WHY do people on mfp use protein shakes??

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  • SmallerBecky
    SmallerBecky Posts: 177
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    I drink 1 scoop (140 cals) of Body Fortress Whey Protein with 8 oz. of water after I leave the gym to help with muscle recovery. However, it is true that it is better to get protein from natural sources (like lean meat, etc.) I buy Whey at Wal Mart and it doesn't really fill me up and I never use it as a meal replacement as some people choose to do. Nothing is better then actual food :)

    ^^Exactly this (down to the kind of protein powder I use!).
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
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    mfp never tells me that I need more protein.

    MFP's setting for protein is very low.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    My hubby uses it after he does weights. He is a big fecker so he is! It helps repair the muscle fast I think but I am not 100%
    tTHIS IS EXACTLY RIGHT!

    Nah. It's simply a quick and easy way to get more protein. Nothing more, nothing less. For the people who aim for 150g/day, it's a handy tool to use to supplement protein from whole foods.
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
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    I'd venture to bet that your protein settings are low, like what MFP sets when you sign up.

    Most of us are aiming for a higher amount of protein and sure I could sit and chew on meat all day but i'd rather not so I drink a protein shake.

    I eat quite a bit of meat, eggs, yogurt, etc. but a protein shake still helps.
  • jackpotclown
    jackpotclown Posts: 3,291 Member
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    I use it to get closer to the 140-150g daily protein goal, I mix one scoop with a cup of skim milk.....and to those of you mixing with water, my hats of to ya cause at least with skim ya get some flavor lol
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
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    Nah. It's simply a quick and easy way to get more protein. Nothing more, nothing less. For the people who aim for 150g/day, it's a handy tool to use to supplement protein from whole foods.
    Is Taso ever NOT right?
  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
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    It's just to spite you and make you wonder, "WTF." It's purely personal, I promise!
  • spinqueen72
    spinqueen72 Posts: 406 Member
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    I use protein shakes every day!
    It DOES fill you up.
    Benefits include:
    1. repairs/rebuilds muscle damage from working out
    2. has non-essential & essential amino acids
    3. helps digestion
    4. helps liver with waste

    I do whey protein shakes, because I want to be careful of the cholesterol in animal fats. Plus...I'm not a big meat eater.
    Whey protein actually digests better and faster than animal protein...so you get better benefits, faster!

    I use Dymatize Elite Gourmet Whey/Casein Protein Blend in Rich Vanilla Creme (so I can add it to baking, oatmeal, etc)
    here's the link to order: www.dymatize.com
    There are a ton of different flavors...ALL GLUTEN FREE...and taste EXACTLY like what they are called.
    Chocolate Mint is really good..especially in the hot weather. I blend it with ice to make a milkshake.
    Anyways..I could go on and on about protein...but I can't.
    Try it..you won't be disappointed!
  • CharityEaton
    CharityEaton Posts: 508
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    Why I use protein powder:
    Mfp protein numbers are set too low
    When I increased my protein I noticed I was not as sore from day to day workouts and I had far more energy to "bring it" during workouts
    I could run longer without massive shin splints
    It is a GREAT way to get the amount of protein I am aiming for each day (a girl can only eat so much chicken in a day)

    I do agree that if you are not trying to reach a certain protein goal then getting your protein from food is preferable but if you are really wanting to increase your workouts as well as your results, protein shakes/powder etc... are the easiest way to add a big amount of protein while cutting back on fat.
    Another reason, it's just easy to dump some powder, fruit, milk or water, spinach and whatever in the blender and know that it is a perfectly balanced meal if you chose to use it as breakfast.
    Mine are NOT low cal at all. This is what I had this morning:
    1 cup nonfat milk
    1 scoop vanilla whey protein
    1/2 a large banana
    1/2 cup frozen blueberries
    1 cup frozen strawberries
    1 cup spinach
    (I added some strawberry syrup for a boost of sugar since this shake was my recovery drink/breakfast smoothie this morning)
    It was over 400 cals but after sleeping in and gettin my workout in I didn't eat until 1000 am so I'll probably skip lunch and eat a BIG early dinner. It's the weekend and my schedule gets all kinds of crazy so the protein powder helps me relax about what I eat on the weekend.
    It's whatever works for you and YOUR fitness goals but there are plenty of people on MFP tat can give you pointers and ideas on how to get started!
    If you have a Wal-Mart you can find protein powder for a decent price and just start experimenting with it.
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
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    Ideally, I'd get all my protein from food. But if I'm going for a set amount of protein, it's not always so easy. So I use shakes and supplements to get me there.

