whey protein shakes while dieting

[AkkademiKs]

Are they good for you? I hear that you can't gain muscle and lose weight at the same time, thus drinking protein shakes is pointless, but I find that hard to believe, because I also read that whey protein is good for dieters.

I want to at least retain muscle while I lose weight and i was wondering if I should be drinking it after working out and before doing cardio. And how much should I take @ 384 pounds, if I should at all?

[Chris@UGA]

I'm just pointing people who seem to be new to dieting here. Hopefully it helps.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=107075211

[poloboy406]

You definately need protein while your dieting! Eat more protein and cut back on carbs while upping your healthy fats... Protein and fat together stimulate testosterone which in turn helps you cut that fat. You could also search for threads on carb cycling... This is what bodybuilders do to get down to such low bodyfat %s before competition. If you did it you would have to scale it to your bodytype because you are starting as a bigger dude.
Cardio is your biggest friend at this point!
Cardio, cardio, cardio!

[OscarGortez]

I'm no expert at all, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but maybe someone can back me up on this?

I've just understood retaining muscle while trying to lose weight is pretty much the same exact thing as gaining muscle while trying to gain weight. All the same rules apply just for losing weight you eat under your caloric maintenance level, and for gaining you eat over it. So... You eat lots to gain muscle, and you eats lots to retain it (while on a cut, meaning eating closer to that maintenance level), lift weights to gain muslce, lift weights to retain it, lots of protein to build muslce, lots of protein to maintain it... etc...

[Chris@UGA]

I'm no expert at all, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but maybe someone can back me up on this?

I've just understood retaining muscle while trying to lose weight is pretty much the same exact thing as gaining muscle while trying to gain weight. All the same rules apply just for losing weight you eat under your caloric maintenance level, and for gaining you eat over it. So... You eat lots to gain muscle, and you eats lots to retain it (while on a cut, meaning eating closer to that maintenance level), lift weights to gain muslce, lift weights to retain it, lots of protein to build muslce, lots of protein to maintain it... etc...

That sums it up nicely and I'd add that you may want to limit your carbs a bit more while losing weight than gaining weight. It just seems to make the pounds shed a bit faster, imo. You still definitely want them for breakfast, pre, and post workout though.