Yet another fitness question...

[Orsorum]

Here's my situation: I've been doing cross-training three times a week for the last six months; I've never really been physically fit before, so I'm starting to pay more attention to my diet and to what I'm eating, etc. I'm looking into either a program or a supplement to augment my protein intake.

I live in a college dorm; I'm finding it difficult to get meat or any other food product with a high protein content on a regular basis while at the same time not spending large sums of money or time. I'm looking at one of those bags of protein shakes (like $30 for about a month and a half's worth of shakes). The MetRX protein bars are good, but they're also expensive as all get out.

I'm curious if anyone has any suggestions as to what I can do to increase my protein intake without going to drastic measures or bankrupting me. I'm not interested in any of those body-building type products (they're a waste of time), but I also know that cooking chicken breast or any other meat product on my own is almost impossible, living in a dorm.

 

[dababus]

get those buckets of protein shake that cost 40 to 50 bucks and last for good month or so. they give you high protein and carbs.

 

[dababus]

try your local gnc store, they will help you out according to your need and budget.

 

[Orsorum]

<< get those buckets of protein shake that cost 40 to 50 bucks and last for good month or so. they give you high protein and carbs. >>



Only possible issue I could see with those is the cost and the high carb content (what I'd like to avoid). I'm still seriously considering the $30 protein shake mix - it'd give about 100 servings at 20 grams of protein each, so two servings a day, I'm looking at a month and a half or so.

EDIT: I did, that's what he recommended (the shake mix). I'm just curious if anyone has any experience with it or any other suggestions.

 

[Nutdotnet]

Well you do realize that you NEED carbs while exercising don't you? They give you energy.

Oh yeah, want something cheap and gives you a lot of good protien and fat? Go get some tuna! May not taste that great by itself out of the can but the stuff is very good for you.

 

[Orsorum]

<< Well you do realize that you NEED carbs while exercising don't you? They give you energy.

Oh yeah, want something cheap and gives you a lot of good protien and fat? Go get some tuna! May not taste that great by itself out of the can but the stuff is very good for you. >>



I know that carbs are definitely good for the body, I just enough of them as it is (I'm also starting to focus on burning some of the fat, too). I've also heard about tuna, I'd just prefer not to be eating it in my dorm room (hence, the smell... ugh.).

 

[Pundit]

It is always preferable to eat unrefined foods. I suggest beans, nuts, and grain products.

But I'm also surprised that nobody has mentioned egg whites yet. They are the most complete protein food and they are cheap. Boil the eggs and just eat the egg white.

 

[Orsorum]

<< It is always preferable to eat unrefined foods. I suggest beans, nuts, and grain products.

But I'm also surprised that nobody has mentioned egg whites yet. They are the most complete protein food and they are cheap. Boil the eggs and just eat the egg white. >>



Any recipe ideas? The thought of eating egg whites grosses me out. How many egg whites for a comparable dose of protein?

 

[b0mbrman]

Yawp...I used to eat eggwhites by the dozen

 

[HappyPuppy]

Why not just eat a balanced diet? Your body will extract what it needs from what you eat.

 

[Orsorum]

<< Yawp...I used to eat eggwhites by the dozen >>



Gawd... how did you do it?

 

[Orsorum]

<< Why not just eat a balanced diet? Your body will extract what it needs from what you eat. >>



I try to, but it's very difficult to do in a college dorm. I do the best I can with fruits, vegetables, dairy and grains, but getting protein is still difficult - the quality of meat that Haggett Hall food puts out is fairly low (IMO), but it's difficult to get meat any other way, save eating out.

 

[Pundit]

Ok, I've just done 30 minutes on the heavy bag myself, so I want you to know how torturous typing this is for me! Actually, I have very little feeling in my left fingers

Well, if you boil the eggs really well, the whites don't taste that bad. But if you don't like them, there are other possibilities. In order to build muscle mass, you need the 8 amino acids (out of 20) that your body cannot synthesize itself. You must eat a combination of food, like beans + nuts or grains + ? ... I can't really remember right now. I always used to have a cup of green peas (steamed or canned) with a cup of any grain (oats, millet, oat bran) that I simmered in water for breakfast.

 

[Pundit]

A good thing to do is to buy one of those books that tells you how much protein, carb, and fat is in each food. (As well as vitamins an minerals)

Honestly, I found that I didn't have to eat much protein to gain muscle. I think my diet was 10/20/70 (fat/prot/carb) in terms of calories.

 

[BadMuleS]

whatever u choose to do or purchase, supplement wise.. do not go to GNC like someone else mentioned or any other retail establishment to get products.. search around on line such as sportsnutrition.com and order your products online and recieve them wholesale.. you can get twice as much stuff for the same price at a retail store easily... there are many many wholesalers you just have to price them accordingly