So many proteins, so little experience

[caitlinerinm]

And by little experience, I mean none.

But I'm doing Crossfit and I'm on the Paleo Diet right now, and I need to know what protein (and maybe a pre-workout) that I should be looking into. A little direction would be wonderful. Thanks

[bigm141414]

I'd start with the following two links. Plenty of detail and recommendations

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/07/01/protein-shakes-for-newbies-what-to-buy-when-to-drink/

http://www.nerdfitness.com/community/showthread.php?8673-Protein-Powders

Edit: Personally, I use Dymatize Iso-100. Tasty, and has no added sugars like some protein powders out there.

[ETFnerd]

[caitlinerinm]

Thanks for being so helpful! Awesome!

[KAllen]

This is what I use. I actually got it at GNC on a super sale flyer they had.

http://www.vitacost.com/optimum-nutrition-gold-standard-whey-vanilla-ice-cream

[caitlinerinm]

I think I'm going to end up using the Herbalife 24 Rebuild Strength, the Restore pills, and their Formula 1 Sport as a snack replacement. My CrossFit trainer recommended it and I've been doing the research. It's expensive as hell though.

[Anivair]

And by little experience, I mean none.

But I'm doing Crossfit and I'm on the Paleo Diet right now, and I need to know what protein (and maybe a pre-workout) that I should be looking into. A little direction would be wonderful. Thanks

Are you looking to build muscle? If so, what you need to know is to eat a lot of it. Precook chicken breasts and have them handy. I'd do them post-workout to build muscle along with a bit of carb (sweet potato) to replenish energy. eat in excess of 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight if you really want to put muscle on. IMO.

Stick to food, avoid liquid calories. That's my angle.

[ETFnerd]

http://www.livestrong.com/article/443337-the-effects-of-protein-overload/

Are you looking to build muscle? If so, what you need to know is to eat a lot of it. Precook chicken breasts and have them handy. I'd do them post-workout to build muscle along with a bit of carb (sweet potato) to replenish energy. eat in excess of 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight if you really want to put muscle on. IMO.

Stick to food, avoid liquid calories. That's my angle.

everything in moderation...

The Effects of Protein Overload

It may seem confusing to read about how protein can harm you, especially in light of the low-carbohydrate diet craze. Protein is essential to your body's function and health. You could not live without it. Still, too much of a good thing can yield harmful results. Protein, in excessive amounts, can threaten your health.

Protein

Your body's cells naturally contain more protein than any other nutrient. Proteins, constructed of peptides and amino acids, contain nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and sulfur. Proteins play a number of roles in your body. They act as catalysts in enzymatic reactions; they transfer and store nutrients; they coordinate nerve impulse and motion and they control growth and immunity. You get protein from meat, poultry, fish, animal products, soy and other plant products in varying amounts.

Those at Risk

You know the stereotypical overconsumer of protein as the bodybuilder. They bulk up their muscles using high-protein supplements and eating large amounts of protein products. Protein can increase muscle mass with the proper exercise. High-protein/low-carb diets also emphasize protein intake because proteins take longer to digest than do carbs. You feel full longer, and you experience fewer of the blood sugar spikes that come with eating carbs.

Protein Overload Effects

Your kidneys suffer the effects of a high-protein diet. According to the "Textbook of Medical Physiology," a high-protein intake increases renal blood flow and the glomerular filtration rate, the speed at which your kidneys filter fluids, by 20 to 30 percent within a couple of hours after consumption. The problem arises when ingested proteins release their amino acids into the bloodstream. The amino acids make their way to the kidney tubules where they get absorbed along with sodium. The excessive amino acids cause the tubule to become more absorbent. However, extra absorbency of the tubules applies to sodium too. Because the tubules also suck up sodium at a higher rate, the sodium never makes it to the the area that signals the kidneys to reduce blood flow and filtration. Instead of turning off, your kidneys work harder.

