I am weight lifting 3x's a week and riding my hand cycle when I can on the weekends. Last weekend I did 15 miles. That is a lot of exercise. The trainer said I should add a protean supplement. But I can hardly see why. I only eat eggs, meat, cheese and bacon. I keep my carbs below 20 grams a day. I add a few more from time to time eating some veggies. But my ketosis strips are purple so I figure I am doing something right.

Should I add a protean shake thing? I found one that does not have a lot of carbs. (<2 g per scoop) It has Branch chain amino acids which should help with recovery.

Anyway what do ya'll think?

Wheels.

Don't see the need either. Perchance, does your gym sell protein shakes?

Yes they do sell that junk now that I think about it. But I bought some from the grocery store. I can't drink too much of the stuff but I figure the amino acids are probably ok.

I posted this on another thread in your quest for an answer. If you want to have the protein, try whey isolate powders. The one I use is by ON (Optimum Nutrition) and has 3 g carbs per scoop. Tastes good too! I mix it in with my morning coffee! Dont need a sweetener! but to figure out about how much protein you need daily, its about 1 g per lb. Its not alot if you are doing weights. Add up your protein intake and see if it comes out that way. If not, then add the whey powder. I got mine for about $35 and its a HUGE container!

How much protein are you getting from your foods? It is better to get your protein from foods rather than getting them from supplements. If you want you can private message me your stats, waist, hips, height and current weight and I can tell you the minimum amount of protein you need for your activity level. It will give you a good indication whether you are getting enough. I'm sure you are but it's good to know so you don't worry. BCAA are good for recovery but you can also get them in pill form. You have to be really careful about whey protein supplements there is a lot of crap ingredients. I found two reasonably priced ones without the chemicals and hidden MSG. I use occasionally. Usually when I get sick of eggs, but no more than 3x a week. I take 2 BCAA (Branch Chain Amino Acids) 30 mins before workout and 30 minutes after. It's good to fuel your muscles about 45 minutes to an hour after your workouts.

I am strongly against protein shakes. Excess protein is not good for us. Since the stores are cutting off most of the fat from all our meat it is hard enough to get enough fat in our diets without adding protein shakes. Frankly I think that protein supplement thing is 10 percent science and 90 percent marketing. It may not be a carb but it still reminds me an aweful lot of white flour.

I like your idea of eggs, meat, cheese and bacon. Don't forget the butter!

Yes I know butter is not protein. Eat it anyway. It's good for you.

While you shouldn't be eating pounds of protein or using it as a meal replacement, they do serve a purpose of quickly supplying nutrients in your body post workout. Your body needs nutrition after you workout within a 15 minute timeframe. Also protein powder is easy to digest after your workout.

There is nothing special about protein shakes, they are as they suggest, just protein. I would recommend only taking them after workouts as they typically digest faster, which helps the recovery process. It doesnt hurt to also have some carbs post (weights) workout, so dont be afraid to put a banana in the shake. By the way, the shakes are much better if done in a blender with ice.

The majority of protein powders you find in the shops are whey protein, which is a fast acting protein. If you do have a isolate protein, this is slower digesting so its fine to have these through the day if you need the extra protein.

Having you strips turn purple means your in ketosis, but doesnt mean your getting enough protein in your diet. While lifting heavy the typical recommendation is around 1g per 1lb of lean body mass. So aim for around 150g of protein per day, and make the rest of you calorie intake up with fats / carbs as you wish.