Does everyone do protein shakes?

24

Replies

  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    No, I think they are a total marketing con. They just aren't necessary at all unless you are an elite athlete doing serious training.
    Protein shakes are probably useful if you are doing a lot of weight training and want to bulk up. For the rest of us, they are best avoided. Eat real food. Not too much.

    disagree on both counts. protein powder is a great way to get in that extra protein your body needs. and all people that work out, even runners and dedicated endurance athletes can benefit from this. when working out, you do use muscles, and cardio can burn the muscle as equally as it burns the fat. therefore you need to rebuild the muscle. drinking a protein shake will not bulk you up, but help maintain your muscles.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    No, I think they are a total marketing con. They just aren't necessary at all unless you are an elite athlete doing serious training.
    Protein shakes are probably useful if you are doing a lot of weight training and want to bulk up. For the rest of us, they are best avoided. Eat real food. Not too much.

    disagree on both counts. protein powder is a great way to get in that extra protein your body needs. and all people that work out, even runners and dedicated endurance athletes can benefit from this. when working out, you do use muscles, and cardio can burn the muscle as equally as it burns the fat. therefore you need to rebuild the muscle. drinking a protein shake will not bulk you up, but help maintain your muscles.

    Why do you assume your body needs extra protein? Most people in the States eat 4x more than the WHO recommended amount of protein a day. I can't imagine anyone who wasn't an elite athlete or lifting weights competitively would need that.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    No, I think they are a total marketing con. They just aren't necessary at all unless you are an elite athlete doing serious training.
    Protein shakes are probably useful if you are doing a lot of weight training and want to bulk up. For the rest of us, they are best avoided. Eat real food. Not too much.

    disagree on both counts. protein powder is a great way to get in that extra protein your body needs. and all people that work out, even runners and dedicated endurance athletes can benefit from this. when working out, you do use muscles, and cardio can burn the muscle as equally as it burns the fat. therefore you need to rebuild the muscle. drinking a protein shake will not bulk you up, but help maintain your muscles.

    Why do you assume your body needs extra protein? Most people in the States eat 4x more than the WHO recommended amount of protein a day. I can't imagine anyone who wasn't an elite athlete or lifting weights competitively would need that.

    That's because the RDI for protein is low.

    Protein is the most important macronutrient for anyone on a calorie restricted diet. This + resistance training is what will help you retain your LBM & lose FAT not weight.

    That is the reason I use protein powders. (not shakes though these days, proats mainly)
  • nas24
    nas24 Posts: 880 Member
    I dont have much time to do protein shakes so if i do have one...its the special K shakes...on the go. Even if i dont have one of those, which most days i dont, i still get all of my protein and sometimes go over.
  • DizzieLittleLifter
    DizzieLittleLifter Posts: 1,020 Member
    I don't. I prefer to get my protein naturally within my diet, not supplements; and I don't have a problem getting the protein I need. :)
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
    most people that work out should consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, which is basically the weight of your bones, muscles and organs. no fat or water.

    i am far from an elite athlete, and i know on days that i don't have a shake, i will not come to that number. the other day i consumed a protein shake and didn't come to that number. my LBM is 163, and my recommended protein intake is between 196g to 250g.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
    Most armchair athletes don't need extra protein; my son just got braces on his teeth and I purchased protein shakes so that he could have something healthier than ice cream while they hurt. Otherwise I don't work out enough to warrant them.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    most people that work out should consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, which is basically the weight of your bones, muscles and organs. no fat or water.

    i am far from an elite athlete, and i know on days that i don't have a shake, i will not come to that number. the other day i consumed a protein shake and didn't come to that number. my LBM is 163, and my recommended protein intake is between 196g to 250g.

    See, everywhere else in the world it's 0.75 - 1g per KILO. I think someone messed up the formula somewhere for America and forgot to switch from kilos to lbs.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Most armchair athletes don't need extra protein;

    As I said, it depends on if they want to lose FAT or weight.

    The amount of people's dairies I see around here with >50g of protein per day is astounding. These are the people that need to use "supplements" to increase their protein intake if they don't want to eat real food that is.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    most people that work out should consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, which is basically the weight of your bones, muscles and organs. no fat or water.

    i am far from an elite athlete, and i know on days that i don't have a shake, i will not come to that number. the other day i consumed a protein shake and didn't come to that number. my LBM is 163, and my recommended protein intake is between 196g to 250g.

    See, everywhere else in the world it's 0.75 - 1g per KILO. I think someone messed up the formula somewhere for America and forgot to switch from kilos to lbs.

