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Whey protein
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Hi ladies,

I know this has been discussed before, I've read a few old threads from the main forum... so Im sorry of I'm opening a can of worms! But I was just curious to see how many of you supplement protein intake with whey protein powder--and if anyone had any big opinions for/against?

Im a grad student, train about 10 hrs/week and am training for my second marathon in January. I run about 35-40 miles/week, swim 10k, and squeeze in a spin class or two if I have time.

I really don't have time to cook a lot, so my diet is mostly oatmeal, a lot of fruit, nf yogurt, carrots, celery, plus chicken and veggies (when I have time!).... and the usual weekend I-give-Up meal out. Ive noticed some fatigue in my workouts recently, especially in the pool. I thought the extra protein plus amino acids might help... or is it just expensive kool aid??

A friend of mine is a body builder and suggested looking into it (not that I'm trying to be a body builder!). I'm also curious about different brands and the difference between fewer or more carbs.

Thanks for your opinions/suggestions!

Jen
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Re: Whey protein [JNelly7] [ In reply to ]
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I try to remember to use Hammer whey protein following my workouts at the advice of my sports acupuncturist. Can I tell if anything has changed? No, it is too soon to tell since I haven't been doing this all that long. I figure it can't hurt.
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Re: Whey protein [JNelly7] [ In reply to ]
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Most of the whey (or soy for that matter) proteins I have looked at that have carbs, the carbs is just a sugary flavoring (strawberry, chocolate, vanilla). you can get good plain whey protein at Trader Joe's.

Can't help you with the rest of the question.
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Re: Whey protein [JNelly7] [ In reply to ]
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All the foods you listed are little to no fat. Add some dietary fat and it will help combat some of the fatigue.

More protein wouldn't hurt; eggs are cheaper than fancy whey proteins and a good source of the nutrient. Hard boil + take anywhere

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Whey protein [JNelly7] [ In reply to ]
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Lot's of time to kill tonight and checking out some of the other forums. Hopefully I can offer you some advice.

Tough to tell you exactly how much protein/carbs/fats you should be eating without knowing your bodyweight and a little more about your diet (i.e. how many times do you eat during the day, how much water, amount of calories, etc.). If you are trying to gain weight/drop bodyfat/etc. Also - when do you train? Mornings? Evenings? Some smart people out in the field like Bob Seebohar recommend periodizing your diet similar to training to meet changing requirements. He is also researching the concept of managing diet and training to determine fat metabolism for athletes - if I spelled his name correctly his book(s) should be on Amazon.

My personal feeling is that most people eat far too many carbs, too little unsaturated fat and many active people/athletes have a tendency to over do it on protein supplements. Short of seeing a sports nutritionist - which I recommend - here are some thoughts to get you going.

Sunday nights or one of your easy nights during week set aside an hour in the kitchen. Hard boil a dozen eggs, peel and store in refrigerator (I stay away from the omega-3 eggs - for some reason they don't peel as well). Buy a few packages of the 3-4 chicken breasts and store some in the freezer. Grab a package of four and put some in different zip-loc bags with marinade. I usually let them sit overnight but 30 minutes will do. Cook them on the grill, in the oven or on a George Foreman style grill. I'll take the chicken breasts and put them in tupperware or the cheap Glad type containers along with a handfull size portion of frozen/fresh green beans/peas/carrots/sweet potatoes/whatever you like. Bada-boom-bada-bing you now have 2-4 days worth of lunch and/or dinners ready to go. Just throw in the microwave for 1:45 and you're all set.

Try to eat your meals throughout the day. Exact number will depend on your schedule and training but I go with 5. Watch the oatmeal. If it is steel cut natural oats it can be a good source of carbohydrates. Too much through the day and it may be stored as fat and fill you up at the expense of more nutritious food. I am not a big fan of yogurt. Check out the carbs from sugar on the label - it's right up there with drinking a can of regular coke. I like fruit but think some athletes consume too much with the intent of loosing bodyfat or avoiding other foods. Unfortunately most fruit does not satiate and still leaves you craving more food.

