I'm back. I was planning to write entries daily after school ended, but I took some well deserved time off to "clean the saw." I figured that I've been so busy with school and everything else, that I needed some time to really relax. I believe one can't push him or herself hard mentally, physically, and even spiritually, for too long or you will burn yourself out--it's always good to recharge your batteries.
I bought a new surf board and have been hitting the beach early mornings to surf. I got up early this morning and was in the water by about 5:30am. I've been teaching regularly, but I haven't been training hard. I've decided to take things easy until the middle of June. I will be out of town the first and second week of June, so I don't want to get into a good training rhythm than have to break it. Also, I will be working with a new company starting next week and it will probably take a week or two to get ramped up and normalize my schedule. Other than that, I've still been working on one of my own business projects, and I've been reading a lot. I've gone through 3 good books (only read non-fiction) in the past few days. I was planning to buy more books tonight, but decided to write this blog entry instead. . .
I received an email yesterday from a reader who was asking questions about using the right kind of protein and supplementing with carbs such as dextrose. One area where I think a lot of our Pinoy brothers lack knowledge of is in proper nutrition/supplementation - particularly for people who train a lot. So, I thought it would be a good topic to write about. Now, I'm not a nutritionist, but I have studied nutrition for years, tried many different programs and supplements, and have made myself a guinea pig to a lot of "training experiments." Here's my take on using the right kinds of protein and carbohydrates (again, I'm not a nutritionist, but believe someone who is certified in the field could and would confirm much of what I'm going to write).
Protein
I don't plan to discuss every single kind of protein and/or amino acid in existence. First, there are so many different kinds that it would take forever to right about them all. Second, I'm sure you guys can find the information easily in a bookstore or on the Internet. What I do what to share are some insights as to what kind of protein to use, depending on the time of the day or your goals.
Here are some tips you can use to assess what kind of protein in right for you:
- Pre-workout
- Whey or a blended protein supplement
- Do not overload on the protein because you do not want to feel bloated before a training session
- Avoid protein with a lot of fat
- Post-workout
- Primarily whey, but a blended protein formula will work well, too
- Take it within 30 minutes from the end of your training session
- Avoid protien with a lot of fat
- Increase body weight
- I wish I had the problem of needing to increase weight! Anyway, use a lot of casein protein instead of whey because casein tends not to decrease hunger the way whey protein does
- Meal Replacements
- Mixed protein blends with whey and casein, or milk protein and carbs
- Avoid casein protein because they are low in calories and do not provide a lot of energy and won't satisfy your hunger
- Late at Night
- Any kind of "slow release" protein like milk protein
- Fat and fiber will help slow down the digestion of the protein as well
- Dieting
- Whey protein because it tends to decrease hunger more than the other kinds of protein
- Use fiber to also help slow digestion and decrease hunger
- Strength/Power
- A mixed protein blend with whey and casein is best
- Keep eating! Strength and power increase more effectively when you provided your body with the energy/food it needs
- When I go through these phases, I eat anywhere from 6-8x a day.
Just like proteins, you should understand the different kinds of carbs out there and how and/or when to take which kinds and when. Know more about the types of carbs can help you make better choices.
- Simple carbs: They're commonly known as sugars and without getting detailed, they have a more pronounced effect on your insulin levels, making them better before (right before) and after workouts when the body seeks to build and repair muscle.
- Dextrose is a type of simple carb that can be found in any Mercury drug in the Philippines. It's "quick" energy, but not "quality/long term" energy. You can use it pre-workout but take only a little because you will crash hard and fast if you use too much. It's best taken with protein after training or a workout.
- Sucrose is the another common simple carb. It's regular table sugar. If you have to choose between dextrose and sucrose, I would go with dextrose.
- Complex carbs: Complex carbs provide an advantage over simple carbs because they deliver energy with a less dramatic insulin response (less likely to crash), making them good choices as meal replacements an hour or so before training.
- Maltodextrin is probably one of the most popular. You can buy it alone, but it's normally included in good protein powders or meal replacement drinks. It's a good source of energy without having to take in sugar.
- Oat bran (or similar) are good complex carbs from oats that provide a longer lasting form of energy, making them good for pre-workout meals/shakes.
- Fiber is another carbohydrate that is nondigestible. It's great to use when you are trying to slow down digestion. It can make you feel "fuller" so you won't eat as much, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment