Home › Forums › Health and Fitness › Are Protein Blends a Waste?
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KingOfTheSea 4 years, 8 months ago.
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That’s the alleged “fact” that a few women have given me before in the past, and one just told me this opinion again minutes ago as I was looking at supporting Protein World by buying one of their blends. Her argument is that those proteins aren’t necessary at all, and that they can simply be gained from eating better. I have been eating better, and have lost about 25 pounds in the past 4 months alone, but I’m also looking at toning at least a little after I lose the weight. I’m not doing it for anyone else but me. I hear losing weight is good not only physically, but mentally as well…and that is what I’m looking to help for myself.
I’ve considered using them now that I bought an amazing new Nutri Ninja blender last night, and I’m looking to burn some stomach fat (it’s the one part of my body I don’t feel great about and I’m motivated to work it down). My best friend uses them every morning before workouts and they’ve been doing well for him.
Could it be it’s because these women just don’t want me to lose the weight because they can’t themselves?
Protein powder is fine if you are ok with artificial sweeteners(I stay away from them), because most of them have it. If you can find some without the sweeteners, it would be a better recommendation. Price-wise they are about the same protein per cent as a can of tuna fish. Personally, I recommend chicken leg quarters(cheapest protein, can find on sale for like .59 cents a pound), canned mackerel, and nonfat instant dry milk, if you are talking about complete animal proteins.
Protein blends are great for putting on weight, wether that weight is fat or muscle depends on your activities. I suggest losing all the weight you want to first because losing weight and gaining muscle at the same time is pretty difficult. It’s more effective to lose all that you want to lose first with diet, a small amount of the protein blend and anything that gets your heart rate up like running or skip rope. Then start taking more of the protein at the same time as starting with weight training and that way it’ll help you gain muscle weight rather than fat. That’s just what has worked for me though lots of guys have different ways find what’s effective for you but bottom line I think protein blends are great (provided you stay away from the super chemical s~~~). Also I agree with snake stay away from the flavoured crap just get plain protein.
Hey Chris…there’s a ton of “bro science”out there. What works for one guy may not work for you necessarily.
First, define your goals… i.e. do you want to bulk with muscle or do you want a runner’s body. It’s important to clearly define your goal(s) first. Then do your homework from there. Whole foods are your best source of proteins and other nutrients. A good whey isolate supplement can assist you if you want to add muscle. Consequently, more muscle mass will increase your basal metabolic rate and in turn burn more calories and fat. However, you have to be smart about it. You have to actually have to be mindful of adequate recovery or you can wind up catabolizing muscle. In other words you can get better gains by doing less frequency. However make sure your workouts progressively push you to your limits. Start slow and light then work from there. As your lifting gets more intense you will work your cardio as well. The trick seems to be keeping time beetween sets to a minimum, 30-60 seconds. Then on to your next set. Work all major muscle groups. This can be done in a variety of routines depending on how you fine tune your workout regimen. You will get the benefit of an anabolic workout while simultaneously getting an interval type of cardio by keeping your heart rate going up and down. My heart rate fluctuates while lifting between 110-165+ BPM while I am executing my routine. I have gained muscle, strength, and cardio endurance.
(sorry, started this response on my tablet and want to finish on my desktop)
A lot of guys make the mistake of trying to build muscle while doing excessive cardio work. This is actually counter-productive if you want to go for mass and definition. Look at the typical marathon runner. They look think and gaunt. That is because all of the cardio they do to train actual catabolizes lean muscle mass. If this is what you are going for then yes, tons of cardio will burn fat but it will also burn muscle. This in turn will actually decrease your basal metabolic rate which will make it more difficult for your body to burn calories at rest. So, I don’t know…this is what I have learned through a ton of reading on the subject of fitness. I’m sure someone else can add to this or may correct something I’ve said. However, as previously stated, fitness is not a “one size fits all” subject. What works for one guy may not be effective for another. Genetics has a role in this too. Some people are just naturally predisposed to gaining muscle, others fat. However, it can all be overcome with the right diet and exercise routine.
