If you are a customer of Bodybuilding.com (I like this company almost as much as Beachbody), you can get an additional 10% off if you use the following coupon code at checkout:

Motivation10

Here’s a picture of the Bodybuilding.com checkout and where to click to insert the code (it can be easy to miss):

Happy Shopping!

Cyber Monday & Cyber Tuesday Savings at BodyBuilding.com originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on November 28, 2011.

Almost ever fat burner out there uses stimulants to accelerate fat burning.  Now there is nothing inherently wrong with that but if you are going to go with stimulants to encourage fat burning, you can get as good a response in many cases just by having a cup of coffee (black of course – no creamer or sugar).   The downside to stimulants is that they wear off and many people report energy crashes.  And they can also raise your cortisol levels chronically if you take too much too often over too long a period of time.  And it can wrek havoc on your adrenal glands.

So when I read that Lean Xtreme was stimulant free, I was curious.

The way it works is it uses ECGC compounds from green tea for encouraging fat burning.  Then it adds coleus forskohli for further fat burning as well as thyroid support (important for controlling belly fat) and may even increase testosterone levels.

Then it’s remaining focus it to keep your body from entering a catabolic state (muscle wasting) by controlling cortisol levels.  It uses 3 compounds for this:  7-OH™, Phosphatidylserine (PS) and 5-AT™ all control cortisol and support healthy thyroid function.

Now the way these three components work varies and rather than try to relate it all, you might want to read the full write up here. But what I can tell you is that it is working for me. I’m adding lean mass and losing fat.

Finally, before I’ll recommend any supplement it has to be reasonably priced. This one is retailing for $31.99 at Bodybuilding.com for 90 capsules. At 2 or 3 capsules a day dosage you get a month to 6 week supply.

Lean Xtreme – Promote Fat Burning without Stimulants originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on January 16, 2011.

• Reduction of inflamation which can help your joints
• May be an anti-aging pill delaying the effects of age at a molecular level (JAMA. 2010;303(3):250-257)
• Protects against breast cancer (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Jul; 19(7): 1696-708.)
• Reduces stress (Diabetes Metab. 2003 Jun; 29(3): 289-95)
• Protects your skin against sunburn (Carcinogenesis. 2003 May;24(5):919-25)
• May increase muscle mass by helping muscles recover faster post workout (Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2005 Jul;289(1):C217-23.)

But the study that readers here may find the most exciting is the one in which fish oil appears to help us lose fat while adding muscle.  Here’s the scoop..

Twenty-two healthy adults were divided into 2 groups.  One group got fish oil and the other group got safflower oil (placebo) for six weeks.  Each group took (4) one gram capsules a day – two in the morning and two at night.  After six weeks the safflower oil group actually added about 1/3 lb of fat while the fish oil group lost 1lb.  The safflower oil group did not gain any fat free (lean) mass while the fish oil gain a pound of lean mass.

Pretty cool!

Now the group was fairly small and the time line a bit on the short side.  Moreover there is no mention if the results held once the fish oil was discontinued.  But given all the benefits associated with fish oil and the fact that this may be one of the cheapest supplements you can take, I highly recommend it.

Right now I’m recommending the Fish Oil capsules sold by Cheap Supplements.  The are certified to be pure fish oil, free from  mercury and contaminants.  And they are cheap!  I’ve had no problems with fishy burps from taking these and noticed that others said the same thing in the reviews I found on Bodybuilding.com.

Next time you are thinking about ordering protein from Bodybuilding.com, add these fish oil pills to your cart.  BTW, if you are a lover of the Myofusion Protein as I am (love the chocolate flavor) get some now as they are giving away FREE a 280 gram container their SuperPump250 product and if you’ve not tried this pre-workout drink before, you’ll want to.

Fish Oil Supplement – A Must Have! originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on December 3, 2010.

Here’s where I stand.  I actually put off getting the recovery drink for the first two weeks of the program and I definitely made some progress.  Moreover, I was afraid of the recovery drink because it has so much carb in it.  And like many of you, I wondered if the drink was worth the cost.  When you calculate it, the recovery drink costs about $1.76 (unless you are a club member and then it costs about $1.58 per drink).

I decided to buy the recovery drink after 2 weeks but I made some modifications.  First, I use only half a serving.  Then I supplement it with 10 grams of vanilla whey protein powder (I admit I use Body Fortress brand which is very good but also pretty cheap over at Walmart) and some lower sugar orange juice.  I also add about an ounce of coconut kefir for the probiotics and the MCFAs.  (I get that at Whole Foods.)  I also boost the vitamins in it by adding a package of Emergin C (Tangerine flavor) which is a buffered form of vitamin C and has a nice serving of ‘B’ vitamins and several minerals in it.  Place it all in a mixer and you have a recovery drink that is also a meal replacement shake.  The ratio of carbs to protein does change to about 3 to 1 which based on some research I’ve done, looks to be still in a very favorable range.  It costs me about $1.00 which is pretty cheap for a nutritious meal.  Also the taste is really good.  It tastes like an Orange Julius drink.

