Protein shakes

CaydensMommy
CaydensMommy Posts: 315 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello! I have started a keto diet and I'm also incorporating 2 popular protein shakes to up my protein intake. Directions for the shake say to use as meal replacement for 2 meals, and have 1 healthy meal. Would it be alright just to use the shakes for the protein and not necessarily as a meal replacement? Thanks!

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Your body doesn't care whether you're consuming a food as a "meal" or not. What is relevant is the calorie count and the macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, and protein). If a food falls without your goals for those, then you can have it as a meal, part of a meal, or a snack -- it's up to you.
  • CaydensMommy
    CaydensMommy Posts: 315 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Your body doesn't care whether you're consuming a food as a "meal" or not. What is relevant is the calorie count and the macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, and protein). If a food falls without your goals for those, then you can have it as a meal, part of a meal, or a snack -- it's up to you.

    That makes sense. But as the guidelines said 2 shakes, healthy meal and snack. Although I'm just doing milk and a scoop and not adding additional ingredients to "bulk" them up. Very new to keto. Thanks so much for your help!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,985 Member
    Log all the ingredients that are in your shake, see how many calories you get, decide whether they are too high in calorie to have more meals or not. Continue using them or not.
  • CaydensMommy
    CaydensMommy Posts: 315 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    Log all the ingredients that are in your shake, see how many calories you get, decide whether they are too high in calorie to have more meals or not. Continue using them or not.

    150 calories between powder and milk.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    CaydensMommy wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Log all the ingredients that are in your shake, see how many calories you get, decide whether they are too high in calorie to have more meals or not. Continue using them or not.

    150 calories between powder and milk.

    150 calories of power and milk is not a legitimate replacement for a meal, so I think it's probably for the best that you're not using them as intended.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,985 Member
    Just log them, as snack or as part of a meal or whatever works for you. Shakes have no magical properties, thus it doesn't matter what it says on the packaging. Just use them like you see fit. :)
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    I think the concept of those "2 of these and then a meal" diets aren't that the shakes have any special properties (even if they claim they do), but that if you eat only 300 cals or so for breakfast and lunch combined, and then had a usual dinner, that you would probably be in a deficit. If you are counting, there's no reason to do that, and so I'd say combining them with other foods is a good idea. You might also find that you prefer not having 2 shakes daily, and that's okay too.

    If the idea is adding more protein, I'd do what others are saying and just log whatever else you want to eat plus them and then see what the cals and protein are.

    If they are meal-replacement shakes and not just protein shakes, they do sometimes have more carbs and fat than in a usual protein shake, so I'd check for that.

    For keto, the shakes really have nothing to do with it, except I'd pay attention to how many net carbs the shakes with the milk have, of course. Once you start logging, it should be clearer.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    CaydensMommy wrote: »
    Hello! I have started a keto diet and I'm also incorporating 2 popular protein shakes to up my protein intake. Directions for the shake say to use as meal replacement for 2 meals, and have 1 healthy meal. Would it be alright just to use the shakes for the protein and not necessarily as a meal replacement? Thanks!

    Those don't sound like "protein shakes"...they sound like meal replacement shakes that also happen to have a good bit of protein. A protein supplement consists of almost solely protein in relatively large quantity for the serving...they don't have any of the other macros or other vitamins and minerals that you would typically find in a protein shake.

    So to start, I think you're conflating two very different kinds of supplements with each other. I would never advise someone to use a whey protein supplement as an actual meal replacement...it's just not the right tool and a typical whey supplement is around 150 calories or so...hardly a meal replacement...and again lacking in the other nutritional properties that an actual meal replacement shake would have.

    I would also add that either a protein supplement or a meal replacement shake could prevent your body from achieving ketosis as both are likely to spike blood glucose. Generally not a concern for most people, but you specifically mention a keto diet for which neither option is potentially appropriate to that WOE.
  • CaydensMommy
    CaydensMommy Posts: 315 Member
    Thanks everyone! Basically I'd just use them to increase protein since I don't eat a terrible large amount of meat. After logging everything for the day, macros look about right for what I'm aiming for. :) Today is the 3rd day trying it. I'm going to try my best to stick with it and see what happens. Thanks again!
  • BunnyBraveheart
    BunnyBraveheart Posts: 1 Member
    Best of luck to you Caydens Mommy! Protein shakes really work for me.
    I have three protein shakes per day, breakfast-lunch-dessert after dinner. Plus I have a stubstantial evening meal of up to 900 calories. Total calories per day is around 1300 and carbs under 45. This is working great for me and I've lost 17 pounds in two and a half months. I enjoy the shakes because of the various flavors and they make the 23 hours of solid food fasting very doable.

Categories