Protien Powder

Question
QUESTION: Ht. 5'4, Wt. 128.  Trying to shed 8-10 lbs.  Am lactose intolerant and wondering if there is any protien powder that would not bother me.  I would like to do a protien shake in the mornings and supplement with chieken, fish, etc. for lunch/dinner.  Thank you.,

ANSWER: I'm not sure if you really want a protein shake, or if you're looking for a meal-replacement diet.  A protein supplement would not provide any of the other nutrients you need to maintain good health during weight loss.
A meal replacement would be something like slimfast; you have one can in place of 2 of your meals, then have a dinner (or lunch, if you prefer) of chicken or fish with lots of veggies to fill you up!  At one time, slimfast offered a lactose-free line of their shakes, but I'm not sure if it's still available.  You could try taking a Lact-Aid tablet before drinking the shake to reduce the lactose content.
Otherwise you could just drink a can of ensure for breakfast and it would accomplish the same feat, or have one of the breakfast bars (like a Luna Bar) to get in some nutrition.

I encourage you to think ahead to what will happen once you lose the 8-10 pounds by dieting this way--will you go back to your present eating habits and gain the weight back?
 
Have you considered just trying to eat 3 balanced meals a day with low-calorie snacks in between, and adding in a 30 minute walk each day, so you can lose the weight permanently?

I would be happy to communicate with you further if you are interested!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your response.  I am 66 years old, also on meds for colitis and in addition to lactose intolerance have IBS.  I take Nexium also and Asacol which keeps my colitis in control.  I do take Lactaid but that didn't help when I drank the protein powder.  For the past 33 years I have either walked for exercise or joined a gym.  Currently go to the gym 3 days a week and have a recumbent bike at home.  I feel I have been eating healthy for many years.  Currently eating organic foods = example breakfast is egg whites with dill and feta, sometimes a slice of turkey bacon or whole grain bread with peanut butter.  Lunch is either tuna mixed with cottage cheese, radishes, green onions and a little mayo, or slices of turkey with pepperjack cheese and dinner is fish,chicken or some type of protein maybe a vegetable or salad. Tonight is chicken fajitas on an organic whole wheat tortilla (onions and peppers).  I do drink 1/2 cup 50% sugar  orange juice twice a day as I mix my Questran with that.  I just thought if I substituted a protein drink a few days a week instead of breakfast I might see some weight loss.  Guess I will just stick to what I am doing and be patient and hope for eventual loss.  Thanks again.

ANSWER: Wow! It sounds like you are in great shape :)  I usually get these "I want to lose 8 pounds and get down to 120" from teenagers who are striving for a model-perfect body!!  You are well within the ideal range for your height and age.

You are eating less than 1500 calories, which should definitely promote weight loss.

If you have been doing this for a while, continuing the same thing will not result in weight loss.. is this a program you've started to follow more strictly recently?  
Sometimes we stray a bit several days a week and treat ourselves to a sweet, join friends out for dinner, or have an ice cream in the evening--so if you are doing any of these and you stop for a few weeks, it would make a difference in your calorie intake.

You might also consider using the recumbent bike 3 days a week in addition to the 3 days you go to the gym--especially if your gym time is yoga class or another activity that is not known for burning a lot of calories.

I would love to hear how you're doing over the next several weeks!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you again and I will be happy to touch base with you in a few weeks.  I started the healthier eating 3 weeks ago so perhaps I can shed a couple of lbs. by keeping within this regimen. What amount of protein should I be consuming?  I read 25 to 45 grams per day.  Sound right to you?  Thank you!  

Answer
Great Sue!
If you just started this plan a few weeks ago you may have already lost a pound or two!  If so, you are on perfect track to continue along with what you're doing.

For protein you should be consuming about 1 gram per kilo body weight and you weigh 58 kilos (2.2 pounds to a kilogram).  60 grams is more like it--not sure where you read the 25-45 ... that could be percentage of calories (which is actually not correct) or grams per meal?

Most Americans don't have a problem getting adequate protein.  Three ounces of lean meat (including chicken and fish) contain 20 grams, so this alone will get you close to what you need when you're eating 2 protein-containing meals a day.  Each egg white has 7 grams of protein so I'm sure you won't have a problem meeting your needs when you add in a few grams from the starches and veggies as well!

Good luck to you :)

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