Protein Powders/Bars/Etc. (Reviews and are they right for me?)

[Earthly Delight]

Hey, so I met with a trainer and he was like 50g protein/day is not enough for a training athelete. And while I know that there's this big "protein myth" going around and all that--most people I know who are really into working out regularily or are very athletic are protein-fiends... and it WORKS for them. The easiest way for me to up my protein was to obviously sacrifice some carbs for an extra serving or two of beans or tofu. This got me up to 60g-ish, and then I discovered protein powders.. definately very interested!

I recently tried Vega Natural flavor--I LOVED it. I mixed it into my vitasoy light origional and it was like a matcha-vanilla milkshake. So wonderfully tasty, and I love the high protein content and the fact its stuffed full of lots of nutrients.

I want to try Pure Advantage Pea Protein--mostly because its more 'pure protein'--is this faulty logic on my part? Should I be making sure I get an increased amount of nutrients as well as protein? I work out daily and burn anywhere from 300 to 1000 calories a day in the gym. (I have no idea how much strength training burns, so I can only go off of the cardio I do.)

Any input is appreciated!

[halo_zero]

This (http://www.trueprotein.com/Product_Details.aspx?cid=22&pid=6816) and this. (http://www.trueprotein.com/product_details.aspx?cid=22&pid=6785) Nutiva hemp protein powder is usually available in most health food stores and it's a good source as well. Vega's a great product too. I make a smoothie with my protein powder. Frozen fruit + spinach/kale/chard + protein powder + rice milk = delicious "milk" shake. This is a meal in itself and I don't feel like I'm missing out on nutrition with that meal just by mixing protein powder and soy/rice milk.

150-160g of protein a day is achievable using protein powder, nuts, legumes and soy every day. I stay away from Soy Protein Isolate for various reasons. I'm not worried about the supposed estrogen content, soy has phytoestrogen, very different than animal derived estrogen. I am worried about the anti-nutrients in highly concentrated soy though. I eat tofu and tempeh a lot.

One thing to consider is that fibrous carbs don't really count toward your daily calorie intake, which leaves room for eating more protein. Fiber is included on the total calorie count on nutritional labels, usually found under carbohydrates. Due to poor digestion and absorption however, it does not contribute the same amount of energy as other carb calories. (I feel I should cite that I got this information from Fat Loss Revealed's forums) On a lower fiber diet this isn't as true (omnivorous diet) but most of the foods we eat have high fiber content, so it opens up a "loophole" for more protein calories.

Let me know if you want more information! I feel like I've been drowning people in walls of text lately :)

[Earthly Delight]

halo; if you read any of my posts elsewhere you'll see I love writing 5 page essay responses--so trust me I appreciate this info!

If you've got the time to write it out, I've got more than enough time and interest to read it!

I'm not aiming for 150-160g. I'm not planning on building up my body--so I'm using the 1.6g/kg as a target (I weigh 58 to 59kg)--I really just want more lean muscle and less body fat. (Atm I'm like.. 26% fat.. ew..) Is it still optimal for me to up my protein if thats what I'm doing? I would believe so since its still building a lot of muscle, I just need to do it in such a way that fat is burned while I do it right? (Ie a higher cardio:strengh training ratio..?)

This is all me guessing--I told my trainer I don't want to meet with her until I've gotten back into a decently fit state (plus I'm leaving town for two weeks soon..). This also is slowing down my strength training as I refuse to use machines until I'm taught how to, properly.. I know some machines are just sprains waiting to happen, and most wont give you proper results unless you use them right...

[halo_zero]

Well, the 150-160 range was just to illustrate that it's certainly not hard to up your protein intake! Sorry I'm not super keen on the metric system but you might be surprised at your results if you shoot for somewhere around 90 grams a day. You do indeed want to keep your LBM while burning down the fat. Something to keep in mind is that each pound of muscle on your body burns 50 calories each day just to sustain itself. Protein is also the most difficult macronutrient to digest which lends itself to several benefits. You feel fuller longer, and your body uses more energy to digest it, metabolize it, and store it than any other macronutrient. (Fats, carbs, proteins)

Here's an example food log I kept one day:

Meal 1: Scottish Oatmeal with strawberries 280 Cals 10g Protein
Meal 2: Pre/Post workout nutrition (Basically protein powder, gatorade powder, and water) 300 Cals 36g Protein Banana 100 Cals 1g Protein
Meal 3: Minestrone soup 100 cals 5g Protein
Meal 4: Fuji Apple with Flaxseed and natural peanut butter 335 Cals 8g Protein
Meal 5: Kung Pao Tofu with brown rice 500 Cals 28g Protein
Meal 6: Smoothie 350 Cals 32g Protein

2145 Cals, 120g Protein.

Eating 5-6 small meals a day kick starts your metabolism which is more than half the battle. Oatmeal with agave in the morning, in my opinion, is the best meal to start your day with. Oatmeal for breakfast was found to reduce sugar cravings throughout the rest of the day by over 50% (I really do need to find this study again for the proper figure.) Another often overlooked and not followed piece of advice is to drink water. I try to drink at least 2 liters a day. I don't know your height but I would guess probably 1.5 liters would be a good guesstimate for you. Protein and water is essentially what we're made of after all. Dietary protein doesn't just contribute to your skeletal muscle either, other sites it's deposited in are DNA, RNA, neurotransmitters, enzymes, and antibodies.

