any nutrition experts?

Somnambulist · 19 Jun 2019 at 10:08

AndyCr15 said:
If I've been to the gym or been cycling, when should I eat my protein? Right away? Before I went? Anytime within 4 hours of the exercise?

Most of it is common sense:
- if you have small amount* of protein pre-training, then you want a bigger bolus within a couple of hours after. There's no need to slam a shake the exact moment training finishes though.
- if you have a larger amount of protein** pre-training, then you can get away with a smaller bolus because the first will still be digesting
- if you're doing anything strenuous (like lifting weights or your cycling hammers your legs), then it's probably a good idea to consume some protein before. For anything low intensity going fasted is fine.

*there is something of a minimum effective dose with protein due to something called the leucine threshhold, so somewhere between 20-40g of high quality protein per meal is enough to hit this
** i.e. a meal, although obviously some activities are not so fun when your belly is pretty full

Danny Lennon from Sigma Nutrition did a good basic write-up on protein here which is worth reading. The only thing I'd add is that if you're dieting, you're not in a physiological position to maximise muscle gain like you are when you're ingesting sufficient calories, and so distribution (outside of protein around the training window) becomes less important.

AndyCr15 · 19 Jun 2019 at 15:30

Thanks for the info.

Usually at the moment I have a bowl of porridge for breakfast and maybe a banana right before I go. Then a protein shake while training and then perhaps a protein bar after.

AndyCr15 · 8 Jul 2019 at 14:20

I've been hearing about how great Almonds are, so I thought I'd try some as a snack. Ive bought roasted salted almonds, should I have gone straight up natural Almonds? Is there a big difference?

Avenged7Fold · 8 Jul 2019 at 16:43

AndyCr15 said:
Is there a big difference?

Depends on how they are roasted. Sometimes they are roasted with oil and sometimes it is dry roasted. Check the ingredients/nutritional info.

What is the purpose of snacking on almonds?

Nuts are good snacks to keep hunger at bay due to the high fat content but this also means they are very calorie dense. I think there are plenty of nutritional pitfalls when people hear about one type of food being great or healthy. generally speaking, most things should be had in moderation. If you aim to lose weight and start introducing a snack of 100g of almonds daily, you'll find it hard to lose weight without lowering your intake from other sources as 100g of almonds is something like 600kcals.

Everything in moderation. Use nuts as a small snack to stop you getting hungry and binging on a large meal or processed sugary crap.

I knew someone who use to eat a bag of dried apricots at her desk almost daily because she thought 'well its only dried fruit and is high in fiber!'. Reality is that it is still sugar and 25 apricots worth of sugar wont help you lose weight the same way as 50+g of unsaturated fats will add to your daily calorie amount even if it just seems like a small container worth.

AndyCr15 · 8 Jul 2019 at 18:15

Yeah, I was only thinking 20-30 grams, as you say, to stave of hunger.

ShiWarrior · 8 Jul 2019 at 21:32

I eat 55g Roasted Mixed Nuts about an hour or so before i go out straight after work, it works for me
15.1g Carbs
23.4 Protein

contains Roasted Almonds, Hazelnuts and Cashew Nuts

OR just Roasted Cashew nuts some times

Avenged7Fold · 9 Jul 2019 at 09:10

It all depends what your goals are, what your expenditure is and what you plan to have the rest of the day.

ShiWarrior might find eating those extra nuts very forgiving because when he started the thread he was wondering if he got enough calories and works a very manually intensive job, whereas you Andy are trying to cut calories and eating 55g of nuts may restrict what you can eat later and make it harder towards dinner/lunch time if you find your new daily calorie target a little tight.

AndyCr15 · 9 Jul 2019 at 10:25

Of course I appreciate the input and advice, but we seem to be focusing on the calories, which tbh is the easy bit, it's just maths after all. I was more interested in people's thoughts on the benefits of Almonds and if natural was a big difference to roasted. Maybe I'm adding something in I just don't need, but a few different times I've heard about how benefitial they are to have in your diet? Is it a good trade off to add them in somewhere to perhaps drop some of the other calories?

Avenged7Fold · 9 Jul 2019 at 10:49

Like I said, depends on how the processed has changed its nutrition. If they use oil or if its dry roasted. Tons of salt isn't great for you but some wont do any harm. The oil may be fine or it may be one that's very high in sat fats. Dry roasted wont be all that different apart from added salt

Check the back of the packet and fit it into your macros if you are counting them. If you are counting calories obviously you count them so will eat less other stuff if you add them to your daily intake.

