I used a step counter for two days and then lost interest. I put it down and now I cannot find it.
I had no idea of where I fell with regard to the magical 10,000 steps a day. The first day I wore it I hit 16,000 steps and the second day was a recovery day and I hit 13,000 steps.
What I quickly noticed is that walking a mile is approximately 2200 steps while running the same mile is about 1600 steps. If you are only looking at steps, then walking is more "activity" than running. Furthermore, walking for twenty minutes is about 2000 steps (with most people not hitting 3mph unless working at it) while walking up-and-down a flight of steps might log 640 steps.
Protein
It was suggested that eating more protein might speed my recovery and reduce the discomfort during my off-days. 30 grams of protein thirty minutes after a "heavy" work-out was mentioned.
Looking at my diet, I am ridiculously short of the 140 grams of protein per day a 200 pound "athlete" might consume.
What do you guys and gals think? Any favorites for protein-rich, post workout meals?
Giant Foxtail
The sparrows were feasting on the Giant Foxtail seeds in my garden. Alas, that means that the seeds are viable. They would not be bothering with them if the seeds were not filled with carbs, protein and fats.
More paper-wasps and hornets
***AI was consulted during the writing of this section. May contain errors or manufacturers may change inert ingredients***
For a variety of reasons, paper-wasps and hornets frequently build their nests in and around security cameras.
There are many products that can be used to kill the stinging insects from a safe distance. Most, but not all of them, use a highly volatile petroleum distillates as a base. However, some of the most common ones use mineral oil as the inert carrier.
Even though mineral oil can improve how the insecticide "prints" on the feet of hornets that were not in the nest when you sprayed it, it has several disadvantages. For one thing, it can stain the siding of your house and it can leave a hazy film on the optics of your security camera that attract dust and decreases the "sharpness" of the images.
For instance, Hot Shot Wasp & Hornet Killer advertises a 27' range but it uses mineral oil which can stain siding and leave a hazy film on the lens or lens-cover of your camera.
Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer is another widely available product with an advertised range of 25' and it also has a mineral oil base.
Even organic products are not necessarily free from staining or that hazy film since some of them contain canola oil.
Those exercise issues might have something to do with getting older. And it ain't gonna get any better. ---ken
ReplyDeleteProtein vs calories may be a problem. It is for me, since I don’t move as well. That getting old thing again.
ReplyDeleteI know peanut butter, and tuna are good protein choices, and meat.
You could look into protein powder, added to juice or milk. I used to use a little of that. Can also be added to some food - eggs, breads, cookies. It’s a good excuse to eat cookies!
Southern NH
Beef jerky, pork rinds, tuna salad, boiled eggs, any kind of meat product. 140 grams isn't a lot. That's about an ounce and a half of actual protein. Maybe eight to twelve percent of your serving is protein (spitballing based on what canned goods in the cupboard say) so you need a decent helping of meat at every meal. Cut the carbs off you want to reduce inflammation. That might help your recovery day too.
ReplyDeleteto get 140 grams of protein, you would have to eat 23 eggs. To get 30 grams, that is 5 eggs after your workout. That bis a lot for most people.
DeleteOne ounce is 28.3 grams.
Delete"What do you guys and gals think? Any favorites for protein-rich, post workout meals?". I've been on a multi-year quest for this, it's tricky (especially when trying to lose or maintain weight).
ReplyDelete1. Protein per calorie (PPC): Higher the protein per calorie the easier to hit your macros (in theory).
2. Palatability: Needs to be edible when you're not interested in food, especially when working hard.
3. Satiety: You want the food to keep you full for a while, as you are still consuming calories. It's very easy to get the protein if you focus on PPC and Palatability only to realize you're steadily gaining weight because it's so low Satiety that your total daily consumption just went up.
So, here are random tips from over the years:
Poached Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breast gently poached in court bouillon or salty broth is good when chilled and sliced. Not super appetizing when you're hot and sweaty, but not horrible either (especially chilled with a hot sauce or similar).
Cod: Cooked and chilled (either poached or baked) you can make a pretty decent wrap with a low carb wrap, a piece of cod and some mustard/hot sauce. Might be able to get 20g/100cal net on the meal.
Eggs: The idea is good, but unless you're willing to eat something like 4 egg whites per whole egg the macros tend to be more of a young man's game.
Shrimp: Horrock's is great for bulk shrimp and it is amazing macros/palatability, and not horrible satiety. But you do feel weird eating a shrimp taco.
Setting aside real-ish foods.
Whey protein isolate: Many different brands, should be at 25g/100cal. The different flavors range from "amazing" to "horrible". Will give you horrendous gas if you use it too much, and the Palatability/Satiety is an issue. You end up feeling sick to your stomach getting it down and then an hour later are starving. What I've done, and it sort of works, is to do a Quest cookie (or some other artifically high protein "snack", including baking my own using protein powder) with a thin protein shake and then maybe some jerky. The meal macros are good and it helps you feel like you've ate something so you're not starving later.
CarbSmart Bread, peanut butter, 0 sugar jelly: The macros are tolerable, the sandwiches are easy to make and pack well.
Biltong from Costco: The price per pound is high and it's beef so the macros aren't as good as chicken, but easier to sneak in with/after a more sugary snack to add some satiety and give you something to chew.
Mostly though I just try to keep chicken (chicken skewers, poached, cubes, slices, lunch meat) on hand at all times. The second you run out you'll snack on something else and your protein is tanked.
ERJ, I do not have much to add to Spartan above. My go-to list includes whey isolate (can be pricey, but worth its weight in terms of grams of proteins and the different things it can be combined with), yogurt (which I make myself 95% of the time), milk, eggs (hardboiled for me for lunch or snack), and fish, largely salmon.
