Pump up the legs - protein shakes

[turbo6bar]

What exactly does protein do besides help build muscle? Will it give me more energy?

I'm having trouble getting enough calories to last for a good 2 hour ride. Aside from loading up on carbs, will protein shakes help fill the deficiency?

[84porsche]

Originally posted by turbo6bar
What exactly does protein do besides help build muscle? Will it give me more energy?

I'm having trouble getting enough calories to last for a good 2 hour ride. Aside from loading up on carbs, will protein shakes help fill the deficiency?

I make protein shakes, in fact having one right now as I just got back from the gym. For me, I've noticed improvement in strength over several months when adding protein and more water into my diet. But I follow the rule that states a gram for every pound of body weight and this is on days when I lift weights.

Here is an article I found that I thought was interesting about protein.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=50900

[turbo6bar]

Hmmm, FDA recommends 0.36 grams per pound of body weight per the article. I might just increase meal portions and a small shake on days I exercise.

[84porsche]

I know, sounds like I am way over but I have read in several fitness magazines to go with a little under a gram per pound but then again it depends on many calories you eat a day also. If you eat one meal from a fast food place, you are at 1000 calories. If you include snacks, soda/coffee and whatever else you consume during the day, you may be close to 3,000 + calories per day. The best times to have protein is right before you lift and right after you lift and then the following morning so your muscles can rebuild while you sleep.

[greglepore]

Protein will do NOTHING for energy for a cyclist. It will help muscle recovery after a long effort. Anything > 2-2.5 hrs you need to learn to eat on the bike-energy bar, gel, dates or other dried fruit, whatever.

Muscles require glycogen for energy. Glycogen stores are done after 2hrs or so. Glycogen comes from carbs.

Protein has its place, but not as an energy source.

[krichard]

You absolutely need to restore carbs while you ride. For rides that go beyond 1 hour you should suppliment your water with a sport drink. You should also think about gels or power bars while you ride to keep a steady supply of carbs ready for consumption. For 2+ hour rides you will need lots of carbs, keeping them coming in is key to not burning out and getting to the point of exhaustion. Don't worry about the calorie intake you will be burning way beyond you intake.

[Flatbutt1]

GU is a great energy source fore long rides. I use it on my climbing routes all the time. Protein will not help you, it is chemically impossible. And remember after a long ride replace ONLY the carbs NOT the calories if you're interested in getting cut and lean.

[turbo6bar]

Hmmm, the past few years I've been riding with two water bottles: one with water and the other was boosted with an energy mix. I would always drink the non-insulated bottle first (boosted with mix), and the insulated bottle (pure water) last. I stopped doing that this year. I am just doing this for fun and fitness and wanted to shun all the fancy mojo.

The heat has been really bad here (100 + strong humidity), and I've been riding at the worst time (between 2 and 5 PM). If I don't eat like a freaking horse at breakfast and lunch, I feel awful during the ride. I have been drinking tons of water before riding and now I don't run out of water, at least.

I think I might be getting old.

[turbo6bar]

In replacement of GU, will dried fruits and fig newtons work? I know the GU is fast acting and like spinach, but I'm looking for the most cost-effective. I know I sound like a cheapskate.

My basic problem is sometimes I feel weak on rides (from mile 1), and other times I feel really strong, but run into a brick wall at say 1hr 30min to 1hr 45min. My cadence will go from 100rpm to maybe 75 rpm and the change is pretty rapid. I'm pretty sure this is all about caloric intake.

[greglepore]

Absolutely, dried fruits and fig newtons will work. Fig newtons tend to turn to mush in a jersey, though.

As a cheapskate as well, I make my own "gu"-I have a couple of the flasks they sell for gu, and use Karo syrup w/ a bit of Hershey's chocolate syrup, occasionally add some reduced esspresso for a kick.

Protein has its place, in very long endurance events; some guys swear by energy drinks that have a small amount of protein in addition to the carbs-it might help to moderate the blood sugar swings that can be annoying, if nothing else.

What you describe as "the wall" is classic carbo bonk. You need to eat a little early on long rides to keep the levels up. Gu is a great quick fix to the bonk (as is Coke) but it'll start an insulin response and you pretty much have to keep it up once you start.

You'll also likely find on long rides that you'll go thru a rough patch at some point regardless of how well you feed-for me its usually after about 50 mi or so-but you can push through it. I suspect its from your body running out of easily accessible stores and finding other sources.

[kang]

Lots of good advice already, but here is what I do for long, endurance type events. I buy a tub of body builder’s weight gain powder. Check the labels and get one that is high in complex carb’s. Don’t necessarily mix it as thick as the directions say, it can be too thick that way. I mix it in a one quart bottle so that there is about 700 calories in the bottle, but you can mix it as thin or as thick as you like. As I drink, throughout the event, I am also getting the calories. This replaces glycogen as it gets burned off. It really helps keep your performance up. I get a product that is high in protein, as I seem to perform better that way. Try a couple and see which one you like. Most of these products also have a lot of vitamins and minerals, and some even have some creatine, chromium, and other micro-nutrients important for endurance.

I’ve been doing this for years, it really helps on those long days. Of course I eat plenty of solid food as well.

[Moses]

Originally posted by kang
... here is what I do for long, endurance type events. I buy a tub of body builder’s weight gain powder.

Not only is protein useless as an energy source, if you overload on protein before an endurance event, the phosphates and small proteins will impair renal performance. You want CARBS, man, CARBS!

[URY914]

Ask Hillary.

[widebody911]

I've been feeding my g/f protein shakes on a rgeular basis for 3 months now, and while I haven't observed any increased muscle mass in her legs, her ass does seem to be getting bigger...

[teenerted1]

EAT. plain and simple if you are running out of energy you are not eating enough. carbs are what you want. eat a couple hours before you ride so you have your food digested and ready to go. if you are running out of energy during your ride add some gels to your jersey pockets. energy bars will help on a long ride but will take time to get digested and be of any use. two hours is probably to short a ride to help unless you take before you start.
make sure to take a recovery drink right after you finiish to resupliment what you lost. also a good time to add protien then to get the muscle recovery started.

[kang]

Originally posted by Moses
Not only is protein useless as an energy source, if you overload on protein before an endurance event, the phosphates and small proteins will impair renal performance. You want CARBS, man, CARBS!

Uh, yeah, that's why my second sentence says this:

Check the labels and get one that is high in complex carb’s.

[Moses]

Sorry, Kang. I thought you were doing a protein shake thing.

[turbo6bar]

I've been loading up on food each day, and I think it's helping. Despite temps near 100 and strong humidity, I don't feel tired or worn out.

I stopped the protein shakes, for now.

What can I do to mitigate the 100 degree heat? I'm thinking summer townhome in Denver or Colorado Springs.

[teenerted1]

Originally posted by turbo6bar
I've been loading up on food each day, and I think it's helping. Despite temps near 100 and strong humidity, I don't feel tired or worn out.

I stopped the protein shakes, for now.

What can I do to mitigate the 100 degree heat? I'm thinking summer townhome in Denver or Colorado Springs.

humidity in Colorado?

ride early in the morning
dont move to the midwest/SE/NE of the good ol USA

[Flatbutt1]

Originally posted by turbo6bar

What can I do to mitigate the 100 degree heat? I'm thinking summer townhome in Denver or Colorado Springs.

Ha, caught the wink but you can soak your jersey, but that'll only last for an hour or so.