Best prepackaged protein shake?
November 11, 2015 7:01 PM Subscribe
Pretty simple. I've started lifting and making my macros is a mess, much less calories. Need a rec for a protein shake that requires me to open it, not make it.
I'm fine with my rest day macros/calories. I have that to a science. Making my training day macros is ridiculous. It's 115 more calories, 49 more carbs, and 9 less fat. I made calories today but I'm over in fat and under everywhere else, which apparently happens when you identify cheese as a food group.
So I think adding a higher carb protein shake is the thing. I can eat more or less my routine and just add this one thing. However, I have a tiny pain in the tail kitchen and I'm not going to make these bad boys -- I want grab and go, prepackaged. So what's the best option?
Brands I've looked at:
OrGain
CalNaturale
I'm fine with my rest day macros/calories. I have that to a science. Making my training day macros is ridiculous. It's 115 more calories, 49 more carbs, and 9 less fat. I made calories today but I'm over in fat and under everywhere else, which apparently happens when you identify cheese as a food group.
So I think adding a higher carb protein shake is the thing. I can eat more or less my routine and just add this one thing. However, I have a tiny pain in the tail kitchen and I'm not going to make these bad boys -- I want grab and go, prepackaged. So what's the best option?
Brands I've looked at:
OrGain
CalNaturale
You probably don't want to hear this, but most of those mixes don't give you anything real, cheaper food can give you, even if you are working out at a pro sport level.
There is plenty of research out there that shows you don't need or use most of what is in the mix. You're going to be literally pissing away most of it.
posted by clvrmnky at 4:55 AM on November 12, 2015
There is plenty of research out there that shows you don't need or use most of what is in the mix. You're going to be literally pissing away most of it.
posted by clvrmnky at 4:55 AM on November 12, 2015
Response by poster: Yeah, I'm not asking because I think protein shakes are magical nutritional supplements. I'm asking literally because I need extra calories / carbs and this seems like the most logical, simple way to make my numbers.
posted by Medieval Maven at 6:16 AM on November 12, 2015
posted by Medieval Maven at 6:16 AM on November 12, 2015
Best answer: Cottage cheese
1 cup of low-fat (1%) cottage cheese will give you 163 calories, 2g fat, 6g carbs, and 28g protein. And it's real food.
Some people just eat it straight, I mix equal parts skim milk and cottage cheese, add some fruit, maybe some honey and then blend it smooth with an immersion blender. It keeps for a few days in the fridge this way and then the texture starts to get wonky. I'm also planning on seeing how well it freezes so I can make a big batch and then freeze them in individual containers so that I can just take one out of the freezer and put it in the fridge a day or two before I'm going to drink it.
posted by VTX at 7:03 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
1 cup of low-fat (1%) cottage cheese will give you 163 calories, 2g fat, 6g carbs, and 28g protein. And it's real food.
Some people just eat it straight, I mix equal parts skim milk and cottage cheese, add some fruit, maybe some honey and then blend it smooth with an immersion blender. It keeps for a few days in the fridge this way and then the texture starts to get wonky. I'm also planning on seeing how well it freezes so I can make a big batch and then freeze them in individual containers so that I can just take one out of the freezer and put it in the fridge a day or two before I'm going to drink it.
posted by VTX at 7:03 AM on November 12, 2015 [2 favorites]
If you can handle lactose, just drink a cup of whole milk. Or two cups of skim milk.
If you can't handle the lactose, cottage cheese or yogurt.
If you're okay with a little bit of cooking once a week, split pea soup. I'm totally serious: a pound of split peas, a quarter-pound of butter or olive oil, and some bacon ends. Keeps all week, high fiber, high protein, low glycemic index, high satiety index.
But among the options you've linked, the two are basically interchangeable. One has a few grams more fiber, the other a few grams more protein. Up to you which you prefer.
posted by d. z. wang at 7:58 AM on November 12, 2015
If you can't handle the lactose, cottage cheese or yogurt.
If you're okay with a little bit of cooking once a week, split pea soup. I'm totally serious: a pound of split peas, a quarter-pound of butter or olive oil, and some bacon ends. Keeps all week, high fiber, high protein, low glycemic index, high satiety index.
But among the options you've linked, the two are basically interchangeable. One has a few grams more fiber, the other a few grams more protein. Up to you which you prefer.
posted by d. z. wang at 7:58 AM on November 12, 2015
BSN Syntha-6 is hands down the best tasting protein powder on the market; a lot of people avoid it because its carb count is relatively high (probably why it tastes so good), but that makes it very good for your purposes. You don't need any kitchen space or even to make them in the kitchen, just get one of these and add water. I keep the entire apparatus in my gym bag (cup) and locker (bucket of protein).
Alternatively, I would say that replacing some of the food protein you're already taking in with a shake just because you're having trouble hitting your carb number seems roundabout to me. Traditionally high carb/low fat days are achieved by adding high carb/low fat foods to your meals, like sweet potatoes, brown rice, cereal, oatmeal, etc, and cutting back on things like full fat dairy, egg yolks, and fatty meat.
posted by telegraph at 10:01 AM on November 12, 2015
Alternatively, I would say that replacing some of the food protein you're already taking in with a shake just because you're having trouble hitting your carb number seems roundabout to me. Traditionally high carb/low fat days are achieved by adding high carb/low fat foods to your meals, like sweet potatoes, brown rice, cereal, oatmeal, etc, and cutting back on things like full fat dairy, egg yolks, and fatty meat.
posted by telegraph at 10:01 AM on November 12, 2015
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Costco carries it.
posted by zippy at 11:12 PM on November 11, 2015 [1 favorite]