I have had a growing interest in nutrition for a long time going back to when I began more organized training. I noticed in one of my first training logs March 8th 1992 when I began to itemize which individual supplements I took and having some vague idea about the role calcium plays in cramp prevention and how the b vitamins are essential for nervous system stress. Up to that point I had taken a multi vitamin promoted by my dad. He seemed to have understood early on the need for some dietary back up plan.
One of my earliest nutritional tools I used for training consisted of crushed vitamins in a mortar and pestle. I started adding a sweet juice such as apple cider to get it down. Yuck. I can’t believe I used to do that!
Today things are more civilized in my life and I routinely count on protein shakes to successfully propel me through my day.
Here are a few of my favorites.
1.Hawaiian Delight = fresh pineapple, coconut milk, ice, vanilla protein powder or unsweetened protein powder (sweetened with fresh pineapple juice and or maple syrup or fresh squeezed orange juice)
( I like this shake because you can pretty easily buy fresh cut pineapple now and the if so the taste is so fresh and pineapple is a natural digestive aid. I like coconut milk but not all coconut milks are created equal. You need to try a few and see which one you like)
2. Vanilla Iced Coffee Shake = brewed coffee to taste chilled, ice, milk, sweeten to taste, vanilla protein powder.
( Coffee houses sell high calorie vanilla coffee drinks which are incredibly tasty but extremely high in calories with no protein. If calories are counted you need to keep this in mind. If calories are not something you need to count then the taste and effect of caffeine with protein can be a really great training aid as well as delicious. Coffee can be sweetened the night before when it’s hot so the sweetener dissolves and then chill coffee for next day use. )
3. Yogurt Smoothie Protein Kick = This is a shake I have been making for a while now every morning as I like to change what I do so I don’t’ get tired of one kind of shake.
I mix regular yogurts , full fat and cows, goat and sheep ~ ¼ cup each, ice, protein powder and or skim milk powder ( this ingredient can alter taste so watch how much you use), fresh berries and or ½ or full banana. Sometimes I add toasted wheat germ for extra protein and b vitamins but not lately. This ingredient will change the taste as well. I mostly drink protein shakes for one reason. They WORK. If they taste great, it’s a major bonus.
Best time of day to have a shake for me? I find picking a routine time to facilitate the rest of my meals works best. That is first thing in the morning or later in the day ( mid day) if I need something before training.
Protein Shakes for Kids = I find kids super sensitive to taste so I make sure if I am making a nutritious boost for kids that it must taste fantastic. For this reason I might not use protein powder as there are so many on the market that taste nasty. Ive found using skim milk powder never works, and yogurt will depend on the kid. Fresh fruit is a home run, ice and I also use premium ice cream usually vanilla. You may need to use some milk to make it drinkable through a straw.
Cool tools help me conquer my day and I find it nearly impossible to be consistent in the productivity of my days without great nutrition.
Enjoy,
Angela
3 comments
How much of each ingredient on the vanilla iced coffee shake?
Supplementing with Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate are great choices for all people. Do these supplements work? For some I think so but it does likely depend on the degree and possible underlying reasons you are having issues.
Look at supplements that might improve circulation as well. Overall body massage might help but focus on circulation deprived areas such as joints and tendon intensive locations…( knees, elbows) Niacin can be very good for some but use with extreme caution, learn about it and question a trusted Dr. or an alternative medical doctor for specific questions before trying.
Are you using and fish oils and if not you might try this for at least several weeks before you decide to go ahead or stop.
Thanks for those Ange. I’ll keep the B vitamins in mind when getting back into the higher CNS stuff next season. Any suggestions on supplements to aid in ligament and tendon for a 50+ athlete?