Personally, I lift weights 3x week and do very little cardio. I have shed 50lbs of fat off the scale in the past year. My clothes have gotten progressively baggy on me. The funny thing is now the scale has started going back up now that I’m really dialing in my diet. I am eating a lot of protein but I still monitor my calories in/calories out vs. my BMR on a daily basis. I do use protein supplements as well as other legal supplements to augment my performance during my sessions. I time the intake of my supplements so that they are at the maximum peak of efficacy when I am hitting the weights. I go hard at the gym for 1:45 to 2:00 3x/week. I am spent when I am done. And no, I’m not trying show off by lifting the heaviest, largest stack of iron in the gym. Rather, I go for more moderate weight and more sets/reps. I have actually gotten really good results thus far. It takes time, patience, and discipline with diet and routine. I make sure and take my recovery time in between sessions so my body can build muscle. As previously stated, the scale has started to go back up but my clothes consistently get bigger and bigger on me. I’m redistributing my weight i.e. burning the fat and building the muscle. Ultimately, I stopped obsessing over the number on the scale and made my diet and workout routine the focus of my efforts. The proof is in the pudding. My waist is getting smaller and I’m showing some definition and growth in muscle. I’m happy with the results thus far but it is a long-term commitment to yourself (much more satisfying than committing to a broad). There is no quick easy fix like everyone on t.v. tries to tell you. That’s the bottom line. Improve yourself for yourself. All else will follow.
Let me recommend a guy on YouTube by the name of Jeff Cavaliere. He is a physical therapist as well as a professional athletic trainer. He has worked with a few different major league baseball teams. He has a ton of practical advice and tips on how to get the results you want. I have grown to trust what he has to say because I’ve used his techniques and I’ve seen results. I get a few odd looks in the gym but the joke is on the meatheads that think I don’t know what I’m doing. WINNING!
P.S. My long term fitness goal is dubbed “Project Heartbreaker”. hehe…..I’m gonna have the last laugh!
HISTORY...learn from it, memorize it, DON'T repeat it...Thanks for the fantastic info guys!
What got me into looking into this was some “fat burner shakes” I could make with my new blender, and I started trying to get creative with it. One called for using protein powder, flaxseed, blueberries, lemon/lime, and of course ice cubes.
So far, my stamina is VERY slowly improving (at least I’ve noticed a difference, which I never have in my life before) and of course the weight has dropped. I just don’t want to be missing out on anything nutrition-wise that would be vital or very helpful to my health.
Chris, re-read my previous reply. I added more info to it. Really REALLY watch ANYTHING that contains sugar whether it be natural or processed. A whole food diet is best i.e. lean beef, chicken, tuna, broccoli, leafy greens, etc. Although fruit contains vitamins we need it also contains sugar. Be very mindful of how much fruit you include in your diet. Moderation is the key. Watch out for stuff like yogurt. It may have a high protein content but it also contains a lot of sugar (I LOVE Greek yogurt so this has been a challenge for me but I cut it out completely).
The funny thing is when you get a really good diet dialed in full of the things your body NEEDS, you no longer CRAVE all the s~~~ that is bad for you. Processed foods=BAD. It’s like giving your body crack; the more you give it, the more your body wants it.
Best of luck man!
HISTORY...learn from it, memorize it, DON'T repeat it...Agree. There is jack s~~~ a fruit can give you that a vegetable can’t give you more of…for cheaper…and with less sugar! F~~~ em.
Good video, Soul Man, that is pretty much what I do. Make sure to get plenty of protein in your macros, but be at a caloric deficit. You will gain muscle and get leaner at the same time.
