Liquid Calories?

I was wondering if anyone can answer this for me. How bad are protien shakes? Is that considered drinking your calories?

Lots of different opines.

Mine, I must have them for my protein labs to be normal.  I can eat in the 200 g of proteins per day and protein labs are still not in the normal range. This is what is true *for me*

I must have at least 3 a day.  This means, for me for my coffee, 1 cup of almond milk  and 3 shakes a day that is a bit over 400 calories that I drink.

The shakes are non negotiable IF WHAT I CARE ABOUT IS MY HEALTH.  See?  The cup of almond milk? 30 calories.  if 30 calories is doing me in, then I am in a world of trouble.  :}

But I just add it in with the rest of my calories.  I do not use them as meals because they do not make me full, but I do use them as supplements, like my iron, like my calcium, and the calories ingested are calories ingested.

If you can eat all your protein, it might be best to do that if you are a hungry person.  I *am* a hungry person, so I absolutely eat the rest of my protein.

Some folks, maybe like DSers, who only absorb so much of their protein, need it to make their protein minmums, some folks who cannot eat their minimums, they benefit from it too.

Yes, it is considered drinking your calorie, but just saying "shakes are good/shakes are bad" without seeing how folks are utilizing them is tossing the baby out with the bathwater.

It depends on your situation, I would say.

What do you say? 

For me, non nutritive drinking of my calories is drinking a lot of juice, or drinking alcohol.  Drinking calories without any nutrients, that is "drinking your calories" that seems counter productive, again, to me.

I don't consider having a protein shake as "drinking my calories". I still have 1 shake per day and it counts in my total cal and protein count (I don't consider it a fluid now but did right after surgery). My shake is my breakfast and am snack. Makes me feel good, calms my acidy stomach and, most importantly, there is no way to reach my goal of 80g without it.

I consider "drinking my calories" things like sodas, alcohol, fast food shakes, etc.

How bad are protein shakes?  Do you mean flavor? I love mine....RTD Lean Body by Labrada or powder EAS in water with some crystal lite. There are hundreds to choose from. I suggest finding one you like (at best) or can tolerate (at worst) even if you have to view it as medicine for awhile.

Good luck.

Edited to add----I have no hunger at almost 2 years...so my shake is a replacement for breakfast and am snack.

I would agree with the other responses.  Drinking your calories means empty calories like soda or juice.  On the other hand, it is important to count the calories in the protein shake and to stay within your programs limits. 

I'm like Brandilynn - I have to drink shakes to keep my protein up. For me, protein shakes REPLACE food calories. They do make me feel somewhat full.

If you get to the point where the shakes are causing your calories to go too high, and you can eat your protein instead, I'd eliminate them. If you're staying within plan, I'd keep drinking them. I have and I've done just fine.

 I don't see a problem with it unless you are drinking shakes and getting hungry all the time. Then I might suggest more dense protein. 

Hmmm my issue is that I never eat as much calories as I "should" but I han't lost a stick in a year and a half, never made it to goal :(  I was wondering if it was because of shakes?

On February 22, 2012 at 11:24 AM Pacific Time, nicknato wrote: Hmmm my issue is that I never eat as much calories as I "should" but I han't lost a stick in a year and a half, never made it to goal :(  I was wondering if it was because of shakes?
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Please help me understand what you mean, girlie.. 

You were not eating as many calories as you should, but you were drinking more calories that you should so TOTAL calories were too high?

Or you were not eating as many calories because you did not drink shakes?  And that caused you to stop?

I had a shake a day sometimes two but I never reached my calorie intake. I was onlt getting between 500-600 calories a day. not even sometimes. Now I am up to more and I think that's why I gained a few pounds back.

Oh girlie.  There is a very real instance of some folks only losing X amount and then not an ounce more. 

Did you/are you/have you been tracking foods so you can know exactly what you are consuming and you can share your nutritional stats with us?  People are always glad to share what had worked for them, and maybe at this moment in time, you might be willing to pare some things back/add some things in, and be an experiement of one and see if we can team tweak your foods and find what your body runs on best? Maybe if you have not been tracking you would be willing to start, just to see where your intake is ?  myfitnesspal.com is my favorite free tracker.

Just ponder it, okay ?  What you are or are not willing to do is absolutely up to you, but maybe folks can toss some good ideas, good recipes, move yer bootay ideas and we can get your body out of its sleepytime?  We have a lot of wicked smart folks here and a huge knowledge base and people who are glad to share what they can to be helpful!

*squeeze*  be sweet girlie!! 

See you after work!  :}