One of My Passions
As someone who loves the sport of running, I’m now looking to increase my speed, endurance and have faster recovery times.
I turn 63 in a few months. To celebrate, I am participating in a half marathon. I want to have my personal best on time, endurance and fast recovery.
Thus the search for what can help me do this.
Bodybuilding vs Running
When I was body building (in my 30’s so a longgggg time ago) there was a lot of emphasis on amino acids. 
There still is in the body building world.
My partner is very much into weight training. I go to the gym from time to time but no where near what she does. And the results show it. She is buffed and looking great.
Me, I have more of a runner’s look. But! I wanted to see if I could find info on whether or not amino acids are as necessary for me as for her.
Mixed Reviews
Turns out, some experts say yes. Others say no. Oy vey. What’s a girl to do?
http://minneapolisrunning.com/benefits-branched-chain-amino-acids-recovery/
With anything, you have to make decisions based on the outcomes you want. You will ALWAYS find information to support either side of an issue.
I decided to test it for myself. Today I made a really tasty green drink and added in BCAA – Branched Chain Amino Acids. I’m going to try this for a period of 10 days and see if I notice a difference.
How I’m incorporating Amino Acids
In that we have a full container of powdered Amino Acids, I put some in one of my morning drink.s
If you’re interested, here’s the green drink recipe.
- Handful of fresh spinach
- One banana
- Tablespoon of peanut butter
- Water
- Scoop of BCAA
- Scoop of Creatine
Blend in a blender for 60 seconds. It’s a sweet, creamy and delicious energy drink. Check out two other tasty energy drinks I make. Click here.
“Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid produced in the liver; it helps supply energy to cells throughout the body – particularly muscle cells. The compound is formed of three amino acids: L-arginine, glycine, and L-methionine and makes up about 1 percent of the total volume of human blood.” Full post here.
So there you have it. A bit of the inside scoop of what I do to improve performance.
What do you do to improve your health, performance, energy and vitality? Post your “secrets” in the comments section.
Want to join a group of women who are all interested in living a life of vibrancy? Then join the Passion for Thriving Group – For Women of a Certain Age who Desire to Live the Best Life Possible.
Great information here! Thank you! ❤️
Thanks Annette. Glad you enjoyed it.
Umm. Sorry to deflate your bubble. There is zero data indicating that those supplements make one hoot of a difference. Sure, you can dope your blood (with red blood cells), which may work (unless you find you have agglomeration problems and then it blocks your blood flow)….
Save your money. Eat a balanced diet.
You’re not deflating my bubble and as I mentioned in the post there are many opinions and plenty of “fact” to support each one.
I am in very, very good health (actually above average) and have found supplements do help me. I also eat a healthy diet so for me, my money’s on what’s been working for me.
Appreciate you input Roy and for now, my choice is to test the Amino Acids out. 🙂
Since March 2016, I’ve been working with a personal trainer — Brittany Cushman — at Just Move Fitness. I started once a week, moved to twice a week and then quickly to three times a week because the results I was seeing, in as little as three months, blew me away. We also meet once a week for nutrition coaching. By developing better eating habits, i.e., returning to more whole foods and reducing my intake of refined sugars, my body composition has changed, I lost weight, and feel more vibrant than I have in a decade. All without giving up chocolate or wine! We also do full-body workouts for strength, flexibility and cardio using the latest science-based techniques. Finally, Brittany is a Level 2 certified fascial stretching therapist (FST); we do one to two sessions a week, which has helped improve my flexibility. As for supplements, I take Vitamin C, B complex, calcium, D3, fish oil, and turmeric. Nothing special. Based on the results I achieved in 2016, maintaining my health has become my top priority in life.
Wow! Such a testament to your commitment to your health. Finding the right trainer, that we feel great about, is so essential. It’s more than just hiring someone who is good at what they do. They need to be committed to our success too. Brittany is definitely among the best of the best. I’ve hired her to talk with a group of my private clients and was impressed with her knowledge.
The supplement protocol you have is outstanding.
100% agree that testing supplements is important, both personally and the brand you choose must do testing to make sure they are safe and effective. There really is proof now that supplements make a difference (long term 3rd party studies) but in the end it’s a choice. It’s a personal choice – we all must be our own healthy advocate. Personally I have used whole food supplements for over 35 years because they are the closest to the way nutrients are found in food, in nature, as possible – and because they work to keep my healthy, young and energized. Good for you Kathleen – staying active, healthy and happy!!
You are so correct about it being a personal choice. With as much stress that I put my body through with running, resistance training AND running a business, I find supplements work great.