HELP Am I using protein replacements correctly??

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MsMoving0n
MsMoving0n Posts: 17 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I want to loose weight and gain some
Muscle in the process.. I'm not looking to be a competitive bodybuilder or anything.. But I want to be fit and strong.. I don't want to defeat the purpose of trying to loose weight by taking protein the way someone would who was trying to gain.. So when should I take protein..I have bars that I use as a snack to kill my sweet tooth and I have been drinking a light muscle milk after I work out.. I looked at a few protein shakes that were RTD and I chose this one just because the carb to protein ratio was ideal.. But I have another brand in powder form that I'm not sure when or how to use it..I appreciate the help

Replies

  • T_X_L
    T_X_L Posts: 140 Member
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    I like to mix protein powder in with plain Greek yogurt, that'll give you a great protein boost without too many carbs.
  • cdahl383
    cdahl383 Posts: 726 Member
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    Muscle Milk is filled with junk, artificial sweetners, heavy metals, etc. There is a Consumers Report article that cae out a few years ago that found all sorts of nasty stuff in that product. I would stay away from that crap.

    Jarrow and Now Foods make nice protein powders that have natural ingredients that you can pronounce. You want a protein powder that has minimal fillers in it. The Now Foods one is 91% protein which is pretty good. Here's a link...http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Whey-Protein-Isolate-Packaging/dp/B0015AQL1Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1440641928&sr=1-2&keywords=NOW+whey+protein+isolate+-organic

    ^ That stuff has 110 calories per serving and 25g of protein. You can buy flavored kinds too if you want that still have natural ingredients I believe.

    Weight loss is all about calorie deficits. As long as you're in a deficit, you will lose weight. I usually mix my protein powder with skim milk. 110 calories protein powder + 80 calories skim milk = 190 calories and about 33g of protein. I usually drink one in the morning and get the rest of my protein from regular foods throughout the day. I cut my calories by 20% of my TDEE and lose around 1lb a week.

    You want to try to aim for 0.6-1.0g of protein per pound of bodyweight when dieting to help retain your muscle mass. Lifting weights also helps to retain muscle mass. As long as you have a small calorie deficit and not something drastic like eating 800 calories a day then you should not lose much muscle at all.

    I'm not a health expert or nutritionist, it's just what I've found has worked well for me over the years. Good luck to you!
  • erimethia_fekre
    erimethia_fekre Posts: 317 Member
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    OP you won't lose weight AND gain muscle at the same time. Unless you mean cut fat and gain muscle. Usually post workout is optimal.
  • pmm3437
    pmm3437 Posts: 529 Member
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    The common recommendation ( including directions on some brands containers ) is within 30 mins of completing your lifting workout. Supposedly this is the time period when you body is most receptive to protein uptake.

    Medical studies have shown that up to 1.5g/kg can have muscle sparing benefits when in a caloric deficit. Higher intake in the same studies has been shown to provide no additional benefit.

    Unless you have a hormonal imbalance, you don't have enough testosterone to get bulky without some major supplementation.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    If you cannot meet your protein goals with your normal diet, then protein supplements can help. Log them and count the calories as usual. If you are hoping that these supplements will help you build muscle while losing weight, you are wasting your money, and your calories.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    You won't gain any muscle eating at a deficit.

    Unless you're a body builder, it really doesn't matter when you're having your protein anyway.. just eat when you're hungry!

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