martin
My question is what protein powder would you recommend for a football player trying to gain weight and lose body fat? There are just so many products out there that I don't who to believe or what to buy, please help. By the way, have you heard of "Proto Whey" protein powder made from Bio-nutritional research? It sounds pretty good but don't know if it claims to do what it says .
Great question! Gaining lean body mass over time can be difficult, but training hard, eating healthy, and getting enough rest can be simple. Whey protein powders and other various protein drinks like Myoplex or Met-Rx can definitely help from a convenience standpoint. A football player trying to gain weight must first make sure to eat quality calories (such as oatmeal, potatoes, chicken, fish, eggs, fruits and vegetables, low-fat milk and dairy products). Supplements should only be viewed as “supplements” to your diet. Try to eat at least 6 times per day. If this is inconvenient, supplements (protein powders) may be an effective alternative.
Many protein powders claim to build muscle. However, consuming extra protein from powder or foods doesn't guarantee bigger muscles (athletes would spend time lounging instead of lifting). Calories, primarily from carbohydrates, fuel your muscles. Weightlifting and resistance exercises help muscle fibers to increase in size. To build muscle: follow a strength training program, eat 500 to 1,000 more calories each day, eat foods high in carbohydrates (grains, fruits, vegetables), along with lean protein (chicken, fish, beans, eggs), avoid saturated fats or fried foods, and eat several small meals throughout the day to support training and muscle building.
“Proto Whey” protein powder contains micropeptides, glutamine, psyllium, and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). An adequate daily intake of carbohydrate and calories may help to prevent muscle glycogen depletion and overtraining, as well as help to maintain normal glutamine status. One study found that carbohydrate and MCT feedings may improve endurance performance lasting 2 hrs or more, but more research is needed to replicate these findings. Whey protein may enhance immune function, but it does not appear to increase muscle mass in athletes. Psyllium, a bulk-forming laxative, is used to treat constipation. Overall, consuming sufficient calories and protein, along with a resistance-training program will help increase lean body mass. Remember, try to choose whole foods first!
Thank you for writing in,
Andrea Strum, RD
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How many calories over maintenance do you have your athletes eating if they are gaining that much LBM and shedding fat also? What is their stack(list of supplements taken)I am curently on flax oil, multi-vitamins, and whey protein shakes. What should I add? Thanks in advance. Aaron
Dear Aaron -
Your typical athlete is looking to build LBM and decrease body fat which can be done by adding 500 calories a day (quality calories) to what they are already taking in. The reason why most athletes don't gain weight isn't because they aren't lifting hard enough - it's usually because first they are not taking in enough calories and second the calories they consume are not from nutritious foods. If you calculate you maintenance calories (see previous post) and add 500 per day, you should gain 1lb a week. Of course you need to be following a strengh-training program, but most athletes are lifting both in season and off.
As far as an athlete's "stack" I'm a big believer in recommending safe, effective supplements such as: Glutamine, BCAA, Whey Protein, Fish Oil, Mulitivitamins and Antioxidants. Anything else is specific to each athlete and is thoroughly researched before they take it. I think you've chosen some great supplements to add to your diet and as long as you're consuming quality calories (lean protein, complex carbs, unsaturated fats) above your maintenance and lifting - you should see the results you're looking for. Thanks for writing in!
Heather Campanile, RD / Sports Nutritionist
How do you lose weight without losing muscle? Should you lift weights while dieting?
Muscle weighs more than fat and more priority should be given to the body fat percentage than to the weight on the scale. The scale shows the pounds, but doesn't tell whether the person has more fat or muscle. The best way to lose the fat is to develop healthy eating habits and exercise regularly. The worst-case scenario would be to deprive the body of calories and "starve" it, or to exercise intensely and severly limit the caloric intake. The body will begin to send starvation signals, meaning that it will begin to conserve and retain the body fat and use the muscle as the energy. Gradually, the body will be working hard to make more space for the accumulation of fat while there will be less and less muscle mass.
For athletes, maintaining lean body mass during weight loss prevents the potential negative effects of weight loss on exercise performance. No more than 1 or 2 pounds should be lost each week to minimize adverse effects of weight loss on lean body mass (fat free mass), nutrient status, and training performance. The energy content of 1 pound of fat is about 3,500 calories - so by gradually reducing your daily energy intake by 500 to 100 calories, you will lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. A balanced diet should contain sufficient calories, unrefined, fiber-rich complex carbohydrates, lean protein and unsaturated fat (avoid saturated and trans fats). 
