Advice over Protein shakes.

[edgedemon]

So I'm just 50 and fat. Lockdown has destroyed me (totally my fault) and I need to do something about it.
May last year I was 90kg, last week I was 116kg.
I had an operation last year on my back which has been a long standing issue since I was younger, it hasn't helped as much as I thought so I suspect that my weight might be hindering my recovery.
Last week I started swimming again, it's a good exercise for me as it supports my weight and allows me to exercise safely, I managed 6 swims of around 750m with Sun off, and I intend to keep this level going forward.
I swim early mornings at 6:30, it's too early for breakfast, so I'm looking for a good protein shake that I can have half walking to the swim, and the other half walking back.
There are so many out there, can anyone recommend a good one for swimmers please?

 

[robj20]

Why a protein shake?
If it's to replace a meal something like Huel might be better. I have it to replace breakfast and often dinner.

 

[Somnambulist]

Huel might be a bit heavy if consumed immediately before exercise.

Protein powder is protein powder. Just get bulk bags from MyProtein in your flavour of choice as they're the best value for money, or unflavoured and buy a bunch of their calorie-free FlavDrops to have some variety. Got for their Impact Whey if you just want something that mixes into a drink easily. There's also Bulk Powders, Protein Works and probably some other ones who exist I don't know about, just make sure it's sale prices (they have them in perpetuity) not full RRP.

I'd personally neck the whole thing with a piece of fruit or something before you swim then just wait till breakfast for your next meal.

If it's pretty low intensity swimming you don't need to eat anything prior to doing it; protein before training is a good idea if you're going to be breaking down muscle tissue with high intensity activity like sprints, but not necessary if you're doing the equivalent of a brisk walk.

 

[chroniclard]

Dont see any point in the protein shake in this case.

 

[dave28]

Apparently a bad idea to skip breakfast and have a protein shake to replace it because your body will break down the protein and use it as fuel so it kinda wastes it in a way.

 

[tom_e]

Apparently a bad idea to skip breakfast and have a protein shake to replace it because your body will break down the protein and use it as fuel so it kinda wastes it in a way.

Unless you're completely devoid of any fat or glycogen stores this isn't something you'd have to worry about.

Personally I'd feel a bit sick going swimming with just a shake sloshing around in my stomach, I'd either swim fasted or have a bit of toast before going.

 

[edgedemon]

I presumed that I needed one partly for energy and partly for recovery as 30 lengths in my arms start to flag a bit and I'm feeling it the next day.
When I looked online I saw people recommending shakes for recovery, and pre swim as well.

 

[tom_e]

I presumed that I needed one partly for energy and partly for recovery as 30 lengths in my arms start to flag a bit and I'm feeling it the next day.
When I looked online I saw people recommending shakes for recovery, and pre swim as well.

No need for protein shakes for either energy or recovery really unless you need to get protein in with restricted calories.

Look at your overall diet and you'll probably find a few tweaks here and there will improve your energy levels and you will ache especially to begin with but that will fade in time as your body adapts but again can be helped along by looking at your diet as a whole.

 

[Begbie]

As Tom says overall diet > worrying about what your eating pre-exercise. Immediate food before exercise isn't necessarily all that important unless your on a very extreme diet/workout plan. You'll soon start to recover after a swim, with time.

If anything food post exercise is more important than pre but ultimately unless you have everything else perfected it doesn't matter all that much.

Your body has more energy stores available from the last food you ate than you realise.

 

[edgedemon]

But if the last food was your evening meal, which for me would be fish and lots of veg, will I not have digested that by my morning swim?
Sorry for the obvious questions, I'm just trying to understand how to do this right.
I'm accepting that I'm going to ache, I maybe made the mistake of googling muscle recovery and disappeared down a huge rabbit hole

 

[Somnambulist]

Basically, unless you're swimming like a madman you're unlikely to be using any skeletal muscle tissue for fuel, even more so if you've got a decent amount of body fat immediately available. Consequently you don't *need* to consume any protein to start the muscle protein synthesis response beforehand but if you *want* to have something light beforehand that's fine too as long as you ultimately end up in an energy deficit at the end of the day. In either case a meal containing a decent amount of high quality protein after exercise is a good idea with a general rule of thumb being if you exercised fasted then eat fairly soon after, if you had something beforehand like a shake then it doesn't matter if it's then another couple hours before you eat again.

