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Lead Stories: Monday, October 6, 2008

VEGA’s “Real Food. Fast” Sweepstakes: Win a signed book by IRONMAN triathlete Brendan Brazier, meal replacement shakes and more!

Posted March 21st, 2007 at 3:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Supplements, Special Features, Sweepstakes

Thanks to everyone who entered the first of three “Real Food. Fast” Sweepstakes , presented by VEGA.

Wasn’t selected? … Don’t worry! … There are still two more chances to win so make sure you re-enter this week and next!

This week we’ll be giving away a prize pack (retail value = $170.90) that includes:

An autographed copy of IRONMAN triathlete championBrendan Brazier’s book (Thrive: A guide to optimal health & performance through plant-based whole foods”)
Two large, 1013g containers of Vega’s Whole Food Meal Replacement(one each of the chocolate and berry flavors)
A VEGA deluxe water bottle

TO ENTER: All you have to do is comment on this post with an explanation of what you look for in a meal replacement (protein/carbohydrate shake, etc.) and why. If you already entered last week’s contest, you MUST RE-ENTER for a chance to win!
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Speed up recovery with food

Posted March 8th, 2007 at 11:26 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that eating any source of protein and sugar immediately after finishing a workout helps athletes grow larger and stronger muscles (November 2006).

Athletes train by taking a very hard workout that damages muscles. They can tell that their muscles are damaged by the delayed onset muscle soreness that starts 8 to 24 hours after they finish a workout. Anything that helps them recover faster will allow them to do another hard workout sooner and they will become much stronger.

Extensive research shows that muscles healing occurs when protein building blocks called amino acids move into muscles cells and repair the damaged muscle protein. Healed muscles are stronger than they were before the damaging workout. To hasten recovery, you need both amino acids and insulin to drive the amino acids into cells.
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Battle of the protein supplements: Whey vs. Soy

Posted December 8th, 2006 at 8:00 PM by Christopher Jack

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Race Prep & Recov, Supplements, Vegetarianism

For even the most health conscious, balancing a days worth of meals can be a daunting task. Finding the time, or even the motivation, to maintain a healthy diet may seem near impossible. Enter protein. Adding protein supplements to your diet can seriously improve your health, athletic performance and appearance. However, with so many powerful proteins on the market, the question then becomes - which one’s for me?
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VEGA nutritional products: Leading a healthy revolution

Posted November 23rd, 2006 at 4:00 PM by Jenna Sumara

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Supplements, Vegetarianism

vega logo.gif In a world of fast food, poor eating habits and vitamin deficiencies; VEGA, a new line of nutritional product from Sequel Naturals, aims to provide a well-balanced line of vitamins, bars and shakes to increase health and overall well-being. They call it, “Real Food. Fast.” Created by Ironman Triathlete Brendan Brazier, Vega products are a result of Braziers own personal difficulties with nutrition and his successes with these home-grown recipes.

After being told he couldn’t maintain a plant-based lifestyle and still be a premier althlete, Brendan began a long and difficult trial and error approach to nutrition; often feeling hungry, constantly needing to eat, reduced energy level’s and a decrease in athletic performance. Finally, after creating his own plant-based, vegan diet; Brazier has become a professional Ironman triathlete, author, public speaker and the founder of Vega. Read the rest of this entry »

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Do Protein Drinks Increase Speed During Competition?

Posted October 23rd, 2006 at 6:06 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: Running & Training, Nutrition, Supplements, Health & Fitness

whey protein GNC.jpg Adding protein to a sports drink does not help athletes cycle faster in a 50-mile time trial, according to a study from McMaster University in Ontario (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, August, 2006).

Many studies show that taking in a carbohydrate drink helps improve performances in athletic events lasting more than an hour. Two recent studies showed that adding protein to a carbohydrate drink improves performance even more.

However, in these studies, cyclists worked at a fixed rate of effort, rather than using spurts of energy as athletes do in competition.

When you compete in an athletic event lasting more than an hour, you need fluids and calories. In events lasting more than three hours, you also need salt. Calories come from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

During highly-intense exercise, your muscles use carbohydrates more efficiently than proteins or fats. So carbohydrates are the calorie source of choice during intense exercise.

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