I use this recovery – meal replacement shake after all the weight based workouts, after plyometrics and sometimes after Kempo.  I make a different shake on yoga days that is lower carb.  And my results have really taken off.  I not only have been seeing huge figure improvements but I’m getting stronger all the time.  It’s clear to me that despite the added carbs (which can be a problem when your main goal is to lose body fat), I’m losing more fat and building muscle at a rate significantly greater than what I saw during my 1st 2 weeks.  So my vote is for the recovery drink – modified for my needs – for greatest results.  That doesn’t mean you can’t get good results without it but if you are really in this for a huge transformation, I recommend it highly.

Find out more about the P90X Recovery drink here.

On a final note, what you need may be different from me.  Do be sure you get enough protein and if you are not completely sure what that should be, read my article on protein requirements.

How Necessary is the P90X Recovery Drink? originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on September 12, 2010.

I also don’t consider a multi vitamin a supplement. Sure it’s not a food but in today’s high stress world where even the best of us don’t eat enough fresh, organic fruits and veggies, a well balanced multi vitamin makes sense. Moreover, when doing an extreme program like P90X, you have additional stress on the body which means you need a higher level of vitamins and minerals to keep your body nourished.

So while we could debate these two items as supplements or not, for sake of argument, I’ll put these down as ‘must have supplements’

Nancy’s Must Have Supplements:

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• High quality protein powder.  I use the Gaspari brand Myofusion for an evening shake (high protein and very low carb and fat) shortly before I go to bed.  For those looking for the ultimate in nutrition, consider Shakeology.I use Shakeology in the mornings after I workout.  Shakeology is definitely a meal replacement shake with over 70 nutrients.  Because it has ingredients that are energizers (maca & chia seeds) I recommend you take Shakeology during the day and not at night.   You can get by with just the Myofusion if you are on a budget.  Also I tell my clients that if your primary goal is just weight loss, Myofusion gets the job done.  But if your goal is total health in a lean body, and you have the budget, Shakeology is a great investment.
• High quality multi vitamin.  I’ve used Activit before and liked it.  Right now I’m on Nature’s Way Alive multi vitamin.  I like this one because it adds green foods, bioflavanoids, enzymes, amino acids and more so it’s more readily absorbed and used by the body.

Now after these two ‘must haves’, I’m a lot more flexible.  However, I’m a very curious person and like to try out different supplements.  So here’s what I currently take:

• My #1 supplement is Xtend.  This is a branched chain amino acid supplement that helps me add lean muscle and recover from hard workouts more quickly without adding any calories.  I love this.  It costs me about $.65 per day to add this.
• Jack3d or Gaspari’s Superpump250.  These are what are referred to as NO or nitric oxide supplements.  They don’t actually contain any NO but ingredients thought to produce higher levels of NO.  NO will give you better muscle pumps and greater stamina.  I like both of these although I find I lean up more on Superpump 250.  Jack3d is a smaller serving and mixes much more easily in water.  Great for men and women who want to add more lean mass.  Please note that these supplements have stimulents in them.  While it can get you motivated to workout, I would not take them if you are doing an evening workout.
• Thyroid Support supplement.  This is for women who know that their thyroid is low functioning.  Many women in their 40′s and later could use thyroid support.  I like Beachbody’s Total Woman formula.  Taking a supplement like the Total Woman’s Health formula can help accelerate fat burning (particularly from the belly) and increase energy levels without stimulants.
• OxyElite Pro Fat Burner.  As a rule, I don’t like fat burners because once you put the advertising hype aside and do the research, there isn’t much in these fat burners that has any proof that it will help you burn fat other than caffiene.   And for that you could just have a cup of coffee or green tea before working out for less!  However, I recently stumbled upong this OxyElite which has different ingredients and I am rather impressed with this.  In fact, I’m going to write an entire post about fat burners tomorrow and explain why this one is different.
• Creatine.  This is something I’m currently dabbling with as a woman even though its use is targeted towards men.  It is NOT recommended if you are trying to burn fat.  Creatine is a muscle building supplement and the way these formulas get your body to absorb the creatine is to blend it with sugars.  Ingesting sugar will stop your fat burning so this is a supplement for a specific use for building muscle.  Great for men to take to pack on more beefy mass.  But if you are going to take it you must drink a lot of water and you really need to cycle off of this once you consume a container so you don’t overload your kidneys.

