What protein powder best for female not lifting?

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casirdms
casirdms Posts: 145 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm curious as to if I need to include a protein shake in my diet. I'm not lifting weights, just doing some exercise at night (usually after dinner when I can put my 9 month old down to sleep). I know some people drink a protein shake after their workout or would it be okay in the afternoon as a snack? I would want something not very high in calories but that tastes good.

People have been trying to steer me towards just replacing a meal with a ViSalus shake but I'm not sure about that.

Any advice?

Replies

  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I'm curious as to if I need to include a protein shake in my diet. I'm not lifting weights, just doing some exercise at night (usually after dinner when I can put my 9 month old down to sleep). I know some people drink a protein shake after their workout or would it be okay in the afternoon as a snack? I would want something not very high in calories but that tastes good.

    Protein shakes are used to help supplement your diet with protein. If you are protein deficient, then a protein shake will help you. If you are eating sufficient levels of protein already, then the inclusion of a protein shake may not give you any benefit. Lastly, MFP typically sets protein limits somewhat low.

    Think of a protein shake as a slab of chicken, for a rather silly comparison.

    People have been trying to steer me towards just replacing a meal with a ViSalus shake but I'm not sure about that.

    Any advice?

    Be aware that some of these people MAY benefit financially from your purchasing certain meal replacement products.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I would say any protein powder that is affordable and that you like the taste of. Brands that I personally like the taste of would be Xtreme formulations, Gaspari and TruNutrition.

    And you can drink them anytime, but really they are not needed if you can get in adequate protein through whole foods. Although protein powders can be convenient if you're quick on time or on the go
  • annabellj
    annabellj Posts: 1,337 Member
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    and i would encourage you to start lifting. when i did is when i saw the most significant changes in my body quicker!
  • Chloe_Chaos_
    Chloe_Chaos_ Posts: 150 Member
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    I lift weights but I drink Body Fortress from Walmart because it's in my price range. It's 140cals for a scoop and vanilla (the only flavor I've tried) is good with cold cold water and even more delicious with skim milk (if you can spare some extra calories). I usually chug some after the gym.
  • Fit_Canuck
    Fit_Canuck Posts: 788 Member
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    I would say any protein powder that is affordable and that you like the taste of. Brands that I personally like the taste of would be Xtreme formulations, Gaspari and TruNutrition.

    And you can drink them anytime, but really they are not needed if you can get in adequate protein through whole foods. Although protein powders can be convenient if you're quick on time or on the go

    This! Use protein powder as a stop gap measure if you can't get it naturally from food sources. At the end of the day good whole foods are going to be much better for you than a processed product. I'd personally rather get my protein from greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken etc..but if I'm really stuck or low one day I supplement with a good protein powder.
  • Chloe_Chaos_
    Chloe_Chaos_ Posts: 150 Member
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    and i would encourage you to start lifting. when i did is when i saw the most significant changes in my body quicker!

    ^^ this.

    I didn't lift until I started reading on here about how good it is so I thought I would give it a shot. I burn as much, if not more, calories lifting heavy as I do just doing cardio and I get a lot more out of it. I love it. Of course, I like the look of a women with muscles and that's what I'm striving for (not a body builder though). Luckily my boyfriend is super supportive about it lol
  • nsblue
    nsblue Posts: 331 Member
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    i like the lean muscle shakes from GNC... 25 gr of protien.. 170 cal .. 4gr carb. i also buy the kaizen whey isolate protein powder (vanilla ice cream flavor) from costco. I do get my required 80 grams of protein a day from food quite easy... i find the shakes are something quick and easy... n filling for me in a rush.
  • casirdms
    casirdms Posts: 145 Member
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    Lastly, MFP typically sets protein limits somewhat low.


    I just looked and mine is set to 59 .. is that low? Today I finished 14 under that, 45.
  • MacInCali
    MacInCali Posts: 1,044 Member
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    Lastly, MFP typically sets protein limits somewhat low.


    I just looked and mine is set to 59 .. is that low? Today I finished 14 under that, 45.

    While I don't know your height or weight, yes, 59g of protein is pretty low. For myself, I haven't incorporated any protein powders into my meal planning, but I average approximately 140g of protein a day from whole foods. My diary is open if you'd like to take a look. :flowerforyou:
  • TubbsMcGee
    TubbsMcGee Posts: 1,058 Member
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    To calculate how much protein your body needs, you first need to find your lean body mass (weight multiplied by body fat percentage, then subtract that from your weight. Example: 114 lbs x 22% bf = 22.8 lbs of fat. 114-22.8=91.2 lbs of lean body mass).
    ).
    You should be getting 1 gram to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass if you're weight training. On my off days, I still try to aim for my minimum of 92 grams.

    I've been debating for years if whether or not I should start using a protein powder. In the long run, it's easier to just eat/drink whole foods (Greek yogurt, almonds, chocolate milk) so that you know what you're actually putting into your body.
  • kari574
    kari574 Posts: 99 Member
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    I've read good things about Designer Whey Protein. It has 100 calories per serving. Maybe look into that a bit. I actually ordered some from Amazon but have not received it yet.

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