Protein powders

[AutisticLegoLover]

My protein intake could do with a boost and I've been thinking about protein powders for a while. Are they any good? Do they taste nice? Do I have to make a shake or can I add it to my porridge? I don't want to add too many calories to my diet as I'm one the final push to lose tne last pound of weight then maintain. thank you.

Sorry to jump on your thread OP but can anyone recommend a dairy free protein powder/shake? I tried a vegan one from the protein works before but it made me so bloated and uncomfortable.
I tend to do a Hiit workout first thing in the morning and then something like body pump or Pilates in the evening. I usually have eggs for breakfast but would prefer to have them for lunch if I could find maybe a protein shake for breakfast.

@Mummypete it's the vegan one I've tried from protein works. I usually suffer from bloating so will watch out for it worsening. The dairy free ones are perhaps naturally going to be high in fibre which might explain the bloating you experienced. I hope you find something.

Ahh I didn’t realise that about the fibre, that could be it, thank you.

I use the MyProtein unflavoured powder. I make it into a smoothie with berries and greek yogurt as it’s the only way I can get it down. The flavoured ones are far too sweet, they all smell vile and make me gag. I use them in place of lunch and find they do fill me up. I prefer a can of tuna for a big dose of class A protein if I’m honest.

Check out Purition meal replacements too. The ingredients list is alot less scary than the My Protein ones - ie. no gum thickeners etc! I blend with 200ml Plenish unsweetened almond milk (the purest brand I could find), 50g full fat Greek yoghurt, a frozen strawberry, a celery stick and ice cubes. It's super tasty, filling (for about 4-5 hours) and helping greatly with weight loss!

I'm trying to limit my processed food intake but I figure this stuff is better than sweets and other stuff that is ultra processed. If I find it does keep me fuller then I'll get an unflavoured one and use berries and yogurt and play around with it. After listening to the podcast upthread that @UnaOfStormhold kindly posted I am not bothering at all about my protein intake from a nutritional point of view other than me eating less crap and not feeling as hungry, I'm a convert to Greek yogurt and addicted to it for my lunch every day. I miss it if I don't have it and am more likely to make poor choices later in the day.

Have a listen to the Zoe podcast on controlling blood sugar https://joinzoe.com/learn/podcast-how-to-control-blood-sugar-spikes
You'll likely find that if you swap your Greek yoghurt, chia and berries to breakfast it will help with sugar cravings. I spent some time with a blood sugar monitor and oats spike mine more than chocolate

They taste awful. But then I hate vanilla.

https://wyldsson.com/en-gb/products/vegan-protein-choc-vanilla

I love this one.

Could anybody possibly recommend one that is quite calorific as well? I'm an ultra runner and always trying to gain or at least maintain weight. Thank you

I like the vegan banana and strawberry cheesecake ones from my protein. I am really fussy but these are smooth with almond milk and mix well with oats and walnuts for breakfast.

DP makes me protein pancakes too which are really nice!

@Sunnycornwallanddevon my husband drinks the yFood shakes which are 500 calories to gain weight. I think it’s 400 if you use the powder and they’re a bit like huel in that they’re a nutritionally complete meal. The one in our fridge is 34g of protein.

I can't say they have made any difference to my appetite and I suspect they are the cause of my recent upset stomach and severe cramps so I'm not using it anymore.