That’ll be the tough part for me, haha! Cutting down the blueberries/watermelon/bananas I’ve been taking in this week will be a challenge, but I’ll definitely take your word for it. My fridge right now contains several lean meats (turkey particularly, my personal favorite), fish, shrimp, spinach, carrots, kale (which in all honesty is hard to eat), collard greens, lettuce, and cabbage. I have bread and starches as well, but those are eaten in moderation. I remember when using Stumbleupon, I came across a site with a chart under their “health” section that said “if you’re craving [insert sweet food here], eat [healthier food] as a counter.” I’ll have to find that chart again when I get home and share it on here. I’ll watch more of that video when I get home. Closing up the office now 😛
Get a dymo label maker and put, “I’m” over the word ‘ninja’ o the blender and then below it,”james, bitch” that ought to discourage the female negativention. Just got one myself, two and a half horsepower. Great stuff. believe it or not though, if you use it too much, you won’t want to eat regular food. But it sure is fine for upping protein uptake. When you lift, go b~~~~ to the wall. Never seen anyone leave a weightroom saying damnit I put on too much muscle today.
"It seems like there's times a body gets struck down so low, there ain't a power on earth that can ever bring him up again. Seems like something inside dies so he don't even want to get up again. But he does."
Agree. There is jack s~~~ a fruit can give you that a vegetable can’t give you more of…for cheaper…and with less sugar! F~~~ em. Good video, Soul Man, that is pretty much what I do. Make sure to get plenty of protein in your macros, but be at a caloric deficit. You will gain muscle and get leaner at the same time.
Agreed…I think Jeff Cavaliere is on the money with his advice. He has the background to back up his claims. Admittedly, I am probably guilty of the “over-training”. I guess I am going to have to re-assess my workout routine to pack more intensity in to a shorter period. I’ve been getting good results thus far but another thing that helps progress is to change up the workout routine. It keeps your body from getting too accustom with a particular routine and will challenge your body to adapt to different circumstances. That seems to be a really important element in seeking fitness goals too.
Chris, again I can’t stress this enough. Stay away from the processed foods as much as possible. Cut out the bread. Cut out the fruit. Cut out sugar and processed crap as much as possible. All this modern processed food is tantamount to cheap street drugs; it makes you feel good for a moment, but you’ll feel like s~~~ when you come down. Then you’ll be on the hunt for your next fix. It’s a snowball effect. I cannot stress enough how much giving your body what it NEEDS will kill the addiction to processed foods and sugars. Now admittedly, I still indulge my taste for a few favorite junk foods from time to time but it is very far and few between. I usually indulge in whatever I want maybe 2 days/month. If you have the discipline to do that then great. If not, then steer clear. I’m way too far down the road to great progress to let myself slide back in to my former self. I’m committed to me!
AFTERTHOUGHT….WATCH YOUR SODIUM INTAKE CLOSELY! NOTHING RETAINS FLUID LIKE SODIUM! THERE’S TONS OF IT IN ALL THESE “HEALTHY CHOICE” AND “WEIGHT WATCHERS” MEALS. DON’T EAT THEM IF YOU CAN HELP IT!
HISTORY...learn from it, memorize it, DON'T repeat it...Also, notice that you took the initiative. You got the blender and are correctly pursuing your goal and here comes some feemale criticism. I’d go with the, “oh f~~~ off ” response to that. and I wouldn’t be writing this if SHE step one, had said, “here, let me help you, you need to do.. .. .. .. .. .. Anyjackass can be critical. congrats on being well on your way to success, which actually is success.
"It seems like there's times a body gets struck down so low, there ain't a power on earth that can ever bring him up again. Seems like something inside dies so he don't even want to get up again. But he does."
Why not use the blender to blend fruits and vegetables? Only whole foods will help you reduce weight not some protein shake. Brad Pilon has been in the supplement industry and he claims it’s all gimmicks. His advice eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and fast once or twice a week.
"If pussy was a stock it would be plummeting right now because you've flooded the market with it. You're giving it away too easy." - Dave Chapelle
Good geez, that was cheap! I went and bought mostly vegetables (I have plenty of lean meat at home), and one steak as my “cheat meal” I have once a weekend. Came up to be $22, and this food will likely last me a couple of weeks.
