Protein supplements

[ACVault]

OK so basically I'm considering to start taking some type of protein shake after my morning workout (running workout). I'm basically looking for more fuel/energy to go along with my breakfast to keep me going until I eat dinner after I lift in the evening.

What I don't want to do is bulk up. I'm 5'10 and weigh 155. I'm not looking to gain weight, but to get more protein in my diet (which I feel I am lacking in).

So can anyone recommend a good supplement that can help me with this? I'm usually pretty hungry/low on energy by the time I go to lift and don't have a large enough dining hall plan/money to eat lunch every day and am looking for something quick and easy.

[Crystazul]

My personal favorite:
http://www.chilispr.com/images/logo_nesquik.jpg

[Demon Runner]

Yup, chocolate milk. Sometimes at Dominics you can find a 10 for $10 deal on a variation of chocolate milk that packs 30g protein and like 70g of carbs with relatively low saturated fats compared to other chocolate milks. Don't bother buying expensive ass protein supplements because it's not worth it


I'd like to add in though that you need to eat more throughout the day

[matthewXCountry]

What is your diet currently like? Are you vegetarian?

If you are not trying to bulk up, most runners get enough protein in their regular diet (fat free chocolate milk is a really good recovery drink as explained above). If you are looking for fuel, carbs are just fine, chocolate milk has a nice protein carb balance. Protein bars and shakes are usually used if you are trying to gain more muscle (that is unless you are protein lacking which is unlikely if you are eating the average US diet)

[pmeyers279]

OK so basically I'm considering to start taking some type of protein shake after my morning workout (running workout). I'm basically looking for more fuel/energy to go along with my breakfast to keep me going until I eat dinner after I lift in the evening.

What I don't want to do is bulk up. I'm 5'10 and weigh 155. I'm not looking to gain weight, but to get more protein in my diet (which I feel I am lacking in).

So can anyone recommend a good supplement that can help me with this? I'm usually pretty hungry/low on energy by the time I go to lift and don't have a large enough dining hall plan/money to eat lunch every day and am looking for something quick and easy.

carnation instant breakfast is a great recovery drink as well. it's like taking a mulitvitamin and drinking chocolate milk at the same time. you can find it for like 5 dollars for a box of 10 packets. they have to be mixed with milk though.

[gesser]

The cheapest whey protein you can find online or in brick and mortar taken with Gatorade or Powerade is your best bet.

I'm wary of milk due to the fats, though fat-free is an option. But you need more sugars and protein and milk doesn't provide enough.

Take it before and after your workouts. You probably only want half a shaker before a work out so you are not sloshing around on your run.

If you're doubling workouts, creatine is something to look into as well.

Important: Drink tons of water throughout the day to flush out your kidneys.

[RunRichard11311]

Whey protein

[thugginrunnin06]

Whey protein

THIS. YOU'LL BE WRINGING MAD GAINS BRAH.

[Trish the RD]

If I am understanding you correctly, it sounds to me like you need to eat more food during the day, if you are exhausted before you lift at night. Chocolate milk or a mixed nutrient drink like CIB will help you recover, and replace your depleted energy stores after your run, but will not last you until dinner. Aim for half your weight in pounds in grams of carbs within 30 minutes after your run in the am, like about 77 grams of carbs. Throw in an extra 10-20 grams of protein and you are good to go. Take in a high carb meal or snacks within the next 2 hours to fully prepare for the next workout.

Give it a try, see if it helps!

Trish

[hutch_distancerunner]

If I am understanding you correctly, it sounds to me like you need to eat more food during the day, if you are exhausted before you lift at night. Chocolate milk or a mixed nutrient drink like CIB will help you recover, and replace your depleted energy stores after your run, but will not last you until dinner. Aim for half your weight in pounds in grams of carbs within 30 minutes after your run in the am, like about 77 grams of carbs. Throw in an extra 10-20 grams of protein and you are good to go. Take in a high carb meal or snacks within the next 2 hours to fully prepare for the next workout.

Give it a try, see if it helps!

Trish
Wouldn't this cause weight gain eating so much in a certain day when you are not burning as much calories?

[2minutemile]

Get whey protein that is fat free and low in calories (and taste good too).

Cheapest you can find is "All The Whey" protein or "American Whey" protein. I've only tried All the Whey and it's really good. Pure whey isolate (meaning fastest absorption possible) 25g protein no fat 110 calories no carbs.

best deal is on ebay sold by the company itself. $39.99 free shipping for 5 lbs (80 servings)

link (http://cgi.ebay.com/All-The-Whey-Brand-WPI-Protein-Isolate-5lbs11-Flavors_W0QQitemZ380093678952QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH _DefaultDomain_0?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116)

However, I've noticed that the all the whey flavors (I've tried cinnamon bun, strawberry, cupcake batter, and chocolate) are great in milk but are a little bland in water.

So for a little more expensive, but saving on milk, you can get 4everfit's Fruit blast - The Isolate. 24g of whey isolate, no fat, 100 calories. On ebay it's 50 + 10 for shipping for 84 servings. I've tried the tropical mango and it really does taste amazing in water.

link (http://cgi.ebay.com/4-Ever-Fit-Fruit-Blast-The-Isolate-Tropical-Mango-4-4_W0QQitemZ230332103368QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Defau ltDomain_0?hash=item230332103368&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50)

[runforfun2]

i've recently bought this. i'm pretty uneducated when it comes to recovery and supplemental drinks but it seemed to me that there was more protein per serving in here than in a whey protein serving

[lemracXC]

id avoid supplemented protein, while it may be a convenient way to get your daily need of protein, you are better off getting meeting your protein needs through meals/snacks---which is very doable as long as you eat a well-balanced, healthy diet

[HINKLO]

Wouldn't this cause weight gain eating so much in a certain day when you are not burning as much calories?

Only if you take it to mean that all of that is going to be in supplement to meals. After a workout, if you have a recovery drink and then dinner, you aren't consuming many more calories than you normally would. Although OP I don't think is consuming that much anyway.

[runasaurus]

flavored (strawberry!) milk

PEANUT BUTTER

[inhale_exhale]

I'm going to throw Hemp into the arena. hemp has all the Essential amino acids, provides the 'good' fats (3,6,9) and taste good. the one caveat....cost more. the best brand...manitoba harvest.

[2minutemile]

id avoid supplemented protein, while it may be a convenient way to get your daily need of protein, you are better off getting meeting your protein needs through meals/snacks---which is very doable as long as you eat a well-balanced, healthy diet

Well... yeah lol. Supplements are to.. supplement your diet. You should be getting most of your protein through food but sometimes life is busy and food is expensive, so protein powders definitely help.

[HINKLO]

Well... yeah lol. Supplements are to.. supplement your diet. You should be getting most of your protein through food but sometimes life is busy and food is expensive, so protein powders definitely help.

Generally the maximum amount of protein you need though (even if you're trying to bulk up) is a surprisingly little amount. Generally speaking 1.1 to 1.3 grams per Kg bodyweight for maintenance or 1.5 to 1.6 grams for Kg if you're trying to bulk. So for your average 140 pound athlete maintaining weight, you're only taking in 70-85 grams per day. Gaining weight even you're still only taking in around 100g. Any more than that doesn't really make a difference. Timing of when you take in the protein is WAY more of an issue.

[savelolita89]

