Should i Consider a Protein Powder?

[jadey_wadeyyy]

Hey, so im getting in a bit of a tizz whilst trying to lose weight on a calorie controlled diet. it was all going really well, but progress seems to have slowed since taking up boxing (i go 2-3times a week for two hours lots of cardio HIIT and strength training). i know weightloss and measurements will slow as i gain muscle, however i still feel like progress is very slow, and i cant help but feel its because im not hitting any of my macros whilst calorie counting. Should i be considering a protein powder to at least make sure my body can repair after boxing sessions? 

[DHogan80]

Why not?? I've just ordered some off ebay that my local gym use to sell and should get it in the coming week.  Start asking questions at your local gym with one of the trainers and see what they suggest. That's just what I think....

[Dominique · Accepted solution]

Protein is needed in order to preserve muscle mass in a caloric deficit. It doesn’t matter where you get it from ("real" food or powder), but powder can be a convenient way to get as much protein as you can with a minimum amount of calories (important in a weight loss, since there’s a limited amount of calories you can eat each day). You would want to go for a high-quality protein powder with 90g of protein of more per 100g. Make your own shakes with the real stuff (preferably unflavoured) rather than buy overpriced ones like Shakeology and the like. 

[Dominique]

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@jadey_wadeyyy wrote:

progress seems to have slowed since taking up boxing (i go 2-3 times a week for two hours lots of cardio HIIT and strength training) 

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One thing to note is that – in addition to protein to preserve or build muscle mass  –  you also need enough carbs to fuel all this exercising and get maximum benefits from it. Your performance (for both cardio and strength) will suck if you’re running out of carbs.

[jadey_wadeyyy]

Thankyou so much! thats a great help. Being a poor student i wanted to make sure it would actually benefit me and that i understood its role properly (so much information online is conflicting!) i thnk i'll invest, dont want to lose too uch muscle on this diet 🙂 

[Dominique]

Actually, protein powder is a price-competitive source of protein, if you compare it to other sources of protein (meat, cheese, eggs etc.). And it allows you to fit a lot of protein in far fewer calories. For instance, I would need to eat 14 eggs (1085 calories) in order to get 92 grams of protein from them. I can get the same amount of protein (92 grams) by eating 100 grams of this whey protein powder (for just  384 calories):

[Annablue]

Don't forget to eat enough fiber/water or that increased protein might make you constipated

[ruoxinshen]

If you're doing activities that require muscle power (like boxing) then you ABSOLUTELY should be taking protein powder, in my opinion of course. Taking a scoop or two of 100% whey protein within 30 minutes of finishing your workout helps your muscles recover from faster, which will help you see more visible progress! Plus as a fellow lady, I gotta tell ya that the majority of women don't get the recommended amount of protein their body needs everyday (let alone how much it needs if you do hardcore workouts). 

Also like the other people posting on here have been saying- protein powder is a really good way to get a lot of protein in without having to consume lots and lots of extra calories, good if you're going for weight loss. I personally like to take mine either in a shaker with almond milk & PB2 (peanut butter + vanilla protein = heavenly) or I put it in a smoothie with the same things + greek yogurt, a banana, and oats. 

If you wanna see how much protein you're getting on a daily basis vs. how much you should be getting, try this out: http://www.gnc.com/Diet/Whats-Your-Protein-Number/family.jsp?categoryId=67408536

[Dominique]

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@ruoxinshen wrote:

Taking a scoop or two of 100% whey protein within 30 minutes of finishing your workout helps your muscles recover from faster, which will help you see more visible progress! 

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Actually, the so-called anabolic window is largely a myth spread by bro-science: studies show that muscle protein synthesis (MPS) stays elevated for 24 hours after your workout. So yes, it’s important to get protein post-workout, but there’s no need to rush for fear the "anabolic window" would close.

Also see:

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/nutrient-timing

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3577439/

[Dominique]

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@ruoxinshen wrote:

If you wanna see how much protein you're getting on a daily basis vs. how much you should be getting, try this out: http://www.gnc.com/Diet/Whats-Your-Protein-Number/family.jsp?categoryId=67408536 

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This is a clever way for them to get your e-mail added to their mailing list 😉

However, even in spite of their vested interest to sell you protein powder, the number they came with their calculator is in line with the range typically recommended (in fact, closer to the lower end of that range). That range is something like 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight (or 1.75 to 2.1 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, for metric people like me).

[Dominique]

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@ruoxinshen wrote:

Plus as a fellow lady, I gotta tell ya that the majority of women don't get the recommended amount of protein their body needs everyday (let alone how much it needs if you do hardcore workouts). 

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Actually, I can tell you it can be hard for a guy too. AFAIK, the recommendation in terms of grams of protein per pound/kilogram of bodyweight is the same for men and women. I’m omnivorous, but I don’t eat meat everyday. It’s not always easy to get my 120 grams from eggs, milk, lentils etc., especially when I’m cutting (like now) and try to minimize cheese and other high-calorie items. In that respect, whey protein powder is handy, as you said: 2 scoops, some skimmed milk and there you have 55 grams of protein.

[SunsetRunner]

i am diabetic,and buy a nearly pure protein powder from Walmart.  virtually no carbs.  on quick mornings, it's an easy stand in for egg whites.  and it's cheap

[Mukluk4]

I would balance a once daily protien powder (breakfast works best for me) and a Creatine supplement post workout.