Protien Shakes
 

Whats your favorite brand of whey protein? And what do you add to your shakes?

Funny you asked! Just yesterday I tried "MyoPro Complete Whey Protein Whey Chocolate". My husband had it for after he went to the gym and I've been feeling like I'm not getting enough protein so he encouraged me to give it a try. One scoop is 125 calories and has 22g of protein. I mixed it with milk, on my husband's suggestion (he said it's nasty with water) and it was pretty good! I'm going to have a shake when I get back from runs for now on. For about 200 calories with eight ounces of skim milk, seems like a pretty decent deal!

Kara

I like Designer Whey protein powder in the strawberry flavor. 90 cals, 18 gms protein. I drink it in 8 oz. 1% milk (105 cals), but it is OK in cold water as well.

I have an allergic reaction to hydrolized soy protein, so I avoid it. No problem with whey. :) I usually have this as a snack rather than as a meal replacement.

Jay

I wanna try protien shakes, but i had some that tasted too chalky and gross... whats the best kind?

I use Protein+ made by Genuine Health. It's got 25g of protein in a scoop.

Also in my shakes I use frozen mixed berries, yogurt, skim milk, and Salba (ground chia seed). They're fairly palatable. :lol:

Hi Kara,

My 21 year old is a manic in his athletic training - he has a big tournament for Brazilian Ju Jitseu coming up.....and he tried something different - protein shakes and he says he can't believe how much better he feels and he sez he has way more energy.

I also just started ingesting one that has absolutely no sugar and no aspartame.....it tastes gross but I take it as medicine :)

Ray xo

Tom was drinking them after Tang Soo Do (Korean martial art). He said he had read that the protein can help the muscles heal faster. He swears by them!

Kara

We use frozen berries in our regular smoothies! Eliminates the need for ice. And SO yummy!

What's the chia seed for?

Kara

Kara, I just recently heard about the health benefits of chia seed. It's really high in omega 3, fibre, and antioxidants. And it's got some protein in it, too. I haven't found a source for plain old chia seed here yet, but I found it (more expensive, of course) under the brand name of Salba. It's the same stuff, and you should be able to find chia seed pretty easily in the States.
There's info on it here:
http://www.sourcesalba.com/index1.php

I currently have designer whey - find it has a bad smell but the taste is ok.

Previously I have really enjoyed Whey Gourmet. They have a TON of different flavours & they're pretty good (although I really didn't like the mango one). Chocolate Peanut Butter was fantastic. Can't get them here though - I might get a friend to bring some down when they come to visit.

Vanilla Designer Whey
 

I just started making a protein shake of vanilla Designer Whey in 8 ounces of skim milk after a workout with some muscle burn. Maybe it helps my muscles, maybe not. But it does help my head to keep going with the workouts since my muscles MUST be getting bigger now, LOL.

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I'm not a breakfast person so it's usually easier for me to have a protein shake in the morning. For variety I like adding an eighth of a teaspoon of an extract (mint, banana, classic vanilla, etc.) or some sugarless flavored syrup (almond is my favorite).

I've never tried protein powder so I can't recommend a brand but when I make my shakes I use skim milk, a frozen banana, raw oats and a tablespoon of peanut butter.

I have thyroid issues so I stay away from Protein Powders that are soy based. I like an egg white protein powder that I get in bulk from a natural foods store. No sweetener - no flavor, I can use it in soups or smoothies.

I use Pure Whey. I have vanilla and chocolate right now. I searched long and hard for a chocolate that didn't taste bitter to me.

One thing to try is protein pudding. Jello sugar-free, fat-free powder, skim milk, and protein powder (I use 2 scoops). I mix it up and leave it in the fridge to set, it keeps for about 3 days. Try different combinations (lemon pudding and chocolate powder, chocolate pudding, vanilla powder, and orange extract, chocolate fudge pudding, chocolate powder, peppermint extract).

I use skim milk, frozen berries, cottage cheese, water, peanut butter, pudding powder, Greens powder, plain yogurt...all sorts of things in my shakes. Just play around and find a favorite! :)

sidhe! You naughty girl! your post is sending me totally craving pudding :sorry here's the intro: um hi, I'm holli, and I'm a crazy person who has stayed on plan for two and a half weeks with no cheating and any talk of sweets makes me bonkers: :carrot: Mkay, back to that pudding...man that sounds so good. Would ya be so kind as to post amounts of milk etc basically step by step how to make it, if not here then on the Recipes board? Pretty please? :D

I never get bored with these protein shake threads, as I am constantly experimenting. While searching around for a peanut butter powder (I am looking for flavoring, not the fats, etc) I found this PB2:
Serving size = 2 tablespoons (12 grams)

Calories 54.138
Fat Calories 25.44
Total Fat 2.84g
Saturated Fat .55g
Cholesterol 0g
Sodium 94.4mg
Carbs 3.7g
Dietary Fiber .3g
Sugars 1g
Protein 4.3g

I find 1/2-1TBSP plenty for my smoothies. Mix this with 2TBSP of Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I prefer the Special Dark), and a 1/2 scoop of Whey Protein, with a cup of skim milk.

For a cappachino shake, add in instant coffee to your smoothie. Be forewarned, that the overbearing coffee taste will kill off any other flavorings. So don't waste your calories from anything (exception of whey protein) in the drink. If you brew your own coffee as I do (I have an account with Gevalia), brew a couple cups more then normal next time, and put the excess into ice cube trays. Days later you can add these "ice cubes" into your smoothie. I am a sucker for flavored coffee, I will kill for hazelnut. I included the link for Gevalia, because I can. I first found out about Gevalia when I got an advertisement in the mail offering a free coffee maker, if you subscribe. There really is no pressures, you can manage your account online. You don't have to subscribe, there is no commitment. I love their coffees. Again, the funny thing about coffee is, I was never a drinker until I started this diet (I was told that coffee is a free food.

Upthread someone mentioned frozen berries. You don't have to buy the bags of frozen berries, buy the fresh stuff and freeze them yourself. When in season, berries can be found all over the place (farmers markets, street corners, etc). If you buy cherries, make sure to pit them first.

Lastly, if you are using milk, and other foods with protein, you may want to cut back on the whey protein, and add in only 1/2 a scoop. Half a scoop (11.5g) and 1 cup skim milk (9g) is almost equivalent to your higher priced protein bars (example: 15g in a Slim fast bar, 19g in a South Beach bar).

My next experiment will involve using powdered milk. I remember this stuff tasting nasty as a kid. I am hoping when mixed with other ingredients, it will hide that taste. I was never a milk person until I started this dieting, but now that I am incorporating smoothies into my diet, I can easily of through 2-3 cups of milk a day. A quick google search is showing me the nutritional value of powdered milk equivalent to the skim I have been drinking. The shelf life of 2 years is kinda turning me on (no, don't think perverted!)

ETA: I forgot to mention that I like to sprinkle in cinnamon (supposed to help control blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, etc). Once in a while I thrown in a handful of almonds

I've found powdered milk to be a great addition to baked goods. Ups the protein and calcium! I also use it sometimes when making oatmeal, instead of using liquid milk. I add it to the oatmeal in the pot and then add the corresponding amount of water and stir, stir, stir. I've added it to a flourless bean brownies recipe and that helps to get more of a baked goods consistency.

Good luck with your experiments! Thanks for sharing!

Kara