Whey protein....good for weight loss?

I'm always confused when it comes to protein shakes. My guy friends tell me that you should only drink protein shakes if you want to bulk up and look like Arnold. But then I see shows like "Work Out," and the thin waifs are drinking shakes for breakfast. I usually have one mid day to energize me before I go to the gym. Is this good if I want to lose weight (as in fat.) Also, is it alright to drink shakes any time, or is it only acceptable if it is after a workout?

Tue. Jul 31, 11:03am

Your guy friends are right.

The waifs are drinking protein shakes because they want to be waifs with a little muscle.

Only supplement with protein if you're not getting enough from your regular food. 50g a day is considered a minimum, 70-80g is good for most of us, proponents of high-protein diets will insist on a minimum of 100g.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 11:07 AM

I partially agree, although I'd add that it's difficult to get enough protein only from food. Supplementing helps in that process.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 11:30 AM

All "protein drinks" are not created equally. Some are best before a work out, some are best after- it will depend on if it's a protein isolate, or a basic protein shake. Further, some protein drinks are primarily protein, while some are a balance of protein, carbs and fat and work more as meal replacement than just protien supplementation. There are "gainers" that will have 1000 calories per serving.

Besides that there are rice protein, soy protein, hemp protein, cassien protein and egg protein powder options. Your best bet is to go to a store with knowledgeable staff and speak to them.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 11:47 AM

It has worked great for me. I am a vegetarian and was not getting enough protein without a powder (soy & whey, in my case) supplement. You can mix it into all sorts of things, like cereal and pancakes -- it doesn't have to be in a shake. And it does keep one from getting hungry.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 12:24 PM

11:30am - it's only hard to get enough protein if you're some form of vegetarian.

1oz meat or fish or cheese = 7g protein
1 egg = 6-8g protein
1 egg white = 4g protein
1/2 cup beans = 7g protein
8oz milk = 8g protein
2 slices of whole wheat bread or 2oz pasta = 5-7g protein

Basically, if you're eating a balanced diet that includes 6oz meat/cheese and an 8oz serving of milk or yogurt or the soy equivalent, your requirements are met (that's 50g from obvious protein sources plus another ~20g from grains, veggies, etc).

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 12:29 PM

It'll take a lot more than a protein shake to "bulk up and look like Arnold". Protein shakes do not bulk up anyone. Hard work in the weight room and testosterone will do that.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 12:45 PM

Even now I'm confused. Some say it won't affect me and some say it will build me up. I guess whey protein is kind of like the coffee debate. Some people say coffee is healthy and others say it is unhealthy. Any thoughts?

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 1:50 PM

It's just milk protein, how could it possibly bulk you up? That's like saying too many green beans will bulk you up. They're just vegetables, carbs. It's all just food. You need to lift heavy and have testosterone on board, or you won't bulk up.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 2:00 PM

for the final time. Protein shakes are ALL different.

Whey protein on it's own, in it's pure form, consumed in moderate amounts, will not bulk you up.

HOWEVER- whether or not you're getting long chain or short chain protein will matter. What else is in the protein powder will matter.

An abundance of protein powder will not make you bulk up like Arnold- no matter what kind. But, taking the wrong protein powder without proper activity can make you fatter because your body is storing what you're consuming. Therefore, see a retailer who knows what they're talking about.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 2:12 PM

Ditto 2:12 above!

If it's whey protein with no additives, then you're fine. I believe it's about 120 calories and approx. 24g protein for 1 scoop.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 2:24 PM

My protein powder gives:
90 calories 2 grams fat 1 gram carbs 17 grams protein

and yes, if you consume too much while holding down the couch it will make you fat, but you won't look like Arnold.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 3:03 PM

one more protein powder thing...

It was recommended to me that you change brands once in a while - they all are a little bit different in their formulation/amino acid profile or some such thing, and so it's good to mix things up.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 3:26 PM

Thank you for responding! I'm now not so afraid of drinking the shake. I think I'll have it only on days when I'm hungry before dinner. It will keep me from binging after dinner too!

Tuesday, July 31, 2007, 3:55 PM

can drinking whey protein bulk you up?

in my experience it bulks you up, and helps build muscle. Some new Bolthouse Farms drinks have whey protein in them:

Link

Wednesday, October 31, 2007, 2:30 PM

I talked to an R.D. about this and she said even though it seems "healthy", it's still very processed and she recommended eating whole foods over this.

Friday, November 2, 2007, 9:51 PM

In terms of protein, one thing we have learned over the years is that people generally have no problem getting enough protein.

What they don't get enough of, and what really helps with weight loss are micronutrients and phytochemicals that are found in high concentrations in green vegetables.

We all know that spinach and broccoli are good for us. But few of us know the role they play in hunger. Eaten in enough quantities, they help turn off hunger better than anything out there.