ReplyDeleteAs a bird hunter, any field that had a good growth of foxtails usually held pheasants, doves or quail.
ReplyDeleteIt is reasonable to cover your face with a mask when spraying bug killer. You don't want to ingest toxic stuff.
ReplyDeleteGood point.
DeletePaper wasp larvae are high in protein. High pressure water can take a nest down.
ReplyDeletesam
https://efficiencyiseverything.com/food/
ReplyDeleteLook at the rankings for protein per dollar and per nutrient. n.b. flour and white bread top the list of protein per dollar, so common sense must be used ( look at overall nutrition as well as cost, but the list is still useful).
My typical post workout is 1 scoop whey with a tbsp of psyllium husks, mix with water and drink straight off.
Other staples for me are: unflavored Greek yogurt with berries and nuts added, pre-cooked burger patties (beef or turkey, what matters is the macros), eggs (whole, or add whites for more protein), milk (can use ultrafiltered milk for higher protein and less carbs, for a price), lentils and a grain (barley or brown rice, can be cooked as large batch in rice cooker with lentils at same time), chicken and fish are very clean sources of protein and much cheaper than beef.
Also recommend prioritizing fiber (30-40g per day). Helps with satiety, heart health (esp. Beta glucan, can be found in oats and barley), and naturally bowel movements.
I also find pan frying lean meats in a flavorful fat (olive oil or butter) makes it much tastier for modest fat increase. YMMV. Oh, and I'm sure i don't need to tell you this, but venison/other game is great stuff, lean and delicious, and you burn calories getting it.
DeleteIf there is an aldis near you, they have frozen ahi tuna steaks for great prices. Very lean protein, and delicious when lightly seared and served rare
DeleteMy post-workout feast is "bro kibble": 1/2 lb. lean hamburger (grass-fed, at least 85% lean) crumbled with butter in a pan with 2 eggs scrambled into it, and about an ounce of diced cheddar cheese. Sometimes I add fresh chopped dill or tabasco (not both at the same time). This is my breakfast, eaten around noon.
ReplyDeleteBecause this comment is long I need to post as several comments…Lots of great ideas from other commenters!
ReplyDeleteThe fittest and healthiest guy at my top notch gym is a vegan (he’s 64). He’s an outlier in a place of champion competitive bodybuilders and powerlifters who eat lots of animal protein. He says he eats a lot of tofu. He feels that eating this way keeps inflammation in check better than eating animal products. But that’s only true if one is not sensitive or allergic to soy. Immediately post workout he drinks a protein shake made with Tom Brady’s vegan protein powder.
I should’ve said something like…”his statement of eating vegan and lots of tofu MIGHT be true as being less inflammatory, only if one is not sensitive or allergic to soy.” Everyone needs to work around whatever food sensitivities they might have. Oh heck, y’all know what I mean😉.
DeleteAs you know, real food is always best, and many others have provided great suggestions. I’ll offer some ideas on protein powders and drinks because I have a paid subscription to a site that reviews all things related to supplements and such. The review site isn’t perfect but it’s a starting point.
ReplyDeleteProtein bars are convenient. Below, are 2 lists of “Approved” ones.
For bars that have less “gunk” (my words)…
Perfect Bar Peanut Butter (17g protein) sold in the refrigerator cases at grocery stores,
RX Bar Chocolate Sea Salt (12g pro), and
Aloha Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip (14g pro).
The 3 above are very tasty, especially the Perfect, and Aloha bars.
Below, are “Approved” protein bars that usually contain highly processed ingredients such as sugar alcohols.
Barebells Protein Bar Cookies & Cream (20g pro)…I haven’t tried.
Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe (21g pro)…This one is tasty but sugar alcohols may cause gastric distress.
Quest Hero Protein Bar Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor (18g pro)…Haven’t tried but same possible issue with sugar alcohol, and/or gums.
I sometimes make a protein shake at home and bring to gym to drink after. It’s cleaner than ready-made ones. I use unflavored “Raw Organic Whey” (concentrate) from the web site of the same name with a “.com” at the end. They have organic and non-organic. Mix with water, some frozen banana, and either honey or stevia, but I can tolerate it plain with just water, no sweetener or fruit. You could use milk, or toss in some yogurt or kefir in place or in addition to water to bump up the protein or just use more powder. My digestion has no issues with it.
ReplyDeleteBelow, are the review site’s “approved” products. Some of these have alternative sweeteners that I prefer to stay away from.
Top Pick for whey protein powder is,
Isopure Zero Carb Protein (whey isolate) Powder Drink Mix Unflavored
Top Pick for vanilla flavored whey powder is,
Levels Grass Fed Whey Protein (concentrate) Vanilla Bean
Top Pick for chocolate whey powder (whey blend) is…
Optimum Nutrition (ON) Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein Double-Rich Chocolate
Top Pick for a liquid, ready made protein drink (milk protein combination)…
Premier Protein Chocolate (30g pro)…This one is tasty but has gunk!
Top Pick for plant protein (plant combo) powder is…
Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein Plant Based Unflavored (22g pro)…I haven’t tried this but the review site’s description sounds not very appealing.
The review site has other “approved” products. The supplement industry is said to be like the old “wild west”…anything goes and shoot first and ask questions later. If you’re one who consumes any supplemental stuff I highly recommend trying the site, Consumer Lab. Not sure of current year membership cost but might be $75. You can use it for just one year, compare your supps with their lists, read the lengthy articles on various ingredients and health conditions, then fine tune your shopping list, and buy from wherever you want. Then you can skip the membership for a year or 2 (or more), then go back in to check on updated info. What’s “approved” one year might not be approved another. And due to many factors relating to raw ingredient sourcing and manufacturing hiccups you can’t rely on any one individual company to always have “approved” items.
ReplyDelete