I'm guessing that for you just supplementing protein powder once to twice a day will be plenty depending on what your other meals are like. I usually eat some tofu or tempeh with brown rice once a day. Nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts are a must and they're a good source of healthy fats and protein as well.

As far as exercise goes it's smart for you to be cautious. However, most of the things you will encounter in the gym are pretty easy. Being as I am not female I wouldn't even know where to begin with suggesting a workout routine, though I know that what works for men usually works for women and vice versa. I would definitely recommend two things however. The first is using free weights. The benefits of free weights over cable machines are vast and staggering. Your body has to balance them rather than allow itself to be guided by a machine. The second is to look into yoga. I personally believe it is one of the most important things a person can do for themselves mentally and physically. I love it.

I'll probably post more later, especially if you have questions, but everything I've posted are just my opinions from trial and error and things that have worked for me! (And I always plug Body Building Revealed/Fat Loss Revealed by Will Brink as they're where I learned a lot of my info.)

[Earthly Delight]

90g is exactly what I was shooting for! ^__^ Actually more like 80ish just because...

I love water and drink about 3L a day. (2L is recommended normally and I figure I must swea out a ton of that while working out.. PLUS I used to teeter on prediabetic so I drank 4 or even 5L on a given day because of my extreme thirst..)

I also love oatmeal. :) They found those who eat oatmeal are less likely to snack during the day... I tend to eat it as second breakfast (first breakfast is just a piece of fruit to quench my hunger pangs when I first wake up.)

I'd probably only use the protein powder once a day--I eat a lot of beans, tofu and nuts as it is and it really would only take a spoonful or so of the powder to kick me up to 80g/dayish.

Hm.. yoga.. I used to do yoga on and off--did some bickram, hatha.. this gym has free yoga lessons.. I was going to join because the trainer who assessed me was in awe with my flexibility and was stuttering when he found out I didnt practice or do yoga--he said with some practice I could be phenomenal. Don't know what a phenomenal stretcher is like, but it made me happy enough. ;)

Free weights eh? I REALLY would have to ask my trainer for advice on that, if not I'd likely just sprain something, but I'll make sure to ask her when I meet with her!

Hmm today there's a power pump class at the gym (free weights) as well as hatha yoga.. hmmm which should I do? (Not enough time for both AND cardio, not today--exams on thursday! PS the question is pretty rhetorical)

Thanks so much for your advice! :)

[Dirty Martini]

Being as I am not female I wouldn't even know where to begin with suggesting a workout routine, though I know that what works for men usually works for women and vice versa.

I'm currently doing "New Rules of Lifting for Women" which is a 6-month program geared to teach you how to lift free weights and lift heavy. It has you doing barbell squats, barbell deadlifts, dumbbell bench presses, bulgarian split squats, dumbbell snatches, and a ton of other things. The book has a section on "new rules" (basically, to get fit, you need to lift heavy weight, understand when high vs. low reps help you achieve your goals, and emphasise compound movement), a section on nutrition, and a section on the workouts. I highly recommend it to any woman serious about getting fit but not knowing where to start with free weights.

Prior to NROL4W, the authors wrote New Rules of Lifting which was initially geared toward men, but I know of several women online who are doing the regular program instead of the one for women.


(And I always plug Body Building Revealed/Fat Loss Revealed by Will Brink as they're where I learned a lot of my info.)I'll have to look into him. I've learned most of my info (which is the same as the stuff you're saying) from Lou Schuler & Alwyn Cosgrove, and a lot of nutritional info from Adam Campbell, Jeff Volek, and John Berardi. Almost all those guys have blogs & I'd recommend reading any of their stuff. Berardi's website is fantastic - definitely check it out.

back to the topic, I also really like trueprotein.com. We get all our protein (microfiltered whey protein isolate) from that website and their premium flavors are incredible. I love the premium Dutch Chocolate - it's like drinking a chocolate shake. We've had vanilla, orange creamsicle, strawberries & cream, and chocolate. Choc's my favorite. :) I like trueprotein because you can create your own formula according to what you want - 100% protein, 60% protein, 10% fat, 30% carbs, etc. You can add vitamins too. It's pretty cool.

For vegans, I know someone who's tried the hemp, pea, soy, and buckwheat proteins and likes buckwheat the best. (this is the one she got: http://www.endurancezone.com/?i=products&prodID=767)

If you do drink your protein shake on a workout day, try to do it right after your workout to assist your body with muscle reparation. And, I'd stick to shakes instead of bars for sure. Bars have a bunch of other junk in them that you don't need if you're just looking for a protein supplement.

