Q: I'm having trouble eating 30 grams of protein within the first 30 minutes after waking. Is this really necessary? Do I really need 30 grams of protein, or is some ok? Are there any tips you can give me to help?
A: As I've tried to impress upon people, nothing is absolute. If you eat at minute 31, you won't suddenly lose all progress you've made or get nowhere. But complying is better than not complying. So the question becomes how can you get as close to 30 minutes as possible.
I have two tricks that make it possible for me. The first is preparing, and the second is mixing protein intake methods.
1. Prepare - I have an omlete with 1 whole egg, 2-3 egg whites, mushrooms, scallions or onions, oregano, sea salt, Amazing Grass ORAC greens, and a cup of lentils as my 'whole food' breakfast. It's great. I cook it the night before, pop it in foil in the fridge, and micorwave it for 1:30-2 minutes. You can eat it cold if you're not ok with microwaving, or you can warm it in a toaster oven or oven for a few minutes, but that takes longer, and the clock is ticking! This gives about 20 grams of protein, depending on how many lentils you add, and the size of the eggs.
2. While the egg is warming, I have a protein shake. I use Casein with no flavoring or sweetener, which is really hard to find (I use this one), but Jay Robb has some great Whey Protein Isolate and Egg White Protein options that are sweetener-free (they use nothing or use stevia, which is fine). If unflavored, I throw some cinnamon and stevia in my Blender Bottle along with a scoop of protein. This gives me 20-24 grams.
I eat the egg while drinking the protein. It works well, tastes good, and gets me set to start my morning workout (a mix of cardio and some body weight exercises like leg lifts and pull ups). If you use whey, be sure you workout afterward, or it will be wasted since it will metabolize too fast for your muscles to absorb. Casein take several times longer to metabolize, so your body can use it whether you are working out or not.
Hey Brian - is the 30 grams of protein for breakfast part of the 4HB? Do you have a blog entry or a page that just talks about the 4HB or your program in short? I'm too lazy to read the entire book.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question. The entire site - www.newbodi.es - is about getting onto the 4HB plan (for weight loss / fat loss, not for body building, etc). Check it out, and please feel free to ask more questions via the Contact page if you want more help and guidance. Also, we're just releasing our meal/energy bars next week!
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