Protein shake instead of dinner: application, effectiveness, reviews

September 17, 2018
Sports nutrition
Natalia Michaelis

Before starting training, it will be very useful for men and women to learn about how to properly drink protein for weight loss, and whether it is allowed to drink a protein shake instead of dinner. In addition, it is very important for weight loss to choose the right type of protein for yourself: isolate, whey or soy. Drinking protein shakes replaces the body with lost energy after training or physical activity, and also allows you to use up fat reserves for weight loss. Before answering the question of whether you can drink a protein shake instead of dinner, you should take a closer look at what exactly this product is.

Protein determination

When we talk about protein, we mean protein. In sports, protein is a special powder mixture that is taken by athletes in order to ensure the complete intake of proteins into the body. Those people who are actively involved in fitness consume more protein, as they expend more energy. Protein powder is also used to reduce body weight. To do this, you need to know exactly how to properly consume proteins for weight loss. But can you drink a protein shake instead of dinner? The answer to this question can be found below.

Which protein is best for weight loss?

Large gym chains usually have protein shakes either made in-house or provided by retail partners. It is also easy to find a huge number of brands on the Internet. But is it worth buying the advertised supplement right away? In this case, it is extremely important to choose the right product.

Among them are the following, the most popular:

Whey protein isolate. 92% protein, made from carefully filtered milk protein. The protein is known to be less allergenic and easily dissolves in various liquids.
Whey protein hydrolysate. Partially destroyed protein, often whey. While, in their normal form, enzymes begin to break down in the digestive tract, the density of the hydrolyzate allows it to be absorbed much faster.
Egg. It contains absolutely no fats or carbohydrates. It is created on the basis of whole eggs (not just the white, but also the yolk). 1 glass of this cocktail has the same benefits as 5-6 whole eggs, but you must admit that drinking a cocktail is much easier.
Soy protein for weight loss. The cheapest of the varieties of protein, but it is not very popular and loses in almost all parameters in terms of efficiency, but this type is often added to mixed types of protein in order to save money.
Complex protein. A mixed species containing various combinations of proteins.

Separately, I would like to highlight two types of protein: whey and casein.

You need to choose a protein that contains a minimum of carbohydrates and fats, and a maximum of protein.

Whey protein for weight loss

Whey protein for weight loss is made from concentrated whey. It is obtained as a result of cheese making. It goes through the processes of pasteurization, filtration, concentration and drying. It is advisable to drink whey protein, it is considered the best in building muscles.

People have recently been able to obtain this type of protein thanks to modern technologies and breakthroughs in the field of product filtration. Such a product allows you to preserve biologically active substances in this type of serum.

Casein protein for weight loss

Casein protein, or simply casein - protein, is formed as a result of the curdling of milk. When it enters the body, it turns into a clot and thus ensures a feeling of fullness for a long time, and also supplies the muscles with amino acids. Should I take casein at night? Yes - it slows down the work of cortisol (a substance that breaks down protein) and lasts much longer than other types of protein.

How to properly consume protein?

Professional athletes and coaches say that proper use of protein involves mixing this product with any liquid of varying concentration. However, it should be noted that protein should never be mixed with boiling water, as during this the protein begins to coagulate and loses its beneficial properties. But how to consume a protein shake instead of a meal? In general, the daily dose of protein is divided depending on the individual characteristics of the body, as well as the frequency of training. If there is strength training, then the concentrated mixture is drunk before and after exercise. On a non-fitness day, protein shakes are drunk before dinner and lunch, thus burning fat.

How to drink protein correctly

Trainers and professional athletes advise drinking protein correctly, mixing it with any liquid of varying concentrations. It is important that it is not boiling water, because the protein denatures, coagulates and loses its beneficial properties. How to use protein for weight loss: divide the daily dose, calculated individually, into two doses. If you are doing strength training, you can drink a concentrated mixture before and after exercise. If the day is free from fitness, drink a protein shake before lunch and dinner to burn fat.

When is the best time to take protein?

The smartest and best way to take protein is in the morning, a couple of hours before training and an hour after it. To maintain muscles, drink protein between meals, and if you want to lose weight, replace it with lunch or dinner. Each serving of the cocktail is considered a complete meal, so there is no need to supplement it with anything. To maximize the effect of protein, review your diet: eat more legumes, cereals, vegetable oils, fish, meat.

How many times a day to drink protein

There are no restrictions on how many times a day you drink protein, but they only advise not to consume the daily amount at one time. Protein simply will not be absorbed, the body will lose energy, and training will not be as good. It is optimal to divide the dose into two times, but if the volume is still large, then you can drink the drink in 3-5 doses. It is consumed without additional food.

