Best products for Protein & recovery

Hey everyone,
I was wondering what is the best product to take for protein and/or recovery ?



Thanks,

-Greg

As far as supplementation (since you said "product"), go with pure whey protein. Personally, I like to "supplement" my carbs with wild salmon. Seriously, other than diet I don't supplement with protein, but I drink an Ensure Plus or Equate Plus (cheaper Walmart brand) immediately after harder training rides for the 50 g of carbs.

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granted there are hundreds of brands and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, cytomax , which can be bought from just about any health/nutrition store (GNC) is a powder that you mix with water and the directions will all be on the label.

i also am very fond of the gu packets which are about $2.00 a piece and they are quick to digest. those you take 15 minutes before a ride and every 45 minutes into it, also on the label.

and as i am a poor bastard, they fit my needs quite well. and they don't taste all that bad and they make gu chews as well, blocks like gummy bears.

hope that helps.

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Anything is Possible.

avocados and bananas, lots of them.

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Anything is Possible.

Thanks, yea I went to GNC after my ride on sunday, and there were a million things. I used to take a bunch of supplements when I worked out 5 days a week, but I don't even go to the gym anymore because I would rather ride so I fugured that the diet might differ a little from weight training. I can definitely feel a difference in my legs as far as endurance and even some size, cause before I started I had toothpicks for legs, and now I have some drumsticks

Still trying harder on working my calves, but not too successful

-Greg

mine are about to explode.

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Anything is Possible.

Please let me know if you have any tips on how to ride (or other) to get best calves work out.

Walk on your toes. Wait, do ballerinas have killer calves?

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The old standby - chocolate milk - will provide you with the protein and carbs you need for recovery after a ride, and at a fraction of special powders and mixes. Everyone has an opinion, and you just got mine - for free too.

FYI, endurance cycling is not going to help you with the bodybuilding thing...

hehe, yea choc milk is good too, I'm not trying to ride to build muscle, I did that at the gym and I don't even go anymore cause I'd rather cycle. I'm trying to gain muscle so I can ride stronger, faster, and further.

I drink Endurox R4 recovery drink after every ride. It significantly reduces soreness the next day and I don't feel totally drained after my ride. I tried Clifshots recovery drink and other simular high protien drinks and the Endurox is by far the best I've had. It's a little pricey but so worth it. You can ride your ass off one day and the hop back on the bike the next and still have a great ride instead of having nothing to give.

heres some product info:
Accelsport.com: Official Web Store for Endurox - Nutrition Tools for Endurance Athletes

much cheaper here:
Endurox (PacificHealth) at www.supplementwarehouse.com

hope that helps!

Perfect, that's what I am looking for exactly. Recovery for soreness and something to drink after the ride.

Thank you,

-Greg

I use the Peak Performance Glutamine powder distributed by Lifetime Fitness after I ride, you are actually supposed to use it before and after your workout, but I don't work out as intensely as I used to, so I just take it afterwords.

It is supposed to reduce muscle loss after endurance training, encourage muscle growth after power training, improve muscle recovery times, etc.

I don't have any scientific findings to give, but I will say that my muscle soreness goes away about twice as fast when I use it.

I'm not trying to promote Lifetime fitness products, while I do believe they have top quality products, I think there are other vendors that can provide equivelant products at a much lower price.

I still have quite a bit of the Glutamine left, so I haven't researched it, but I have started purchasing the multi-vitamins and Omega 3 supplements that I used to purchase from Lifetime Fitness from VitaminWorld.com.

From my own experience and what I have read, the Ultra Man multi vitamins and the Omega 3 Fish Oil supplements that I purchase from VitaminWorld.com are just as good, but cost 1/3 less than the Lifetime products that I had been using for years.

It always pays to shop around and do your homework when you start buying this stuff.

funny but when i started out with the group rides everyone told me to 'stay hydrated' but i took all bottle holders off and did better on my 56 miler than ever.

now i always ride three bottle (tri cage behind the seat and down tube) deep but that is for the added weight for the most part, i don't drink it until absolutely nessaccary.

sounds goofy and bassackwards i can just imagine but it just feels right.

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Anything is Possible.

Post ride recovery I'd just go for a glass of water with some pasta and smoked oily fish - rehydrate, replace carbs, loads of protein, omega-3 and replace lost salts. What more do you need?