Eat More And Burn More

Hi there. Well its the end of the week already and I hope you are getting ready for a fun filled weekend.

In the past I have often written about how important it is to eat after your workout. Whether you are trying to gain or lose weight, what you eat after a workout can help you reach your goals dramatically.

What you intake before your workout can also dramatically help you out. More studies are now showing the importance of Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's). Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein. Our bodies can make some amino acids, while others must be ingested (essential). BCAA's are 3 essential amino acids. These three amino acids make up 1/3 of skeletal muscle in the body. These 3 are leucine, isoleucine and valine. These BCAA's are necessary in order to build muscle. They can also be used for energy. The body can break down protein (muscle) and use these BCAA's for energy when needed. This is not a good thing. If you are not getting enough BCAA's in your diet you will lose muscle mass. This is one of the biggest problems with extreme low calorie diets.

By ingesting these amino acids before a workout you will do a number of important things, like prevent muscle degradation and building more lean body mass. There are three main reasons why you want to include BCAA's prior to your workouts.

1. BCAA's can reduce cortisol levels that are elevated during exercise.
2. Taking in new BCAA's can prevent your body from using muscle for fuel, even when you are on a restricted diet.
3. They can help burn fat and build muscle at the same time. BCAA's actually will use stored fat for energy to build muscle.

There may also be one other huge benefit of combine BCAA's with carbohydrate before your workout. A newer study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that when 6g amino acids were ingested with 35g of sugar prior to resistance training energy expenditure was higher during and after the workout. This means that those that had protein with carbohydrates before their workout burn more calories.

So for a little extra boost to your workout you can try and snack on some protein and carbohydrates before your workout or you can try a BCAA supplement with a sports drink.

Click here to try out a great BCAA Supplement.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator