cough, cough and protein

I have been totally sick with some kind of respiratory annoyance for the past few days. I think it is getting better, a friend is going to get me some natural herbal cough syrup that she swears by so I am hopeful to be out running in the morning. 

So that's the cough, cough, now onto Protein.

I only eat seafood and fish but lately am concerned that I am not getting enough protein for the amount of exercise I am doing. I have been tracking my nutrition with my GYMINEE account and have definitely been low on the protein numbers, like, less than half of what I should be getting which is really not to great, especially since protein is essential to build and repair muscle tissue. Protein allows muscles to contract, gain in size, and increase in strength and if you aren't getting enough protein your body takes it from your muscles leading to muscle loss. 

Of course now I am monitoring it more closely so I am going to try a few things to boost it before I make any major changes to my diet, like eating meat. 

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike meat, I am not really morally opposed to eating meat, I do think the food industry tries to poison us, especially with meat.  I really think it is every person's decision to make on their own. I just go through phases where it honestly, kind of grosses me out. I also have a lot of animals including a pig and lots of chickens so I do feel like a traitor eating them.

What are the options? Well, I could just start eating lean, low fat meats like chicken again and the occasional beef. I could eat more vegetable and fish based protein like tofu and tuna or I could supplement with protein powder. 

Pros and cons.

I don't really want to eat meat so that is pretty much last on my list of options. I did have 

a little bit of turkey last week but I don't really want to make it a regular thing. Last time I got back on the meat wagon it made me pretty sick for a few days and I think the larger expenditure of energy needed to digest meat could be spent doing other things, like running really fast. However, eating some meat would be the more natural, whole food way of getting more protein regularly sooner.

Upping my vegetable and fish based high protein foods would be relatively easy, a handful of garbanzos here, an extra fillet there, should be a no brainer, right? Yes, it should but occasionally, like right now I am kind of sick of everything I eat and am not feeling very creative in the kitchen, maybe that's why the meat thoughts are creeping in?

Whey protein powders are probably the most common supplements being used now. I have read a bit about these and others, there are egg protein powders, soy, and some other stuff. Apparently whey isolate is the best. This stuff is also really expensive and apparently tastes like crap. There are also noted side effects like gas, bloating, and diarrhea, three things I usually try to avoid. Okay, now protein supplements are last on the list.

more later

martha