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Whilst training for several marathons & half Iron tri's I hav been using MyProtein recharge stuff which seemed to work well. During the last couple of months of cake & chips loading season, I've been trying to get my protein from natural / normal diet as that kinda appeals to me.
Unfortunately this does not seem to be working for me; after a fairly light week (2 x 1.5 turbo sessions, 2x tempo runs and a half mara) my legs are shot - I've got plenty fuel in the tank but legs are not recovering fast enough.
Before I go any buy the same as last season, are there any other protein powders / shakes worth looking at? Would straight up Whey Protein do the job? I want to be able to drink it mixed with water if that makes a difference.
Don't really think it matters tbh. Just have some carbs after exercise, protein you should get enough from your normal diet.
Straight whey protein won't help in the same way. To recover from training like that, you need plenty of carbs as well. Best would be some of the recovery powders, like TORQ Recovery, which will have the right carb/protein mix.
Yeh, if your legs are shot then you're probably just not eating enough, or you're eating too many cakes and chips and not enough decent food.
My wife (a dietitian) says don't waste your money on protein supplements. The body can only metabolise so much and you just wee it out.
Instead eat real food or drink a pint of milk immediately after exercise.
And eat normally the rest of the time.
I've used High5 4:1 in the past and found it made a real difference to the pain I felt in my legs post ride and how fresh/willing they felt when I'd get back out a few days later.
I kind of sickened myself on it by rather stupidly putting it in a mouldy camelbak and suffering a grueling 3 hours of stomach cramps and gut pain out on the hills.
What Madbill said. Chocolate milk was studied a while back.
Also have you or do you consider massage. Roller or stick does wonders for my recovery if I've got two races on a weekend. Far more beneficial that protein products for me.
Bill, I tried the natural / no additional shakes but that never worked for me. During the racing season I was doing 2 hard Sessions a day l whilst taking supliments and was fine.
Whereas just now, trying normal food route I'm barely recovering during a light week (2 x 1.5hr turbo sessions, 2x tempo runs and a half mara).
Other people's experience may vary
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Bill, I tried the natural / no additional shakes but that never worked for me. During the racing season I was doing 2 hard Sessions a day l whilst taking supliments and was fine.Whereas just now, trying normal food route I'm barely recovering during a light week (2 x 1.5hr turbo sessions, 2x tempo runs and a half mara).
You're probably not as fit as you were when racing
Maybe you're not getting enough rest?
FWIW, I usually rely on SIS REGO for speeding up recovery after hard training.
Every now and again it's on offer and comes down to a reasonable price.
http://www.scienceinsport.com/sis-products/sis-rego-range/sis-rego-rapid-recovery/
There is a limit of what you can absorb, but this is taken into account with the does measurement advice.
They do bars as well as powder for a shake as well. The peanut ones are lush!
My wife (a dietitian) says don't waste your money on protein supplements. The body can only metabolise so much and you just wee it out.
Amino acids are absorbed at the rate of 1.3 grams to 10 grams an hour, according to a report in the “International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism” in April 2006. A large percentage is absorbed because partially digested food is in the small intestine for hours. In addition to your overall health, several factors influence the absorption rate. Protein drinks are absorbed more rapidly than protein consumed with fiber-containing foods because fiber slows down nutrient absorption. Protein hydrolysates, which are proteins broken into smaller pieces of amino acids, are absorbed more quickly than whole proteins. Whey protein is absorbed at a fast pace, while casein is digested at a moderate rate.
Your muscles won't use more than 30 grams of protein consumed at one meal, according to the researcher's report in the September 2009 issue of the “Journal of the American Dietetic Association.” Another study published in the “American Journal of Physiology” in April 2012 concluded that 35 grams of whey protein at one meal resulted in greater protein absorption and muscle protein synthesis than portions of 10 grams or 20 grams.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/487366-how-many-grams-of-protein-can-body-absorb-in-one-sitting/
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It's probably the ingredients other than protein in recharge that's having the most effect on recovery. Carbs straight after training will help recovery because they restore the depleted glycogen levels in your muscles. I use supplements myself but they are just that, supplements and shouldn't be expected to replace real food. If you find recharge works for you though stick with it.