How fun! I have absolutely LOVED getting into lifting weights and have been amazed at what I can do. I've never seen myself as a strong person before (big, but not strong) and I've surprised myself at what I can lift and how I can transform my body. It's been fun - hope you find it to be the same. :)

[Dirty Martini]

Hmm today there's a power pump class at the gym (free weights) as well as hatha yoga.. hmmm which should I do? (Not enough time for both AND cardio, not today--exams on thursday! PS the question is pretty rhetorical)

PowerPump may use dumbbells, but they also use high reps with pretty light weights and they don't spend any time helping you get form correct. So it's actually a cardio class, not a weights class believe it or not.

I'd do yoga if I were you, and then start looking at some kind of program that incorporates a lot of compound exercises, like:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/sclark55.htm

Youtube is a GREAT resource for exercises as well. I highly recommend all the Squat Rx videos (there are about 20 of them). But I also highly recommend the NROL4W program I mentioned earlier. :D

[evelinadatta]

Hey, so I met with a trainer and he was like 50g protein/day is not enough for a training athelete.

Hey, can I ask you, are you really a training athelete? I am just cautioning because this word gets thrown around a lot and some PTs love to call their clients that to boost their self-esteem, but it is not accurate. A training athlete is someone who really does sports competitively and trains several hours each day, e.g. a competitive gymnast. For example, I do consider myself to be a very active person and try to exercise at least an hour a day, and on some weekdays even for a few hours each day, but I am definitely not an athelete... Again, I don't know what your situation is so this caution might not apply to you at all.

ETA: Just to clarify, I am not picking on the word usage here just to be picky, but it does change your nutrition requirements whether you are training for 4-5 hours each day or just going to the gym a lot...

[Earthly Delight]

no totally, I get what you're asking evelindatta! (I'd ask the same)

at the moment because I'm busy I'm in the gym 1-2 hours a day. I will usually do something like this:

1 hr cardio

15 min "fat burn"/cool down

20 min crunches, dips, pull-ups. Once I meet with my actual personal trainer (the guy who told me 50g not enough was the head trainer at the gym who assesses, gives some general advice, and matches you up with a personal trainer) it will be after my exams so I'll dedicate 1hour a day with weights, in place of the 20 min crunches etc.

I do hope to run a marathon, and maaaybe do a triathalon.

But yeah--actually thats what I said to him almost exactly "I'm not a training athelete." "Well, athletic people" "Honey, I'm sessile." (I was until I started working out again--I tend to get very fit in the summer and very blobby in the winter.)

Anyway, thats one of the reasons why even though he recommended 95g of protein minimum I'm still only really shooting for 80g.


dirty martini: thanks for all the advice! I think I'm going to work with a trainer only because I really really don't want to screw up my body and I feel like if I used a book I would misinterpret something.. or something.. I'm just scared.. Until a few years ago I was 100% sessile. I got into competitive swimming, and then biking, and then running, but it was a long slow process and I never ever considered myself athletically capable until recently.. and even then.. "athletically CAPABLE" not "athelete" :P

[Dirty Martini]

Well, my advice if you're using a trainer is to make sure they're certified. CSCS, ACE, NFPT... Many gyms will "certify" their trainers, which means nothing other than that they've completed the company's training course. You want to make sure you're spending your money on training that is going to be productive. I've had a "certified trainer" recommend the weight circuit to me to help build core strength, which is possibly the most ineffective way to do so (though I didn't know it at the time).

Your trainer should be able to show you how to use free weights & develop a program for you. If they insist on putting you on the machines, you need to get a different trainer. :)

[Dirty Martini]

Since you're looking to develop athletic ability, here are some things to think about when your trainer is working with you:
http://www.alwyncosgrove.com/Athletic-Conditioning.html

Also, here's an excerpt from the book I recommended:
http://www.musclewithattitude.com/portal_includes/articles/figure2008/08-FIG001-training.html
(more relevant to the 1 hour of cardio you're doing)

[Earthly Delight]

awesome article. thanks!

edit: oh, and I went to get some protein powder today--the vegas only came in 1kg packages for 60 bucks (wasn't ready for that sort of commitment) and the pro advantage wasn't available at all (I tried the two health stores nearest to me--there's a third that sort of specializes a bit more in suppliments and powders, but not only is it more expensive--I just didn't feel like it once I found what I ended up getting). What I ended up getting was this:

http://www.interactivenutrition.com/products/completevegetarian.php except mine is a newer version "Now with hemp protein!"

I made a smoothie with 1/2 a serving and some plain almond milk--it mixed really well, and was pretty tasteless, it just thickened the drink. I added some stevia and blueberries and yum, it was really good! Next time no almond milk--it was almost too thick in the end. It was about 10 dollars for 400g. :D I'm happy with my purchase. ^__^