Protein question????

do some research on protein powders and pick one to add to your smoothie.

I everyone, I'm new to MFP only 5 days in and I've jumped ship from WW.
I'm struggling a bit trying to keep within my calories because at WW fruits and veggies were "free" but here they have calories that I must count. I'm trying something new.......I've decided to make a fruit smoothie in the morning for my breakfast hoping that it will tie my over until at least 11 or 12 noon.

Now right now I add skim milk, strawberries and banans but i was wondering if there was a good protein out there that I could add to my drink that would be high in protein but low in fat and calories.......keep in mind I'm not a big fan of yogurt...lol

Really, veggies are effectively free here, too - you can eat 4 cups of spinach for like 35 calories. It's fruits that you need to track, since fruit is high in sugar, and sugar is the enemy. Try to limit the amount of fruit you eat, but you can pretty much go to town on green veggies.

For protein powders, there are a million of them. Go to www.bodybuilding.com and do a search. They have reviews and customer ratings, so you can start to get a handle. Here's a quick primer:

1. Whey protein: usually considered the 'go-to' protein. It's pretty fast acting and great for post workout. If you're going to go with a single type of protein, go with whey, and just stop thinking about it

2. Casein: this is the protein that's in milk. It's a slower acting protein than whey, which can have some benefits. I've read lots of places that it's ideal to mix whey and casein, but honestly, I never do. I just go with whey.

3. Be sure you get a powder that is just protein - look at the label (you can see it on that website, above). There are lots of powders that also have carbs in them. These are often called 'weight gainers.' Yes, you do need carbs, but these mixes usually cost more, and also, you can just add your own carbs to your protein shakes (and if you're already adding fruit, then you've got it covered)

4. Optimum Nutrition is widely considered to be an excellent quality, as well as pretty good tasting. PLUS, it's less expensive than a lot of other brands out there. Their Gold Standard line is excellent

I have no affiliation with either bodybuilding.com or Optimum Nutrition - I'm just sharing the good experiences I've had with both. The bodybuilding.com site also has some pretty good articles about nutrition, but definitely look at the reviews for the products. Expect to play around a bit until you find the one you really like.

Best of luck!!