The Consequences

The excess protein spills into the urine and urinalysis can detect the proteinuria. In a study published in the American Journal of Pathology, the authors found that exposing the body to excessive amounts of protein leads to degenerative changes to the kidneys on a cellular level. The changes cause the kidneys to work longer and harder, but inefficiently. This explains why anyone with kidney disease has to eat limited amounts of protein. In this particular study, the authors reported that the effects were reversible when the intake of protein decreased; however, they did not claim that the condition could resolve in all situations.

[nightlight]

isn't herbalife a pyramid scheme?

i'd look into some of the other options. i've never heard of a crossfit coach pushing herbalife (unless they, themselves are selling it to you, which is a little sketchy.)

Some good, price friendly options:

as bigm said, dyamtize iso-100 -- i like this one.

i like ON whey gold not as much as dyamtize

i use progenex, but it is expensive. $55 for 30 servings.

[Anivair]

http://www.livestrong.com/article/443337-the-effects-of-protein-overload/

everything in moderation... .

You just found my least favorite phrase in all of fitness.

that said, it's really hard to overload on protein eating whole foods. That's why I recommend it. If you're eating protein in the form of liquids and powders, you can get too much of it in you quickly. As long as you'r diet is clean and your kidneys are healthy (she says she's eating paleo) it's not an issue. See the link below for a good analysis:

​http://www.marksdailyapple.com/protein-kidneys/#axzz1x2e1Qs8u

[ETFnerd]

You just found my least favorite phrase in all of fitness.

that said, it's really hard to overload on protein eating whole foods. That's why I recommend it. If you're eating protein in the form of liquids and powders, you can get too much of it in you quickly. As long as you'r diet is clean and your kidneys are healthy (she says she's eating paleo) it's not an issue. See the link below for a good analysis:

​http://www.marksdailyapple.com/protein-kidneys/#axzz1x2e1Qs8u

1. "Let me first say that, while I can tell you my perspective on protein, it’s not a stand-in for your physician’s advice. Individual health history is crucial to determining appropriate protein intake, and your doctor will be able to look at the full picture with you." - Mark

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dietary-protein/#axzz1x2fzmDvi

2. Read carefully and didn't see where he says "it's really hard to overload on protein eating whole foods."

3. I did read: "I, myself, try to get at least 1 gram per pound of body weight per day (165). I can survive on less, but I’m all about maintaining my lean mass. You can only do that with protein, and I don’t believe the current RDA allows for that, especially in active individuals." -Mark

100g of chicken has 30g of protein. I don't see why it's so difficult to overload protein eating food...

[ETFnerd]

another problem i see with mark's article that you linked here:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/protein-kidneys/#axzz1x2e1Qs8u

is that his finding's exclude everyone with hyperpertension... well what % of the us population aged 20 or over has hypertension...? 31.9% or 99.2 million people...

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/hyprtens.htm

also excludes everyone with diabetes... well what % of the us population of all ages has diabetes...? 8.3% or 25.8 million people...

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/#fast

so what mark says only applies to people without these conditions... he acknowledges problems for these populations... the rest he is debating about in contradiction to the AHA and other medical practitioners, whom he acknowledges have a fuller picture of overall health on an individual basis...

my least favorite part of fitness answers is unfounded generalizations...

[ETFnerd]

"So what causes kidney disease, if not too many deck of cards-sized pieces of deadly animal protein in the diet?

The top two conditions responsible for chronic kidney disease (CKD) are, respectively, diabetes (45% of CKD cases) and hypertension, or high blood pressure. ”Even” the Wikipedia entry on renal failure fails to mention “excess protein in the diet” as a cause (even potentially) of CKD. If you have CKD, chances are fairly high that you’re either diabetic, hypertensive, or both."

In the same article, i found it interesting that he cites as a reason that “excess protein in the diet” isn't even a potential cause of CKD is that the wikipedia page doesn't mention it... according to that logic, if wikipedia doesn't mention it, it must not be true... that seems like a sound scientific basis for a conclusion...