Protein drinks: good for losing weight?

[perfectdoll]

Okay, so what I've heard is that they can be. Whey or egg-based protein drinks should be drunk before and after a workout to increase muscle mass.

My questions are:

* does this new muscle help burn through fat?
* does the user maintain weight or lose weight?
* what are the side effects?
* what are the pros and cons in general?
* is there a recommended dosage depending on sex/age/level of physical activity etc.?
* what different types are there and what would be recommended for losing the most weight?
* how to get optimum results?
* any other useful nuggets of advice?

... I'm probably going to buy one to see if it works :] Anyone ever used them before?

Feedback appreciated!

Thanks
Pd xXx

[Jacklinger]

Protein drinks are great for people who need protein and can't chew. If this is not you, just eat a boiled egg or a piece of chicken. Meat is much cheaper and a better source of protein than most of the protein drinks available. Also, watch out for insanely high sugar content in these drinks! They can have tons of sugar to make them tasty.

Protein is essential for gaining muscle mass. The best way to gain the most amount of muscle quickly is to try lifting the heaviest weights you can, but be very careful not to injure yourself. Lifting lighter weights can also increase mass but only slightly and slowly.

Any muscle burns calories. The current theory is that the more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolism will be. That means you will burn more calories on average if you have more muscle. As for burning fat, your muscles don't discriminate between fat calories and carb calories, they will burn either. Muscles also store sugar to use as their own energy source to give you quick, strong, movements at a moments notice. Once the sugar stores are depleted, your muslces work hard to replenish them by grabbing extra sugars (or fat) out of your bloodstream.

Pro's of using protein drinks: They look cool. You can do that sexy tilt-your-head-back-while-gulping-and-letting-sweat-drip-off-your-chin pose and impress the people around you. That's about it.

Con's of using protein drinks: expensive, sugary, may cause indigestion for certain people, may not be absorbed as well as protein from meat, can taste nasty depending on the brand, and not as convenient as protein bars that you don't have to keep cold.

How to get maximum effects from protein drinks: don't buy them. Eat some roast chicken from KFC or El Pollo Loco instead - the protein will absorb better and taste better.

The different types of protein drinks are that they're all pretty much the same and all have the same problems. Taste can vary but that's about it.

The recommended amount of protein for gaining muscle depends on how long you spend lifting weights. You probably don't need to exceed 12 ounces of meat per day unless you're really spending hours and hours in the gym every day.

Hope that helps!

[Static]

Yeah, I used to use a lot of protein shakes/bars-- mostly I just got protein powder to put in smoothies at home, because it was cheaper & I found a vegan-friendly one that was low-calorie and super healthy.
They're good for meal replacements when you're on the go, like if you do some crazy cycling trip or something, but there are tons of other foods that you can have on the go, too.
Really that's what it comes down to; it's just a different kind of food. They're not really anything special. Protein helps build/repair muscle, yes, but like Jacklinger said you could do better with egg whites or fish or lean chicken/turkey. Light tofu, even.

[perfectdoll]

Hey thanks guys, that was really helpful! I think, then, that I'll just stick to good old protein-rich foodstuff. Can't be arsed to mix up my own shakes......... :] x

[sky]

If it helps at all, my mom made me down them when she was trying to make me GAIN weight. xD