Need help with nutrition and protein

[Wan6060]

Hey everyone! I have been weight lifting and doing cardio for about 2months and I have lost about 20 lbs. I am 6'1 tall and i weight 265 at the moment. My goal is to mainly get in shape and hopefully have a lean mass of about 180. I enjoy weight lifting and I want to lift more weights but I seem to have problem increasing the weight ( i am just not strong enough ). My questions are as follow:

1) Should i take protein shakes? will it make me gain weight?
2) just concentrate in weight loss then try to build strength and muscle?
3) what kind of protein shake? good with skim milk or stick to water?
4) does protein shakes make me fat?
5) is it ideal to try to lose weight by weightlifting?

sorry guys i have too many questions and i cant find the answers for them...I'm just new a member and I have goals that i would like to accomplish. I would appreciate any help because your help can change my life forever. Thank you!

[jlozan84]

1.) depends......think of a shake just as another method to eat or provide cals. If you can't eat at the time you are scheduled to, a shake is fine.
2.) no, do both
3.) water - i'd avoid milk when trying to lose bf as your primary goal
4.) no
5.) yes - more lbm will burn fat. nutrition is obviously key as well.

[Wan6060]

Thank you! and I more feedbacks would be greatly appreciated!

[Spinman]

jlozan hit all your answers on the head pal. read around to find optimum goals for calories, and how much of them should be from carbs, protein, and fats.

and yeah, take ur protein with water.

[Wan6060]

Well what kind of protein shake would you suggest for someone who is trying to cut bf? if you can give me the actual name so i can go buy it... thanks