Protein Shakes and Workouts.....

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein is good stuff, but it isn't the best.

A lot of proteins have better flavor and whey isolates have a better protein to calorie ratio. I remember when it was all I could afford, but there really is a lot more and better proteins out there.

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.

Actually, I am a huge fan of Promasil. For starters, their flavors are by far the best of any shake out there. But nutritionally, they offer 22g of protein in 100 calories. That is superior to the 20g / 110 of 4oz of chicken. And they have 0 carbs.

Promasil has my vote too!

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I've been looking to add some protein in my diet to. However, still concerned about the side effects of the protein powders. How do you offset it? Are you all heavy lifters? If I don't lift heavy (I do some strength exercises, but with light weight), should I even consider the protein powder?

This is what concerns me:

"Consuming high levels of protein in the form of protein powders or even from food alone can be detrimental for our health.

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.

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.

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.

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."

"Consuming high levels of protein in the form of protein powders or even from food alone can be detrimental for our health.

I'll address each of your concerns.

Consuming high levels of protein in the form of protein powders or even from food alone can be detrimental for our health.
-This statement is a may statement without research to back it up. What's high levels? Generic scare tactic.

Bone Loss - If you get your RDA of calcium you will be fine.

Fat Gain - This is based on calorie intake and exercises performed. A surplus of calories leads to weight gain. You're tracking your calories on MFP, so you don't need to worry about this(assuming you follow a good diet.)

Kidney Damage - if you don't have kidney problems, this doesn't apply to you.

Dehydration - Doesn't matter if you eat protein, fat or carbs, you need to drink water.

I suggest not googling about protein. Just find scholarly resources on protein and nutrition and read them.

Creativerick spot on. I would suggest if you were to take protein powders to take them without any other ingredients. go to an organic shop and find one that is 100% whey protein. no other stuff in it. You'd be surprised if you go to a normal store and see what's in it. Soy, maltodextrin etc.

Would the homemade then be a better option? We (well, my made) makes homemade cottage cheese from the organic yogurt once a week, and it is my understanding that the liquid that drained out is a whey protein. Is that right? Would it be better to drink that one?

Consuming enough protein during weight loss is extremely important. It helps create lean muscle mass and helps us loose fat and not muscle. It is also a great snack (between meals - a low cal low car low sugar protein powder), because it keeps us full and energized (It is also harder for your body to digest than simple carbs - so our bodies have to work hard).
Also for people that have hypo thyroidism, it is very important to consume a lot of protein (more than the standard macros) and to consume it with every meal and in between meals.

I do cross fit and right after I train I take my protein shake and eat a cup of green beans, that not only helps keep muscle mass but it also keeps you full. I use the GNC Wheybolic Amplified Extreme 60 in the flavors of chocolate and vanilla (the chocolate is like drinking chocolate milk!), I only use one scoop and its 93 calories and 20 g of protein and since it tastes soooo good I mix it with 8 oz of water just fine. It's not heavy on the stomach like some and it doesn't contain much sugar either. Just check into it and see if at the vitamin shops have some samples you could take home and try and do some research to see what might be best for you or a nutritionist if you are still not sure.

Creativerick spot on. I would suggest if you were to take protein powders to take them without any other ingredients. go to an organic shop and find one that is 100% whey protein. no other stuff in it. You'd be surprised if you go to a normal store and see what's in it. Soy, maltodextrin etc.

Would the homemade then be a better option? We (well, my made) makes homemade cottage cheese from the organic yogurt once a week, and it is my understanding that the liquid that drained out is a whey protein. Is that right? Would it be better to drink that one?

If you are going to make homemade it's best you go to a local farmer. A lot of people don't realise but cheese is actually also whey. You can get cheap whey from farmers if they're happy to sell it to you. I wouldn't advise making protein powders yourself from products that have bad ingredients in them already. Long story short, ask a farmer for whey, if you are going to get whey make sure it is 100% whey and doesn't have any other ingredients in there (go to organic food stores) and don't buy any other protein powders. I see recommendations from other people on here and while they are the "better" of the bunch they still have ingredients you don't want in your body.

also eat plenty if protein. peer reviewed research shows that it helps you drop fat and retain muscle. also I plot my weight everyday and work out how many calories I burn from other sources as well as mfp. MVP does seem to over estimate. I would factor at about 80% to start.