Are you working hard during your workouts and still not seeing all the results you want?  
Do you find your body feeling sore after workouts preventing you from doing your workout as often? 

​Well if you said yes to one or both of these questions, BCAAs can benefit you.  

I recently had extremely bad myalgia issues all over my body.  I assumed it was simply due to my job coaching live fitness classes and my body was just over trained.  The problem wasn't that I was training to much - it was that I wasn't giving myself enough of the essential nutrients it needed to support all the exercise I was doing.  Once improved my diet my body began to heal itself.  If you are sweating it out with resistance training at home or at the gym, working that body regularly means muscle soreness is a common feeling post-workout.  If you want to prevent soreness and muscle fatigue, and see more results from your workouts - making sure you are consuming the best BCAA for your body is important. 
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When you strength train or do high intensity cardio workouts that put more force on the body (boxing, plyometrics, HIIT), your muscles are broken down in order to rebuild the muscle to become stronger and leaner. While many women know how important exercise is for their body and overall health, many are unaware of the important nutrients that can optimize their training and fitness results. 

So, how can you maximize your hard work and post-training recovery for the best results? The answer lies in essential aminos called branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs).  

WHT ARE BCAAs?
BCAAs are three amino acids that play a big role in your body’s daily function and also have a major impact on your fitness results. These three amino acids are classified as leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
First off, it’s important to understand these BCAAs are considered essential. This means they can’t be made within your body. You need to get these valuable BCAAs through outside protein sources — like meat, milk, yogurt, legumes and nuts. Keep in mind that certain protein sources provide higher BCAA content (like dairy products).  

BCAAs are essential amino acids your body can only get from either our food or supplements.  If you are eliminating meat and dairy from your diet you are naturally lowering your ability to get these essential nutrients from your food diet.  They play an important role in building lean muscle and revitalizing energy, and this means they will play an important part in your workout performance and recovery.  If you are always sore and lethargic it makes it harder to want to stay committed to your exercise program.  

Getting sufficient amounts of BCAAs will help you reach your goals by ensuring you are not deficient and that your body has everything it needs to rebuild and repair your muscles.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BCAA'S?

The goal when exercising is to build toned muscles, burn fat and build physical strength. While BCAAs alone won’t magically transform your body, when combined with exercise and a diet properly balanced in macronutrients, these branched-chain amino acids can definitely have an impact on your training and recovery, which is the next best thing.

• Developing Lean MuscleAs your muscles are worked and used during resistance and cardio exercises, they are broken down and need to be repaired. This muscle-building process is improved by consuming BCAAs. 
  Supplying your muscles with important nutrients — like BCAAs aid in the recovery process by helping build stronger, leaner muscle. The BCAA leucine, in particular, has been is known to be directly involved in muscle development. Essentially, supplementing with BCAAs, and leucine in particular, can help maximize your hard work and time spent in the gym.
• Muscle Soreness
  BCAA consumption after training helps reduce the feeling that often accompanies a good training session: soreness. While feeling sore a couple days after exercise can be a pretty good indicator you had a good workout, prolonged and extremely intense soreness may interfere with your workout schedule, your ability to work at your maximum effort and may affect your day-to-day activities
  Research shows BCAAs help combat muscle soreness. So, while you’ll still experience the muscle-building effects of training, the soreness that many experience one to two days after working out won’t be as intense.
  
  

WHY SHOULD WOMEN SUPPLEMENT THEMSELVES WITH BCAAS?
Considering all of BCAAs advantages, you can see how they can be so beneficial when coupled with regular exercise. BCAAs give you an edge on your training and recovery, placing you on the fast track to attaining your fitness goals.
That said, getting sufficient BCAA amounts throughout the day may be a little difficult… not to mention all the excess calories you may also be eating in order to try and get those precious BCAAs.

Supplementing helps you get the nutrients you need at the exact time it is most effective.  Consuming whey protein alone after a workout will not give you the same benefits as supplements with BCAAs.  

I have tried many BCAA post workout products and have found RECOVER to be my best product choice when it comes to more pure/natural ingredients, flavor, texture when blended and the effects and results on my body.  