Here's a quick chop. Without knowing your training load or bodyweight I'll refrain from quantities. Tell me what you think.

Breakfast: Steel cut oatmeal with fresh blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries, hard boiled egg(s), 1 L water

AM Snack: Plain greek yogurt with fresh berries and handfull of almonds - or - sliced apple with natural peanut or almond butter, organic/natural green tea, 1 L water

Lunch: Chicken breast/fresh fish/lean meat, fresh vegetables/sweet potato and 1/4 avacado

PM Snack: Sliced deli meat with handful seeds/nuts, organic/natural green tea, 1 L water

Dinner: Chicken breast/fresh fish/lean meat, fresh vegetables/sweet potato and 1/4 avacado, 1 L water

For variety you can throw in zero calorie drink mix to the water for added flavor.

Remember - this is just a rough estimate but what it should do is help you get your carbs from vegetables and complex sources, good dietary fats from the avacado, nuts, almond/peanut butter and protein from the eggs, greek yogurt, chicken, fish, meat sources. As your training intensity and volume increases we can tweak the carbs, fats, and proteins to meet your requirements.

Again - recommend checking in with a reputable sports nutritionist. Pay attention to your weight and energy levels - once you get past the first week of getting used to eating clean and more balanced you should start retaining less water, drop bodyfat and have more consistent energy levels throughout the day.

If you still need protein supplementation I like Iso-Pure powder and PureProtein ready-to-drink (RTD) fruit punch. Both have almost zero sugar and zero carbs. I tried Hammer's protein but Isopure and PureProtein have far fewer carbs and have more protein per serving.

Hope this helps and good luck with your marathon and training.
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Re: Whey protein [rockit] [ In reply to ]
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Awesome, thanks for your replies! I really appreciate the advice, Ive been training for 2-3 years and nutrition/diet has been my biggest struggle.

My weight varies-- I'm just over 5'7" and I weigh 137-8ish right now. Ive been as low as 130, but Id like to be around 134-35 because I think that would be sustainable. I have a good amount of muscle, but I'm carrying 3-4 lbs of fat that I'd like to lose. I have no idea how many calories I eat each day-- I try to eat pretty well during the week (now that I'm thinking about it, probably too little) and then after my saturday long run + sunday rest day its a little rough. (cereal, cheese, crackers, crap in general).

I commute to school during the week (which takes two hours each way), and I'm usually gone all day (7:30am-after 1am). typically Ill make quick oats oatmeal, toss in a banana and apple butter (or peanut butter) for breakfast, and have ready to take with me to school: couple small apples, orange, bag of carrots, yogurt, celery, and a turkey burger w/ some veggies (although when I dont have time to cook, I hit the salad bar at the grocery store, which I hate doing). Since I'm on the go all day, I just eat something every couple of hours. I usually drink one or two water bottles during the day, and one during a work out.

I'm a creature of habit, so this has been my pattern for the last couple of years. I like the idea of hard boiled eggs, just curious how many and if its good to eat the middle? I'd like to plan a better balance during the week--I'm pretty exhausted by the weekend, which is when I reach for the junk.

I agree TC about not getting enough healthy fat. besides maybe tossing a few almonds into oatmeal or something, any other good suggestions? Ive never liked avacado, but Im willing to give them another try. I haven't eaten a potato since last thanksgiving, probably-- never thought about sweet potatoes. Do you bake a few at once and then keep them in the fridge? Someone I know also suggested flax oil... does that help? Unless I go out, I never eat seafood because Im not sure how to cook it... although Ive gotten pretty good at tossing chicken into the oven for a half hour or so. :)

I usually train after my last class, 6-8pm, with the exception of saturday long runs and tues. I usually will run twice for some extra volume.

I will definitely check out Bob Seebohar.

