Whether one can use protein shakes to lose weight is a matter of confusion and debate for many. Let’s try to find the answer to this question in this article.
The consumption of dietary supplements for weight loss has been going on since ages. People will go to great lengths to try to reduce their weight and the use of protein shakes for weight loss is one of these tactics. Proteins are the nutrients that take some time to get completely absorbed into the blood stream. Hence, by consuming a lot of protein, the level of energy remains high and you don’t feel the need to eat a lot. Plus, in the process of losing excess fat (by reducing the insulin and thus increasing the ability to burn fat), the body’s lean muscle weight is not lost. So, you lose weight in a healthy manner without losing muscle. This NutriNeat article will tell you how you can effectively use protein shakes to lose those few extra pounds.
Get the Right Shake
Well, the subhead is pretty self-explanatory. Nevertheless, let’s delve further into it. The first and most obvious step is to get the appropriate protein shake for yourself. The number and types of protein shakes available in health stores these days is huge. There are some protein shakes that are meant solely for people who want to build muscle. Some shakes help people to put on weight. These are obviously not the ones you want. So, look carefully and select those that give you a minimum per-serving calorie intake. An ideal calorie intake, per serving, should be somewhere around 230 calories. Plus, ensure that the protein shake you get is also low in fat. There’s no point getting a low calorie protein shake if the level of fats is high. Another thing you should pay attention to is the per serving level of protein. Approximately 25 grams of protein per shake is more than adequate.
Team it Right
The next step, after you get the protein shake that is suitable to your needs, is to make sure that you team it with the right ingredients before you consume it. Protein shakes are generally available in a powdered form. You have some varied options if you want to use the protein shake to lose weight. If you want to drink it with milk, then make sure you use only low fat, skim milk. It will reduce the number of calories that you intake. Or, if you do not want to stack up calories with milk, you can simply add crushed ice and the protein powder in a blender, and blend it till you achieve the right consistency. You may add a spoon or two of skim milk if you wish to make it a little thicker. The last option is to simply add the shake powder to some water, mix it thoroughly and drink it. Less work, less calories!
Drink it Right
Well, now you know about the different options that you have to drink the shakes with. Now let us see what are the perfect times to drink the protein shake in order to lose weight. You can drink a glass full of the shake in place of a full-fledged meal like lunch. But for this, it would be better to make it using milk. Or you can also have three quarters of a glass as an in-between snack during the day. You’ll feel full and you’ll have energy to carry on with the rest of the day too. You can also drink a protein shake before you’re about to begin a strenuous workout or some heavy physical activity. It will give you strength to do the work and also help you to burn the calories.
That was the complete lowdown on how you can use protein shakes to lose weight. Remember, the intake of just one of the essential nutrients (in this case, protein) is not enough to sustain our bodies. A balanced diet and a good exercise regime is what will help you to lose weight in a healthy manner.