    Take a look at the RDI's for a variety of macro/micronutrients & see how they compare to what peer reviewed studies recommend.
  • ruddbigdog
    ruddbigdog Posts: 1
    THERE IS A GOOD SHAKE OUT CALLED VI WWW.BODYBYVI.COM. ALOT OF PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY IS TRYING THEM. WE HAVE LOST WEIGHT ON THEM AND THEY HAVE ALOT OF PROTEIN.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    most people that work out should consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, which is basically the weight of your bones, muscles and organs. no fat or water.

    i am far from an elite athlete, and i know on days that i don't have a shake, i will not come to that number. the other day i consumed a protein shake and didn't come to that number. my LBM is 163, and my recommended protein intake is between 196g to 250g.

    See, everywhere else in the world it's 0.75 - 1g per KILO. I think someone messed up the formula somewhere for America and forgot to switch from kilos to lbs.

    Take a look at the RDI's for a variety of macro/micronutrients & see how they compare to what peer reviewed studies recommend.

    The only non-American sources I can find recommending higher levels of protein are studies commissioned by companies selling a product. I really think somewhere along the line there was a miscalculation on this. How can it be that in the States you are recommended 3 times the amount of protein of anywhere else in the world? It simply makes no sense. Absolutely every non-biased source I have read recommends 45g protein a day for women of average size.
  • MericoX
    MericoX Posts: 199 Member
    I will drink one in the morning if I don't have time to make breakfast and want something before heading to work.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    In fact, even the American ones I found on google recommend 1.5g per KILO lean body mass. Not per lb.
  • HannahMarieMcDougald
    HannahMarieMcDougald Posts: 544
    I do Body By V :-) its smell like cake mix and taste awesome!
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    most people that work out should consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, which is basically the weight of your bones, muscles and organs. no fat or water.

    i am far from an elite athlete, and i know on days that i don't have a shake, i will not come to that number. the other day i consumed a protein shake and didn't come to that number. my LBM is 163, and my recommended protein intake is between 196g to 250g.

    See, everywhere else in the world it's 0.75 - 1g per KILO. I think someone messed up the formula somewhere for America and forgot to switch from kilos to lbs.

    Take a look at the RDI's for a variety of macro/micronutrients & see how they compare to what peer reviewed studies recommend.

    The only non-American sources I can find recommending higher levels of protein are studies commissioned by companies selling a product. I really think somewhere along the line there was a miscalculation on this. How can it be that in the States you are recommended 3 times the amount of protein of anywhere else in the world? It simply makes no sense. Absolutely every non-biased source I have read recommends 45g protein a day for women of average size.

    The RDI in Australia is .8g/kg. This is just a general guideline. As in for people who are maintaining weight not losing.

    Fat loss requires:
    calorie deficit through diet and exercise
    adequate protein (I aim for 1g/lb of LBM minimum)
    resistance training (progressively increasing weights to challenge yourself, this is the stimulus for your muscles so there is a reason to keep them)

    These are to promote the preservation of lean body mass.

    Anyone who knows anything about nutrition would not be recommending .8g/kg for anyone trying to lose fat through diet & exercise. 1g/lb or 2g/kg is what is recommended here also.
  • _Kate_P
    _Kate_P Posts: 132
    I don't. I'd like to but, my roommates complain like no other when I use the blender, and I'm too lazy to ever actually clean it. lol.
  • fuzzimama
    fuzzimama Posts: 85
    No, I don't do anything like that. If I was doing heaps more exercise I might, but don't feel the need for anything like that (and never have trouble exceeding my protein goals on MFP despite eating vegetarian most days.
  • G30Grrl
    G30Grrl Posts: 377 Member
    I am just starting to drink one before I go work out in the morning. I get up at 4:30a.m., drink the shake, then do a few chores around the house until I go work out at 5:15 or 5:30. I used to go straight to the gym without eating anything, and it turns out that wasn't such a great idea. After drinking a protein shake, I have a lot more energy for my workout than I did on an empty tummy. I get up so early I am NOT going to be cooking breakfast at 4:30, so the protein shake is just the thing for me!
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    They sound yummy, but all the ones I'm finding have tons of calories- yes... I know GOOD calories, but still. I can't bring myself to drink one. I'd rather get my calories from chewing something.

    So does everyone pretty much do it?

    I've never had a protein shake, not sure I ever will either.
  • 2hungariangirls
    2hungariangirls Posts: 220
    Depends on your goals.

    I am losing fat, lowering body fat, and keeping my lean muscle, and adding on muscle to look tighter, and boost my daily resting metabolism level.

    To do this, you need enough protein.