Additionally, they contain lots of protein and calcium. Spinach in particular contains compounds which INCREASES muscle build when eaten after a workout.

These are two diet approaches which will help you eat more vegetables, and they are GREAT for weight loss:

The first is a PDF that you can download from this site for free. Gives you a great "ballpark" guide to getting on the right track.

http://blog.peertrainer.com/tip_of_the_day/2011/02/the-peertrainer-cheat-system.html

The second is a book you can (and should) buy.

http://blog.peertrainer.com/tip_of_the_day/2009/01/eat-to-live-diet-review.html

These two resources are helping a lot of people on PEERtrainer.

-PEERtrainer

Friday, March 4, 2011, 9:12 AM

I have been using the Aria protein shake designed for women. It is low cal (80 cal/serving) and fills me up- that is really the reason I am drinking it. I don't have one every day. Sometimes I have nonfat cottage cheese with unsweetened apple sauce, sometimes some nuts and an orange, and someitmes I am in the mood for a vanilla shake. It tastes good, and everything I have ever read from a reputable source says that women don't bulk up naturally. Good luck!

Friday, March 4, 2011, 12:42 PM

1/2 cup of broccoli contains 2g of protein. Your average scoop of whey isolate has 30g of protein. So you'd need to eat 7.5 cups of broccoli to get the protein from one scoop of protein powder. 30g of spinach has 1g of protein. I'd hardly say they both have 'lots' of protein.

And for the average person, it's much quicker and easier to eat a small shake w a scoop of protein and some berries, maybe nut butter etc., than to eat 7.5 cups of broccoli.

Friday, March 4, 2011, 1:52 PM

hi there,

your friends are wrong they will never look like arnold without taking steroids or doing some kind of drugs, or mixing artifiical ingredieties, like creatine ,hydoxcut , etc.... no nature man can look like arnold or forgerno, there all on drugs , etc.... like the ones nowadays people.... cheats and lazy . do not want to workout natural way....
mr.t is a natural man who working out - ..... his about 60yrs old know and still look build natural.... for that is want i want to look like the mr.t way natural build.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011, 2:08 PM

This is a new article that we published on PEERtrainer.

The writer, and many of the health experts we work with, STRONGLY suggest moving away from whey and toward plant-based protein.

This is a relatively new argument, but we find it pretty convincing:

http://www.peertrainer.com/cleanse/protein_shakes_and_powders_what_you_need_to_know.aspx

Of course the best thing you can do is eat lots of good food- but step one is getting people to consider an alternative to whey.

-PEERtrainer

Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 12:15 PM

Whey protein is what bodybuilders use to to build muscle after a workout. This is why you see big containers of it for sale at gyms.

Monday, January 2, 2012, 10:49 AM

Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60

Okay, so now I am concerned about the protein diet that I am on. I went in to the GNC this past Sunday to get supplements to detox & wanting to start a diet. So I went in & the lady that was there asked me if she could help me. So I said yes, Im looking for a good detoxing kit. She then asked me if I was going to start a diet. I said yes, the high protein low carb diet. She said oh wow, you are going to lose a lot of weight. I said really? She said yes, 1yr & a half ago I weighed 305lbs. She then showed me a picture from her cell phone & I was like WOOOOW!!! She now weighs 180lbs. So I said well I want to do what you did. So she pointed out everything that she used & I bought it. When I first started taking in on Monday, I did not like the way I felt & I have been feeling really overly tired & bloated. I am not sure if this is normal. I do not want/need to get any fatter. I sit down all day at work. I am an insurance agent. I work Monday-Friday 9am-6pm & every other Saturday from 10am-2pm. I do not really move around to much. Is this going to make me gain more work?

Wednesday, September 26, 2012, 3:53 PM

^^ to 3:53 poster

I bet it is the whey protein powder you are reacting to - making you feel tired and sluggish.

I've done whey protein shakes in the past, as well as pea/rice and hemp protein powders. I notice when I do have the occasional whey, I feel very sluggish and tired. The hemp and the pea/rice protein blends are good, but I actually prefer the pea protein powder by itself (even though I know that by blending the pea protein with rice protein it makes for a complete protein profile, you can purchase pea/rice protein blends, Peertrainer sells some by Thorne in their "Shop") I prefer the plant based protein powders now. I don't know what it is about Whey, but they don't sit well with me anymore. Stop taking the whey- go back to shop and ask for refund. it sounds like the products you bought are making you sick.

did you read the link above about what to look for in a protein powder? some great info there.

if you must do whey, Dr Mercola recommends 100% "whey concentrate" and stay away from isolate. whey isolate is the worst!

I hope you get it all figured out and feel better soon.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012, 10:02 PM

It's really good if you're a weight lifter and looking to increase your size.

Monday, October 1, 2012, 10:22 AM

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