Thanks again for the suggestions!
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Re: Whey protein [JNelly7] [ In reply to ]
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Wow - two hours each way? Let me throw in a couple of caveats. Sounds like diet is based on forraging :-D I might recommend prepping more meals and packing one of those insulated fabric coolers/totes with you when you go. I give you credit for not fast food and eating out while you are away from home. Think the key here is a easy/simple/ routine. I might recommend making more meals each week so you can go the whole week. Fresh vegetables might be a little tough beyond three days. I have had success putting frozen vegetables in with my meals when they go in the freezer. Just remember to cook them separately if your meat is frozen also since it will take more time.

Don't get wrapped up in your weight numbers. When you have balance between diet, training and energy levels things will fall into place. Might recommend throwing in some almonds, pecans, walnuts, shelled sunflower seeds for your commutes.

To answer your question on the eggs - there was a debate on if the yolks had too much cholesterol and that you should only eat the whites. There is some research out there that says some yolks are good. Personally the consistency is tough for me and I prefer to only eat the whites. Think 2-3 along with a small bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit is an ideal fast breakfast.

For my cooking secrets when the weather cooperates I fire up the gas grill and put on 4-6 chicken breasts and 3-4 sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes wrapped in plastic wrap take about 8 minutes plus in the microwave - probably not great if you are in an office/lab and sharing resources. On the grill I wrap them in foil, put them on the top rack and leave them in for about 30 minutes or until soft. Let them cool and put them in the fridge. When I re-heat the sweet potatoes I throw in some Splenda or stevia along with a dash of cinnamon and some smart balance spread. Fish is a bit of a challenge. If your microwave is in a shared area it is probably bad form to cook fish - at least that's what I've been told after cooking a fabulous salmon fillet/asparagus/sweet potato lunch meal. Chicken/steak/turkey is the way to go.

Funny you mention below that "I try to eat pretty well during the week" - I think most people say that. During the training year I will grab a cheap pocket notebook and write down what I eat during the week and add up the nutrients and calories. There are some good websites out there with calculators and food data.

For cooking I like the grill - I can put everything on it at once. There is some emerging literature about too much grilling may be bad. Oven takes a while but putting chicken breast or fish fillets/steaks on a roasting pan with foil and a light coat of olive oil for 20 minutes is a good way to go. Don't laugh but I love the George Foreman grill. I recently came back from living in South America for a year where eating out takes hours. I brought my George Foreman grill, bought fresh fish and chicken at the market and could crank out a meal in less than five minutes - meat on the grill for 3 minutes, veggies wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave for 1:45 and you're done.

Hope that helps and kick it in the ass.

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Re: Whey protein [JNelly7] [ In reply to ]
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My, that's an awful lot of driving. I am a grad student too. I live on campus in a grad dorm. I also have a meal plan on campus so I don't have to worry about cooking. It works :P

Healthy fats: I put walnuts on oatmeal; olive oil can go on bread or salads or veggies or pasta. The eggs you're going to start eating have some healthy fats in them. You don't need a ton of fat. It is something I struggle with too and have to consciously think about adding.

Eggs and cholesterol - don't worry about the cholesterol - runners generally do not need to worry about eating more than the "recommended" amt - unless you/your family has a history of cholesterol problems.

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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Re: Whey protein [rockit] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it! I picked up some sweet potatoes and an avocados at the store, so we'll see how that goes. Yeah, the commuting is a drag... sucks. I'm getting a second masters and couldn't find a job to cover expenses with school hours--so I'm back at home for now. Luckily, I'll only have to go 3x's/week (instead of all 5 days) starting in January.

You brought your foreman to south america... that's pretty hilarious.

TC, haha, dorms--those were the days! But it must be a relief to not worry about cooking everything.

Thanks again.

Jen :)
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Re: Whey protein [JNelly7] [ In reply to ]
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masters in what?

undergrad in kinesiology here (check)
masters of science in teaching mathematics (in progress)

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD
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