Girls taking protein shakes

I am working out alot.  But i do more cardio than anything.  I am starting to left weights, just to tone a little.  My friend said i should take drink a protein shake after woking out to help with the muscle recovery.  But i am worried cause i have heard that its not good for girls to drink those shakes and that it will make you gain weight. Can anyone give me any info on this 

Anything can make you gain weight if you eat enough of it - there's no magical weight gaining properties of protein shakes that I've ever heard or read, or that they're biased against female bodies.  When you burn more calories than you take in, you lose weight.  In reverse, you gain - doesn't matter where the calories come from.

I agree with your friend - but then I should state that I'm posting this with the perspective of someone who is currently following The New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women, which stresses the importance of protein shakes after workouts.  There's a lot of great info and feedback on the program in the special CC group for it.

And, FWIW, I've been doing it since January, and while I have gained about 2 pounds, I've gone down a size, and certain places aren't jiggling as much as they used to.

I agree, protein shakes are great for everyone after a good workout, and you will find that you are less sore since protein helps your muscles recover.  Check the labels when you pick a protein powder, you can find a lot that are low calorie and fat.  Also, try drinking with water instead of milk if you want to keep the calories down even more, only some flavours taste good with water, so beware (Personally, I think vanilla or fruit flavours taste better mixed with water).  But drinking protein won't make you gain weight unless you are eating enough calories to gain weight.

Make sure you know what you are doing when you make a strength routine, otherwise you won't see the results you are going for, and that you are lifting enough weight.  Low weight, super high rep is crap, and you will never gain muscle mass with a calorie deficit because it isn't possible.  The New Rules of Weight Lifting is a popular resource on here, but as long and you do your research, you should be good.

It's a myth.  I've been on protein of some form for years and honestly I've never "gained" from shakes alone.  During bulking phase (or serious training) I have but...that's the point!  When I'm trying to lose I honestly don't agree that they've hindered with keeping extra weight on and to be honest I'd say they've helped with loss.  I take one in the evening to fight off those night time cravings and it helps me a lot with my morning runs.  I can't eat prior (I know you technically can but I just can't handle it) so that pre-bedtime routine (1.5 before bed is the latest I'll take it) keeps me solid. 

And when I've been on maintenance, I didn't have to work harder or restrict because my shakes were making me gain.  Suppose it depends on how you take them as some folks do a lot of adding with peanut butter, etc. and use milk so that does boost the calorie content up a bit.  I mix with water so there's really nothing extra in mine.

I drink protein after weight lifting and cardio workouts with skim milk I dont like the taste drinking it with water. Since I've been drinking them I have noitced it has helped alot with my hunger and cravings. I have not gained from them either...

I drink a protein shake every morning for breakfast... I mix it with water though... and it has 40 g protein, fiber, and 26 other vitamins in it.... I've lost 23 lbs

ditto what everyone says above (went from 205 to 135). I drink a shake daily.

Word of advice - get a protein shake with carbs in it... or add carbs (brown rice/oats/waxy maize) protein digest much easier with carbs. Otherwise you end up expelling it as excess; or worse you store it as energy (carbs are much better resource for energy for cardio queens like you). I would suggest either whey isolate or whey... unless you are lactose in which I would suggest egg white protein. Soy is good too but it can act as an anti-estrogen leading to fat deposits in impolite areas as you lean out. Small differences but if you are serious about your looks it can make a difference.

G'luck!

I drink Whey protein :)

I drink whey protein shakes also.  I'm losing weight.  Plus when I eat real meals, I don't eat as much b/c my stomach shrinks.  They're a good way to get rid of impurities in your body.  I mix my protein stuff with ice, fuit, and low-fat milk.  Make sure to get low fat, low cal, low carb protein mix. 

What kind of shake do you drink? What is it called is it the same one that the men drink or is it specially for girls