So now you know.  Remember a high quality protein, a good multi vitamin and a good diet will do 80%+ of the job.  The rest is for those who want the added edge and can afford it!

Finally, with the exception of creatine, these are the same supplements I recommend for Turbo Fire and Insanity!

P90X Supplements or Insanity Supplements Do You Need Them? originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on August 23, 2010.

The Jack3d Claim

Click Here to Learn More

USPLabs Jack3d gives you the mad aggressive desire and ability to lift more weight, pump out more reps and have crazy lasting energy, along with sick muscle-engorging pumps. This is easily the most intense pre-workout product you will ever want to use again. The amount of energy and focus is perfect, pumps and vascularity will be out of control, but most importantly you will feel great throughout your entire workout. No crash, no bloat, no headaches, no blow workouts.

Jack3d Review

I asked my friend Josh about this NO product.  He is using it regularly now.  But this review was from a couple months ago when he had just come back to working out after laying off due to a broken hand injury.    He started it because a friend of his used it and said Jack3d was the best at producing monster pumps and increasing energy during a workout.  Here’s what Josh had to say:

“The first time I took Jack3d, creatine monohydrate powder, and drank 8 oz. of natural fruit juice about 40 minutes before my workout. I only took one scoop of Jack3d because I didn’t know how my body would react. About 20 minutes later I felt like I had more energy, but I wasn’t sure if it was from the anticipation of working out or from the supplement. Either way, I was ready. When the workout started, I was really pushing myself and went till failure with each push up series.   However, I should not have taken it so late in the day because I had a very tough time sleeping that night.

The next day I decided to take 2.5 scoops before my Shoulders & Arms workout. This time, I really felt the effect and my chest started tingling about 15 minutes after I took it. I was super pumped to work out, and was very surpised at the amount of pumps or reps that I was able to bust out in the beginning. I figured that I would only be able to curl 2 sets of 8 of 30lbs from the lack of resistance training over the last few months, but I got 16 reps of 30lbs.  It’s an excellent pre-workout supplement that will help maximize pumps and give you more energy. However, I don’t recommend taking it at least 10 hours before bed. I’m not too sure if I will be able to take it anymore because I usually work out around 5 PM.”

Update: Josh is using Jack3d regularly, getting get results with it and highly recommends it.

I just started taking it after using SuperPump 250 for about 5 – 6 months (some cycle downtime included in that time frame).  I didn’t get the same initial rush feeling I get from SuperPump but what surprised me is that I actually was lifting heavier and/or with more reps.  I’ve tried this for 2 sessions so far and I have to say that Jack3d is definitely making a difference.  I’ll come back with an update in about a month.

One thing you’ll have to get used to with this product is how small the servings are.  I use only one tiny scoop.  The container itself is far smaller than what I buy for about the same price with SuperPump but it works out to be about even because it’s so concentrated you use less.  Also I have less mixing issues with Jack3d.

Jack3d Review originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on May 2, 2010.

I’m always looking for that slight edge to keep my 51 year old body in peak form.  Let’s be honest, it’s WAY harder once you clear 50 to recover than it is when you are in your 20′s.  And I’m still working on getting my body in it’s best form ever.

I acknowledge that I’ve come a long way and compared to other women my age and one might think I should be happy to plateau.  But I know I can do better.  One of my recent additions to my list of high powered nutrients is an amino acid recovery forumula.  With branched chain amino acids plus glutamine coupled with citruline malate my body is quickly refreshed after a tough workout.  In fact I like to take 1 scoop before workout out (you only need about 10 minutes clearence) and 1 scoop after.   Not only are my muscles getting what they need without any caloric add, the citruline malate quickly eases any aches and pains I get during the workout.  Read on to learn more:

Scivation’s Xtend

I love this product!  Along with Gaspari’s Super Pump and Myofusion protein and Shakeology, it comprises the core of my high nutrition total body support program.  It keeps me in the game day in and day out.

I buy the Refreshing Orange flavor.  It tastes pretty good.  I will admit this stuff is a bit gritty but since I also keep some Tangerine Emergen C fizzy vitamin packs in the home, I mix some Tangerine Emergin C (about a quarter pack) with the Refreshing Orange and that seems to reduce the gritty flavor.  In the morning, I mix that with a scoop of Super Pump (which I also buy in Orange flavor) to really get charged up for a workout.

Want to learn more about this product!  Click here to get Scivation’s document that explains why this product can help you gain lean mass AND burn more fat.

Increase Endurance & Recover Faster with Amino Acids originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on April 25, 2010.