What do you mean exactly by them being beneficial?

It is probably easier to answer your question if you say why you are introducing them

AndyCr15 · 9 Jul 2019 at 18:40

I think I've heard them recommended in two different podcasts. I remember one was actually about hair loss, not that this is a concern of mine, but they were saying I think about the other benefits of them, like filling you up quickly. A quick google gave me this link which I think actually gives me a lot of the info I think I heard about. One thing it says is "All things considered, almonds are as close to perfect as a food can get." I guess I should have just google'd them instead of asking.

AndyCr15 · 6 Oct 2019 at 20:09

What advice does anyone have on milk and milk substitutes? I've been using fresh Almond milk for my porridge for a while, but the almond flavour doesn't go well in coffee for me. This weekend I've tried skinny Oatly (fresh) which actually tastes quite creamy, but it's watery appearance actually puts me off. It's also about twice the calories of Almond milk (still less than regular semi skimmed mind you). Any other suggestions?

McGray · 6 Oct 2019 at 20:22

I like the Koko brand coconut milk. It's the only one I've got on with in tea/cofee and on cereal.

SPG · 6 Oct 2019 at 21:32

I will stick to milk thanks, nothing works as well in tea/coffee/hot chocolate and the added benefit of not being riddles with gums/oils and host of other added bits of goodness. It is not the savour of of our fields and owes a significant amount to marketing 101

AndyCr15 · 6 Oct 2019 at 21:56

SPG said:
I will stick to milk thanks,

I don't think anyone asked you to change?

(I have no idea what the last sentence means...)

I love milk, but it's quite a lot of calories when I drink a pint or so at a time.

Somnambulist · 7 Oct 2019 at 01:07

AndyCr15 said:
What advice does anyone have on milk and milk substitutes? I've been using fresh Almond milk for my porridge for a while, but the almond flavour doesn't go well in coffee for me. This weekend I've tried skinny Oatly (fresh) which actually tastes quite creamy, but it's watery appearance actually puts me off. It's also about twice the calories of Almond milk (still less than regular semi skimmed mind you). Any other suggestions?

Of all the non-dairy milks, oat is the most flavour-neutral, or at least the malty note works with coffee, although soy is more popular in chains because of the protein content and subsequent ability to foam for cappuccinos, lattes, etc. My friend uses cashew milk for everything and while it's less nutty tasting than almond or hazelnut it's also more expensive and a bit sweeter. I think Oatly actually sell a coffee-specific oat milk, which is probably your best bet, although as a coffee lover I implore going black and not ruining the flavour with any type of milk!

McGray · 7 Oct 2019 at 10:58

SPG said:
I will stick to milk thanks, nothing works as well in tea/coffee/hot chocolate and the added benefit of not being riddles with gums/oils and host of other added bits of goodness. It is not the savour of of our fields and owes a significant amount to marketing 101

Thanks for this, not sure anyone asked but whatevs. Enjoy your milk.

McGray · 7 Oct 2019 at 11:00

Somnambulist said:
I think Oatly actually sell a coffee-specific oat milk, which is probably your best bet, although as a coffee lover I implore going black and not ruining the flavour with any type of milk!

Yeah Oatly do a 'Barista' version which is meant for coffee but I didn't get on with it. The peeps at work prefer it to the usual alternatives though.

SPG · 7 Oct 2019 at 13:03

McGray said:
Yeah Oatly do a 'Barista' version which is meant for coffee but I didn't get on with it. The peeps at work prefer it to the usual alternatives though.

Formulated with extra rapeseed oils

I will keep on enjoying my milk many thanks

McGray · 7 Oct 2019 at 13:14

Good for you.

Again, not sure anyone told you to switch but hey ho.

AndyCr15 · 7 Oct 2019 at 22:11

McGray said:
Good for you.

Again, not sure anyone told you to switch but hey ho.

Yes, I don't really get his point.... and why he keeps thanking us?

So I've bought a few and will be trying them in varying situations. The KoKo milk you suggested is an early favourite though. I have the unsweetened. It's only 15kcal per 100ml and tastes lovely, to the point I could probably regularly drink it with a biscuit, like I would regular semi skimmed. Also tried Soya Unsweetened, but to drink it has a very feint cardboard and fish taste to it! (Very feint, but I would swear it's there!) Will be trying with coffee and cereal and such too.