How much protein to drink per day

Important information for beginners will be how much protein to drink per day. The daily requirement for a person without health restrictions is considered to be 2 g of protein per kilogram of weight. If you eat high-protein foods, then you need half as much supplements. If the diet is protein-free or low in protein, consume 1.5 g of powder per kilogram. An approximate portion of the cocktail will be 30 g of powder diluted in water or milk.

Is it possible to drink protein without training?

Those wondering whether it is permissible to drink protein without training should be advised to calculate their protein intake. If the daily intake of amino acids from food is normal, there is no need for a protein shake. Additional intake may even be harmful. If there is no protein in your diet, include cocktails that will help balance the body's energy costs.

What protein to drink after workout

Experts recommend drinking protein after a fast workout. It helps muscles recover quickly and avoid microtraumas. A little later, it is recommended to take casein or other slow protein, which will provide the muscles with amino acids for a long time. The supplement will help to properly restore muscles and avoid pain due to the formation of lactic acid.

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Protein at night for weight loss

To achieve a quick effect in losing extra pounds without harming muscles, it is recommended to take protein at night for weight loss. If it is better to use whey for morning and afternoon intake, then at night replace it with casein or soy. They are considered slow types, take a long time to digest, allowing the muscles not to weaken from lack of nutrition overnight.

Protein instead of food

To lose weight, it is important to take protein instead of food, replacing one or two main meals with shakes. This could be breakfast and dinner, lunch and dinner, breakfast and lunch. While maintaining your daily caloric intake, you can achieve significant loss of extra pounds under the condition of physical activity. It is also useful to drink protein shakes as a snack; the choice is up to the athletes.

Can dinner be replaced with a protein shake?

It is best and smartest to drink a protein shake in the morning, 2 hours before the start of training, and also an hour after physical activity. To maintain muscle tone, you also need to drink protein in between meals. But if the goal is to lose weight, then you are allowed to drink a protein shake instead of dinner or lunch. Each serving of the cocktail consumed will be considered a full meal. For this reason, there is no need to supplement protein intake with anything. Thus, answering the question of whether dinner can be replaced with a protein shake, the answer here will be positive.

How many times to drink a day?

Many who have just started drinking protein shakes are interested in how many times a day they are allowed to drink such supplements. There is no restriction regarding this. Experts only advise not to drink the daily amount at once. As a rule, after this, protein is not only not absorbed, but the body begins to lose energy, and training is of poor quality. It is best to divide the intake into several times, and replace dinner with a protein shake if the main goal is weight loss. It should also be noted that this drink is consumed without eating additional food.

How should girls drink protein?

We’ve figured out which protein is best for weight loss, and now let’s discuss how to take it to achieve the best effect.

For active breakdown of fat molecules, it is necessary to consume 1.5 - 2 g of polypeptides per kg of body weight. That is, if you weigh 60 kg, you need to eat 90 - 120 g of pure protein per day. Yes, this word is in italics for a reason. If a package of sports nutrition contains, for example, 1000 g of powder, this does not mean that it will contain a whole kilogram of protein. What about carbohydrates, fats, salts? The dose should be calculated based on the percentage of polypeptides. This information is indicated on the label.

SPORTS PROBLEM. The dietary supplement contains 95% protein. The volume of scup is 30 g. You need to consume two servings of the mixture per day. How many polypeptides will you get from this dietary supplement?

SOLUTION. One scoop contains 30*0.95 = 28.5 g of whey protein for weight loss. In two scoops, respectively, 57 g of protein.

Traditionally, protein supplements are taken this way - one spoon diluted in 200 - 250 ml of liquid 2 - 3 times a day. Use water as a solvent, not milk, as the latter adds calories.

It is irrational to consume more than 2.5 g of polypeptides per kg of weight and 30 - 35 g at a time: in such quantities the nutrients simply will not be absorbed by the body. If your daily protein intake exceeds 60 g, divide it into several servings.

If your goal is to lose weight, drink a shake after your workout. For those who have been involved in fitness for a long time, the regimen for taking protein supplements is as follows:

in the morning, an hour before training and after a gym session - whey protein;

instead of one of the meals or between lunch and dinner - a multi-component remedy;

before bed – casein.

How much to drink per day?

Beginners may also be wondering how much protein shake to drink per day. The daily requirement for an ordinary person is 2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. If a person eats high-protein foods, then the amount of supplement is reduced by 2 times. But if the diet is protein-free, then the powder is consumed in the amount of 1.5 g per kilogram of weight. Thus, an approximate serving is 30 grams of protein, which is diluted in milk or water.

Protein at night

To achieve the fastest effect in the fight against extra pounds, it is recommended to drink a protein shake at night. If it is best to use whey protein for daytime and morning intake, then at night it should be replaced with soy or casein protein. The fact is that these types of proteins are slow and take a long time to be absorbed by the body, allowing muscle fibers not to weaken from insufficient nutrition overnight. In addition, if you replace dinner with protein, you can also quickly get rid of extra pounds.

