Ensure Plus "shake"

GreenHorn

Hi,

My apologies if this is dealt with elsewhere - perhaps a Mod would be kind enough to reply with a link if it is...

Anyway, I've never taken any proper fitness supplements or anything but decided I needed a boost in my training. I play senior football (GAA) and I aint getting any younger and felt like I needed to give myself more of a chance to keep up with the whippets/jugernauts that seem to dominate the game these days.

Got myself back to the gym and have started lifting modest weights just to bulk up slightly while doing some extra cardio to supplement our regular training.

A team mate mentioned protein supplements as a great boost to your general fitness and physique when coupled with the fairly stiff training programme we do at the club...

So... making a long story longer... I mentioned it to my Doc who recommended the above supplement - Ensure Plus - to go along with the training. He mentioned that some of his patients who're weight-lifters find it very effective....

So I got a bunch of em a coupla days ago - haven't really got into "taking them" yet cos we're not training for a couple weeks.

I was just wondering if my Doc has in fact pointed me in the right direction here? I got the impression the Pharmacist didn't exactly think so and anything I find about the stuff on the internet seems to suggest it's not exactly designed for this kind of use...

Basically I'd just like to have a bit more engergy and ability to recovery on the pitch. Like to get slightly bigger and stronger and have more stamina - obviously that's why I train, but is this product helping that process? ... If not, what should I use? I saw a thread about glucose - what help is that?

Thanks for your help...

hunnymonster

Ensure is very often used by endurance athletes as it has a protein/carbohydrate mix which is ideal for sustained exercise. I take a couple on anything lasting longer than 4 hours (i.e. wouldn't bother for a marathon but would for an ironman)

I'm not sure it has a high enough protein ratio to be useful to lifters.


The pharmacist probably looked at you funny as the two biggest users of ensure are the cronically ill and drug users. If you don't look like the first, (s)he may have assumed you are the second. I've had trouble where a pharmacist has refused to sell it to me.

GreenHorn

hunnymonster wrote:

Ensure is very often used by endurance athletes as it has a protein/carbohydrate mix which is ideal for sustained exercise. I take a couple on anything lasting longer than 4 hours (i.e. wouldn't bother for a marathon but would for an ironman)

I'm not sure it has a high enough protein ratio to be useful to lifters.


The pharmacist probably looked at you funny as the two biggest users of ensure are the cronically ill and drug users. If you don't look like the first, (s)he may have assumed you are the second. I've had trouble where a pharmacist has refused to sell it to me.

LOL - Yeah I had heard that alright... So, for someone playing a fairly high standard of football and looking to be able to "cope" a bit better (for want of a more appropriate phrase!) you think Ensure is definitely a help then?

nikolaitr

You could do it alot cheaper yourself. Your best best is to buy some proein and some carbs seperately.

Eg. Buy some protein powder, I recommend Optimium Nutrition. You can buy it in utrition Connection on Capel street.It is pretty cheap if you buy the 10lb bag on the first saturday of the month,which is 20 % off day. Ithink it works out at 50cents a serving

Next get some Glucose,you can buy it in any big shop, it is found in the bakery department. It cost about a Euro for half a kilo.

Then just mix a serving of protein with between 30 and 70 grams of carbs, depending on how hard you train and how easily put on fat.

Hope that helps you save some money.

Shrimp

Thats incorrect about the users of ensure, many old people use it as they find it hard to eat the required nutrient amount for the day in wholefoods. Anyways, I think you'd be better of sticking to drinking more milk, like 2 liters a day?

mloc

Ensure is a very easily digestible food replacement that is often used in the elderly or the infirm who require additional calories in an easy to consume format. I wouldn't really recommend it as an optimum supplement starting point.

The most important supplement for anyone active, even for those who think they have a good diet, is a multi-vitamin. It's a starting point for anything else and can really do wonders for someone who feels they are lagging a bit. I personally use Vivioptal Active, although there are many options available.

After that, there's a world of choice out there, which can prove somewhat confusing. I would recommend a protein supplement (such as the optimum nutrition one mentioned above, which I use myself), as protein is usually something that is lacking in the average sportsman's diet, and if additional calories are needed, I'd simply mix this powder with full fat milk.

If you need something to give you more "pep" in a game, a more immediate energy boost, any simple carbohydrate source will do. Maybe try getting some lucosade powder which can be mixed with water and provides some extra energy.

For more information on nutrition, try reading some of the stickies at the top of this forum.

Odysseus

Thanks guys I have been struggling trying to come up with ideas on foods to take with me to the Sahara next month. The race organisers are advising us not to eat meat from the camp, there will be plently of pasta and salads etc. So I have been looking at bringing boil in the bag camping food, however, bringing some ensures as well will be a good idea. Since I work in the Addiction Services I can't believe I didn't think of it myself.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Odysseus

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

Yeah I remember that, please correct me if I'm wrong I thought they were used to fight against dehydration? I tried search for some info on them but found nothing, if you know of any links or my understanding of their use is wrong please let me know, I'm getting bogged down in all the nitty-gritty stuff associated with it now, and as its my first time running in a climate like that its becoming a bit of a nightmare:) Cheers

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Odysseus

Cheers for the link. I had a look at the site it looks like a good product, I'll see is I can source some over here. Currently I just use dioralyte which does the job effectively, but these sound like they might taste nice.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

GreenHorn

My sister reckons these things will make me fat! Is she right???

I've been drinking one a day and will drink two on days I have training or a match...

I'm 24. 6ft. 14st (before started shakes - havent noticed any weight gain thus far.)