Faster recovery helps you get faster results, and that's why you must take in the proper nutrients after every workout. The time-released proteins and phytonutrients in Recover maximize that critical post-workout opportunity to help reduce muscle breakdown, support muscle growth, fight exercise-induced muscle soreness, and jump-start your body's natural rebuilding process, so you can come back stronger tomorrow.

What are the key ingredients in Recover?* 

• Pomegranate extract
  This powerful ellagitannin-rich extract is scientifically shown to promote faster muscle recovery while helping to manage exercise-induced muscle soreness. It's a natural recovery-enhancing ingredient that helps muscles return to normal strength faster, especially after intense workouts.
• 20 grams of high-quality protein
  Fast-, intermediate-, and slow-release of both whey and casein proteins ensure a constant supply of nutrients to create the optimal environment to improve muscle recovery and promote muscle growth.
• Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs)
  Recover also includes an ideal 2:1:1 ratio of Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine, branched-chain amino acids that are unique for their ability to help promote muscle synthesis and support rebuilding.
• No artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives.

The BCAA post workout product I use:  click product name to read more about it. 
CHOCOLATE RECOVER (tastes like Hershey's chocolate Milk) 
ORANGE RECOVER (tastes like an orange Julis drink) 



*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.  Consult your physician and follow all safety instructions before beginning any exercise program or using any supplement or meal replacement product, especially if you are pregnant, breast feeding or have any unique or special medical conditions.

INGREDIENTS:
YIELDS: 8
1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), quartered, cored, and sliced 1⁄4 inch thick
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. cider vingegar
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 c. Unsalted Roasted Almonds
1/4 c. golden raisins
1/4 c. Dried Cranberries
1 1/2 c. baby arugula
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
PREP TIME: 0:10
COOK TIME: 0:25

1. Heat oven to 425°F and place the oven rack in the lower third. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss cauliflower, 2 tablespoon oil, and 1⁄2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast until tender and golden brown, 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoon oil, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Toss in scallions, almonds, raisins, and cranberries. Let sit, tossing occasionally, while cauliflower roasts.
3. Toss roasted cauliflower with almond mixture, then fold in arugula.

PER SERVING:  1 Vegetable

Recipe: Woman's Day

Food packaging contains a wealth of information, from the Nutrition Facts Panel to the Ingredient List, and knowing what to look for is crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Another valuable piece of information on your food packaging is whether or not the food is still safe to eat.
There are two types of dating that are usually displayed on a food product: "Open dating" and "Closed or coded dating."

• "Open dating" uses a calendar date as opposed to a code and helps the store determine how long to display the product for sale. It also helps the purchaser know when to purchase or use the product at its best quality.  In addition to the "open date," there must be a phrase such as "sell by," or "use by" to explain the meaning of the date. "Open dating" is found primarily on perishable foods such as meat and dairy products.
• "Closed or coded dating" are packing numbers used by the manufacturer. They primarily appear on shelf stable products like cans and boxes of food.

Knowing the difference between the "sell by," "best if used by," and "use by" date isn't always easy, but it's a valuable skill in reducing your risk of food poisoning.

• The "sell by" date tells the store the last day they should sell that specific package. You should be sure to buy the product before this date passes and cook or freeze the product by the time on the Refrigerator/Freezer Storage Chart or Time To Toss? App page.
• The "best if used by" date is not a safety-related date, but instead is the recommended date for best flavor or quality. Even if the "best if used by" date has passed on a food you have at home, it should be safe if stored and handled properly.
• The "use by" date is the last date recommended for use of the product at peak quality according to the manufacturer.  If a product has a "use by" date, follow that date.

Even if the "use by" or "sell by" date hasn't passed, foodborne pathogens can still contaminate foods that aren't properly stored and handled. Always wash your hands, separate raw foods from ready-to-eat foods, cook to proper temperatures and refrigerate foods promptly.
To check on the shelf life of foods without "sell by" dates, such as leftovers or produce, download our free app Is My Food Safe? This app is your number one kitchen companion for reducing your risk of food poisoning.
And remember, if you still aren't sure how old something is or if it is safe to eat: When in doubt, throw it out!

Resource:  Eat Right!.org

In this recipe I baked the chicken 2 days in advance to use for 2 meals.  That made my chicken stirfry super easy since the chicken was precooked and ready to go. ​