Best time for protein shake /weight loss too fast?

MamaEch
MamaEch Posts: 73 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
This is kind of a 2 question post.

I read an article that it is best to drink your protein shake after your workout opposed to before. Is this true?

Also, I just started my emeeifht loss journey with eating a 1000-1200 calorie diet, cutting out all soda and sugary drinks and going to the gym almost everyday. I've lost 11 pounds in a week. Is that too fast?

Replies

  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    meal timing doesn't matter - as long as you get your calories and protein in at some point in the day.

    why are you eating less than 1200 calories per day? you should be eating that PLUS exercise. you will crash and burn at the rate you are going (the 11 lbs is mostly water weight, but you should not continue at that rate).

    also, cutting out soda/sugary drinks does not matter - overall calorie deficit for weight loss.
  • MamaEch
    MamaEch Posts: 73 Member
    I typically only eat 1000 calories because I eat 5 small meals a day and I am so full. I literally can't eat another bite. There are some days that it is closer to 1100. Have any recommendations on how to fix that if I need to eat more?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited September 2017
    Nutrition for heathy adults doesn't require that amount of precision. But you need to eat enough, and varied, and you should eat what you like and can afford. 1200 calories is the minimum requirement for a woman. When it comes to nutrition and health, what you do over time, is what matters. A week's fast is hard, and unnecessary, and pointless if your goal is weightloss, but it's not going to be detrimental to your health if you eat well afterwards. The most common problem with undereating, is rebound eating, binging to make up for the deprivation. Most of what you've lost would have been water. Cutting out certain things may will make a difference depending on the impact it has on your overall intake. Exercise is good for you, but don't depend on exercise for weightloss. A dieter's main focus should be on nutrition, and your focus should also be on relationship with food, body image, self-care and self-love.

    You don't really need advice on how to eat more, do you?
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    200 calorie meals? That would be tiny, what do they consist of to make you so overly full? On top of that you're at the gym most days?

    Yes too fast. Even if your logging is off and accounting for a water weight drop you need to eat more.

    Check your logging first of all, weighing all solids and semi-solids, measuring all liquids. To increase calories just add back in things you've cut out. Cook with oil. Eat starchy carbs. Eat chocolate even!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    easy way to get more cals... full fat milk products, add oil to food, peanutbutter
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    This is kind of a 2 question post.

    I read an article that it is best to drink your protein shake after your workout opposed to before. Is this true?

    Also, I just started my emeeifht loss journey with eating a 1000-1200 calorie diet, cutting out all soda and sugary drinks and going to the gym almost everyday. I've lost 11 pounds in a week. Is that too fast?

    protein shakes aren't necessary for anything other than to get extra protein and calories in. Drinking them before or after a workout for a "regular" person is not relevant.

    The calories themselves can go up. I read your profile and if you have heart disease you have to remember that the faster you lose weight the more muscle you can lose and the heart is a muscle so be careful with your rate of loss.

    depending on how much you have to lose 1/2lb to 1 lb would probably be a good rate (based on profile pic)

    remember it's not a sprint...you didn't gain the weight in a week.
  • paulwatts747
    paulwatts747 Posts: 60 Member
    edited September 2017
    11lbs in the first week would be mostly water. I lost 4kg in the first week when I started but I needed to lose about 60kg (132lbs) overall. It has moderated quite substantially in the 6 months since then, but I'm still going. It does appear you are not eating enough.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    I honestly think going too low cal shut down my metabolism. I stopped losing weight and felt terrible. Up those calories!
  • MamaEch
    MamaEch Posts: 73 Member
    Exactly! That is why I was concerned with the weight coming off so fast! I'll try the whole milk option like above maybe with dinner instead of water. Thanks for the help, everyone! I appreciate it!!
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    I typically only eat 1000 calories because I eat 5 small meals a day and I am so full. I literally can't eat another bite. There are some days that it is closer to 1100. Have any recommendations on how to fix that if I need to eat more?

    ok I'll say it - you don't get to the point of needing to lose weight by not being able to eat more than 1000 calories per day. as others asked - what the heck are you eating that would be a 200 calorie meal???
  • MamaEch
    MamaEch Posts: 73 Member
    I gave an example of my every day meals above.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    I gave an example of my every day meals above.

    where?
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I honestly think going too low cal shut down my metabolism. I stopped losing weight and felt terrible. Up those calories!

    metabolism shut down = dead

    just as an FYI.

    going too low calorie does not stop you from losing weight...it can stop you from having energy and bright eyes and thick hair and well fun in life...but not from losing weight.

  • MamaEch
    MamaEch Posts: 73 Member
    For breakfast I usually have an egg whites and turkey sausage croissant thing (150 calories) with a Greek yogurt (80 calories) and a water. For lunch I usually have a salad mixed with some dried cranberries, carrots, and broccoli. With the dressing it is about 102 calories. For dinner (I will use yesterday as an example), I had 3 ounces of grilled chicken breasts, 1 cup of cooked broccoli, 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, an a few apple slices. For my morning snack, I usually eat some grapes or strawberries. And for my PM snack, I usually have celery or carrots. Sometimes I will throw in there an extra snack like some nuts of some sort. Or I will indulge in a small ice cream cone or something. So for those of you asking if I really need help on "how to eat more", the answer is no. I am asking for suggestions on higher calorie alternatives. I didn't make a post to be mocked. I made the post to learn and ask for advice. :wink:
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    For breakfast I usually have an egg whites and turkey sausage croissant thing (150 calories) with a Greek yogurt (80 calories) and a water. For lunch I usually have a salad mixed with some dried cranberries, carrots, and broccoli. With the dressing it is about 102 calories. For dinner (I will use yesterday as an example), I had 3 ounces of grilled chicken breasts, 1 cup of cooked broccoli, 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, an a few apple slices. For my morning snack, I usually eat some grapes or strawberries. And for my PM snack, I usually have celery or carrots. Sometimes I will throw in there an extra snack like some nuts of some sort. Or I will indulge in a small ice cream cone or something. So for those of you asking if I really need help on "how to eat more", the answer is no. I am asking for suggestions on higher calorie alternatives. I didn't make a post to be mocked. I made the post to learn and ask for advice. :wink:

    Assuming you are measuring accurately, here are some suggestions for increasing your calories -- use the whole egg rather than just egg whites, add some higher calorie options to your salad (higher fat dressing, sliced almonds, garbanzo beans, etc), choose higher calorie afternoons snacks or add something like dressing or hummus with the carrots and celery, add a small dessert like a few pieces of chocolate or a serving of ice cream.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    are you weighing all your food (sounds like you are not)...if not, good news is you are likely already eating much more than you think.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    For breakfast I usually have an egg whites and turkey sausage croissant thing (150 calories) with a Greek yogurt (80 calories) and a water. For lunch I usually have a salad mixed with some dried cranberries, carrots, and broccoli. With the dressing it is about 102 calories. For dinner (I will use yesterday as an example), I had 3 ounces of grilled chicken breasts, 1 cup of cooked broccoli, 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, an a few apple slices. For my morning snack, I usually eat some grapes or strawberries. And for my PM snack, I usually have celery or carrots. Sometimes I will throw in there an extra snack like some nuts of some sort. Or I will indulge in a small ice cream cone or something. So for those of you asking if I really need help on "how to eat more", the answer is no. I am asking for suggestions on higher calorie alternatives. I didn't make a post to be mocked. I made the post to learn and ask for advice. :wink:

    I didn't see anyone mocking you?? its just really hard for people to believe that you could be so stuffed and "literally cannot eat another bite" on 1000 calories per day.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    For breakfast I usually have an egg whites and turkey sausage croissant thing (150 calories) with a Greek yogurt (80 calories) and a water. For lunch I usually have a salad mixed with some dried cranberries, carrots, and broccoli. With the dressing it is about 102 calories. For dinner (I will use yesterday as an example), I had 3 ounces of grilled chicken breasts, 1 cup of cooked broccoli, 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, an a few apple slices. For my morning snack, I usually eat some grapes or strawberries. And for my PM snack, I usually have celery or carrots. Sometimes I will throw in there an extra snack like some nuts of some sort. Or I will indulge in a small ice cream cone or something. So for those of you asking if I really need help on "how to eat more", the answer is no. I am asking for suggestions on higher calorie alternatives. I didn't make a post to be mocked. I made the post to learn and ask for advice. :wink:

    I didn't see anyone mocking you?? its just really hard for people to believe that you could be so stuffed and "literally cannot eat another bite" on 1000 calories per day.

    I am not sure why tho?

    If you eat a 100 calorie salad that's a lot of food really....and 200 calories of carrots and celery is a lot of food too.

    not saying I think the OP is eating 1k as cranberries dried are calorie dense.

    Volume eating can be done with very little calories.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    For breakfast I usually have an egg whites and turkey sausage croissant thing (150 calories) with a Greek yogurt (80 calories) and a water. For lunch I usually have a salad mixed with some dried cranberries, carrots, and broccoli. With the dressing it is about 102 calories. For dinner (I will use yesterday as an example), I had 3 ounces of grilled chicken breasts, 1 cup of cooked broccoli, 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, an a few apple slices. For my morning snack, I usually eat some grapes or strawberries. And for my PM snack, I usually have celery or carrots. Sometimes I will throw in there an extra snack like some nuts of some sort. Or I will indulge in a small ice cream cone or something. So for those of you asking if I really need help on "how to eat more", the answer is no. I am asking for suggestions on higher calorie alternatives. I didn't make a post to be mocked. I made the post to learn and ask for advice. :wink:

    I didn't see anyone mocking you?? its just really hard for people to believe that you could be so stuffed and "literally cannot eat another bite" on 1000 calories per day.

