Protein Powder and weight loss

chrissy_1987
chrissy_1987 Posts: 56 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hope this is in the relevant place!

Been hearing a lot about protein powder in terms of losing weight Just wondering if this is something worthwhile doing for reducing hunger and increasing protein intake (which I do struggle with)

I go (or aim to go) to the gym 3 times a week doing cardio and some weight training using the machines. So I can see that and increase in protein might be worth it in that respect, but I'm more interested in knowing whether it does anything for helping you feel more full?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Cheers :)

Replies

  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    edited January 2015
    Caloric deficit will lead to weight loss. Protein shakes alone do not promote weight loss/gain/maintenance. Calories in vs out.

    Some say protein and fat make them feel fuller, some don't. For me, it really doesn't make a difference honestly. And drinking my calories certainly doesn't help me feel fuller. As far as protein shakes are concerned, if you can hit your protein goals from whole foods, there isn't anything extra a protein shake will do for you.

    ETA: protein shakes do make it easier to get protien and food in though if you feel you are rushed for time.
  • charlesmauch
    charlesmauch Posts: 58 Member
    I drink protein in shake form as it's cheapest/easiest way for me to hit my daily macros.

    I've never had a protein shake that reduced my hunger or was in any way satiating without adding something more to it. So I wouldn't rely on shakes to actually help with reducing hunger pangs. Just saying.

    I do love to use protein powder in other foods to jack up the protein content though. For example first thing in the morning I'll mix 2/3 cup of quick oats with a scoop of vanilla protein powder and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. There are a ton of other recipes floating around and ideas for using powder in foods.
  • chrissy_1987
    chrissy_1987 Posts: 56 Member
    I have fruit/almond milk/oats smoothies for breakfast anyway (to get my 5 a day) but NY job doesn't really help me eat healthy, balanced, nutritious meals (let alone eat meals at meal times) it's something I've been toying with the idea of to make my life easier, but obviously if it's not gonna help my feel more full, there's not much point! Cheers :)
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    chrissy_1987 wrote: »
    I have fruit/almond milk/oats smoothies for breakfast anyway (to get my 5 a day) but NY job doesn't really help me eat healthy, balanced, nutritious meals (let alone eat meals at meal times) it's something I've been toying with the idea of to make my life easier, but obviously if it's not gonna help my feel more full, there's not much point! Cheers :)

    Have you considered IF? If your job doesn't allow for you to eat during "meal times" (which there aren't actually meal times, by the way), then intermittent fasting may help you.
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
    Like the first guy said - protein powder alone won't make you lose or gain weight.

    If you want to feel full then try casein protein. Casein is slow digesting and it'll keep you full longer than the usual whey protein.
  • chrissy_1987
    chrissy_1987 Posts: 56 Member
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    chrissy_1987 wrote: »
    I have fruit/almond milk/oats smo

    Have you considered IF? If your job doesn't allow for you to eat during "meal times" (which there aren't actually meal times, by the way), then intermittent fasting may help you.
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    chrissy_1987 wrote: »
    I have fruit/almond milk/oats smoothies for breakfast anyway (to get my 5 a day) but NY job doesn't really help me eat healthy, balanced, nutritious meals (let alone eat meals at meal times) it's something I've been toying with the idea of to make my life easier, but obviously if it's not gonna help my feel more full, there's not much point! Cheers :)

    Have you considered IF? If your job doesn't allow for you to eat during "meal times" (which there aren't actually meal times, by the way), then intermittent fasting may help you.

    I did consider doing IF. But I'm not sure how well I would cope. When I reduce my calories a lot I tend to feel faint and irritable. Add to that a 13hour shift in work, it's a bad combination. Haha. I did a sort of calorie cycling thing (where I had say 1500cals one day then 2000cals the next) to trick my body into thinking I was sort of fasting, but I struggled to adjust to different calories each day.

    I'd like to add I'm not having any real issues with my diet. if I'm hungry I will eat and not worry too much. I was just wondering if there was a way to NOT feel hungry, and think about food constantly from the moment I wake up :p
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    chrissy_1987 wrote: »
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    chrissy_1987 wrote: »
    I have fruit/almond milk/oats smo

    Have you considered IF? If your job doesn't allow for you to eat during "meal times" (which there aren't actually meal times, by the way), then intermittent fasting may help you.
    dieselbyte wrote: »
    chrissy_1987 wrote: »
    I have fruit/almond milk/oats smoothies for breakfast anyway (to get my 5 a day) but NY job doesn't really help me eat healthy, balanced, nutritious meals (let alone eat meals at meal times) it's something I've been toying with the idea of to make my life easier, but obviously if it's not gonna help my feel more full, there's not much point! Cheers :)

    Have you considered IF? If your job doesn't allow for you to eat during "meal times" (which there aren't actually meal times, by the way), then intermittent fasting may help you.

    I did consider doing IF. But I'm not sure how well I would cope. When I reduce my calories a lot I tend to feel faint and irritable. Add to that a 13hour shift in work, it's a bad combination. Haha. I did a sort of calorie cycling thing (where I had say 1500cals one day then 2000cals the next) to trick my body into thinking I was sort of fasting, but I struggled to adjust to different calories each day.

    I'd like to add I'm not having any real issues with my diet. if I'm hungry I will eat and not worry too much. I was just wondering if there was a way to NOT feel hungry, and think about food constantly from the moment I wake up :p

    OP, calorie cycling a few days won't trick your body into "starvation mode" or think you are fasting to burn more fat. Total caloric intake for the week or longer is what to consider.

    Perhaps packing lunch and snacks will help, if you can do this. If you've been dieting for a prolonged period of time, a calculated refeed day once a week may help balance out your leptin and ghrelin levels. Increasing fibrous foods may also help.
  • Hobartlemagne
    Hobartlemagne Posts: 516 Member
    I used to eat tons of meat and, of course, all the fat and calories that came with it. Now I get most of my daily protein from the drinks. I use cellucor since it is pretty low calorie compared to other brands. I dont have meat cravings now, so I can be really selective about what meat I eat since Ive cut down.

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