Protein Shakes and Workouts.....

Fat gain

Adding extra protein to the diet in the form of protein powder adds extra calories. As excess protein cannot be stored in its original form in the body, if you are not burning these calories by doing a sufficient amount of physical activity, or doing enough weight bearing activities to build more muscle, these extra calories are likely to be converted to fat. (See also: How to burn more fat while exercising)

An increase in protein intake as well as calories without an increase in physical activity levels is likely to result in an equal gain in both fat and muscle, which may not be exactly what you are looking for when you supplement protein powder.

>>>> If you are staying within your calorie limits (see your own MFP diary), you'll be fine!

Bone loss

High levels of protein intake generates a large amount of acid in the body due to the excess sulphates and phosphates that are introduced. The kidneys then try to restore the balance of acid by excreting more acid, at the same time the skeleton releases calcium which is also lost in the urine as a buffer.

This results in the loss of calcium from bones which can increase the risk of osteoporosis if it occurs over a longer time frame, particularly in high risk groups such as women. There is a possibility however, that a diet which is high in alkaline fruit and vegetables in addition to protein may help to counteract this effect.

>>>>alkaline/acid quackery, seriously? [edited to add: most fruits are(extremely) acidic in their pH anyway, so it makes no sense].

Kidney damage

High protein diets can put increased strain on the kidneys due to the need to excess waste products called ketones that are generated with such a diet and the need to excrete these products. For people with reduced kidney function this stress can worsen the condition and may even contribute to reduced function in people with healthy kidneys if followed for a long period of time.

>>>>Academic studies have shown that people can consume 400 grams of protein a day for long periods of time, without it doing any harm to the kidneys.

Dehydration

A high protein intake, particularly if you are not eating enough carbohydrates, can push the body into ketosis, a state in which there is a build-up of toxic ketones in the body. Your kidneys then go into overdrive trying to eliminate these substances and in the process a lot of water is lost as urine. This increases the risk of dehydration, particularly if you are also losing a lot of fluid through sweat during exercise.

This dehydration not only puts stress on the kidneys, but can also affect the function of the heart in extreme cases. Other undesirable side effects could include dizziness, lethargy and bad breath."

>>> You should not be eating just protein. Eat complex carbs, fruit and fat. And drink a lot of water.

I really like pure protein powder, I use the chocolate frost flavor and I like to add either almond or coconut extract. I also like pure protein vanilla sometimes I'll add instant coffee fur a mocha flavor. Both of these I use with silk almond milk the 30 calorie a cup one. As for using the exercise calories my thoughts are if you are more hungry of course feel free to use some. I never feel obliged to use up my exercise calories if I'm not hungry. I just really try to eat at least 1,200 calories. Good luck :drinker: Gina

I'm a fan of optimum nutrition's gold standard whey. I like the mocha cappachino flavor.

I want to start adding some extra protein to my diet but the usual eggs, chicken etc. do use a lot of calories. Can anyone recommend a good protein shake that is high protein, low carbs / fat?

Here's the thing - any protein shake you drink will have more Calories per gram of protein than the chicken (or other lean meat) you consume.

4 oz of chicken (using the data from a package I have at home) will give you 110 Calories, 20 g Protein, 3 g Fat, 0 g Carbs. That's 5.5 Calories per g protein - or another way to look at it is that it's almost all protein. Any powder you use (at least the ones I'm familiar with) will have additional carbs and maybe more fat. And that's just the powder, not to mention any milk or whatever else you may put into the shake.

If you really want just the protein, go with the chicken - or other lean meat. They really don't have as many Calories as you likely think.

this is factually incorrect. a decent protein powder will he mainly protein with little carb. it is be most calorie conservative way to eat protein