Protein shakes instead of meals

To lose weight, it is important to take a protein shake instead of food. However, it should be noted that the drink replaces one or two meals a day. This could be lunch and dinner, breakfast and dinner, breakfast and lunch. If you maintain your daily calorie intake, you can achieve significant loss of excess body weight, but only if you do physical activity. You can also drink a protein shake instead of dinner to lose weight. Reviews say that this method is very effective in the fight against extra pounds. In addition, it will be very useful to consume protein shakes as a snack.

Protein for weight loss for men

How to drink protein for weight loss for men is useful for everyone to know, but it is worth remembering that just taking protein will not help you cope with accumulated kilograms and fat reserves. The main sports function of protein substances is considered to be the transport of amino acids to muscles to restore and maintain their volume during fat burning. The danger of improper intake or incorrectly calculated amount of proteins is the “burning” of muscles and their destruction from the inside.

The more amino acids enter the male body, the faster the body synthesizes new muscle cells to replace the used ones. Protein influences weight loss and at the same time maintains maximum muscle volume. It is recommended to take it in an integrated approach with regular physical activity and a proper diet. Otherwise, weight gain will only increase.

Men are recommended to take protein shakes between meals or replace them with dinner. You need to drink the mixture an hour after training for rapid absorption of protein, providing the body with building material for mass restoration and its speedy regeneration. Trainers advise choosing supplements with the maximum amount of protein (from 80%).

At night, it is better to drink slow protein shakes that help nourish muscles. Contraindications for use are diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system. Side effects are unlikely; at first, bloating and increased gas formation may occur.

Protein for weight loss for girls

For women, protein is a very important element. This product is based on protein, which is a building material for muscles, bones, hair, nerve endings and skin. Modern products for maintaining protein balance in the body do not contain any foreign impurities. Protein shakes help women lose weight, provided that intense physical activity is performed. In addition, drinking protein shakes quickly restores muscle fibers after training, improves the appearance and health of women. To lose weight, experts recommend following some rules regarding taking protein powder, as well as doing exercises:

Nutrition should be balanced. It is necessary to stop eating unhealthy foods, reduce the amount of fat consumed to 20%, and increase the amount of protein.
It is necessary to count the number of calories eaten every day, and also take into account the calorie content of protein mixtures.
To lose weight, you should also choose a good training regimen for yourself, as well as competent exercises. The first time you should work out with a trainer.
Alcoholic drinks should be excluded from the diet. In addition, you should stop smoking and try to avoid stressful situations. At the same time, sleep should be complete.
For greater success in losing weight, it is also recommended to take a test to determine the level of female sex hormones.

Which protein is best for weight loss

To understand the problem of which protein is best for weight loss, you need to understand the subtypes. There are main types:

egg - natural, expensive, contains no cholesterol;
whey – contains 60% amino acids, quickly absorbed by muscles;
whey isolate – contains 90% amino acids, well purified;
whey hydrolyzate – 95-98% amino acids, is expensive, has a bitter taste;
casein – with slow activity, 60% amino acids;
soy - suitable for vegetarians, allergy sufferers, low-calorie, cheap, 50% amino acids;
complex - includes all types, even wheat, is expensive, popular brand Proteine Whey.

For beginners, a system of rules has been developed for accepting the best of the types presented above:

It is better to choose those that are absorbed faster;
for weight loss, egg or whey is suitable, but not soy;
For weight loss, it is good to use the complex active powder Sportvik.

Soy protein for weight loss

One of the cheapest types of protein is soy protein for weight loss, which is not the most nutritious. Experts include low calorie content, cheap raw materials - soy, as positive qualities, and low amounts of essential amino acids in the composition as negative qualities. The powder contains only half of pure protein, so using only the drug for weight loss will not be enough.

Whey protein for weight loss

Whey protein is considered the most popular for weight loss. It is inexpensive and is based on whey, rich in essential amino acids. The disadvantage of the powder is the low content of pure protein - 60%. To increase the amount of amino acids, whey is further purified. An isolate containing 90% protein and a hydrolysate are obtained. The latter is a pure 100% protein, is expensive, is used by professional athletes, and has a bitter taste.

Casein protein for weight loss

Casein protein for weight loss, which is made from curd protein, is a little more expensive than whey protein. Casein differs from all other types in its slow rate of absorption, so it is drunk at night to protect muscle cells from the lack of nutrients during this period. The casein type contains up to 60% pure protein. This is not enough for a pronounced weight loss result, so it is combined with other types.

Protein for weight loss for guys

Some guys are also interested in how to drink protein properly to get rid of extra pounds. However, it is worth noting that taking protein shakes alone does not help cope with fat reserves and accumulated kilograms. The main sports function of protein is to transport amino acids to the muscles to restore and maintain their volume during fat loss. The danger of improper intake or incorrectly calculated amount of protein is the burning of muscles and their destruction from the inside.

