Protein powders / recovery drinks. Much of a muchness or any particularly good o

My training load has now increased to the point where I’m in danger of under-fuelling post workout so am thinking about either mixing up some protein powder or getting some recovery drinks.

Any recommendations or just get whatever is on offer/cheapest at the time?

Chocolate milk for the win.

It’s all marketing. real food is best but if you want convenience and don’t care about flavour then go for expensive food replacements. You’re probably not working as hard as you think you are relive to professional athletes, who mostly get by with proper food apart from stuff they consume during comepetition/hard training/making commercials for sponsors and that is because beans on toast doesn’t fit well in your pockets. Apart from that chocolate milk.

Check out Dylan Johnson’s videos on Youtube, he presents a lot of peer reviewed scientific articles which debunk the whole 3:1 carbs and protein myth. He reckons just get the carbs in straight away.

Personally I like SiS chocolate ReGo myself, will continue to use it just because it’s a nice treat after a workout.

For Goodness Shakes work well for me, from places I’ve seen them it’s better value for money to buy a £3 meal deal at Tesco Express.

Sounds like a perfect excuse for some bacon and eggs, poached eggs on toast, beans on toast etc :). I like food so this could be the way forward (whey forward? 😀 )

Actually, thinking of it I’m sure I read somewhere that for all but the very top amateur athletes a glass of whole milk was enough.

I use My Protein’s protein powders and carb/protein mixes when I am training a lot.

I accept that I could also get a lot of the protein I need from “real” food, but the powders are an easy way to get extra protein into my diet. They are used as a supplement rather than my primary source of food.

Protien works hazelnut is great. High protien, low carbs, really good for getting sfuff into you quickly and easily.

**** making loads of expensive food just for fuel. Making a shake takes seconds. Takes ages to cook…..

My Protein vanilla is disgusting and should be avoided at all costs. a colleague bought 2KG and said it was so bad he didn’t want it after a couple of servings & I could have it. It was grim.

The manufacturers claim different performance based on type. There are loads of different ones on the site I bought mine from. I used bulk powders*.

I’m not sure about using it because you are underfueled. If that is a concern then it might be worth tracking macros on something like my fitness. The actual amounts of protein needed for cycling recovery aren’t that large. You’ll need more if you are trying to build mass as a sprinter but not the more normal aerobic side. Maybe consider upping carbs too?

*I tend to drink them when I get in late from an evening ride or am driving back from somewhere. So no desire or no ability to cook proper food. They work reasonably well at stopping you being hungry an devouring unhealthy snacks.

I use myprotein whey isolate and collagen protein. Collagen is not supposedly a good source for muscles, but does make a noticeable difference to my skin and hopefully my joints. I mix them in a big tub.

At the moment I make a pot of coffee in the evening and chill it overnight, then in the morning make two coffee and vanilla shakes, one for mid morning the other for mid afternoon, to keep me away from more unhealthy snacks.

My Protein vanilla is disgusting and should be avoided at all costs.

I haven’t found that to be the case with the collagen and the whey isolate “natural vanilla”

It was a couple of years back now, they might have changed it.

havent found any flavoured whey powders to be palatable, all far too sweet.

i always buy unflavoured, mixed with milk its just lovely and creamy. i even have it on my oatibix instead of just milk 💪

i just wait for the offers then buy a couple of 5kg bags, lasts ages.

I’ve found if I fuel the workout sufficiently then I don’t particularly need much afterwards. A bowl of muesli is a good as anything.
Eat well, eat regularly, fuel the work, don’t diet on the bike.
Credit: Trainerroad’s Amber Pierce

You’re all wrong. I’ll let you into a secret.

The very best post-workout fuel is hot chocolate made in one of these.

A Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser. I got one for Christmas 2019 as a speculative present and it gets used 3-4 times a week in winter. Milk + chocolate, proper food.

I just got some bulk powders whey isolate 90. Unflavoured and no sweeteners, I think 30g P, 111cal per scoop and low C & F.

I can happily have it just in water and it tastes like weak milk. Addwd to a coffee or natural yoghurt smoothie it’s great.

I also got some PB and Me 100% peanut powder which is great to add to smoothies for more protein.

I’m going to try making some ice cream with it this weekend with frozen fruit, xantham gum and some whole milk for a chub club post workout treat.

There was a recent GCN Video on protein requirement. The upshot being most of us will get by nicely just on our normal diet. Oh and that 30 minute window of opportunity for protein replacement has been debunked too.

Bulk powders chocolate protein powder for me every time. Although supplements are a very personal thing and it depends on how your stomach reacts, sometimes you need to try a few brands to find the one that sits best. I mix mine with water and creatine and is actually very nice. I lift as well so protein requirements are different to just cycling and following a macro based diet just can’t consume enough protein from food alone especially when in a strength block so shakes are an easy way to top up the protein grams.
As some have said find the one you like best then wait for the offers and buy 5kg bags.

Personally I like SiS chocolate ReGo myself, will continue to use it just because it’s a nice treat after a workout.

This. Mmmm Tasty.

A Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser. I got one for Christmas 2019 as a speculative present and it gets used 3-4 times a week in winter.

Heard this before, I’m going to buy one now 🙂

Supplements are there to support your diet. The main purpose of them is to ingest specific nutrients/substances that otherwise would be impractical to achieve through normal means in the specific timescale. For example, chugging down a protein shake is a much faster process than munching the equivalent in chicken breasts.

Do your research OP, its not like they’ll do any bad, its just that you may end up ingesting a bunch of sugar and pay a premium for it.

I buy bulk raw whey protein and make my own protein bars / put it in homemade recovery smoothies as a convenient supplement to a proper diet but that’s about it.

