Sometimes protein supplements, which are expensive and do not replace a nutritious diet, cannot be purchased for various reasons; in addition, some people are lactose intolerant, and vegetable and cheap cocktails are only absorbed by 50% and do not have a full complex of amino acids. Is it possible to gain weight or lose weight without the help of sports nutrition? Can. The main thing is to create the right diet of protein-rich foods in the required quantities.
What products can replace protein?
Protein powder is filtered and industrially dried protein molecules that are obtained from animal and plant products. Here we will consider only animal proteins, since the degree of their absorption is much higher than that of plant proteins. This is the most complete protein, both in amino acid composition and in quality and degree of absorption. This protein is obtained from: milk, eggs, meat. Accordingly, it is important to study the protein composition of these products and include them in the daily menu.
Foods containing high amounts of protein per 100 grams include:
- Chicken eggs (two whole eggs – 12 g).
- Quail eggs (a dozen contain about 12 g).
- Poultry meat (chickens - 20 g, turkey - 21 g, geese and ducks - 16.4 g).
- Animal meat (veal – 20 g, beef – 19 g, rabbit – 20.5 g).
- Fish and seafood (tuna – 24.5 g, pink salmon – 20.5 g, salmon – 20 g, chum salmon – 19 g, pollock and hake – 16 g, shrimp – 20.5 g, squid – 18 g, cod – 17 g, mussels – 11 g, octopus – 18.5 g).
- Milk (about 3 g depending on fat content).
- Low-fat cottage cheese (20-22 g).
- Cheese (19-25 g).
Considering the amount of protein, do not forget about the fat content in the product, especially if the goal is to lose weight.
For example, legumes, lentils, soybeans and nuts contain large amounts of protein, but at the same time, there are many times more fat and carbohydrates present here. Soy contains as much as 34 g of protein per 100 grams, but half of the substances are not digestible, and the composition of amino acids is very poor.
Give preference to lean meat, eggs, lean fish and cottage cheese.
By the way, eggs are digested faster than all products and almost completely, and the amino acid profile is richer in comparison with others. By throwing away the yolks to reduce fat, half the protein composition is lost.
Match foods in your diet to suit your fitness goals.
- Choose low-fat foods.
- Steam, bake or boil, but do not fry in oil, this will significantly increase the amount of fat.
- It is better to boil eggs, firstly, adding raw eggs to cocktails threatens salmonella infection, and secondly, they are less digestible and limit the access of biotin into cells (vitamin B7), which is responsible for the synthesis of glucose, fatty acids and amino acids.
A fit athletic form, whether during the period of muscle gain or weight loss, is quite achievable with the help of timely consumption of high-quality low-fat foods: eggs, meat, dairy and seafood.
Foods containing a lot of protein
1) Meat - there is plenty of it on the market; to obtain protein with a minimum fat content, chicken breast fillet is suitable, although it tastes a bit dry, but is healthy. If you don’t find it, you can buy beef, an excellent source of protein, but consume more fat. Meat also contains creatine, which is responsible for muscle strength and endurance;
2) Fish and seafood - go to the supermarket and take the time to read the ingredients, you will be pleasantly surprised at 100g. contains about 30-40g. protein, or even higher. Particularly useful are tuna dishes containing Omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for the functioning of the retina of the eyes, the functioning of the brain, and reduce the risk of heart and vascular diseases;
3) Dairy products (milk, cottage cheese, kefir, cheese, etc.) - choose low-fat products, they are rich not only in protein, but also in calcium, which gradually decreases in our bones with constant protein intake;
4) Eggs – when preparing dishes, do not overuse the yolk, it contains all the fat and cholesterol of the egg; use, for example, 1-2 whole eggs and 6-7 whites for cooking. Eggs contain a large amount of amino acids;
5) Powdered milk - distinguished as skim milk - containing about 35-40%. protein, 50% carbohydrates and 1-2% fat and whole - fat and protein about 26%, and carbohydrates 37%. Of course, low-fat is more difficult to buy, but it is more profitable for gaining pure mass. By taking whole milk powder, mixing it with protein, you will get an excellent protein-carbohydrate drink, which, when taken after a workout, will “kill 2 birds with one stone”, nourish exhausted muscles with protein and increase the body’s energy reserves.
At the beginning of sports, it is not necessary to consume protein, get protein from the products described above and when muscle volume stops growing, switch to protein. It is possible to get all the protein from food, but you need to eat a huge amount of food, literally every 2-3 hours. Think about it, can you keep up with such a schedule?
The dosage and timing of protein intake can be read in the article whey protein isolate.
Therefore, in the future, so that there is no problem with how to replace protein, take protein and food rich in proteins in parallel, they will not harm each other, but on the contrary, you will get a double effect in building a beautiful figure.
How to replace protein after a workout
With such a wide variety of protein-rich foods to choose from, there are several manufactured items that are absorbed faster, making it possible to make a protein-like substitute.
After training , it is important that not only amino acids (proteins) are supplied, but also carbohydrates to restore energy reserves. And in the case of gaining muscle mass, when carbohydrates are supplied, insulin is produced - an anabolic hormone. Dairy products have exactly these qualities , their huge advantage is the high content of protein, both quickly digestible and long-digesting (casein), and also a low content of carbohydrates (milk sugar - lactose).