The more amino acids enter the male body, the sooner it will synthesize new muscle cells that replace the spent ones. Protein helps you lose weight and at the same time preserves the maximum amount of muscle. It is recommended to take it in combination with regular exercise, as well as following a proper diet. Otherwise, the muscles will only grow.

Men are recommended to take a protein shake between meals or as a substitute for dinner. The mixture is drunk an hour after exercise so that proteins are quickly absorbed and the body is provided with building materials to restore weight. Experts recommend choosing protein supplements that contain the maximum amount of protein, more than 80%.

At night, it is best to consume slow protein shakes that help nourish muscle fibers.

How to take protein for weight loss?

First of all, you must make sure that along with your protein intake you are consuming 15% fewer calories than you expend. You can find out how much you spend here. Calculate how much you consume here. And here everything is also very simple. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, your weight will drop. On the contrary, the weight increases. Here are ready-made weight loss diets for men and women.

Any of these diets include snacks between meals. There are 2 such snacks. So, instead of these snacks you need to drink protein. In this case, your total calorie intake for the day will remain the same. But the amount of protein will increase sharply per day. And this is what we need.

In general, protein can be replaced with any meal. From a physiological point of view, this is not important. Simply replacing snacks with it is much more convenient than breakfast or dinner. If you only have protein for breakfast, you'll be hungry again within an hour.

It is better to mix protein with either water or skim milk. The last option is more delicious. Making it thick or thin is not important. Whichever you like best.

Now let's figure out how much you should drink it. Let's say you weigh 80 kg. Then you need approximately 160 grams of protein per day (2 g per 1 kg of weight). According to statistics, the average person receives approximately 1 g of protein per 1 kg of weight from regular food. That is, you get approximately 80 grams of protein from regular food, and 80 grams of protein is missing up to 2 g per 1 kg of weight. This means that you need to get the missing 80 grams of protein from protein. And this is approximately 100 grams of protein (there is no protein that is 100% protein). I think you understand the essence.

So, we divide these 100 grams into 2 doses (50 grams for each snack). And so we drink it. It is advisable that on training days you have a second snack immediately after training.

Which protein to choose for weight loss?

As mentioned earlier, there are several types of protein shakes. To choose the most optimal one for weight loss, you should familiarize yourself with all the varieties in more detail:

Egg white. This protein is natural, so it is quite expensive. This product contains no cholesterol.
Whey Protein. This protein contains 60% amino acids. In addition, this product is quickly absorbed by muscle tissue.
Whey isolate. Whey isolate contains 90% amino acids. This product is well cleaned of various unnecessary elements.
Whey hydrolysate. This product contains from 95 to 98% amino acids. This protein is distinguished by its high cost, as well as a bitter taste.
Casein protein. This protein is characterized by slow activity. The composition contains 60% amino acids.
Soy protein. This product is most suitable for vegetarians and allergy sufferers. The protein is low-calorie and has a low cost. 50% of the product consists of amino acids.
Complex protein. This protein includes all types of protein, even wheat. It is distinguished by its high cost.

To quickly lose weight, it is best to choose whey or egg protein, but in no case soy protein. Experts say that to combat extra pounds, it is best to take the active complex powder “Sportvik”.

Which protein is best for weight loss?

This is also an important question. You need to choose a protein that contains a minimum of carbohydrates and fats, and a maximum of protein. The maximum protein is at least 80% or higher. Such proteins are quite expensive. Because the more protein, the less fat and carbohydrates it contains, and the more expensive the product.

Below I would like to present to your attention several good products, in my opinion. Good precisely in terms of price-quality ratio:

BioTech: Iso Whey Zero (84% protein)
Syntrax: Nectar (85% protein)
Iso Sensation 93 from Ultimate Nutrition (93% protein)

At the end I’ll tell you one story. I worked with one chubby guy who was about 20 kg overweight. He just worked out 3 times a week without any diets. Once in 2 months he lost 14 kg! I asked him: How did you do it? He said that all these 2 months he practically did not eat regular food and only drank protein 4 times a day! Of course, this is an extreme case, and I in no way encourage you to do this. But the fact remains a fact. Good luck!

Reviews

What do reviews say about a protein shake instead of dinner? Many girls, in order to combat extra pounds, replace dinner with protein shakes. Reviews say that this method of losing weight is effective only if you simultaneously adhere to a certain diet and diet. First of all, you need to give up foods that contain so-called fast carbohydrates. These products include: flour products, sweets, potatoes, pasta. The diet should contain as much protein as possible.

In addition, reviews of losing weight with a protein shake also indicate that greater effectiveness can be achieved if you exercise regularly.

Girls also note that for weight loss it is best to use whey or egg protein.