Raw, unflavoured / unsweetened electrolyte powder is also great to add to some fruit squash for use during rides for a bit of an energy boost.

An easy way, and something which I do, to get carbs in after a ride/run is to add finely ground oats into a shake.

https://www.bulk.com/uk/ultra-fine-scottish-oats.html

To support my training I need a minimum of 250g of protein a day. So I use MyProtein Whey Isolate with a dash of creative every few hours.

Saying you can get it all from your food is true, but it’s a very expensive and large amount of steak and chicken.

When I was doing long rides and felt like a needed to get some energy in straight afterwards I used to blitz up a banana into some milk and chug that down, then follow it up with a can of mackerel.

That was pretty simple and quick.

I use the clear whey from my protein. It’s not milky like the other stuff and has very low fat content. It’s like drinking squash. Refreshing and with protein. Flavours are really good and tasty too.
But when there is an offer on. The tubs don’t last very long.
https://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/clear-whey-isolate/12081395.html

My son was at Southampton football academy for a while and the sports science people there swore by chocolate nesquick (with milk) post exercise.

It’s all marketing. real food is best but if you want convenience and don’t care about flavour then go for expensive food replacements. You’re probably not working as hard as you think you are relive to professional athletes, who mostly get by with proper food apart from stuff they consume during comepetition/hard training/making commercials for sponsors and that is because beans on toast doesn’t fit well in your pockets. Apart from that chocolate milk.

OK, one thing at a time.

“It’s all marketing”. Well, it’s not, it’s about making choices about the food you eat. “Real” food is also subject to marketing.

“real food is best” best at what? Best also includes cost and convenience. Many would do well on organic fillet steak everyday, but see above.

“if you want convenience” I do. This is the main reason for me using whey protein.

“don’t care about flavour” Nope. Modern whey protein has fantastic flavours.

“expensive food replacements”. Similar, or even less, than what you’d pay for the same amount of g protein from chicken breast/milk.

“You’re probably not working as hard as you think you are relive to professional athletes” So what? I’d like to receive the benefits of modern “professional” level nutrition whatever my level of training. There’s need vs want right here.

“because beans on toast doesn’t fit well in your pockets” a rolled up peanut butter sarnie in clingfilm does though and is a good option.

“chocolate milk” here’s the ingredient list for choc milk.

I’ll stick to my whole milk, banana, frozen berries and pure unflavoured whey protein powder. Not even on the same planet for macro and micro nutrition.

I’ll stick to my organic fillet steak 🙂

A Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser

That’s brilliant!!! Can my next ride be past your house for a hot chocci!!!

I so want one of those!

Well I’ve foregone the protein powder today at least in lieu of a fried eggs and bacon with a couple of slices of brown toast. Was lovely and just what I needed after 2+ hours on the turbo 🙂

I always rated protein bars especially the ones made by Met-Rx.
Those Nurishment drinks in cans are pretty good also

To support my training I need a minimum of 250g of protein a day.

Not just cycling then?

That’s brilliant!!! Can my next ride be past your house for a hot chocci!!!

Message me first and I’ll make you a socially distanced tester.

I use For Goodness Shakes and drop a few ice cubes in* as I really like the taste of them and its something of a treat at the end of a session. I train 6 days a week (if you count gym/workouts) but I do concede its something of an expensive indulgence, I’m sure a banana and a glass of milk would probably do the trick for me most of the time to be honest.

*I’ll await someone to come along and tell me that the ice cubes completely negate the rate of carb absorption or something like that

Edit to say I don’t even drink hot chocolate but that velevetizer thing looks amazing

I had a look at the analysis on my pack of M&S fruit and seed museli.
Roughly 10 grams of protein per my serving size and all from oats, nuts and seeds. Add half a pint of milk and you’ve got another 10 grams of protein.
50 grams of carbs too so glycogen replenishment is covered.
Lots of fibre and micro nutrients as well plus no artificial sweetners.
In that way it’s better than a recovery/protein shake. Costs about 80 pence a serving and is readily available.

The other thing often overlooked is what is already in your digestive system.
I really like Cliff bars whilst training and will eat at least one an hour. They have 10 grams of protein in each bar. This doesn’t just instantly dissolve into your bloodstream, it trickles in over a number of hours.
Coupled with a varied and healthy diet there should be a steady stream of different proteins travelling around your body at all times and I doubt it’s ever deficient.

As for carbs however, I think it’s really important to understand the requirements of your life and training. For me, getting my carb intake right is the key to handling lots of training.

I really like a lot of the protein powder flavours from BULK (formerly bulk powders). I’m a huge fan of chocolate in general but their chocolate based ones taste a bit off, but their vanilla based ones are really, really good. Been loving the new york cheescake, salted caramel, tiramisu, and birthday cake flavours. I usually get a 500g bag each time just to mix it up. Whenever I went with a bigger bag I’d get a bit bored of the flavour after a while. Definitely recommend mixing it with milk instead of water though, much more enjoyable.

Protein powder is super useful if you’re doing any kind of resistance training, but also I’ve found it very beneficial since going hard on the turbo this winter. It helps with recovery and DOMS amazingly.

Also to anyone saying they’d rather have ‘natural’ foods, protein powder is literally Whey – you know, the part of milk that’s left over from cheese manufacturing. It’s not like it’s some kind of weird chemical.

Doesn’t have any fibre though or micronutrients and is often sweetened with aspartame which I hate the taste of.
I think the next big trend will be away from these big doses of macros and more to overall gut health. It’s already happening now to be honest but it can appear overwhelmingly complicated.