Way? No, Whey

As a vegetarian, I have to pay attention in order to consume the appropriate amount of protein. I wasn’t very conscientious about it in the first handful of years, and as a result I lost quite a bit of muscle tone – a body looking for protein will go to muscles as a source.

The lesson: don’t deprive your body of protein.

Consuming enough food to equal desired protein levels is difficult. It’s not as easy as opening a can of spinach and knocking it back like Popeye. And while there are plenty of vegetable and bean sources, the carbohydrate count can be incredibly high.

There are numerous protein powders and bars on the market, and I have tried many of them. For me, they are either too sweet or have too much sugar. Unfortunately my body does with sugar what it’s supposed to – convert it to fat. A little sugar is fine, but if you look at the gram count and see a number like 20, divide it by four.

The answer: there are five teaspoons of sugar in it. Too much!

So I set out to find unsweetened and unflavored. I like chocolate and strawberry, but when you include a protein drink with your dinner, strawberry protein and mushroom risotto don’t exactly meld into a gastronomical delight.

The result: Jarrow.

This is an unflavored, natural whey powder with 18 grams of protein per serving. I consume it three to four times a day.

Many people add ice, fruit, and other stuff to make frothy shakes. I don’t. I simply mix one heaping scoop of whey powder with eight to nine ounces of water and shake. Recently I have begun to make my three drinks in the morning and then refrigerate them. When I’m ready, they are cold and only require another few shakes before they’re ready to serve.

Below are some links to article related to protein intake that you may find helpful:

Protein - What Should You Eat?

Vegetarian Diet: How to Get the Best Nutrition

Whey Protein Drink Side Effects

A Week Off is Longer Than You Think

I was too busy last week. (I know. I know.) So busy, that I didn’t work out. All week.

I fell off the wagon on Monday. I worked out today, Sunday.

A week is longer than you think when you don’t stretch a muscle, break a sweat, or lift something heavier that your cell phone. I’ve learned over the years that if I take off for more than a few days, I need to ease back into my routine.

So today, I thought I’d steer myself back on course with a step-up HIIT program. I also lifted chest and back, and I reacquainted myself with my abs (they had been neglected for more than seven days).

HIIT is short for High Intensity Interval Training, an approach that is intended to increase expenditure while decreasing workout time. It’s the opposite of the slow and steady routine that most of us have performed for years. I like it because it’s quick and it’s a departure from running. In terms of cardio, your heart rate takes of like a rocket. The first time I did it, I thought I was going to scream but I didn’t have the lung capacity.

It got better.

My routine, on a square step box, involves 20 intervals. Each interval is one minute. That means that I step up on the box for a one-minute period and then stop for a break. I rest in between intervals for 30 seconds. Mostly, I focus on one leg per interval and alternate. So it’s 20 minutes of intervals and 10 minutes of rest in between.

It’s a killer routine.

I then moved to chest and back. Lifting 15 and 12 pound weights to slowly wake those dormant muscles. Chest press, flyes, straight up chest press, and seated rows.

It’s my desired goal to do something physical every day, but life doesn’t always afford the time. Unless I’m on vacation – which I was not last week – it pains me if I go more than two days. I feel better when I work out, both physically and mentally, and I find that my creativity is heightened.

This is a new blog, and here I’ll be charting my progress. Fitness, well being, call it what you will. It’s a lifelong journey.