I've gotten a lot of questions from my 25 Tips list about nutrition.  Today, I finally give a few answers about protein.  I'm no expert on nutrition but I can at least give you a few basics you NEED to know about protein if you're training hard in the weight room.

As an added bonus, this gives me an excuse to talk about my fundraising efforts for the Poultry Days egg eating contest.  If you like the video (or even if you don't!) please consider sponsoring me for a donation to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!  Details at the end of the video.

Poultry Days is a tournament that exemplifies all that is special about the ultimate community.  Hundreds of players camp in a park in the middle of nowhere, Versailles OH. I'm pretty sure that I learned most of the stupid frisbee games I know at Poultry Days.  Even better, Poultry Days occurs the same weekend as the towns Poultry Days festival.  So there are fair rides, fair foods, chicken BBQ (of course!), swimming in the local pool, watching the kiddie tractor pull, and a bajillion other things to do.  But the one thing I have yet to do at Poultry Days is the egg eating contest that happens Friday night.  This will be my first year at the egg eating contest, and I'd appreciate your support!

Please Donate!

$30 = $1 for every gram of protein I'll consume! EGGS-tremely AWESOME!

$20 = $4 /egg   EGG-CELLENT!!!

$10 = $2 /egg    EGGS-actly what I asked for.  Thanks!

$5 = $1/ egg     Every bit helps! Thanks!!!

Goals

• I want to raise $1000.  That's 100 people pledging $2/egg.
• If we reach $500 by Monday night, I will share my favorite egg breakfast recipe.  Nutritious and delicious!
• If we reach the goal by Thursday evening, I will teach you how to play Flutterguts and film some friends and I playing it at Poultry Days!

Summary of Protein Points

How much?

Ultimate Athletes need about 1.5-1.7 g of protein per kg of bodymass (wt in lbs/2.2 = kg bodymass)

A normal active adult not in training only needs about 0.8 g protein/kg bodymass.

Growing kids need about 0.95 g protein/kg body mass

Too Much?

The body can only process so much protein at once.  Amounts larger than 2.5 g / kg bodymass will not be able to be used.

Maximum effective dose in one sitting is 20-35 grams. More protein than the max effective dose won't be absorbed, processed, and used.  Eating a lot of protein at once can also cause nausea.  After eating 5 eggs in one sitting, I can attest that this is true!

What Should I Eat?

Good sources of protein = eggs, beef, poultry, fish, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts.

1 egg = 6 g

3 oz. beef, poultry, fish = 21 g

2 c milk = 16 g

1/2 c cottage cheese or greek yogurt = 14 g

1/2 c. nuts = 10 g

When Should I Eat It?

I recommend eating 10-15 g protein within an hour after a strength training session or other hard training session or practice.  Two cups of chocolate milk, 1/2 cottage cheese and fruit, 1/2 c yogurt and fruit, 1/2 c nuts and 1/4 c. dried fruits are all excellent recovery food options that will give you the protein along with some carbs that you need to aid in a faster recovery from your workout.  Keeping nuts and dried fruit in your gym bag is an easy option.

Do NOT eat a high protein meal within an hour of training.  Oxygen and fluids needed for the muscles may be diverted to protein processing thus making you feel more fatigued in training.  (You can have some, just don't eat a steak, ok.)