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runnergal · Guest

I am a 15 year old female currently running 50-60 MPW buiding my cross country base. I am also lifting weights (high reps, low weight) with a trainer twice a week. The trainer advised me to start drinking some sort of protein drink with my lunch every day (which consists usually of a bagel) because she says I need the extra calories and protein. So, I went to a local health food store and got one called Spiru- Tein. You just mix the powder with skim milk. It comes out to be about 200 calories with 1 gram of fat, 22 grams of protein, and 25 grams of carbs. I am a little hesitant to try it because I didn't really think I need a protein shake, I mean im not like a football player trying to bulk up or something. Has anyone tried Spiru- Tein before? Any comments on it?

Dan · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 9:20 am Post subject:

I've never heard of that particular brand, but that doesn't really mean anything. I've never felt protien shakes were overly necessary for anything beyond body building type activities, but for people who do not eat meat (or enough of it), it may well be a viable option.

Personally, I'd just add as much soy as possible to the diet.

Dan

runnergal · Guest

what are the benefits of soy??

Dan · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 12:15 pm Post subject:

You get pretty much all the benefits of meat (protein), plus lots of vitamins and nutrients, but without the negatives (fat, cholesterol, etc.).

Dan

Distance_Guru · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 12:25 pm Post subject:

With out analysing your entire diet it's pretty hard to say for sure whether you need to be taking a protien drink. But I can tell you that it won't hurt anything. Although most of the protien drinks I tried when I was personal training didn't exactly taste good they never had any negative effects.
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Paul · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 1:40 pm Post subject:

Considering your mileage and the fact that all you have for lunch is a bagel, I feel the need for extra protein could be very real. I would recommend one of the full meal type drinks with about a 2 to 1 carb to protein ratio like Metabolol from Champion Nutrition. These products will usually contain partially digested protein and slow burning carbs for easier digestion and utilization. A protein drink by itself is useless because the carbs are needed for its full utilization. There are many online places to purchase these products up to 40% off and you can watch for sales at GNC, etc. Try NutritionExpress.com. Protein and carb (energy) supplements have come a long way in the last 15 years. Some of the low protein high carb drinks have received a lot of hype recently, although they do have some research behind them. So the use of products like Accelerade for before and during workouts, and EnduroxR4 after workouts would be a benefit.

Dan, I have a soy article that I would like to email you. It is written by 2 PH.D's, women, and is highly critical. It has over 60 footnotes. It is somewhat long at 60kb (27 pages printed out), but is well worth reading. Email me if you would like me to send it.

Paul

Dan · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 1:45 pm Post subject:

Yikes, does it come in an abridged version?

I'm about the most skeptical person you'll find when it comes to scientific research, especially when pertaining to nutrition. It'll show whatever you want to show, and it's next to impossible to determine which researchers are truly neutral in intent. As such, I filter it sort of like figure skating judging -- throw out the high and low score (overly positive or overly negative research findings) and average the rest out...

Dan

Paul · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 2:09 pm Post subject:

Basically, that's what this article does, is shreds most of the research that the entire soy worshipping phalanx depends on.

Paul

Distance_Guru · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 2:47 pm Post subject:

Just thought I'd point out that runnergal's drink actually has about a 53-46 carbs to protein ratio which almost makes it more of a meal replacement than a true protein drink. Although it does depend on whether the carbs are sugars or complex carbohydrates.
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Time is the fire in which we burn

Paul · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 3:05 pm Post subject:

Natures Plus products are usually reliable. I would like to know more about the P.E.R ratio of the plant proteins in the product.

Paul

Distance_Guru · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 3:10 pm Post subject:

P.E.R. ratio?

I personal trained for a while but never got all that into the supplement thing that so many in the industry are big on. What does it matter if protien comes from a plant or an animal. Unless your a vegitairian?
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Time is the fire in which we burn

Paul · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 3:58 pm Post subject:

Protein Efficiency Ratio. The higher the number the more complete the protein is for your body in reference to the essential amino acids. Whey is one of the the highest, collagen is one of the lower ones. Soy is one of the more complete plant proteins. Grains, in general, while containing some protein, lack one or more of the essential amino's, so are considered poor sources of protein.
So a good protein supplement, for instance, might contain a decent amount of predigested whey combined with a long chain glucose polymer, and some added vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Paul

Dan · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 4:00 pm Post subject:

Is whey a dairy product? I think so, but I've never been sure of that...

Dan

Paul · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 4:17 pm Post subject:

It is an isolated product from dairy but doesn't have the lactose intolerance problems associated with it. Another good protein source is sodium or calcium caseinate, which is also derived from milk.

DG: When I had reached my mid 30's, I just couldn't seem to handle all the food I needed to keep my weight and strength up. The powdered supplements that started appearing in the mid 80's were literally light years ahead of what was available just a couple of years before. In my training, it made a big difference. For someone like runnergal, there are a variety of supplements that are engineered to be taken right before and right after a workout, and just before going to bed. They allow a couple of hundred calories that get into your system in 20 minutes without the stomach upset of a meal. That's why I also recommended them for that young lady in another post who's parents were concerned about her weight.

Paul

Distance_Guru · Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2002 6:06 pm Post subject:

I read you Paul. I generally think that you've been giving good advice. One of my hard and fast, never ever break rules is never under any circumstances tell a girl to loose weight. And if your ever in doubt it probably wouldn't hurt to gain a pound or two. Towards this end I think it would probably think that Runnergal or the mother from the other thread would be better to play it safe and go ahead with a meal replacement/protein shake or drink.

The logic behind my rule is simple if they're running for me they're running enough that they can eat as much as they want and won't get to heavy. Besides everything else equal, in a race I'll take a person that is one or two pounds heavier over an under nurished athlete every time.
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