    I think it's a matter of convenience.
  • spinqueen72
    spinqueen72 Posts: 406 Member
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    no, I wouldn't feel like chicken in the morning either! i am going to go and have a browse in the health food shop.

    ick..don't do that!!!

    www.dymatize.com

    I get the Whey/Casein blend...keeps you full for a while!! The XT protein lasts for up to 6 hours or more......repairs muscle for 12 hours!
    The Rich Vanilla Creme (the one I use) tastes like cake batter to me..so yummy! You can add anything to it.
    The Chocolate Mint tastes just like Thin Mints...so if you like Girl Scout Thin Mints...well there you go!
    The Chocolate Fudge is to die for!
    Banana is sweet, but still yummy

    Order it today..you'll have in 1 or 2 days!
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    I lift heavy weights and therefore I need 30-40% of total calories to come from protein. I find it hard to meet those guidelines without the use of protein shakes. I buy low-calorie, low-carb, low-fat, high-quality 100% pure whey isolate protein. I mix it with water and 1/2 packet of Crystal Light Pure. It allows me to stay within my calorie limit while meeting my macro %s.
  • pitbullmama
    pitbullmama Posts: 454 Member
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    I drink a protein shake because:
    it's versatile,
    it's quick,
    It can be as tasty as I want to make it
    I don't feel like eating chicken breast for breakfast
    It helps me get an extra serving or two of fruit in the morning
    It keeps me full.

    Ditto
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    it's a good supplement to your diet. especially me, I'm lazy and don't know how to cook, and usually get my protein from eggs, nuts, dairy, and supplements. i drink a protein shake maybe once a week, it is low in calories, mine is 100calories a scoop, and doesn't taste bad. Jillian Michael from walmart. i mix it with water and 2%milk or water and Kefir
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
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    I use them as a quick way to get protein and nutrients after a workout. I also use them if my protein intake is low for the day, since I tend to eat a lot of vegetarian food, and while I try really hard to get enough protein, I don't always. Heck, even meals with meat are sometime slow on protein because I don't use a ton of meat.
  • cowgirlslikeus86
    cowgirlslikeus86 Posts: 597 Member
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    I only use protein in my smoothies. It taste like vanilla and makes it yummy. I have one of those 70$ tubs from GNC. When it's gone I probably won't miss it. I usually get my protein from food:-)
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    My hubby uses it after he does weights. He is a big fecker so he is! It helps repair the muscle fast I think but I am not 100%

    It's mostly marketing. All you really need is what you should get in a day, timing doesn't actually matter. Protein powder offers no advantage during strength training than any other food protein source, and the actual post exercise window is about 24 hours long, so you basically have all day and the next to get the nutrients you need for recovery.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    mfp never tells me that I need more protein.

    MFP's setting for protein is very low.

    This. I aim for a minimum of 100-110g of protein a day. I feel best getting that much. Protein shakes and bars are easy ways to up that amount so I don't have to eat a couple pounds of chicken a day.

    Plus, they're tasty. The protein bars I get are the same amount of calories as any candy bar, but pack about 15g of protein and are just as yummy.
  • Tuliptwy
    Tuliptwy Posts: 5
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    I've had a sleeve gastrectomy so I have to intake 60-80 g of protein a day in order to keep myself healthy. Also have to have under 40 g carbs, but I struggle keeping this one under 60 g. Because my calories are low, I'm unable to get all my protein through food alone. I use Unjury protein unflavoured (I mix with Crystal light) and strawberry sorbet (is clear and tastes just like kool-aid). Not sure about others. :)
  • 1WorkoutAtATime
    1WorkoutAtATime Posts: 719
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    I use them after weight training to recover, repair and for muscle growth

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