Protein supplements Powder and Bars.
Training sometimes feels like the easy part, it’s simple you have a programme you put the effort in, you get the results out (sort of). The difficulty comes in finding good nutritious, quick food to eat around my training.
I have tried many products during training. When I first started I headed off to Holland and Barrett and got a couple of protein bars and energy gels to try whilst I was training to see what brands were good.
I found the protein bars I had brought all had a tough texture a bit like chewing on a cows butt! They left me bloated and not wanting to eat a meal which meant my nutrition was suffering because I couldn’t get enough nutritious calories in.
I tried protein shakes and found these to be a lot easier and used one from Holland and Barrett after my first race as during training it had been fine, however after racing it did not agree with me and left me again with the awful bloated feeling.
The search for good protein!
I did some research online and spoke to friends who recommend Science In Sport REGO I tried it with milk and also with water and found it had a smooth consistency was easy to drink, tasted good and seemed to help with my recovery as I could train each day and felt like I was getting stronger.
Protein shakes are great for after training and races as long as you can keep the powder and water/milk separate and mix just before you want to drink it. Sometimes this is not easy when it’s hot leaving water or milk in the car is not always a good idea and a warm protein shake is not present! This is where a protein bar comes in handy. My experiments with Holland and Barrett ones where no good and if had given up on the idea of finding a good one until I got a sample from Zip Vit, the chocolate orange protein bar was totally different to anything I had tried before it tasted or chocolate orange and not protein which was a great start and the consistency was less chewy and didn’t leave me feeling bloated.
Over all I think both bars and shakes have their place in the diet of an athlete. Bars are quick and easy but personally I prefer protein shake and to eat something wholesome too.