Rest and Recovery

Rest and Recovery

Along with rest, fluid and carbohydrate, protein is integral in assisting your body to recover effectively following physical exercise. According to sports science experts around the world, protein is most important for muscle recovery following exercise. Athletes should aim to consume 10 grams of protein within 1-2 hours following training, and the earlier, the better. Luckily, protein is found in many common foods that we eat, so generally, protein supplements are not required. Some examples of foods containing 10 grams of protein include a peanut butter sandwich, a handful of trail mix (fruit and nuts), an energy bar, a 200g tub of yoghurt or a glass of Sustagen®.

Much controversy surrounds the use of protein supplements. Protein supplements are mostly used by athletes and it seems that often marketing is ahead of science with regards to their use. The nutrition supplement industry is massive, and accounts for billions of dollars spent annually.

Protein accounts for only 3-5 % of the energy produced during exercise, and there is no scientific evidence that indicates consuming protein during exercise is beneficial to performance. Protein powders are not generally good value for money in comparison to food.

Protein powders appear to be used quite widely within sport and the fitness industry despite the fact that they contain modest amounts of protein at a high cost. These supplements are usually in a powder form that can be added to or made into a drink. They are a mix of two or more ingredients including: milk protein, egg protein, soy protein, sugars and flavouring. Vegetable gums are often added to give body to the drink (not you). They are usually expensive and the ingredient list is impressively long. However, if you check out the amino acid content of protein supplements you will find that they are very similar to many protein rich foods.

If you purchased a certain expensive brand of popular protein powder, the recommended serving size is 30 grams, several times per day. Only 11 of those 30 grams contain protein. However, if you decided to make your own protein powder with skim milk powder, the same 11 grams protein would only set you back 13 cents.

The information below shows a comparison of what you would get if you had $1.00 to spend on protein.

Your body cannot tell the difference between expensive protein powders and those made in your kitchen.

Fuel Watch

Kellogg’s®All-Bran Fibre Toppers™

Not only do Australians not eat enough fibre but we don’t get the mix right either. Insoluble fibre exerts the greatest influence on the large bowel and ensures your intestinal tract is working efficiently. This can be affected by stress, poor eating habits and not enough fluid. For an easy and quick way to get more of this type of fibre check out Kellogg’s®All-Bran Fibre Toppers™. They are crunchy little ‘dots’ made with natural wheat bran, oat fibre and psyllium, providing an excellent source of fibre, which helps to promote a healthy digestive system. One serve provides 33% of your Dietary Intake for fibre and you can eat them alone or on top of your favourite cereal.

6PR

Headphones silhouette against On-Air sign symbolising a podcast broadcast.

Don’t forget to tune in to 882-6PR radio every alternate Wednesday at 10am for a chat with Paul Murray and myself on the Morning program. We discuss everything nutrition and performance and answer callers questions. The next broadcast is on Wednesday 6th June.

Did you know that presenteeism is the biggest expense to your company right now? It costs the Australian economy $34.1 billion every year, which is four times that of absenteeism.

Presenteeism is defined as the productivity that is lost when your team comes to work but, as a consequence of fatigue, illness or lifestyle is not fully productive.

Join the list of smart companies who have already improved the productivity of their workforce using my expertise as a performance specialist and dietitian. Find out how you can benefit by calling me on 0411 188 996, email julie@juliemeek.com.au or visit www.juliemeek.com.au

Don’t forget to check out my blog for interesting info that I come across on a regular basis too.