Confused About Protein Shakes?

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  • jchrisman717
    jchrisman717 Posts: 780 Member
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    I'm not a morning food person so I started doing the protein shakes to get me moving in the morning. I find that if I do a protein shake with fruit and fiber for breakfast I don't crave high carb food for lunch and I don't feel bloated. I also do a shake at night after my workout when I do my personal training class as we are doing some heavy lifting.
  • crssybear
    crssybear Posts: 7 Member
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    I drink one every morning as a meal replacement. Starts the day with alot of protein to get me going and its fast when I'm running late. I have tried quite a few different ones and my favorite is the Syntrax Nectar Chocolate Mousse. It has like 20 something grams of protein and no carbs. I'll mix it with warm coffee or unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I also will do like half a scoop after a strength training work out to help build muscle. I'm still trying to lose so it helps by not adding in alot of extra carbs.
  • lackofnames3
    lackofnames3 Posts: 30 Member
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    I prefer whole foods. Id rather eat a chicken breast than drink a shake. That being said..when I need something in a hurry or have a huge workout day I will sometimes add a Jillian Micheal's Shake in bc I trust she doesnt put chemicals or artificial sweeteners and stuff in it...its more whole food oriented I think...but sounds like you will be fine with real foods..
  • look1angel
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    But if I'm getting my protein from other sources during the day, this is just a quick on the go, no time to cook idea right?

    Yes. I'm not suggesting that Body By Vi is harmful or pointless. I just think that there are better options.

    OK thanks, I will certainly look into my other options.

    I just started this calorie tracker last week & honestly, I'd like all my 1300 calories to go to a nice tall glass of milk with a huge piece of chocolate mousse cake & some whip topping lol. But I'm going to be good & follow the rules. Eating healthy is a chore but I'm hoping to see some real results down the road. Thanks again
  • Treed79
    Treed79 Posts: 28 Member
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    I prefer whole foods. Id rather eat a chicken breast than drink a shake. That being said..when I need something in a hurry or have a huge workout day I will sometimes add a Jillian Micheal's Shake in bc I trust she doesnt put chemicals or artificial sweeteners and stuff in it...its more whole food oriented I think...but sounds like you will be fine with real foods..

    I was just going to bring up the fact that these powdered mixes are loaded with garbage that you don't need in your body. I would skip it all together or eat some almonds or something naturally high in protein. That powdered stuff is all artificial and bad news in my book.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
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    I prefer whole foods. Id rather eat a chicken breast than drink a shake. That being said..when I need something in a hurry or have a huge workout day I will sometimes add a Jillian Micheal's Shake in bc I trust she doesnt put chemicals or artificial sweeteners and stuff in it...its more whole food oriented I think...but sounds like you will be fine with real foods..

    I was just going to bring up the fact that these powdered mixes are loaded with garbage that you don't need in your body. I would skip it all together or eat some almonds or something naturally high in protein. That powdered stuff is all artificial and bad news in my book.
    Many have added crap in them, no doubt and over all...you're better off eating your protein from real food sources. :drinker:
  • boobookittyx
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    i just substitute mine for a meal/snack... i drink 1 scoop muscle milk light strawberries n creme with 2 cups of soy milk and its all under 200 cals :D yummy n filling:)
  • Alisha_countrymama
    Alisha_countrymama Posts: 821 Member
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    I'm doing Body By Vi Shakes. I love them.
  • Alisha_countrymama
    Alisha_countrymama Posts: 821 Member
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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the body by Vi shakes really have all that much protein in them? Most whey powders that come in a tub or a bag have 25+ protein per serving, and if you add them to skim milk, that adds another 8 grams or so.

    This is an oversimplification, but eating a high protein diet helps you retain lean muscle while burning fat which will help your end result look lean and strong and tight versus "skinny fat" where there is poor skin tone and elasticity.

    They contain a tri-blend protein that your body actually uses and absorbs, as apposed to these other protein powders, that you end up peeing out quite a bit of the protein.
  • 2hungariangirls
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    I like Jay Robb. A little pricey, but it is my one "guilty" pleasure. I can't stand the smell of some of the others. This one is smooth and taste good. I don't have to chug it down holding my nose. It doesn't have any sugars and is sweetened with Stevia. I like it. 25 grams of protein. If you have a Whole Foods or GNC nearby you can buy a sample pack of one serving to try. I did that before I jumped in and bought a whole tub. I was tired of buying nasty ones and then throwing it out because I couldn't stomach the taste. I think ALL protein powders should have sample packs. :smile:
  • blondejillie
    blondejillie Posts: 305 Member
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    I like Jay Robb. A little pricey, but it is my one "guilty" pleasure. I can't stand the smell of some of the others. This one is smooth and taste good. I don't have to chug it down holding my nose. It doesn't have any sugars and is sweetened with Stevia. I like it. 25 grams of protein. If you have a Whole Foods or GNC nearby you can buy a sample pack of one serving to try. I did that before I jumped in and bought a whole tub. I was tired of buying nasty ones and then throwing it out because I couldn't stomach the taste. I think ALL protein powders should have sample packs. :smile:


