subject: High Protein Shakes For Weight Loss [print this page] Protein Shakes For Weight Loss Protein Shakes For Weight Loss
I've often found the claim that protein shakes are used in order to lose between four and six pounds of weight to be a little baffling. This article is an attempt to look at the veracity of this claim systematically, for instance, what role do high protein shakes perform with regards to weight loss? In short, what they are and whether they work.
The Basics
Protein shakes are dietary and body-building supplements that have become popular due to the claim that they can improve your health, make you lose weight and help build muscle mass. Note: Simply drinking a shake, without altering the context of your routine will have a negligible effect on any of these cases. In fact, it is recommended that people only digest .8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight, over-doing it can potentially lead to kidney problems and other unintended consequences.
With regards to weight loss, the weight loss mechanism is two-fold.
Protein helps build muscle mass, increasing your daily caloric allowance and helping you to burn excess fat.
Protein supplements, when accompanied by an appropriate diet, is a common strategy to burn weight. The 4-6 pounds a week figure is often stated as being an achievable ambition.
Health Concerns
Often DIY diets and the desire to rapidly build muscle mass causes many people to ignore the warnings about protein consumption. Contrary to popular myth, drinking protein shakes on their own will not make you lose weight. Some large portions can amass upwards of a thousand calories and a couple of hundred grams of protein.
A very high intake of protein can lead to bone loss and kidney damage. Large amounts of calories will make you gain weight, not lose it. Therefore, it is important to know the when-and-hows of protein shake consumption.
Protein shakes complement low-carb diet plans, but should not replace the need for a balanced diet. Ideally, protein shakes should be consumed early in the morning, or after exercising when the body's desire to rebuild and replenish is highest.
The most important thing to remember is that these shakes are not a substitute for food. They are food. In order to lose weight in a healthy manner, they will need to be incorporated in a diet as with any other product. Low-carb diet plans, in general, may be perfectly suited to integrate your shakes into due to carbs being restricted.
Additionally, just because you drink them, it is easy to forget that they can be highly caloric. They may replace certain portions of your meals, or even a meal entirely. But they certainly cannot be added to meals -- or you risk gaining weight and causing your body harm. Protein shakes are not a magic bullet.
