SlimFast

[metallicat]

Hey, I just found this site...quick background on myself.

I am a 20 year old college student taking business. I am applying to the police department in about 7 months, and have come here looking for some help in my fitness preperation.

I am not in the market to take any serious supplements, but a little while ago, I was taking SlimFast because it was cheap, and has what I wanted:

-calories
-protein

Now most people use this for weight LOSS and as a meal REPLACEMENT...I was using it for the exact opposite reasons...I wanted to GAIN weight, and I was using it as a meal ADDITION I guess you can say.

While working out and taking this, I believe I gained 10 pounds during the entire tub of this stuff. Maybe its from working out, but who knows...anyways, I bought another tub of this stuff, and just started taking it. Now for the question.

Is this any good at all? I mean it has what I need in calories and protein without taking Whey Protein (which I took for a little while). I am trying to stay as natural as possible so that when I apply to the police, they don't get the impression that I need to rely on something like supplements. Anyways, I appreciate any help you can give...thanks a lot.

Welcome metallicat. It is pretty low in protein (5g) and high in carbs (20g). It has a good amount of vitamins and minerals, but you can get them from a multi-vitamin/mineral product. Slim Fast isn't bad especially if taken post workout and mixed with skim milk, but from a body building point of view I would go with something like whey or another protein blend. Just my personal preference.

[Kitara]

As far as "natural" goes, Slimfast and Whey protein are equal on the scale of supplements. Whey protein is not a muscle building supplement. It's just protein. It's used to supply your body with the necessary amino acids it needs to repair/build your muscles. Now, you can get these amino acids from whole foods as well and you don't NEED to take whey protein. But, if you're taking Slimfast anyway, you may as well drop it and take the whey because they are both the exact same if you're weighing them on the scale of naturalness .

[Lady C]

I would drop the Slimfast for its sugar content. Last time I looked at the label it was mostly sugar water - I remember somewhere around 35 grams sugar. You can certainly find better natural ways of intaking calories other than sugar. Besides, all that sugar is not good for you.

[metallicat]

Ok, thanks for all the imput. I have to make some phone calls to see what sorts of supplements would be acceptable. I had a friend apply to the police, and they gave him a rough time because he took a supplement at one point.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by Kitara

As far as "natural" goes, Slimfast and Whey protein are equal on the scale of supplements. Whey protein is not a muscle building supplement. It's just protein. It's used to supply your body with the necessary amino acids it needs to repair/build your muscles. Now, you can get these amino acids from whole foods as well and you don't NEED to take whey protein. But, if you're taking Slimfast anyway, you may as well drop it and take the whey because they are both the exact same if you're weighing them on the scale of naturalness .

Yeah I understand Whey is a better option, but there are just a few things I don't like about it, and I am sure you hear this all the time, but I don't like the taste. I had vanilla and tried to mix it with water, then with milk, and I even tried in milkshakes, and I still couldn't choke it down that easily. I know I should just suck it up.

Thats what I liked about the slimfast...it tasted good with milk, and it seemed to get the job done at the time.

[MedicFF879]

Originally Posted by metallicat

Ok, thanks for all the imput. I have to make some phone calls to see what sorts of supplements would be acceptable. I had a friend apply to the police, and they gave him a rough time because he took a supplement at one point.

I dont know about the rules in Canada, but more than likely your friend was taking something FAR more serious than Protein shakes for them to hassle him about it.

Protein,BCAA's,EFA's,MulitVitamins are not going to be any problem whatsoever (at least I would hope not). Now if you are looking at Andro,Testobol,or some of the other Testosterone enhancers you might be VERY CAUTIOUS!!

I would dump the slim fast for an actual protein powder, buy you a shaker cup, and start mixing it up. I use Orange Juice and half skim milk with Labrada V60 for my morning shakes, and just milk in the afternoon. When I start a cutting cycle again I cut the shake with half water, half skim milk. I even bought a little cooler to put both of my shaker cups in and I throw them on the ambulance in the morning just in case we spend the next 8 hours making calls and not have enough time to eat. Great protein source to go LOL!!

[metallicat]

Looks like I may have to suck up the bad taste that is whey protein powder.

[dsade]

Originally Posted by metallicat

Looks like I may have to suck up the bad taste that is whey protein powder.

Compared to the swill I drank when I first started working out (the old weider protein powders), whey protein is a treat. What brand have you been trying that you can barely choke down?

While some are better than others, I dont know that I have ever had a gross tasting whey.

Optimum Nutrition's whey is always really delicious, as are all of Protein Customizer's flavors.

[Kitara]

Originally Posted by metallicat

Yeah I understand Whey is a better option, but there are just a few things I don't like about it...but I don't like the taste. ... Thats what I liked about the slimfast...it tasted good with milk...

Ahhh - now that makes much more sense. The way I read it was that you're not taking it because of the "supplement" connotation and the police force. Your explanation makes much more sense. I personally don't like the taste either. I haven't been using it for a while and then I just had my first "shake" (whey & water after workout) and BLECH! I forgot it was nasty lol. I guess I got used to it after a while and I suppose I will get used to it again. Slimfast tastes good because it's mostly sugar .

P.S. It's also a lot cheaper than Slimfast for what you get (if I remember correctly).

Originally Posted by dsade

Compared to the swill I drank when I first started working out (the old weider protein powders), whey protein is a treat.

LOL Another golden oldie, hehehehe We never had Weiders *gag* products here in small towns on the east coast. Too much money to import all the way from California. Had to choke down Hoffman's soy protein instead. Yum, yum! (sarcasm doesn't translate too well to print, I guess.) Although I did try Weiders liquid protein once (came in the cans) and was grateful Hoffmans wasn't that bad!!!

[Lady C]

IF you are looking for something that is premixed there are plenty of those available too. EAS makes a few. If you can't stomach the taste of the whey then try Optimum's Egg Protein. It may be easier to start out on.

[Kitara]

I actually thought the egg protein was worse than the whey. It smelled like rotten eggs when I opened the container and I used one scoop and that was it lol. I gave it to a friend of mine .

[metallicat]

I think the whey protein I bought was from Costco, but it wasn't their brand name, it was something else. There is a store here called Popeye's that I will check out. What flavour do you actually think is the best? The stuff I had before was vanilla, so anything other than that if possible.

[jiggss73]

Originally Posted by Kitara

As far as "natural" goes, Slimfast and Whey protein are equal on the scale of supplements. Whey protein is not a muscle building supplement. It's just protein. It's used to supply your body with the necessary amino acids it needs to repair/build your muscles. Now, you can get these amino acids from whole foods as well and you don't NEED to take whey protein. But, if you're taking Slimfast anyway, you may as well drop it and take the whey because they are both the exact same if you're weighing them on the scale of naturalness .

You seem so wise with this whole fitness thing (yes I am a neewbie) that is looking for fitness. I weight train and I'm taking Whey now (kind of scared to take Creatine) why? because there are so many mixed comments about it. Like you take Creatine but it's all water muscle, how do you make that water become muscle? and is it really ever possible?