• Diets high in branched chain amino acids may keep you leaner.  Research fromUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discovered that Men and women aged between 40 and 60 are slimmer the more BCAAs their diet contains.  The researchers went on to do a literature study, from which they conclude that of the 3 BCAAs – valine, isoleucine and leucine – it’s leucine that has the most slimming effect.  J Nutr. 2011 Feb;141(2):249-254.
• Strength athletes who take 5 g BCAAs just before a training session will have less muscle soreness in the days following, according to researchers at the Japanese Nagoya Institute of Technology.  J Nutr. 2006 Feb;136(2):529S-532S.
• Taking a supplement of the amino acid L-leucine inhibits the breakdown of muscle mass in muscles that are not active. Researchers at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil discovered this when they did an experiment with rats. Muscle Nerve. 2010 Jun; 41(6): 800-8.
• Strength athletes produce more testosterone, and less cortisol, if they take a handful of caps containing BCAAs plus glutamine every day, write researchers from Ball State University in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Apr; 24 (4): 1125-30.

For men and women who exercise in the morning and really want to blast fat, a serving of BCAAs before the workout can help you get the job done and speed up recovery.  If you are doing P90X or Insanity, you may really notice a difference by adding a BCAA supplement to your diet.

Recently I switched from using Xtend to Monster Amino.  My reasons include the higher proportion of the amino acid leucine in the Monster Amino formula which recent research recommends.   Also Monster Amino, while focused on BCAAs, also has a full array of amino acids which Xtend does not and has citruline malate as does Xtend.  I also like the addition of vitamin B6 for better absorption of the amino acids.  My view is that the additional amino acids found in Monster Amino may contribute in ways not yet measured to faster recovery.  The taste is great and it mixes easier than Xtend.

And for a limited time, Bodybuilding.com is offering Monster Amino at 20% off – click here to learn more.

BCAA Benefits – Do You Need a BCAA Supplement? originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on September 19, 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.

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.

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.

Some of you may question the need to take vitamins during P90X.  I mean you probably figure that you are eating clean and that should be enough – right?

Well consider this.  While you are eating on Phase 1 in particular, most of you will be restricting your carb intake.  This means you’ll cut back on grains, beans, and fruits.  And these are great sources of vitamins for our diet.  While various forms of protein can have vitamins, they won’t be as plentiful or as varied as a diet that contains a lot more fruits, veggies, beans and grains.

Also realize that P90X is an extreme workout program, that places addes stress on your body and its immune system.    That’s why I was eager to learn more about ActiVit® which is, I must say an excellent vitamin formulation.  What I like about this is the powerful antioxidants like Alpha Lipoic Acid and L-Methionine they’ve added to help bolster your immune system and slow the aging process.  And then they go even further and add selected ingredients to stimulate your metabolism like Green Tea and L-Carnitine. Now that’s a vitamin I can recommend – in fact it’s a vitamin I’m taking myself.

Benefits Include:

• Enhance your physical and mental wellness*
• Increase bone strength*
• Stimulate your immune system*
• Slow the effects of aging with a powerful antioxidant*
• Regulate calcium and blood sugar levels*

Taking a high-quality multivitamin like ActiVit® every day is simply the best way to ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs to excel and get the most out of your fitness routine.

Formulated with safe and natural herbal ingredients, ActiVit will help you feel great on the inside and look great on the outside!

‡This product is only available to residents of the United States and its territories.

WARNING: Consult with a healthcare professional if pregnant, breast feeding, providing to a child, or if you have any other unique or special needs. Keep out of reach of children.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

ActiVit® Metabolism Formula Vitamins originally appeared on Press Play Fitness on August 24, 2009.