    AGREE. I find the Jay Robb Egg White Protein at Drugstore.com.
    Tastes great by itself or blended with other ingredients. Also stir it into cereal.
  • rebecca0101
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    Bump - for later
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
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    Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the body by Vi shakes really have all that much protein in them? Most whey powders that come in a tub or a bag have 25+ protein per serving, and if you add them to skim milk, that adds another 8 grams or so.

    This is an oversimplification, but eating a high protein diet helps you retain lean muscle while burning fat which will help your end result look lean and strong and tight versus "skinny fat" where there is poor skin tone and elasticity.

    They contain a tri-blend protein that your body actually uses and absorbs, as apposed to these other protein powders, that you end up peeing out quite a bit of the protein.
    It uses soy protein which is much less effective than whey protein(and the other protein sources it uses ...are whey)....not to mention the really LOW amount of protein it contains. Protein powders are a much better choice, depending on the brand you choose(hint...don't pick Shakeology). I personally use Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard Whey Protein. 24g of protein per scoop...where Body by Vi? 12g.
  • rjbrowne
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    I've started adding them on my hard workout days. It really helps me avoid sore muscles. I tend to have a hard time reaching my protein goals with food alone. I definitely make sure I get there, when I've worked hard though. Good luck!
  • NKF92879
    NKF92879 Posts: 601 Member
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    In all honesty, I use protein shakes as a meal replacement most of the time. I don't want to get up any earlier than I have to, so I have a shake for breakfast most days. I also add the powder to smoothies (for flavor and added protein), and sometimes have a shake as a snack.
  • athensguy
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    Chemicals? Proteins are made of chemicals, so I'd hope there's something other than a vacuum in that container.

    You don't excrete significant amounts of protein in your urine unless you're very ill.
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
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    i use a protein shake for my breakfast and i've been shedding weight. i love mine. i use chocolate whey. I like the EAS lean protein one. it's tasty and affordable and you can find it at target. i used to use an organic rice one but it was very pricey. anyway, the chocolate whey keeps my sweet tooth satisfied too. i blend it with 1 c. almond milk, 5 frozen whole strawberries, 1/2 of a banana and 4 or 5 ice cubes. it's like having a chocolate shake for breakfast. also helps me get a couple of servings of fruit in for the day and gets my metabolism revving with the carbs.
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    Whey Protein Powder is classified as a supplement. You use it to supplement for protein you're not getting in your diet that you should be. Whether it's because you're to busy to cook, just can't eat all that lean meat or you just want a short cut. I find that I can get a good clean protein without all the fat and sugar to help reach my macros. I'm a fan or Pure Protein and Optimum Nutrition. I've also recently just added Detour Protein bars to my diet as they are a good source of protein and low in fat and sugar.

    I will however say, if you can reach your protein requirements (about 1 gm per lb of body weight) with real food then just do that.
  • staceyb2003
    staceyb2003 Posts: 203 Member
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    About a month ago before I started lifting heavy I found this website off an older thread. Not sure how accurate it is, but it did explain to me why people use these supplements. I see a big change in my body. I can't give the supplements all the credit, my hard work has to account for 99% of it ;) I don't take all of these supplements because it's expensive. Just the whey, creatine, and vitamins.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/girls-guide-to-supplements.html?mcid=facenutrition
  • heidirn2003
    heidirn2003 Posts: 20 Member
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    I started using body fortress about two months ago post workout and for breakfast supplement. I chose BF whey proten because it was high protein low cal and low carb but here I am heavier and bulkier. Have you experienced any weight gain? I'm 5'3" and I was 115 now I'm teetering 125!! I'm freaking out! I look thick and feel like the incredible hulk!!! I workout 6-7 days/week and I lift *cybex machines. I'm also retaining water and can't shake it!!! Can that be related to the whey protein? Some say if you take in too much whey protein the body stores it as fat and others say you cant take in too much protein because the body will just excrete it. So what the heck is happening to me then??