Gold Standard 100% Whey

I was first put on a restrictive diet in 1981, when it didn’t work my mom pivoted and I wound up on: Beverly Hills, blood type, Fit for Life, cabbage soup, Adele Davis, Optifast, every ‘80s fad in circulation. In the mid-90s into the early 2000s, I rebelled and stopped dieting altogether… and got a lot bigger. In 2002, I started again on my own terms and ran the whole gauntlet a second time: keto, paleo, Master Cleanse, a 3-shakes-a-day liquid thing loaded with vitamins and fiber pills, 1st personal diet, 4-Hour Body, Ideal Protein, HCG, gluten-free, lectin-free, blood type (again), Gundry, you name it. Eventually I landed on the only approach that actually stuck for me: counting calories, prioritizing lean protein, and taking intentional maintenance breaks to practice eating in a way that maintained my weight. That’s where everything finally clicked. I’m here to answer questions, hear about your journeys, share anything I’ve learned the hard way, and, yeah, also to mention my new show LifeLONG. It’s interactive, honest, and focused on the weekly reset around food, fitness, and mindset. There’s a [trailer up](https://youtu.be/LkY_O4zaD4g), and the first four episodes are already live on my channel. Ask me anything about my experience with diet/weight loss/fat loss/diet culture/being a fat actor/fitness/being a pretty rad dude! EDIT: **Wow! Amazed by all the people who stopped by and the outpouring of support. This is a really special community.**  Thank you to the mods for the opportunity to do this AMA. Thank you to everybody for the questions.  If you have any other questions for me or want to follow what I’m up to, you should sign up for my new series LifeLONG with Ethan Suplee. [You can sign up here](https://2way.tv/ethansuplee/) or check it out on YouTube.

Mine is running out and I'm kinda broke right now so it's hard getting my protein from just food. I also like having to make a shake every day, it's a nice routine thing. What would you recommend? Brands/flavors/etc. I've had strawberry and vanilla so far. **Edit:** Thanks for the recommendations, I summed them up for future readers: [Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard](https://share.google/v1o5LejfQASSIG4Tq) \- Classic whey protein blend (isolate + concentrate + hydrolysate) and one of the most popular protein powders. [Isopure (zero carb)](https://share.google/vYFDVWYpjKSZhNlh3) \- Most other powders have 2-3g of carbs and 1-2g of fat per scoop. This one is 0 carbs and fat and also lactose-free. [Nutricost](https://share.google/citlEz38eKVQAbc8C) \- Cheaper per gram, also depends on whether you get concentrate or isolate as concentrate is slightly less refined than isolate.

Not an expert reviewer but here’s my take. For reference to my experience, I have tried Optimum Nutrition, Nakpro, and Amul whey in the past. I put 2 scoops in the shaker with 200 ml water. After 100 ml more to rinse the shaker and take out rest of the protein. Total 300 ml in 2 scoops. Packaging - amazing presentation! Best so far. They add some extra stuff to the box which is a nice touch. I think they even added a braille paper with nutritional info for blind people. The depth of thinking they have put into this is very rare to see. 10/0 —- Zipper - Nakpro sucked big time when it comes to the zipper quality. This one has a very smooth, high quality zipper that’s easy to close. Finally a protein that came in large packet that I won’t consider transferring to a plastic box. 10/10 —- Filtration - Amul gave me a lifelong OCD where I need to filter every protein after mixing with water because Amul whey had thick 1cm long paneer like chunks that were not protein. Definitely due to bad filtering process. This one was very clear as you can see the strainer in second image. 10/10 —- Mixability - Mixed really well. No lumps left. In 20 seconds or less it was very smooth with very less froth and totally drinkable. Amul users know the froth issue. Not with this. 10/10 —- Taste - okay so it’s always a controversial take. I hated the taste. It was very chemically, and left a bitter aftertaste in mouth. I understand it could be due to stevia but it is what it is. Hated the taste, maybe it’s as worse as ON Double Rich Chocolate. Even Amul tastes better, ngl. 6/10 —- Digestability - one scoop in water, nothing else. Digested well. No bloating or discomfort of any kind. 10/10 —- Value for money - one of the best value for money proteins out there. Even Nakpro is getting expensive these days. 9/10 —- Overall, 9.3/10 for me after first try. If my experience changes after a couple of days, I’ll update for sure. But so far, definitely want to buy again. Just need to figure out how to make it taste drinkable. ***I don’t need it to be tasty, I just need it to not taste bad.*** I hope you get my point because now people will say in comments “bro taste ke liye protein kon peeta hai?” 🫩

I’m trying to pick one that tastes good, mixes well, and doesn’t mess with my stomach. There are so many options (whey, isolate, plant-based) that it’s kinda overwhelming. * Which brand/type do you recommend? * Is it worth paying more for “premium” ones? * Any flavors that are actually good and not overly sweet? **Edit:** I’ve read all the comments and suggestions, and after considering everything carefully. I have decided to go with the Optimum nutrition chocolate, as it fits my needs perfectly. For those interested in purchasing, here’s a short list I made based on research and user feedback: 1. [Ancient Nutrition Grass Fed Whey Protein](https://manirevs.com/best-protein-powders/#1) – Known for clean ingredients and easier digestion, with a mild, natural taste compared to overly sweet options. 2. [Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey](https://manirevs.com/best-protein-powders/#2) – A classic favorite with great flavor variety and smooth mixability; widely praised for taste and consistency. 3. [Dymatize ISO100](https://manirevs.com/best-protein-powders/#3)– Very smooth and easy to drink, especially popular for dessert-like flavors like cookies & cream; also highly rated in community reviews. 4. [PlantVital Vegan Protein Powder](https://manirevs.com/best-protein-powders/#4)– A solid plant-based option with balanced flavor, good for those avoiding dairy. 5. [MuscleTech NitroTech](https://manirevs.com/best-protein-powders/#5) – Creamy texture and rich flavors, making it feel more like a shake than a supplement. 6. [Transparent Labs ProteinSeries 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein Isolate](https://manirevs.com/best-protein-powders/#6)– High-quality, clean formula with surprisingly good taste despite minimal additives; frequently ranked among the best-tasting options. 7. [Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder](https://manirevs.com/best-protein-powders/#7) – One of the better-tasting vegan proteins, often described as having a chocolate-like flavor, though slightly sweet Thanks