Protein Shakes & Vitamins

First......why do you want to go to the protein shake???? You may want to consider a well balanced diet with the right protein and good fiber will fill you up and you will get the proper amt. of protein. To much protein may result in weight gain! Not enough fiber and you may end up more hungry than before. Just check it our throughly......your program should have fairly accurate suggestions on percentages of protein, fat, and carbs. stick to that and you will be good.

Anymore thoughts before I head out to pick some stuff up?

Personally I am a big fan of 100% Whey. I add my Skippy Natural PB and a banana or strawberries with simple syrup. I like the simple syrup because the fructose accentuates the protein and the creatine.

don't waste your money!

I think that, in general, people are too quick to jump into the idea of protein shakes, vitamins, etc, without understanding how they work (or don't work) and how relevant they are to an individual's situation. I think it is often an extension of the "magic bullet" way of thinking that seems to be an ingrained part of our culture. Again, I am talking in general, not trying to critique anyone's personal choices. In most cases, eating too much protein, while not necessary, is not that harmful-- is mostly dangerous to your wallet (and maybe self esteem from being bamboozled by supplement companies).

There is a difference between carefully controlled research studies--which do provide valuable insight--and real life. Real life introduces many uncontrolled variables as well as the powerful influences of both auto suggestion and the placebo effect.

The fact is that someone just starting out, or someone still in the "improvement" phase (which can last a number of months or even years), will get more benefit (by multiple factors) from just following a consistent and effective workout routine that all the effects of protein, protein shakes, supplements, meal-timing, etc COMBINED. Too often, the "standards" for protein recommendations come from elite athletes for whom 0.5%-2% increases in size or performance can have a significant benefit. For the average person it means absolutely squat.

Protein has several demonstrated benefits as part of a weight loss program: increased satiety, modest increase in energy used for digestion, and conservation of lean mass. That's pretty much it--protein does not "build muscle", nor does it "prevent weight gain". Protein is what I consider a "threshold" nutrient--meaning once you have enough, consuming more provides no additional benefit.

I think it's pretty easy to get all the protein I need in regular food as part of my regular diet. I also find that by paying attention to my protein sources, I have also improved the overall nutritional value of my diet as well (in terms of increased fiber, decreased intake of simple sugars, etc).

That's my choice and, again, I don't feel the need to criticize or hector those who prefer to take protein supplements. However, based on my experience in this field, I can pretty much guarantee that 90% of the people who use this stuff don't need it, and that's the answer I am going to give to anyone who asks the question.