The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine recently published the results of an admittedly small study of 54 asthma patients at the National Jewish Health Center in Denver where the results indicated that these asthma patients suffered from below average levels of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is responsible for a very wide array of body functions and it seems like more are found regularly.  Some of the more obvious include:

• Maintains Your Calcium Balance
• Aids Your Cell Differentiation (essential for growth and wound healing)
• Boosts Your Immunity
• Blood Pressure Regulation

And now we find out it may be able to help those with asthma. What is important to note is that the study referenced above does not necessarily imply that taking vitamin D supplements or even getting more sunshine (both ways to increase your vitamin D) will improve your asthma symptoms. However, with so many positives, it probably can’t hurt either.

I noticed that Dr. Weil has increased his daily supplementation of vitamin D to 2,000 IUs. If that’s a bit much for you, then do what I do, go out for a 20 minute walk as often as I can – or at least when the sun is shining!

Here’s to your health!

P.S., Click here to find a great Vitamin D supplement.  I buy the 1,000IU/180 softgels.

Got Asthma? Get Some Sunshine! originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on March 20, 2010.

Glutamine (more accurately l-glutamine) is the most used amino acid in the body.  It is used in the gut and immune system extensively to maintain optimal performance. 60% of free-form amino acids floating in skeletal muscles is L-glutamine. L-glutamine plays a very important role in protein metabolism, and it appears to be a very important nutrient for body builders. When supplemented, it may help body builders reduce the amount of muscle deterioration that occurs because other tissues that need glutamine will not rob the glutamine stored in the muscle cells.

So the question becomes whether you need to supplement separately with Glutamine. Here’s my take.  If you are consuming a high quality protein shake at least twice a day (many of these have added glutamine) then unless you are lifting really heavy weights to gain muscle mass, you don’t need to supplement separately.  Although it certainly won’t hurt you.

But if you are a committed body builder, or under a lot of physical stress from strenuous activities, then you may want to get this all important supplement.

Click Here to get MHP Glutamine at a Discount

I like the MHP Glutamine-SR product because it is the one brand that has come up with a time release forumula.  Here’s what you need to know:

• 70% of the regular Glutamine powder you consume is utilized by the stomach and the intestines, leaving only 30% available to feed muscle tissue.
• 90% of ingested Glutamine is utilized in 1 hour, leaving you in a catabolic (muscle wasting state).

Based on these facts, the Glutamine you are taking right now is not providing the anabolic muscle building environment needed to build rock hard muscle and improve recovery. If 70% of it never reaches muscle tissue and 90% of it is gone in 1 hour, you are left with an inadequate supply of Glutamine. The end result is very little anabolic activity and can actually lead to catabolic muscle wasting.

MHP Glutamine-SR is a breakthrough in Glutamine Absorption allowing 300% greater absorption. Time release formula insures distribution to muscle tissue over a 12 hour. Glutamine-SR is the most bio-efficient and powerful Glutamine supplement in the world. The Micro-Feed Technology also increases bio-availability and utilization of L-Glutamine by providing a controlled steady supply for 12 straight hours. This constant supply and replenishment of Glutamine will keep you in an anabolic muscle building state and prevent catabolism. Glutamine-SR’s 12 Hour Sustained Release Micro-Feed Technology has raised the standards in glutamine supplementation, making Glutamine-SR the most bio-efficient and powerful Glutamine supplement in the world.

Glutamine – Do You Need It? originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on March 18, 2010.

But which protein powder is best?  Do you buy a whey protein powder or a blend?  What I recommend to my coached clients is that you go with a protein powder that is heavily weighted towards whey but also has some egg and casisen protein in it as well.  The reason is that while whey is absorbed very quickly by the body, the egg and caisen proteins provides for release longevity so you get benefits for longer.  Moreover the added proteins can create the optimal amino acid blend if you go with a quality product.

So which product do I recomend – which do I think is best?

Myofusion Protein (click to buy)

Gaspari’s Myofusion Protein Powder

I really like this protein powder.  It has the optimal blend of amino acids in a formula that balances out fast and slow release. It mixes well with water (I use half water and half low fat milk in my protein shakes).  And the taste is great!  I use the Milk Chocolate flavor primarily but the Strawberry flavor also gets high marks.  Bioavailability is maximized by Gaspari’s proprietary enzyme blend.

Of course, any protein powder needs to be affordable and this one is very affordable.  I buy the 5lb tubs for under $40 each and I can make a shake for about $.65 a serving.  It makes a great meal replacement shake or a mini meal for those of you on a 5 – 6 small meal a day diet.

>> Click Here to Learn More about Gaspari’s Myofusion Protein Powder <<

Buy the Best Protein Powder Drink originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on March 2, 2010.