I’m female, 5’2″, 117 pounds. I’ve been exercising five days a week or so since I was cleared to August 30th after a nasty impact that broke my pelvis, so rebuilding and maintaining strength to keep me out of pain is my primary focus. I like looking good, but more than that I love being able to walk again and want neck, back, and hip pain banished!

Now that the weather is nice I’m mostly walking and doing yoga. I used to skate, but I have this newfound terror of automobiles. I also do core body with intense cardio or shape boxing once or twice a week. 90% of my indoor exercise is Wii programs: Gold’s Gym (shape boxing), or My Fitness Coach. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it . . . Wii Fit may be lousy cardio, but it was stellar for rehab.

My male friend looks dramatically different after just ten workouts: nice and muscly. I’m doing a very similar program and look slim, but with no visible muscles after 49! I realize he’s built for muscles and I’m not, but he’s also chugging a protein shake after each workout. Does this make a difference? I’d like some arm muscles for vanity and to make my job a little easier, but I’d also like overall muscle tone for reduced back pain. Some days even lifting a pitcher of water is excruciating, and hefting computer towers at work causes enough problems that I sometimes still ask the guys to move them for me. In short, I’m a wuss and always have been, but the post-accident stuff makes the wussiness painful.

I do have protein in my overall diet. I take nuts to work for a snack several times a week, eat a ton of cheese and yogurt, and sometimes eat meat although I’ve cut back lately. I will NOT drink shakes with sucralose even if they are good for muscle, as I’m sensitive to splenda.

What studies support immediate (or just increased?) protein consumption? Why whey powder? Are there brand differences? Who doesn’t put splenda in their powder? Are solid proteins just as good? I don’t know anything about this stuff at all! I’m not overly concerned about weight gain, as I *could* theoretically put some fat on if I increase calorie intake, but that’s correctable. I could stop the sugary, high-calorie protein shakes and it will fall back off at my activity level, so I’m willing to experiment a little.
Sorry, I should add that I avoid all non-nutritive sweeteners and don’t fear weight gain, nor am I trying to lose weight. I think the nuts are probably pretty good for me, as I’m constantly eating at work and they provide me with 20 minutes or so of reprieve so I can actually get the job done. As long as I’m not overdoing the saturated fats, I think those foods are okay.