Distinguishing Between Hunger and Craving; Protein Mythology (WAS: Working Out)

[Guest guest]

Wyn and all,

 

You write:

___

When you experience craving after exercise... Let's agree that you are

craving.

___

 

I would not so agree. First one must distinguish between hunger and craving.

Until you do that, you are stuck at the starting gate. And if you really

believe you can learn such distinctions by reading emails, blogs, and the

like, then you are to experience disappointment. There is little or no

knowledge sitting behind most of those writings.

 

There is no such thing as a protein craving, per se. This is a myth taught

for the purpose of selling pseudoprotein products.

 

People hunger for fuel (calories, which would come from some combination of

carbohydrate and/or fats) or, in some cases noncaloric nutrients. The ONLY

time genuine hunger rises to the intensity of " craving " is in the presence

of true starvation.

 

In contrast, people crave that which will numb them out. These are of a

profoundly different nature.

 

Beyond that, the conversation itself is deranged for the following reason:

What people SAY they crave, and what they actually EAT, are typically

unrelated. What people EAT when they crave is almost always some combination

of starch-fat-salt. You will be amazed ... truly amazed ... at the changes

you experience if you cut the salt 100%. It really helps to break up that

portion of the cravings that may be physical in origin. As for the rest,

it's almost all emotional in origin ... which is why the discrepancy, noted

above.

 

The examples you cite are from people who do not possess the technical

knowledge to realize what they are doing that does or does not work.

Whenever you consume calories ... best if from fruits ... within an hour or

so following a workout, your body replenishes its glycogen reserve at

roughly twice the rate it would otherwise. And this explains the success

Storm and others report, not anything at all to do with protein.

 

Gotta do other things!

 

Best,

Elchanan

_____

 

rawfood [rawfood ] On Behalf Of

The Raw Retreat

Saturday, June 30, 2007 6:32 PM

rawfood

[Raw Food] Re:Working Out

 

 

I'm curious...

 

When you experience craving after exercise... Let's agree that you are

craving. Next question is what is it that you're craving.

 

At other times that you crave, what do you crave. When you're tired, upset,

etc. do you crave? If so, what do you crave?

 

I know a couple folks that say they are craving protein after specific kinds

of activity - or even before specific activity. And it's exactly what they

crave at other times.

 

My experience with people is that we individually experience specific types

of cravings. They tend to fall into three primary groups:

1. Fat

2. Sugar

3. Protein Each may have a secondary component - say Fat and Protein - or

Sugar and Protein, etc.

 

For example, mine is Sugar and Protein. What I know is behind that craving

is the feeling that I get when I eat these together. I get a huge boost of

energy. However I know that it's an enervated burst of energy and I'll pay

for it by feeling my energy depleted later to some degree - and I'll pay for

it in disrupted digestion and it's attendant gasses and bit of lethargy for

a day or two.

 

I have to wonder if there is a similar mechanism at work here.

 

If you've read the China Report you know that they found that it was high

caloric and low protein/fat plant based diet eaten by active rural workers

gave them the strength and endurance to work hard and long days based on

their intake of complex carbs, not protein. I agree that it's not the same

as intentionally putting on muscle mass...

 

And... Storm Talifero - thegardendiet.com - asserts that ingesting vegan

protein 20 minutes before or after a workout (aerobic and resistance) seems

to be the key to putting on muscle mass. Works for him and a few others

he's coached that I've spoken with.

 

Gotta say, I took a double take when I read that you were trying to eat 250

gm protein a day... Then thought... if you consume 3000 calories a day -

10% would be 300 grams. So it's not a lot.

 

My other question is how bio-available is the protein you are eating. You

can eat 500 grams a day... If you're body can only digest and absorb 100,

because it's not digestible, you're in a losing cycle.

 

..wyn