Really good advice all around. I am no expert by any means but I've been around this stuff for a few years so I'll offer what I know. If you aren't trying to bulk up, then creatine isn't necessary but it does lead to fast recovery so go for a monohydrate if you decide to do so, krealkyln has a very good reputation. If you want more protein intake, then you can supplement it with chnging your diet or taking a whey protein, whichever you prefer. I personally love Mass Max because it tastes great and is relatively inexpensive as powders go and is often buy 1 get1 or 50 percent off at GNC. If you aren't doing heavy lifting, then you hnestly don't have to buy the higher end stuff that you see at GNC that costs like 60 dollars for a minitub because it is very refined and is premium stuff but really isn't much different than what would cost you half the price. And don't listen to the people who say protein shakes can be detrimental to your health. It is just like eating a steak with added calories, synthetic proteins, and amino acids. If you want even more calories with your shake, then put it in milk instead of water and if you are really trying to increase your intake, as penaut butter/ frozen yougurt. Also, something a lot of things people seem to neglect is how the shake tastes. If the stuff makes you gag, you are not going to be as dilligent at drinking it and are wasting you money. So, avoid buying the body fortress crap they have at Wal Mart for 15 bucks because it is dreadful really. I do not understand this product really. Spend a few more dollars and get something tolerable. Good luck.

[2minutemile]

savelolita, How about just buying your protein online. It's the best decision you can make. You can buy 5 lbs (80 servings) for 30 bucks for a few brands and some of them taste really good.

My favorite is chocolate peanut butter cup from All the Whey. Sold at Nutraplanet.com. Buying crap at GNC or a retail store is a waste of money. You'll be buying 2lb of like 25 servings for 20 bucks. And it probably tastes like ass.

http://www.nutraplanet.com/product/all-the-whey/whey-protein-blend-5-lb.html

Hinklo, actually, a lot of sources dispute that. Bodybuilders take 1.5X their body weight of protein everyday. For the normal athlete, a lot of sources say to take around 1g per pound of body weight or maybe a little less depending on what kind of athlete you are. There's a calculator at the bottom of this page (obviously I know this isn't the only viewpoint on protein consumption).

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/totalprotein.htm

[IllinoisPhotographer]

This summer, I started to take protein supplements. I'm finishing off strawberry soy protein, and will order some whey protein soon.

I've been lifting pretty hard 2x per week, and noticed that I am less sore the next day after drinking a protein shake than when I don't.

One of my problems is that I try to stay away from red meat (cow) as much as possible, relying on chicken, turkey and fish for my meat income.

A can of Tuna has about 17g of protein.


Does expired whey protein have less of an effect? Its a lot cheaper.

[BexRunner]

Well... yeah lol. Supplements are to.. supplement your diet. You should be getting most of your protein through food but sometimes life is busy and food is expensive, so protein powders definitely help.

If you can't afford eggs, tuna, peanut butter, or milk, I'm sorry. $40 for a tub of protein powder is expensive to me. I'd rather use that money for a week's worth of groceries.

[shortiecake17]

whey protien.
nothing that has creatine, its bad for your body.

[2minutemile]

If you can't afford eggs, tuna, peanut butter, or milk, I'm sorry. $40 for a tub of protein powder is expensive to me. I'd rather use that money for a week's worth of groceries.

and that 40 dollars for protein powder should last you 2-3 months.... yeah great argument.

[BexRunner]

The point was invest in something that you actually know will be significantly beneficial. You can only take in so much protein a day and most of you guys probably go way beyond that thinking that the more you take in, the faster you recover. Do some research beyond anecdotes on a message board and a website trying to sell you a product. All of it, no matter how many anecdotes, means nothing. You guys all get so excited and giddy over ordering this stuff thinking it's going to give you a significant advantage over something as simple as Ensure/chocolate milk. It's ok, I used to do it too.

[Swoosh13]

The point was invest in something that you actually know will be significantly beneficial. You can only take in so much protein a day and most of you guys probably go way beyond that thinking that the more you take in, the faster you recover. Do some research beyond anecdotes on a message board and a website trying to sell you a product. All of it, no matter how many anecdotes, means nothing. You guys all get so excited and giddy over ordering this stuff thinking it's going to give you a significant advantage over something as simple as Ensure/chocolate milk. It's ok, I used to do it too.

It's reccomened for muscle gain that you take in your weight in grams of protein every day which I'm sure almost no one here hits, and is quite difficult to do without protein supplements. Not saying that is necessary for recovery, but your theory of the limit of protein you can take in in a day is wrong. Do some research yourself.