or other meat throughout the day. But i was never hitting my goal until I added the powder and occassional protein bar.

I would go with a whey protein. Honestly, and this might cause uproar for some, but the brand of protein doesn't necessarily matter. Protein is protein. Just make sure you're going for one that isn't full of fillers, theres 4 cals per gram of protein, for example if a serving has 24 grams of protein, take note of the calories per serving, then multiply 4 by 24 and subtract your answer from the number of calories, from there you'll know if your protein powder has as little fillers as possible.

But in simpler terms :laugh: A scoop will generally have 100-120 calories and 22-25 grams of protein. You don't need to go for the most well-known or expensive brand. Shop around and find a good deal!

I do this too. Get the cheapest you can get, taking note of the amount of fillers.

I use Dymatize Hydrolized ISO 100 Whey Protein. It's 106 calories per scoop, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 0 sugar, and 25 grams of protein. Supposedly, from what I've researched thus far, an isolate whey protein is a more pure form of whey protein as opposed to a whey protein concentrate. But really it's up to you to decide which is best for you.

^^^This

I also use Dymatize Iso 100....in addition to what is said here, I simply mix it in a shaker cup with water, and it is good! goes down easy.

Nitrean+

As noted above, not everyone has time to cook and eat a chicken breast. A 110 kcal, 23 gm protein shake is a good alternative. I mix mine with unsweetened vanilla milk. Profit at 140 kcals.