I actually disagree when people say not to buy protein powder: most non gym-rats have a pretty low protein intake and upping it offers increased satiety (feeling of fullness) which helps when you're eating less and in itself can cause you eat less the rest of the time. Gram for gram powder is a cheap and zero-effort way to get a source of high quality protein that's got a decent micro-nutritional profile that gives you some variety instead of just upping your meat intake.

Also don't forget that when you take up exercise then the initial bouts will cause soreness/fatigue but then as long as you're consistent this goes away unless you're trying to go hell for leather every single time (not advisable, obviously).

 

[SPG]

Your best off not having anything before the swim. Your body is still in night mode and is better utilised for using fat reserves as fuel.

Just take a swig of water and get swimming and have a shake or banana after morning swim .

 

[SKILL]

I also wouldn't eat/drink anything substantial beforehand personally, but I think it largely depends on you...

It sounds like you're going from essentially nothing to fairly regularly swimming, so I'd expect some soreness and also your stamina whilst swimming to not be great, both of those should resolve themselves through just continuing the routine.

It's definitely worth looking into your diet though, and perhaps add protein at some point (usually after intense exercise but I'm not sure it really matters) if your diet is lacking a bit, and if you need it maybe some light intake before swimming would help you. For the latter I'd start with a banana or something 10-15 mins before rather than something like a protein shake.

 

[wesimmo]

Apparently a bad idea to skip breakfast and have a protein shake to replace it because your body will break down the protein and use it as fuel so it kinda wastes it in a way.

I'm using MyProtein bulking mix, a 3 scoop serving is 105g of protein and 1200 calories, so I'll do one of those before my PT session, more often than not with a banana chucked into full fat milk to mix it.

That said I'm trying to put own weight so I'm using it as an addition to as many meals as I can eat, my appetite is rubbish due to thjngs in my personal life.

 

[dave28]

I'm using MyProtein bulking mix, a 3 scoop serving is 105g of protein and 1200 calories, so I'll do one of those before my PT session, more often than not with a banana chucked into full fat milk to mix it.

That said I'm trying to put own weight so I'm using it as an addition to as many meals as I can eat, my appetite is rubbish due to thjngs in my personal life.

that should certainly work to add weight, its hard to work off 1200 extra calories a day plus the full fat milk.

i have the oppersite issue, i cant help but put on weight unless i am very careful about how much i eat, i actually skip breakfast to stay at 67KG body weight.

 

[tom_nieto]

Have a pint of water as soon as you wake up and eat a banana on the way to the pool. Have breakfast when you get home. Have to be a bit careful with protein shakes as they are quite calorific.

 

[tom_e]

Have to be a bit careful with protein shakes as they are quite calorific.

No they aren't. There'll be less calories in a standard one serving whey shake than a banana in most cases.

 

[tom_nieto]

No they aren't. There'll be less calories in a standard one serving whey shake than a banana in most cases.

Well that’s me told! I really thought they were more calorific than this, so thank you. I probably need to get hold of some for post workout / cycling recovery in that case.

Serious question - I presume the sugar in a banana is a better pre workout snack than the protein in pure whey which would be better for recovery?

 

[SPG]

Again your best not having anything in the morning before a swim if your goal is weight loss

 

[Martynt74]

Well that’s me told! I really thought they were more calorific than this, so thank you. I probably need to get hold of some for post workout / cycling recovery in that case.

Serious question - I presume the sugar in a banana is a better pre workout snack than the protein in pure whey which would be better for recovery?

The SIS Rego stuff is good. Flavours are generally alright too i find.

I tried being cheap and swapping to the My Protein recovery stuff and ended up throwing most of it away.