If you are looking for the best protein powder for weight loss and lean muscle, then you are in the right place! Today I’m going to discuss how to choose the perfect protein powder that you can use every day to build those muscles and achieve your fitness goals.
I’ve been planning to make this post for a while and now I can finally share with you my favorite brands that I’ve tried for the last years and found very effective.
Do you even need protein powder for weight loss?
The short answer is no. Protein powders (and other sports nutrition) are optional and you can see results even without them. Especially, if your goal is simple weight loss you don’t have to supplement with protein powder if you don’t want to. Your main focus should be on creating a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. You can read more about that in my post “How to burn fat fast”.
But if you want to lose weight and keep muscles, then protein powder can be very beneficial. When you train in a gym or at home with weights and want to grow muscle mass, you have to consume enough protein every day (around 2-2.5 grams per kilogram of body weight). When you try to lose weight then your muscles can’t grow because the growth is only possible in a calorie surplus (when you eat more calories than you burn). But you can keep the muscles you’ve built and that’s the main goal!
It’s possible to get enough protein from regular food you eat such as tofu, egg whites, cottage cheese, fish, prawns, chicken etc. That’s why I don’t say that taking protein powder is completely mandatory. It’s not. But sometimes it’s way more practical – maybe you are not hungry enough to eat food so it’s easier to drink a protein shake and hit your protein intake goals.
Or if you are vegan/vegetarian, it can be tricky to get enough protein without overeating carbs/fats (and therefore, extra calories). In this case, protein powder can help you a lot!
What is also good about protein is that it keeps you full for longer. It can be a great solution for your big appetite and cravings. It takes your body more time to digest and absorb protein so it will spend more energy (aka calories) on this process which means your metabolism will increase. And that’s very good news because the faster your metabolism the easier it’s to burn fat. Win-win!
How to choose the best protein powder for weight loss?
There are so many sports supplements out there so it can be very overwhelming to choose one. But when it comes to weight loss you need to focus on the powder that will provide enough protein (20-25g) but will be low in sugar and calories at the same time.
Another important factor (at least, for me) is the taste. Some protein powders have unpleasant taste/texture and it becomes torture to consume them on a daily basis. Of course, you can always make a protein smoothie with bananas and other delicious fruits – this way any protein powder will taste amazing. But the problem is that it will give you additional calories which you definitely don’t want when trying to lose weight.
To avoid extra calories/sugars, I like to choose a protein powder that is delicious enough when mixed with just pure water. But to be honest, there are not many brands that are as good. But I’ll share with you my favourites that are quite delicious on their own. So let’s just get straight into it!
Best protein powder for weight loss and lean muscle
I’ve tried many brands but only the following ones have all the features I’ve been looking for: good taste and texture, low calories and high protein. Here there are:
MyProtein Clear Whey Isolate
So far, for me, it’s been the best protein powder for weight loss because it contains only 87 kcal (!!!) per 1 scoop. While other brands usually contain 150-180 calories for the same portion. This one seems like the leanest protein ever! But at the same time, the amount of protein is quite high – 20g. This means you can use 2 scoops and get a lot of protein without extra calories. How good is that?!
Another very important thing is that this protein is unreal in taste! My favourite flavour is Mango & Coconut and, believe me, you will actually enjoy drinking it! It feels like tropical lemonade. I use a shaker to mix the protein with pure water and it tastes amazing. It blends really well and the final texture is very smooth and light – not like any other protein. I also add it to smoothies, acai bowls and fruit drinks – it works perfectly!
I recommend ordering this sample pack to figure out what flavour you like the most:
As you can see, it contains a selection of 20 sample sachets in 8 different flavours. My favourite is Mango & Coconut but others are also very delicious so you should try them all and find your own fav!
I also encourage you to try other delicious protein products from MyProtein. For example, this Vanilla Wafer snack is just mind-blowing!
Crunchy, sweet and high in protein! You can eat it as a high-protein snack/dessert when you crave sweets – it will keep you full and satisfied.
Musashi High Protein Powder
This is another protein powder that I really like. It’s very creamy and smooth so you can make delicious milkshakes with it. I prefer Vanilla flavour and I just mix it with water and drink on those days when I can’t obtain enough protein from my meals. The serving contains 30g protein which is a decent amount, but it’s higher in calories than MyProtein – 180 kcal in one portion.
I like to use this protein for cooking protein muffins or other protein-packed bakery. It has nice cookie flavour and works well in many recipes.
The only thing is that Musashi is an Australian brand and it can be difficult to find it in the US. But if you live in Australia, that’s an amazing choice and widely available, you can buy it even in supermarkets, such as Woolworths and Coles.
Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein
Whey protein by Optimum Nutrition is very popular and you can find it in many stores. I like that it’s available in different flavours, such as Banana, Cookie&Cream, Chocolate, Strawberry, Coffee, White chocolate and more.
This is a great protein powder for weight loss because on average (depending on the flavour) it has only 120 kcal for a scoop and around 24g of protein.
If it’s not available in your local nutrition store, you can order it from Amazon or from Evitamins.
Best plant protein powder for weight loss
Tropeaka Lean Protein
Tropeaka is the first protein brand that I completely fell in love with, and to this day I still think that it’s the healthiest cleanest protein powder. The idea behind this brand really resonates with me – organic, plant-based, highest quality ingredients that nourish your body and help to boost immunity/improve overall health.
I remember how excited I was when I received my first order from them – the package and customer service were amazing. And the quality of products is beyond all expectations. I like their Immunity blend, Supergreens, Boost. When you take them you actually feel how many benefits they have for your health.
As for the best protein powder for weight loss, I like their Lean Salted Caramel protein. It has an amazing taste and contains 110 kcal and 16g of protein per serving.
Important thing – in order to get the same nutritional value from vegan protein as you get from dairy proteins, you should choose powder that contains a few protein sources (for example, pea and brown rice). This will allow you to get all the essential aminos your body needs.
And that’s what Tropeaka Lean protein contains – a blend of pea protein, brown rice protein and sacha inchi protein. Besides that, it has natural sweeteners, ginkgo biloba, siberian ginseng, ginger and other amazing ingredients for energy and stamina.
MyProtein Vegan Protein Blend
If you are looking for the best plant protein powder for weight loss then MyProtein Vegan Blend can be another great option. The serving contains 110 kcal and 22g of protein which is more than enough.
This protein is very smooth and delicious! It’s available in many yummy flavours such as strawberry, cacao orange, turmeric latte, blueberry and cinnamon (my favourite, so good!), banana, salted caramel and more.
It contains full amino acid profile, it’s gluten and soy-free which makes it a great option for people with food sensitivities.
As with many other pea proteins, you need to put a little bit more effort to mix it well. I personally use a shaker or blender to make it smooth and creamy. I also like to add this protein powder to cookies and muffins, it gives your pastry amazing flavour and a nice protein kick.
The best protein powder for weight loss from Amazon:
That’s it! These are my favorite protein powders for weight loss and lean muscle that I still use and really like. I know that people have different opinions about powders but I personally find them very delicious and easy-to-use. Besides, I always notice a difference in my muscle building when I take protein shakes regularly. So you may want to give it a try as well!
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xo,
Jane
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