Protein powder

[LillianRose]

After watching the video posted by Vemma momma I don't know what to suggest regarding soy.

There are some vegan protein powders that are made from ingredients other than soy or whey but I don't know anything about them or how they taste.

[gobiwinds]

If they have a costco in the UK, they sell a only one type of protein powder, and it is really good.

[k_hall1784]

I have been wondering about protein powder as well. I'm new to counting calories and would love to know how this can be useful to me.

[JodiO]

The one I use is Optimum Nutrition Whey, Vanilla Ice Cream flavor.

I will either mix it into my smoothie and/or just mix with 1% Milk and a little dash of choc syrup.

[LillianRose]

Good quality protein has a place in a healthy diet. The body needs protein to re-build and maintain itself so a deficit could create health issues, especially if you restrict calories.

If you are trying to lose weight might I suggest Mark Macdonald's program. It is based on keeping the body in balance and not on calorie restriction. If you take the time to master it, you will never have to "diet" never feel deprived and can eat that way your entire life.

If you Pm me I'll send you the link to more information.

[ZeekGeek]

Is taking extra protein for women a smart idea when trying to lose weight?

[LillianRose]

Originally Posted by ZeekGeek

Is taking extra protein for women a smart idea when trying to lose weight?

You pose an interesting question and the answer is a resounding YES for a number of reasons.

While a full explanation would make this a very long post, I'll try to condense it. And anyone who whats a more complete explanation or who has questions can PM me or re-post here.

Most "diets" are based on some sort of deprivation...either calorie restriction, carb restriction, fat restriction etc. And you will lose weight on those diets. It tends to be a combination of muscle, water and fat however and not all fat.

When we reach a plateau it is increasingly difficult to break through that plateau. There are a couple of reasons for this and here is where protein is an important factor.

Fat is burned in the muscle. That is why you are universally told to build more muscle if you want to increase your metabolic rate and burn more fat. When you eat good quality protein, it is broken down into amino acids...these are the building blocks needed to build muscle. Your body is a remarkable machine. If you do not eat enough protein, it will take what it needs to repair and maintain itself. If necessary it will begin pulling what it needs from muscle. This, along with the continued deprivation of dieting, starts a vicious cycle of muscle loss, lower metabolic rate and more and more difficulty losing weight and keeping it off.

In addition, eating enough high quality protein at every meal also helps keep your blood sugar from spiking when you eat carbs. This in turn helps you keep from feeling hungry an hour after you eat and keeps your body's blood sugar levels stable.

In short, if you want to lose weight (lose FAT not water and muscle) you need to be eating lean protein, good quality carbs and a little fat with EVERY meal. In fact most people would be surprised to learn that they are not eating too much, they are not eating ENOUGH!

As I mentioned above, I would be happy to provide more information to anyone interested.

[LorettaA]

Originally Posted by ZeekGeek

Is taking extra protein for women a smart idea when trying to lose weight?

Yes, it helps boost your metabolism. "1. Drink a whey protein shake every day for breakfast and boost your metabolism by 25%. Caution: Not all protein shakes are created equal. Become a label reader and look for low carb and low fat whey proteins with almost no sugar. Whey protein is the best option; soy or milk-based proteins are inferior sources that don’t boost your metabolism the way a high quality whey protein shake will."
Source - Boost Your Declining Metabolism | The Dr. Oz Show

[LillianRose]

Hi Loretta,

While I agree with you that Whey protein is best for a lot of reasons I feel compelled to add to your answer for clarification. Good quality protein is needed to build lean muscle and the more lean muscle you have the faster your metabolism.

Adequate good quality protein is vital to good health. However, you need carbs for energy and fat to help with dozens of vital metabolic functions throughout the body including the brain. If you favor one at the expense of another, your body will look within itself to find what it needs or cease to function at its optimum level.

EVERY meal should contain lean protein, carbs and fat. Interestingly Dr. Oz reiterated this on a recent show.

The real answer to good health and permanent weight loss is not only good quality protein but proper ratios of each so that you don't store fat and adequate exercise so that you burn off stored fat.

And you are right...EVERYONE should read labels.