Resistance training in combination with aerobic training affects muscular strength and lean body mass more positively than programs relying solely on food restriction. Endurance training reduces body fat by reducing fat mass, while resistance training decreases fat mass and increases lean body mass.
Weight loss strategies are most appropriate during the off-season or the post-competition period. Weight loss during a competitive season may compromise performance.
Thanks for the question!
Andrea Strum, RD
Pictured are 2006 Combine athletes Jeff Webb, Willie Reid & Hank Baskett
How do you lose weight without losing muscle? Should you lift weights while dieting?
Muscle weighs more than fat and more priority should be given to the body fat percentage than to the weight on the scale.
The scale shows the pounds, but doesn’t tell whether the person has more fat or muscle. The best way to lose the fat is to
develop healthy eating habits and exercise regularly. The worst-case scenario would be to deprive the body of calories and
“starve” it, or to exercise intensely and severely limit the caloric intake. The body will begin to send starvation signals, meaning
that it will begin to conserve and retain the body fat and use the muscle as the energy. Gradually, the body will be working hard
to make more space for the accumulation of fat while there will be less and less muscle mass. For athletes, maintaining lean body mass during weight loss counters the potential negative effects of weight loss on exercise performance. No more than 1 or 2 pounds should be lost each week to minimize adverse effects of weight loss on lean body mass (fat free body mass), nutrient status, and training performance. The energy content of 1 pound of fat is about 3,500 kcal. By gradually reducing your daily energy intake by 500 to 1000 kcal, you will lose 1 to 2 pounds of fat per week. A balanced diet should contain sufficient calories, unrefined, fiber-rich, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and unsaturated fat (avoid saturated and trans fats).
Resistance training in combination with aerobic training affects muscular strength and lean body mass more positively than programs relying solely on food restriction. Endurance training reduces body fat by reducing fat mass, while resistance training decreases fat mass and increases lean body mass. Weight loss strategies are most appropriate during the off-season or the post-competition period. Weight loss during a competitive season may compromise performance.
Muscle weighs more than fat and more priority should be given to the body fat percentage than to the weight on the scale.
The scale shows the pounds, but doesn’t tell whether the person has more fat or muscle. The best way to lose the fat is to
develop healthy eating habits and exercise regularly. The worst-case scenario would be to deprive the body of calories and
“starve” it, or to exercise intensely and severely limit the caloric intake. The body will begin to send starvation signals, meaning
that it will begin to conserve and retain the body fat and use the muscle as the energy. Gradually, the body will be working hard
to make more space for the accumulation of fat while there will be less and less muscle mass.For athletes, maintaining lean body mass during weight loss counters the potential negative effects of weight loss on exercise performance. No more than 1 or 2 pounds should be lost each week to minimize adverse effects of weight loss on lean body mass (fat free body mass), nutrient status, and training performance. The energy content of 1 pound of fat is about 3,500 kcal. By gradually reducing your daily energy intake by 500 to 1000 kcal, you will lose 1 to 2 pounds of fat per week. A balanced diet should contain sufficient calories, unrefined, fiber-rich, complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and unsaturated fat (avoid saturated and trans fats).
Thanks for the question! Andrea Strum, RD
Hi, thank you for all of your help Parisi!
I was just wondering what you think about using water fasting to quickly cut weight during the offseason.
Jerry
Dear Jerry - 
By water fasting - I assume you mean drinking only water and cutting out all food and other beverages for a period of time. Fasting is used for everything from rapid weight lost to religious rituals, but that doesn't mean it's safe. I don't recommend water fasting to cut weight quickly because you're basically only losing water weight (and probably some muscle tissue)so why bother. The minute you rehydrate yourself your weight will be back up and you risk the chance of having less lean body mass - so in the end you may be thinner, but you may also be weaker.
I can't reinforce it enough with my athletes who are looking for a quick fix, but the only safe way to lose FAT is at a rate of 2 lbs/ week which is a 1000 calorie deficit from their maintenance calories (see past Q&A to figure out calorie needs). Do yourself a favor and take the time to do it the right way - in the end the extra effort will definitley pay off.
Sincerely,
Heather Campanile, RD / Sports Nutritionist