Heavy lifting without protein powder?

momof2osaurus

I'm reading NROLFW (I can't do the program right now as a gym membership isn't really possible for me, but I wanted the base info!) and they recommend protein powder shakes after a workout. I eat paleo, mostly because I have a crap ton of food intolerances, so...is protein powder really vital? Or is it just a matter of making sure I get enough protein throughout the day?

janelleduah

I'm Paleo too and don't use protein powders. I just make sure I have adequate protein throughout the day, and I haven't noticed any adverse effects. But if you do choose to go the protein powder route, egg white powder is Paleo. Also, if you can tolerate whey and want to be more 'Primal', there are grassfed whey protein powders out there. Three that come to mind are Vital Whey sold by US Wellness Meats, Primal Fuel sold by Mark Sisson, and Simply Pure Nutrients.

alijane9

Yes, I'm fairly sure you can lift without drinking a protein shake afterwards! The authors suggest that you have a certain protein intake in your diet generally - as you have already read, but on a lifting/workout day you have extra cals (including protein) and that a protein shake is an easy way to cover this. Protein is used in tissue repair & muscle 'building' etc, which is why you'd have it post-workout I guess? Perhaps you could have a protein heavy snack with you instead rather than splash out on powders which you may be intolerant to.
If gym membership is out, but you've got space & can get some weights at home (second hand ones maybe?) I can highly recommend the programme

momof2osaurus

If gym membership is out, but you've got space & can get some weights at home (second hand ones maybe?) I can highly recommend the programme

I have hand weights that go to 20 lbs each (adjustable with plates), but I was told in the NROLFW group that it's not possible to do the program at home without a considerable equipment investment. Is that not true?? I haven't gotten to the exercises in the book yet, maybe I will be able to do it at home!

And I didn't know about egg white powder, thank you, janelleduah! One of my issues is definitely with dairy, so whey powder makes me a little nervous.

alijane9

A lot of exercises have adaptations for different/non-gym equipment, many of them have dumbbell alternatives. My gym doesn't have a squat rack, so I do goblet squats with a dumbbell instead (I did a bit of research, tried a few squat variations out - to the amusement of my fellow gym-goers - and find the goblets nice and tough). However, I do lift far more than when I first started and so your hand weights would perhaps only do you for a few workouts before you needed to get heavier ones.

janelleduah

Maybe you could invest in the Select Tech Bowflex dumbbells? Ebay might have good deals, but it does run a couple hundred. Alternatively, if you aren't adverse to bodyweight exercises, check out Bodeefit.com, which has Crossfit workouts revamped for at-home use. And Jay Robb has flavored egg white protein powders. NOW Foods also sells an unflavored kind that you could use in any mix. But as mentioned above, shakes are unnecessary. But they may be important in optimal recovery since the proteins in these powders are processed and thus easily digested to go straight to your muscles for repair, rather than waiting for a few hours for protein like in meat or eggs to be digested.

janelleduah

Sorry, I forgot something lol: You can also look on bodybuilding.com for any substitution/alternative moves that use dumbbells, if that particular exercise doesn't use dumbbells.