Protein drinks... advice?

[dudi]

I'm just about to start serious training again after a month off. This time I fancy using a protein drink after a session to help improve my muscle strength.

Can anyone reccomend me a brand? should I go for ReGo recovery, which has fructose & carbs in it too? or should I go for a straight choccy flavour protein shake, as used by the body builder boys?

I'll not be going mad with the training as I can't fit a huge amount in to my week, but it will be a 25 mile ride before work Mon, Wed, Fri. 10 miles a day Tue & Thurs. 50 miles on sat or sun and then rest either dat or sun depending on the plans my wife has made for me.

Pretty much all of my riding will be done before lunch. with the exception of a few lunch-time 10 mile blasts if I feel like it.

The question is, ReGo or Whey Protein? (of course I'll be using energy drinks while cycling as always)
what would you do?

 

[Fab Foodie]

Go for Chocolate Milk, or Nesquick + milk.
Unless you're planning to operate at Olympic Standard levels of training anything else is really a waste of money.

 

[dudi]

so just drink a pint of chocolatty milk after a ride? really? coooool! saves me a few quids...

 

[gemma83]

It has to be Hi5, but only in the chocolate flavour, its good for recovery and within a week you notice a difference

 

[gratts]

Eat a nice juicy cut of meat.

 

[Radius]

There's that nice Mars Refuel stuff that is endorsed by Olympic Triathlon hopefuls (haha). Tastes nice though, and you can get a large carton in Sainsbury's

 

[dudi]

Eat a nice juicy cut of meat.

I wish... the wife is more or less vegetarian, which makes me more or less vegetarian too...

 

[HeartAttack]

Go to www.myprotein.co.uk, but it in bulk without all the fancy bottles and labels. Last order I made I got over 10kg for £50. As for only olympians needing protein is total crap, protein taken within 20 mins of exercise will help aid muscle repair and recovery, a slow release mix taken at night just before bed will also help matters.

Earlier in the year when I thought it was all a waste of money I used to get home after a hard ride and my legs would be dead, the next day the same, now I ride harder and further, get home and my legs are killing me, at times it hurts just to walk upstairs to the shower, but a protein mix when I get home and then a night time one and the next morning my legs feel like I've not had a work out.

One week I ran out, OK I was slow ordering I thought I'd be OK and my body would have got used to the effort and so maybe I could save money, yes I had got stronger and fitter but when I got back the legs were heavy, the next day still heavy and when I went out on the bike I had no speed, got my protein mixes and I can now feel human the day after.

Maybe not scientific or anything but for me they work and let me train harder/longer so its money well spent, just don't waste money buying 2kg for £25 at your LBS

 

[cheadle hulme]

Cheers for that link HA.
I normally stick with maximuscle but do need to save some cash this year. whenever I've tried cheaper brands, I always get the worst protein farts known to man.
Good for clearing people away from the cable machine, not so good for anything else.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Cheers for that link HA.
I normally stick with maximuscle but do need to save some cash this year. whenever I've tried cheaper brands, I always get the worst protein farts known to man.
Good for clearing people away from the cable machine, not so good for anything else.

If you're getting protein farts this suggests to me that the protein is not being taken up by the body and is being fermented lower down in the gut by bacteria. Thus, you're about to flush your expensive protein down the toilet.
Milk howebvere is readily digestible (by most) has been shown to be excellent for rehydration and contains Carbs, Calcium, vitamins, CLA (known to be important in weight control) and even a peptide that lowers blood pressure... there are more but I forget them now. Milk is designed to promote growth and is very effective. Trust me, Milk, especially choccy milk (due to the extra sugar) has been shown to be one of the best, cost effective and readily available recovery products available. The great Biochemist in the sky is pretty smart.

 

[andygates]

Milk makes me fart like a sproutpocalypse, my guts don't like it at all. Whey after a heavy workout, and that whey/casein blend for overnight recovery (like Rego without the carbs). Myprotein is a good web vendor - especially once you have a few spare tubs lying around.

 

[Jonathan M]

so just drink a pint of chocolatty milk after a ride? really? coooool! saves me a few quids...

C+ a year or two ago did qoute some research that found chocolate milk was just right in terms of carbs & protein to work as a recovery drink.

The same article also qouted research that suggested nicotine patches could increase endurance in athletes . But seeing as nicotine is a stimulant of sorts and it isn't implicated in being a cancer causing agent then it probably won't be long before it appears on a banned substance list!

 

[Monkey Boy]

+1 for a pint of milk post ride....have not tried it with choccie but will next time. Cheap, readily available and is just what your body asks for, yum.

 

[Bodhbh]

Go to www.myprotein.co.uk, but it in bulk without all the fancy bottles and labels. Last order I made I got over 10kg for £50.

It is good stuff that. When I had to loose alot of weight used it as meal replacement in the evenings instead of crap like Slimfast to keep up the protein intake while cutting the calories. Much much cheaper in those bulk quantities, unflavoured or messed so you can do what u like with it (add coca, put in milk or fruit juice, add to museli/porridge). It's nice without flavour tbh got quite a taste for it.

 

[jayce]

i take protopure after the bike its called the ten minute window your body needs protein not to ache and help building . when your mucles ache thats lack of protein