[coxenc]

A large part of my weight loss plan involves working out because hey I want to lose weight and look muscular. I have heard a lot of conflicting thoughts on Protein. How should I implement it? When is a good time to consume it, before or after a workout? I do want to build muscle, but its not my primary goal, instead I want to know how to integrate protein into my weight loss, and am afraid that it might be counterproductive. Thoughts anyone?

p.s I was thinking about getting some whey Protein for smoothies- Is this a good idea?

[glenlorie]

Protein is a good way to fight of hunger urges (it keeps you feeling fuller longer) and it aids in building lean muscle mass, just be careful of the kind of protein you eat! A lot of your normal proteins people consume have a high fat content (ie beef) so try choosing leaner meats such as fish, turkey, beans, lean cuts of beef, or chicken. You just kind of need to to do a trail and error to see what works best with your body.

As far as consuming protein before or after a workout, this again is going to depend on how your body reacts. I have always read it is a good idea to consume some form of protein 30-60 mins before your workout, but I know some people who's digestive system just can't handle this and it makes them ill.

Your idea of Whey protein for smoothies sounds like a good choice!

I hope some of this helped. Good luck and keep your head up!!!

[kaplods]

I use whey protein in breakfast smoothies, and I've noticed that I stay much fuller on a 300 calorie breakfast smoothie with the whey protein. It really feels like a meal.

Right now I'm using Pure Proten brand Vanilla Creme flavor, but one of our local cheesemakers sells unflavored whey protein, so I'm going to try that when I need to buy more.

[ambpure]

It's best sto spread your protein intake across the day. Basically, when trying to lose fat, it's a good idea to eat 5 smaller meals a day or so, and then include a protein source in each meal.

Protein takes more energy for your body to digest compared to fat and carbohydrates, so in that sense you're burning more calories already just by eating more protein.

Secondly, the idea of all those muscle-building programs is to eat protein to stay in 'positive nitrogen balance'. Protein is the only macronutrient containing nitrogen, which is required in creating muscle tissue.

Anyway, it quickly gets technical on that part, so it's really nothing to worry about actually as long as you just include a (complete) protein source in every meal.

The sources named by glenlorie above are good. Eggs are fine too.

Whey protein is definitely good. However, I would predominantly focus on more 'whole' sources in the sense of giving your body really something to work on to digest. Whey protein is processed extremely easy by your body, which makes it a good choice after heavy weight-lifting workouts.

It's healthy in general, but I what I'm trying to say is that it wouldn't be your best choice to replace all your meals by whey protein for example.

[nelie]

You don't necessarily need added protein but whatever works for you I do weight lifting and I eat about 20% protein every day but no meat/dairy/eggs. It works well for me.

[coxenc]

Hey thanks guys this really helps

[sotypical]

I just want to add that I have never found protein shakes to keep me full. I would rather eat a 200-300 calories of a real meal or snack.

I also try and eat my protein with every meal.

[kaplods]

I have a bad habbit of skipping breakfast, because I feel so horrible in the mornings. It takes a while for my pain medications to kick in, but until they do, the idea of making and eating breakfast just isn't very appealing. Then, when I'm ready to eat, I'm starving and more prone to overeating, or making less than ideal choices.

I was reluctant to try smoothies and shakes, because I do not have fond memories of meals in liquid form. In fact, I'm pretty close to being SlimFast phobic. But when I finally did try making smoothies, they turned out to be the perfect breakfast when I'm feeling yucky, because I can make them quickly (especially now with my Rocket blender), and if I'm feeling nauseous, I can slip them slowly. Sipping breakfast worked out so well, that I often have soup for breakfast (especially when we make homemade soup and have leftovers or made it in the crockpot letting it cook through the night. Canned soup is too salty for my tastes, and if I'm feeling a little nauseous too-salty is the last thing I want).


But as far as smoothies go, fruit only smoothies (fruit, fruit juice and ice) don't satisfy me for very long at all (and they can make morning nausea worse). Fruit and dairy (milk or yogurt) satisfy longer, but not nearly as much as a solid meal. However (and surprisingly to me) by adding about a tablespoon of fiber (psyllium, chia, or flax seeds) and a tablespoon or two of protein powder, I find them much more filling per calorie than the other smoothies and as filling as an entirely solid meal.

I wouldn't want to have smoothies/shakes at every meal, or even for every breakfast, because while I find them as physically satisfying as a solid meal, I don't find them as emotionally satisfying. It's a treat to have a milkshake as a meal occasionally, and especially at breakfast I don't feel like I'm missing anything (because if I didn't feel well, I'd skip breakfast anyway). I'll occasionally have a smoothie for lunch (if I had a solid breakfast) but not often.