Protein

What is the best protein to use as a meal replacement?

Replies

  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    Chicken breast
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  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    If you mean protein shakes they aren't really meal replacements they are just there to add protein to your diet. Chicken is a great low cal and high protein food and then add some broccoli and sweet potatoes and you've got a nice meal. Or if you just want a quick grab and go the look for a meal replacement like Boost, Slim Fast, MetRx etc.
  • karmaheart
    karmaheart Posts: 75 Member
    So BSN Sythna 6 isn't the way to go as far as meal replacement/protein?
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    karmaheart wrote: »
    So BSN Sythna 6 isn't the way to go as far as meal replacement/protein?

    That's really not what protein shakes are intended for or best at.
    They're a supplement to help you reach your protein goals if you have trouble reaching them through food alone or for a quick source of protein after resistance training.

    Why do you feel like you have to replace a meal with a shake? There's no real benefit to the approach. It will likely leave you hungry, at that.

    Are you just having trouble staying within your calorie goal and you're wanting to lower intake by cutting a meal?
  • pinggolfer96
    pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    Chicken breast

    +1

    Best source of protein out there.

    I prefer Mahi Mahi or ahi;p
  • karmaheart
    karmaheart Posts: 75 Member
    Yes, I have trouble staying within my calorie goal and I feel that it helps with my weight loss. I make a smoothie with it in the morning before I go to the gym. My routine is 30 mins of weights and a hour of cardio 5 days a week. I only had about 8 pounds to shed and I'm just trying to tone up. Any advice is appreciated.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    Before you try a shake, buy a protein bar at any store. See if you can handle it.
    Should not be used as meal replacements. Teaches nothing about eating healthy, natural foods.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Why do you want to replace meals? Don't you like to eat?
  • lyndseybellz
    lyndseybellz Posts: 62 Member
    If you want to do a shake, do an actual meal replacement shake. not a protein shake. try GNC's Total Lean meal replacement shake. this product has carbs, protein, and fat, whereas syntha 6 is mostly just protein. the Total Lean shakes will leave you feeling fuller for longer. mix them with about a cup of unsweetened almond milk and they're a great tasting quick fix!
  • karmaheart
    karmaheart Posts: 75 Member
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    karmaheart wrote: »
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights

    Carbs mixed with protein will help you recover faster than just protein and the post-shake recovery theory is way overblown.
  • karmaheart
    karmaheart Posts: 75 Member
    karmaheart wrote: »
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights

    Carbs mixed with protein will help you recover faster than just protein and the post-shake recovery theory is way overblown.

    So what do you eat for breakfast before you workout?

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    karmaheart wrote: »
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights

    Carbs mixed with protein will help you recover faster than just protein and the post-shake recovery theory is way overblown.

    Yep.. this
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited February 2016
    karmaheart wrote: »
    karmaheart wrote: »
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights

    Carbs mixed with protein will help you recover faster than just protein and the post-shake recovery theory is way overblown.

    So what do you eat for breakfast before you workout?

    I don't, I work out fasted.

    This is a personal choice and not everyone here on the forums will have the exact answer as to what you have to eat or not eat.

    However just eat what ever you feel you need to eat or drink and decide how many minutes or hours you need to eat to have a killer workout..
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    After a work out I used to drink a glass of skim milk with tbsp hershey's syrup. Some still do this.
  • elite_nal
    elite_nal Posts: 127 Member
    karmaheart wrote: »
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights

    The specific timing of your whey protein consumption really isn't a big deal in the overall picture. Protein digestion and absorption is a very slow, gradual process, and muscle building nutrition really is almost entirely about the big picture. In other words, your main focus should be on what happens in blocks of 24 hours rather than small windows of an hour or two here and there.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    karmaheart wrote: »
    Yes, I have trouble staying within my calorie goal and I feel that it helps with my weight loss. I make a smoothie with it in the morning before I go to the gym. My routine is 30 mins of weights and a hour of cardio 5 days a week. I only had about 8 pounds to shed and I'm just trying to tone up. Any advice is appreciated.

    I wouldn't so much consider this a "meal replacement" as much as a pre-workout protein shake (technically in place of breakfast but whatever).
    Any quality whey protein should provide what you're looking for (with the exception of helping weight loss. assuming calorie deficit stays the same, weight loss will be unaffected. however, if it helps you stick to a deficit then THAT will help your weight loss).

    p.s. I only clarify the above because there are so many people that seem to think that protein shakes work like some kind of diet pill.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    karmaheart wrote: »
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights

    Carbs mixed with protein will help you recover faster than just protein and the post-shake recovery theory is way overblown.

    This.
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    karmaheart wrote: »
    karmaheart wrote: »
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights

    Carbs mixed with protein will help you recover faster than just protein and the post-shake recovery theory is way overblown.

    So what do you eat for breakfast before you workout?

    I work out after dinner most days so it's pretty irrelevant what I do for breakfast. For a pre-workout meal you might want to push many of your carbs to this time for fuel, but they would have to be more fast acting carbs to have them available for your workout. Really, it's up to you and unless you are doing endurance racing a pre-workout meal doesn't have to be a complex fueling strategy. If you are in need of one of those then a running site would be a better place to research that question.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    karmaheart wrote: »
    karmaheart wrote: »
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights

    Carbs mixed with protein will help you recover faster than just protein and the post-shake recovery theory is way overblown.

    So what do you eat for breakfast before you workout?

    I work out after dinner most days so it's pretty irrelevant what I do for breakfast. For a pre-workout meal you might want to push many of your carbs to this time for fuel, but they would have to be more fast acting carbs to have them available for your workout. Really, it's up to you and unless you are doing endurance racing a pre-workout meal doesn't have to be a complex fueling strategy. If you are in need of one of those then a running site would be a better place to research that question.
    Gummy bears, the weight lifting super food: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-benefits-of-post-workout-carbohydrates.html
  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    karmaheart wrote: »
    karmaheart wrote: »
    I actually like the taste of the protein I use and they make me feel full. I don't want all the extra carbs. I've also heard that the shakes help with recovery after working out with weights

    Carbs mixed with protein will help you recover faster than just protein and the post-shake recovery theory is way overblown.

    So what do you eat for breakfast before you workout?

    I work out after dinner most days so it's pretty irrelevant what I do for breakfast. For a pre-workout meal you might want to push many of your carbs to this time for fuel, but they would have to be more fast acting carbs to have them available for your workout. Really, it's up to you and unless you are doing endurance racing a pre-workout meal doesn't have to be a complex fueling strategy. If you are in need of one of those then a running site would be a better place to research that question.
    Gummy bears, the weight lifting super food: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-benefits-of-post-workout-carbohydrates.html

    I used to use gummies during some of my heavy lifting workouts, particularly deadlift and squats, because they are so quick to absorb, then I went to corn sugar powder (pure glucose basically) but stopped doing that a while ago. I did use some last week when I did heavy squats followed by a 4 mile run plus calisthenics but I'm not sure I really needed it.
  • karmaheart
    karmaheart Posts: 75 Member
    Thanks for all the great advice
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    I like quest and designer whey - both blend easily