Using Protein Shakes
for Weight Loss
When I suggest to
people who want to lose weight that they should eat more often (4-6 times per
day), they are quite often pleased to hear it since they quite often consider
themselves “big eaters”. Many times though, they aren’t so much BIG eaters as
they are sporadic eaters who take in too many calories at one time.
Eating frequent
smaller meals controls your blood sugar, never allows you to feel like you’re
“starving”, and provides enough nutrients to fuel your day without excess it has
to store (as fat). Quite often, when people, (even those that call themselves big
eaters), attempt to eat 4-6 meals per day; they get sick of eating so much.
Using protein shakes for between meals “snacks” is a great way to get used to
eating on a regular basis.
Start using protein
shakes by getting used to the idea of mixing your own; it’s not only much
cheaper but better because you can control what goes into them. Whey is an excellent
protein source and should be the basis of your protein shakes. A good quality
whey protein will mix easily with just a spoon but later, you may choose to mix
other quality ingredients into your shakes to increase nutritional value using a
blender or food processor.
I suggest you begin
using protein shakes mixed with just water between a regular meal or two and
see how it goes. If you find you are too hungry before your next meal, select
low calorie, healthy additions to add to your shake. Choose fruit, juice, low
or no fat milk, yogurt or other healthy items to blend into your shakes.
Tips:
- Create a full blender of protein shake in the morning and separate it into two or three sealed bottles to take with you to work, school, or wherever you go.
- If you are the type that likes to piddle around for an hour or more in the morning, drinking coffee and reading the paper for example, try drinking a protein and water shake immediately upon rising to jump start your metabolism (read: start burning calories)
Using Protein Shakes
for Weight Gain
Using protein shakes
to gain weight is ideal because liquid calories are easier to digest and those
wanting to gain weight simply are not consuming enough calories. It’s a good
idea to start with a quality whey protein mixed with plain water to start. This
doesn’t add too many additional weight gaining calories but it will get you
into the habit of consuming between meal foods and allow your body time to
adjust to the new regimen.
Take your time! You
want to increase your overall calorie consumption but you also want your body (and
mind) to adapt them. After a week or so, begin adding ingredients to your
shakes. Start with milk or juice and over time add higher calorie ingredients
such as peanut butter, additional protein, bananas, yogurt, etc.
Tips:
- Use high nutrition ingredients to build up your calories rather than junk that will just become fat to remove later.
- Include strength training to increase lean body mass rather than body fat and NEVER miss drinking a post training shake (see below).
Using Protein Shakes
for Post Training
Most people today know
that training tears your body down and rest, coupled with good nutrition, builds
it back up. Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain weight, or simply to
maintain it, using protein shakes after your workouts is the best way to begin
the recovery process.
There is about a three
hour window following exercise where your body is open to shuttling in nutrition
for repair but the ideal time is within the first thirty minutes afterward
(this goes for endurance athletes like runners, cyclists, and Zumba stars, as
well as for strength athletes like bodybuilders, power lifters, etc).
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