Hi everyone!
I've been lurking for a while but I noticed a recent flurry of interest in protein supplements so I thought I'd share my recent experience. I used to eat OK generally, not totally clean but a good amount (60-70 grams/day) of protein and pretty low sugar and carbs, lots of fruits and veggies. Over the last few months, my energy after workouts has been REALLY low, and I've been more tired than usual. This got to be so extreme that I went and got my thyroid checked! It was fine, and the doctor couldn't suggest an alternate medical cause.
I decided to get really serious about my diet and consider supplements after reading about some of the other Cathe-ites experiences with BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) and protein shakes. I really love to work out, and I realize that I work out like an athlete - maybe I need to eat better to support the demands on my body (duh!).
First, I upped my protein intake to 1g per pound of bodyweight, and increased my water intake, since I suspect that dehydration may sometimes have also played a part in my overall fatigue. This really helped! Muscle soreness was reduced, energy was up, and athletic performance was better (in weights AND cardio workouts).
Then, a few weeks ago, I started taking BCAAs (I ordered these from bodybuilding.com: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/univ/bcaa.html) before and after my workouts. I am seriously amazed at how much better I feel. I still feel my muscles a bit the day after a workout, but it's nothing like the DOMS agony I used to get. My improvements are happening faster, and I have more energy all-around than I did previously. I don't "bonk" in the middle of a workout anymore. I don't feel like taking a nap all the time. My average of 7.5-8 hours of sleep per night feels adequate (finally), I am WAYYY less sore after workouts and I feel great.
Right now I'm doing a freestyle rotation that I designed last year. When I tried it last fall, I had to quit after the first week because my legs hurt too much for me to even walk, much less work legs on consecutive days. Now it's giving me no trouble and I'm starting to see some real improvements on my lower half - hurrah!
I figured there might be other folks out there who, like me, were skeptical of supplements or who were trying to tweak their diets for particular results. For the record, I'm 33, pretty fit, and I've been working out for years and feeling pretty good most of that time, although my main focus has usually been on cardio more than weights. I think my tiredness and soreness really started to be a problem when I started to focus on lifting heavier weights. So...it looks like everyone is right about changing up the diet to support different activities.
Anyone else try the BCAAs? Or made other changes that had a big impact?
I've been lurking for a while but I noticed a recent flurry of interest in protein supplements so I thought I'd share my recent experience. I used to eat OK generally, not totally clean but a good amount (60-70 grams/day) of protein and pretty low sugar and carbs, lots of fruits and veggies. Over the last few months, my energy after workouts has been REALLY low, and I've been more tired than usual. This got to be so extreme that I went and got my thyroid checked! It was fine, and the doctor couldn't suggest an alternate medical cause.
I decided to get really serious about my diet and consider supplements after reading about some of the other Cathe-ites experiences with BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) and protein shakes. I really love to work out, and I realize that I work out like an athlete - maybe I need to eat better to support the demands on my body (duh!).
First, I upped my protein intake to 1g per pound of bodyweight, and increased my water intake, since I suspect that dehydration may sometimes have also played a part in my overall fatigue. This really helped! Muscle soreness was reduced, energy was up, and athletic performance was better (in weights AND cardio workouts).
Then, a few weeks ago, I started taking BCAAs (I ordered these from bodybuilding.com: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/univ/bcaa.html) before and after my workouts. I am seriously amazed at how much better I feel. I still feel my muscles a bit the day after a workout, but it's nothing like the DOMS agony I used to get. My improvements are happening faster, and I have more energy all-around than I did previously. I don't "bonk" in the middle of a workout anymore. I don't feel like taking a nap all the time. My average of 7.5-8 hours of sleep per night feels adequate (finally), I am WAYYY less sore after workouts and I feel great.
Right now I'm doing a freestyle rotation that I designed last year. When I tried it last fall, I had to quit after the first week because my legs hurt too much for me to even walk, much less work legs on consecutive days. Now it's giving me no trouble and I'm starting to see some real improvements on my lower half - hurrah!
I figured there might be other folks out there who, like me, were skeptical of supplements or who were trying to tweak their diets for particular results. For the record, I'm 33, pretty fit, and I've been working out for years and feeling pretty good most of that time, although my main focus has usually been on cardio more than weights. I think my tiredness and soreness really started to be a problem when I started to focus on lifting heavier weights. So...it looks like everyone is right about changing up the diet to support different activities.
Anyone else try the BCAAs? Or made other changes that had a big impact?
I think it might have something to do with swallowing 8 horse pills before and after workout!!