It’s very easy to prepare such a cocktail, there’s just one inconvenience – preparing it after a workout. Of course, it’s easier to stir the powder in milk, but there are many more ingredients. Moreover, this drink cannot be stored for a long time in a closed form and in a warm room. It is advisable to consume after preparation.
- Take 200-300 ml of low-fat milk, add 100 grams of low-fat cottage cheese (no more than 5%).
- Add ready-made egg whites, and if the goal is not weight loss, add 2 eggs with yolks.
- Beat the mixture in a blender.
- To improve the taste, you can add honey, sweetener, berries, fruits, but this will significantly increase the carbohydrate content.
Read more about protein shakes for muscle growth →
Baby formulas
Nutritional formulas for children are fundamentally different from ordinary powdered milk - they are thoroughly purified from lactose and impurities, and also contain vitamins and minerals necessary for the growth of the child. However, despite the high quality, in terms of grams of protein, their cost is several times higher than even the most expensive “milk” protein.
We recommend reading: Magic happens between workouts,” Yaroslav Soinikov on why it is important to train regularly
If your main problem with whey protein powder is lactose intolerance, instead of buying baby formula, look into vegetarian sports protein. Since it is made not from milk, but from soy, peas and other plant sources, this protein does not contain lactose and other allergens.
Types of sports nutrition instead of protein
Protein is the main source of amino acids, both essential and essential. The goal of drinking a protein shake is to get all the amino acids for further muscle recovery and growth. There are different types of protein that differ in the duration of release of amino acids. Some of them are absorbed in 20–30 minutes, this is especially necessary immediately after completing exercise or after sleep. Others, on the contrary, begin to be partially absorbed after one hour, up to 8-12 hours.
It is advisable to replace protein with full cycle amino acids and BCAAs. These are pure amino acids in capsules or powder, which are quickly absorbed, prevent catabolism and promote rapid muscle recovery. The protein composition of these complexes will be no less effective, but will not replace a full meal, as a protein shake does. The powder form of amino acids can be diluted with water, and the capsules, accordingly, can be washed down with it. But amino acids will be cheaper than protein and better if there is a need to remove subcutaneous fat without losing muscle mass on a low-carb diet.
How to replace sports nutrition
The abundance of jars in the sports supplement store makes your eyes wide open. It’s difficult for a beginner to figure out how to choose the right product, and whether all this is even necessary. The question involuntarily arises whether it is possible to replace sports nutrition with regular products from the supermarket. And if so, what to replace the sports one with?
Is it possible to replace protein mixtures and fat burners?
The main type of sports nutrition is protein mixtures. They come in two types: with or without added carbohydrates. The first option is gainers. It is suitable for gaining muscle mass, roughly speaking, for fattening. The second option is necessary for everyone who plays sports, including those who want to lose weight.
If you do not have a goal to achieve athletic heights, you can replace both types of mixtures with regular products. One of the best alternatives for a gainer is a cocktail made from milk, oatmeal, bananas, cottage cheese, and honey. You can add fresh berries and fruits to it if desired. By removing some carbohydrate foods and increasing the amount of protein, you can reduce the calorie content of the shake.
Please note that if you dream of an ideal body or are seriously involved in sports, then you cannot do without store-bought protein mixtures.
The fact is that protein from regular food takes a long time to digest and absorb. It’s better not to go to training immediately after a homemade protein shake. And after training, it will not close the protein-carbohydrate window.
Now about fat burners. These are safe substances that help you get rid of fat faster. People say that grapefruit, ginger or hot pepper have these properties. In fact, their action is not enough and for the proper effect you need to use special fat burners.
Is it possible to replace vitamin, mineral and other supplements?
An important component of sports nutrition is vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants and other beneficial substances. They are important for maintaining good physical shape and good health for an athlete.
It is almost impossible to completely replace them with traditional food. For example, in order to get a sufficient portion of a particular vitamin, you need to eat a huge amount of the product that contains it. In this case, you risk getting a “bonus” of extra fats, carbohydrates, etc. But various additives in jars are the substance you need in its pure form.
Regular healthy nutrition or sports nutrition
Proper nutrition involves eating healthy foods and strictly observing the ratio of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. You can get them from the following products:
· long-term carbohydrates – buckwheat and rice;
· carbohydrates with an average speed of action - pasta, oatmeal, potatoes;
· whey protein, which is absorbed quickly - eggs;
· casein protein, which takes a long time to digest - cottage cheese;
· healthy unsaturated fats – fish, olive and flaxseed oil.
Compliance with proper nutrition standards is, of course, beneficial for our body. However, regular food cannot completely replace sports nutrition. These are two things that complement each other. In tandem they help achieve maximum results.
Getting all the necessary substances from dietary supplements is also beneficial from a financial point of view. For a complete diet that will meet the needs for different types of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, etc., you will have to spend a decent amount monthly. Sports supplements will be cheaper.
So, replacing sports nutrition is a difficult thing and it is not suitable for everyone. If you work out in the gym for the soul, then you can make do with natural products. But if training is something more for you, then visits to sports stores cannot be avoided.
