Day 4 of Week 5 How I Use Protein Shakes

Today's weight: same

Total Lost: 8 pounds in 31 days

1/2 cup of oatmeal: 150
2 tsp of sugar: 30
1/3 cup of milk:30
total: 210

vanilla protein shake: 110
3 1/4 oz banana:81
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total: 221
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running total: 431

2 lefse:60
1 jumbo egg:90
1 jumbo egg white: 17
4 oz of blueberries: 45
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of low fat whipped cream:7
1 piece of Laughing Cow Garlic Herb light spreadable cheese:35
1 tbl of powder creamer for coffee: 30
with sweet-n-low:0
total: 299
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running total: 730

pretzel bites:40
vanilla protein shake: 110
3 1/4 oz banana: 81
total: 231
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running total: 961

5 oz potato: 110
4 1/4 oz chicken breast:148
2 tsp of Smart Balance Light butter: 30
1 tsp of Bacon Ranch dressing:23
1 tbl of powder creamer for coffee:30
sweet-n-low:0
bites of mac and cheese: 25
total: 366
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running total:1327

Jello vanilla caramel pudding: 60
2 tbl of fat free whipped cream:15
sugar free jello:10
2 tbl of fat free whipped cream:15
total:100
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running total: 1427


Planned Fitness: 50 minutes of chest and tricep weight lifting work-out
1 mile run

Today's Challenge: Should be a good day. I can feel it.

Note on pictures: This is our 5 pound bucket of vanilla protein. I scoop about 1/2 an ounce in eight ounces of water into my blender. I add 3 to 4 ice cubes. Then, I peel a banana, weigh it on a food scale and break it into pieces and add it to the mix. After about 30 seconds everything is mixed up. In this second photo, the banana was 3 1/4 oz :81 calories and the vanilla protein powder is 110 calories for a 191 calorie shake.


Added note: I will be doing an article later today on protein shakes.

How I use protein shakes

Since protein is the building block of your muscles, it makes sense, then, that if we want to shape our muscles and our body, we want to make sure we get enough protein.

During any type of physical activity where you are using your muscles, be it running, biking, or weight lifting, your muscles fibers are being torn. When they grow back, they grow back stronger than before. But if you are not giving your body enough protein for them to create more muscle growth, the muscles will not grow.

And when we are trying to lose weight, we want muscle growth. The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn.

Although, some proteins are easier for your body to use than others, whey protein has been found to be the easiest to digest. Whey protein is derived from milk.

Protein shakes are good to use for just after a work-out because they are easier for your body to digest. They are also convenient. I can blend other nutrients into my protein shake, besides just protein. I can add a banana for the carbohydrates my body needs. I could add flaxseed oil for the fat it needs. I could add milk for its calcium and protein.

I can take a protein shake before my work-out. However, if I do that, I try to schedule it about an hour before the work-out to allow my body to digest it. Since protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, you want to give it more time to digest before working out. And, the reason you want it digested before a work-out is so that your body's energy is not divided between digestion and your physical exertions.

Another reason I like protein shakes is because they are easy to transport and take as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. You can make them up ahead of time, put them in a cooler on ice and it's ready and easy to use.

Several months ago, I was training for a body building competition and weight training, five hours a week, along with three to five hours a week of cardio. At that time, I was trying to take in at least as much protein as I weighed, which was around 125-130 grams of protein.

Now, however, because I'm not as focused in that direction, my protein intake is less. I probably average between 90-100 grams of protein intake a day, which I feel is adequate for me, for now.

To get that amount of protein, I take two protein shakes a day-40 grams-, 1- 4 oz chicken breast-40-, 1 jumbo egg and jumbo egg white-12-, and 1/2 cup of cottage cheese-15-. As you can see, I'm already over 100 grams of protein without really trying. But as you can, also, see, adding protein powder to my diet boosted my protein intake by 40 grams.

For those interested in the protein powder that I use, here is the contact information:
The Protein People
P.O. Box 257
Sparta, Wi., 54656

1-877-897-9896