Hello!

I am doing P90X (without following their meat based nutrition plan-I already eat a healthy vegan diet) and was wondering if it was really all that necessary to have some kind of protein supplementation or equivalent to their "recovery drink."  I don't want to pay them ridiculous amounts of money for stuff that probably isn't even proven to do anything.  I can't afford Vega, as it is $60 a can.  What is an alternative to at least replace my electrolites after an intense workout? Coconut water has electrolites, but it's too expensive for me to buy on a regular basis.

Also, I'm trying to lose 10-15 lbs so I don't want to gain weight or add unnecessary calories from a super protein mix.  Has anyone tried hemp or brown rice protein mixes?

Any suggestions? Do I even need this stuff? I'm trying to replace fat with muscle and be strong, but I obviously don't want to be bulky (which I'm not worried about happening with p90x, just with too much protein maybe?)

Also, I work out right before dinner, so I don't want a filling smoothie, maybe something I can just mix with water and chug down!

Thanks!

Why don't you try making a light protein shake with peanut butter, dark unrefined sugar and water. It tastes like caramel. 1 tbsp of peanut butter has 4g of protein.

I'm doing Insanity, I love it because I rotate between the Pure Cardio work out and then one with resistance on a two day pure cardio to one day resistance and sticking to my vegan diet just maintaing the calorie count recommended by Insanity.  I'm also trying to lose 10-15 and this is helping me do so without gaining too much bulk.  For protein I don't do the shakes because they are made with milk biproduct, but I make sure to have a healthy salad with extra garbonzo beans for protein.

Wikipededia:A simple electrolyte drink can be home-made by using the correct proportions of water, sugar, salt, salt substitute for potassium, and baking soda.[2]

Electrolytes are commonly found in fruit juices, coconut water, sports drinks, milk, and many fruits and vegetables (whole or in juice form) (e.g. potatoes, avocados). 

runningtimes.com

Despite market trends, the most reliable and efficient modes of rehydration and electrolyte replacement continue to be the ones that have stayed with us for decades. The usual foods we eat contain far more electrolytes than sports drinks. For example, a medium banana contains about 450mg of potassium, whereas Gatorade provides 30mg per 8-ounce serving.

After a long run, a meal consisting of 8 ounces of yogurt and a can of chicken noodle soup would adequately replace lost electrolytes (potassium and sodium) and would be pretty easy to eat (not much chewing and not very strong flavors or odors). Of course, if you're going the food route for electrolyte replacement, it's important to continue to replace fluids via two cups of water for every pound lost.