    General recommendations are roughly about 1 gram per pound of lean body mass. For me thats about 100 grams of protein a day.

    This helps you keep the muscle you have. repair it more efficiently, and can assist with muscle building. (though depending on your makeup, goals, etc. you could need even more protein)

    At a calorie deficit, to lose weight, I do not have enough food calories available to eat all the chicken, beef etc I need to get that much protein a day. So I supplement with one to two protein shakes a day, along with my foods and meals, to give me the protein I need.

    When I take in more protein, I find I lose fat faster, body fat levels drop more consistently, my inches loss, and body size change are more dramatic, and quicker - and I have less muscle soreness, and still make great improvement in my exercise gains.

    My goal is not just to "lose weight" as I do not want to lose my lean muscle mass, and I also want to look tight, gain strength. So for me, extra protein is needed.


    Ditto. And I recommend Jay Robb. Delicious with no sugar.
  • Seginns
    Seginns Posts: 39
    I don't see the point in protein shakes. For one, you can eat a boiled egg or two and get similar amounts of protein for about the same calories. I'd much rather eat my calories than drink them. For another, I agree with fteale's comments. When I took a dietetics class in college, we were taught that most Americans get plenty of protein from food and don't need suppliments.
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
    I like to chew, too. :tongue:

    Chew when you drink them. It serves both cases.
  • Purpleflipflops
    Purpleflipflops Posts: 563 Member
    I love mine.... I have not found a better breakfast. For me, personally, I have them because...
    1) I have a 7 hour break between breakfast and lunch, so the fact that I can sip on one for an hour or so really helps with sustaining me
    2)The ability to "Beef It Up" with ice and spinach makes it a large volume in comparison to the calories consumed
    3) I have always had issues getting protein, and I have recently going Vegetarian, so Any time I can add a scoop of whey and a cup of spinach, I won't complain


    I know my mom hates them, by brother has a completely different shake, and my dad will go through phases of drinking them, so I really think you have to find something to work for you
  • LelliAmi
    LelliAmi Posts: 327 Member
    i've never had a protein shake in my life.
  • Lusadi
    Lusadi Posts: 79
    No! Yuck, gross, bad, disgusting. :) I never have been able to tolerate the things.
  • aarnette
    aarnette Posts: 11
    I do a whey protein shake in the morning but I throw a handful of coffee beans in the blender with it to give it a little extra kick and I love it.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    most people that work out should consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass, which is basically the weight of your bones, muscles and organs. no fat or water.

    i am far from an elite athlete, and i know on days that i don't have a shake, i will not come to that number. the other day i consumed a protein shake and didn't come to that number. my LBM is 163, and my recommended protein intake is between 196g to 250g.

    See, everywhere else in the world it's 0.75 - 1g per KILO. I think someone messed up the formula somewhere for America and forgot to switch from kilos to lbs.

    Take a look at the RDI's for a variety of macro/micronutrients & see how they compare to what peer reviewed studies recommend.

    The only non-American sources I can find recommending higher levels of protein are studies commissioned by companies selling a product. I really think somewhere along the line there was a miscalculation on this. How can it be that in the States you are recommended 3 times the amount of protein of anywhere else in the world? It simply makes no sense. Absolutely every non-biased source I have read recommends 45g protein a day for women of average size.

    The RDI in Australia is .8g/kg. This is just a general guideline. As in for people who are maintaining weight not losing.

    Fat loss requires:
    calorie deficit through diet and exercise
    adequate protein (I aim for 1g/lb of LBM minimum)
    resistance training (progressively increasing weights to challenge yourself, this is the stimulus for your muscles so there is a reason to keep them)

    These are to promote the preservation of lean body mass.

    Anyone who knows anything about nutrition would not be recommending .8g/kg for anyone trying to lose fat through diet & exercise. 1g/lb or 2g/kg is what is recommended here also.

    Even 2g per kilo is well under the 1- 1.5g per lb you originally suggested.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    I currently get 100g protein daily just in food, but I'm thinking about getting some of the powders to make healthy fruit/protein smoothies in the morning for my breakfast. Believe me, it would be an improvement over what I normally eat. LOL If I don't get much protein in my meals, I'm hungry again far too quickly which is not conducive to caloric restriction....
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
    i do drink protein shakes.. i buy dymatize gourmet elite whey and casein, myoplex lite and also ABB Pure Protein Drinks.. I lift weights and need the extra protein and just plain ol' get tired of eating meat all the time.. its just easier to swig down a shake although i put all efforts in to eating protein from other sources such as turkey, chicken, fish and pork loin.., rarely do i eat beef any more and am only eating that if its a special occasion
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