    Unless I'm misreading, OP has only been eating this way for a week. It seems kind of common that people have appetite changes at the beginning of a new way of eating. Some people find it easy to maintain a high deficit at first, probably to do with the excitement of a new plan. After a while, the hunger usually kicks in.
  • MamaEch
    MamaEch Posts: 73 Member
    Yes, I am weighing all of my foods. I have a little scale in my kitchen that I use every day that I pack my lunch and before I eat my dinner. As for the broccoli and other veggies, no I don't weigh those. I get out a measuring cup and measure how much I am eating and enter it that way. Maybe that is where the calorie count is off? I didn't think it really mattered as long as the measurements were accurate. I understand it may be hard to believe. But I am full. I don't know how else to explain that. I'm not going to keep eating and shoving more food down my throat to the point that I feel nauseous. Hence why I asked for alternatives. And for those of you that provided those alternatives, again, thank you.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    Yes, I am weighing all of my foods. I have a little scale in my kitchen that I use every day that I pack my lunch and before I eat my dinner. As for the broccoli and other veggies, no I don't weigh those. I get out a measuring cup and measure how much I am eating and enter it that way. Maybe that is where the calorie count is off? I didn't think it really mattered as long as the measurements were accurate. I understand it may be hard to believe. But I am full. I don't know how else to explain that. I'm not going to keep eating and shoving more food down my throat to the point that I feel nauseous. Hence why I asked for alternatives. And for those of you that provided those alternatives, again, thank you.

    so if you want to know how to get in extra calories here are some ways.

    1. Whole egg
    2. Reg sausage or bacon
    3. add some cheese to it
    4. full fat dairy
    5. extra cranberries or cheese to the salad
    6. 1 oz of more chicken
    7. butter on potatoes
    8. butter on broccoli or cheese
    9. dip for carrots and celery
    10. have a glass of wine or beer
    11. have a snack sized chocolate bar
    12. eat some pizza
    13. have a hamburger on a bun with bacon and cheese instead of a salad


    no reason not to have what you want just stay in goal which btw could be higher.
  • MamaEch
    MamaEch Posts: 73 Member
    OK thank you! I will definitely give it a try! I REALLY appreciate your help! :smile:
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited September 2017
    MamaEch wrote: »
    For breakfast I usually have an egg whites and turkey sausage croissant thing (150 calories) with a Greek yogurt (80 calories) and a water. For lunch I usually have a salad mixed with some dried cranberries, carrots, and broccoli. With the dressing it is about 102 calories. For dinner (I will use yesterday as an example), I had 3 ounces of grilled chicken breasts, 1 cup of cooked broccoli, 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes, an a few apple slices. For my morning snack, I usually eat some grapes or strawberries. And for my PM snack, I usually have celery or carrots. Sometimes I will throw in there an extra snack like some nuts of some sort. Or I will indulge in a small ice cream cone or something. So for those of you asking if I really need help on "how to eat more", the answer is no. I am asking for suggestions on higher calorie alternatives. I didn't make a post to be mocked. I made the post to learn and ask for advice. :wink:

    I see a lack of protein. No way you can be meeting a min protein moreover all of your nutritional needs on intake at a 1000 calories. When losing this fast you are losing viable muscle too.

    Increase your breakfast calories by adding or changing the egg whites to whole eggs, there are higher greek yogurts out there that contain a nice amount of protein in them as well. Add some cheese to your salad, full fat dressing, maybe even a hard boiled egg, lots of things mesh well to make your salad more caloric.

    3 ounces of chicken breast is not a lot of chicken, in crease the amount of chicken, etc etc.

    You ate certain foodz that caused weight gain before lowering your cals on MFP, add in a little more of those foods that you were enjoying eating. Do not have to restrict everything.

    Losing this fast, you might think you feel great at the moment but over time you could expect some side effects from not eating enough.
  • MamaEch
    MamaEch Posts: 73 Member
    edited September 2017
    How much protein do you recommend I eat daily?

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    How much protein do you recommend I eat daily?

    if you know your BF% 0.8-1gram per lb of lean body mass. If you don't know your BF% take get 0.7-0.8 grams per lb of goal weight. So, if your goal weight is 130 lbs that would be 91- 104, but more isn't bad.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    MamaEch wrote: »
    How much protein do you recommend I eat daily?

    It depends on your goals really. MFP sets it up as the minimum RDA..which I think is about 0.36 grams per pound of body weight...but that is minimum.

    I personally eat 0.8 grams to help repair muscles as I do resistance training (I lift heavy weights)

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    MamaEch wrote: »
    How much protein do you recommend I eat daily?

    It depends on your goals really. MFP sets it up as the minimum RDA..which I think is about 0.36 grams per pound of body weight...but that is minimum.

    I personally eat 0.8 grams to help repair muscles as I do resistance training (I lift heavy weights)

    Just to go a little further, the RDA recommendation is a minimum for those that are sedentary and eating maintenance. If you are active or in a deficit you need more.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    MamaEch wrote: »
    How much protein do you recommend I eat daily?

    It depends on your goals really. MFP sets it up as the minimum RDA..which I think is about 0.36 grams per pound of body weight...but that is minimum.

    I personally eat 0.8 grams to help repair muscles as I do resistance training (I lift heavy weights)

    OP... this.

    You're protein needs are much higher when eating in a calorie deficit.
  • MamaEch
    MamaEch Posts: 73 Member
    Ok if that is the case, I am DEFINITELY not getting enough protein. I am typically getting like 50-70 grams of protein daily. So that will be one of the first things I work on for sure.
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