Good points by Soul Man (by the way, congrats on losing 50 lbs, brother!) and Experienced.
Why not use the blender to blend fruits and vegetables? Only whole foods will help you reduce weight not some protein shake. Brad Pilon has been in the supplement industry and he claims it’s all gimmicks. His advice eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and fast once or twice a week. http://bradpilon.com
I really like Brad’s work; he’s top notch at explaining what’s bulls~~~ and what’s not and then backing that up with facts and research. I’ll try to add a little here that I didn’t see above, but I don’t want to take up too much space. It’s mostly about what will effect your testosterone levels:
-Make sure you’re getting a decent amount of fats (avacados, olive oil, nuts). There’s a decent amount of research about the effects fat intake have on test levels, which you’ll need.
-As Soul Man pointed out, watch out for refined sugars and artificial sweeteners. There’s more and more research coming forward about the long term effects they have on test. Additionally, look out for soy-heavy products and non-organic milk and milk products. A couple here and there won’t hurt, but the hormones they used to make the cows lactate enough to mass-produce milk WILL f~~~ up your test levels.
-Try to stick to compound lifts if you’re going to lift weights, and make sure you’re resting enough post-workouts. Make sure you’re actually contracting the muscles that are supposed to be contracting and actually lifting the weight rather than just moving the weight through space. Cavaliere has some good videos on this; I’d also recommend checking out a few of Ben Pakulski’s videos on Youtube about how to maximize contractual force during workouts. I’d recommend his 6 videos on Essentials of Exercise Success as they are mostly transferable skills that can be used on any lift.
Good luck, man. I’m on the trail, too.
kale (which in all honesty is hard to eat)
I see this problem so often, how are you preparing the kale? are you cooking or trying to eat it raw? I may be able to offer some chefly advice on softening it up so you aren’t chewing for an hour on it.
I have tried boiling kale and it was too tough to eat. Probably better to blend it up real good.
"If pussy was a stock it would be plummeting right now because you've flooded the market with it. You're giving it away too easy." - Dave Chapelle
I have tried boiling kale and it was too tough to eat. Probably better to blend it up real good.
Yeah boiling won’t do the trick because it too easily overcooks and that just makes it rubbery. Blanching works well. To blanch you boil the kale for maybe 2 minutes tops then strain it and immediately dunk it into ice water. If you want it raw massaging the kale works. Massaging it is just as it sounds just use your hands to scrunch it up until it’s a darker colour from the bruising. Also remember to avoid the thick woody stems, the leaves are the healthy part anyways so feel free to cut the stems off (run your knife down along the stem so you don’t loose the little leafy bits at the bottom) and if the stem in the leaf is also quite thick roll the leaves up and cut it down the stem so the peices are too small to cause you trouble chewing. Good luck guys!
I just meant taste-wise, it was hard to eat 😛 I’m actually okay with the texture of it when I put it in a salad, but the taste makes it hard to swallow! Just have to toughen through it, I suppose!
I just now blended broccoli, kale, spinach, white mushrooms, radishes, carrots, one teaspoon of almond butter (makes a GOOD taste), half a can of tomato juice to make it more drinkable, one banana to take out the bitterness, and some ice cubes. It’s actually not bad at all. It takes mostly like broccoli (and a little grassy, too!), but it’s actually overall quite good!
On a funny side note, speaking of kale being hard to chew/cook, it DID stubbornly stick to the side of my blender cup. I had to coax it to the blades. Once it hit those blades though, BAM! It was “instant juice.”
Honestly, the best advice I can give you to lose weight is to drink water. Not only is it extremely effective it will give you that psychological edge.
Honestly, the best advice I can give you to lose weight is to drink water. Not only is it extremely effective it will give you that psychological edge.
Water is the best, drink some as soon as you wake up every morning, reduce or eliminate your consumption of juices, pop, diet pop, milk and unfortunately watch your beer consumption.
Because in order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive.
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