March 21 Day Fitness Challenge

Starting March 16th, I’m participating in a fitness challenge group and I wanted to share this opportunity to join our fitness challenge group with my readers!

The fitness challenge will be 21 days. One ~30 minute workout per day. We’re also going to follow a results-driven nutrition plan, because diet is 80% of the equation to achieving your weight loss goals!

You can do any 30 minute workout, or you can follow the 21 Day Fix Extreme workout program that I will be doing with my fitness challenge group (there is also a less “extreme” workout program that you can do with us, called 21 Day Fix). Since I live a Paleo & Bulletproof diet & lifestyle, I have tweaked the 21 Day Fix Nutrition plan for my specific diet preferences. I have put together a 7 Day Meal Planner for Week #1 just to give you an idea of what the Paleo or Bulletproof version would be like. Download the free PDF example >HERE<. And the free excel version (so that you can input your own calories and change the meals and macronutrient percentages) >HERE<.

If you aren’t eating a Paleo or Bulletproof diet, then you can just follow the 21 Day Fix nutrition plan as it is!

Here’s the game plan:

21 Workouts: Do either the 21 Day Fix Extreme or 21 Day Fix workout program {or choose any ~30 minute workout that really pushes your limits and gets you sweatin’}! You can find a plethora of at-home and/or gym workouts on my site.

Nutrition: EAT CLEAN. Abs are made in the kitchen, so this is a vital part of the 21 day challenge. No alcohol, it slows down your metabolism, adds calories to your daily caloric intake, and spikes your blood sugar levels which isn’t going to help you achieve your weight loss goals! Follow my meal planner or follow the 21 Day Fix nutrition plan that comes with the workout program. I would suggest the 21 Day Fix nutrition plan, especially if you’re just starting out with a wholefoods, clean eating approach to nutrition. It will get you on the right path!

That’s it, keepin’ it simple because I know you’re busy! This fitness challenge is the perfect jump start to what I like to call “Spring Training”. What’s “Spring Training”? Winter is coming to an end, it’s been REALLY cold and dismal and has put a lot of people into “hermit crab – couch potato” mode…so when the sun and warmth come back into the picture this Spring, we’re going to kick into high gear with getting fit this year…THIS is “Spring Training”. Not only will Spring Training get you in bikini body shape, but it will also boost your serotonin and endorphin levels to improve that mood and get you out of the winter blues. Let’s just say, Spring Traning is SUPER ENERGIZING!

So this 21 Day Fitness Challenge is the perfect prelude to what’s to come, Spring Training! It will kick your butt into gear and smack a smile back on that winter blues face of yours! Not to mention tighten and tone up that bod for bikini season woot woot!

Okay, enough chitta chatta, comment below if you want to join the 21 Day Fitness Challenge group!

If you need some Workout Gear, don’t forget to pop on over to Brave Angel Shop for some Athleisure: Women’s Motivational Workout Apparel for Everyday Use!


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Any recommendations made by Natalie Krul, Brave Angel, guest bloggers, or on our website http://www.BraveAngel.com about weight training, nutrition, supplements or lifestyle should be discussed between you and your doctor because working out involves risks. The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.  Never disregard professional medical advice, or delay in seeking it, because of something you have read on this website or from our products or services.  Never rely on information on our website, from our products or services, in place of seeking professional medical advice.

Lose More Belly Fat by Supplementing w/BCAAs!!

Happy New Year! We are back!

December was dedicated to our fitness apparel line of clothing because the holiday season get’s pretty busy over at Brave Angel Shop! So we did not have a challenge for December, but we start our January New Year New You Challenge on the 12th! I know, SO cliche, but who doesn’t have something new to strive for when the New Year hits?!

Before the January challenge starts, I want to hit you with some tips and tricks to help you achieve your 2015 fitness goals easier and more efficiently and healthfully too!

I like to keep it short and sweet here on Brave Angel, so I’m not going to get too scientific or detailed when explaining why and how BCAAs will help you lose belly fat (and any excess fat all over your body too!). If you don’t have excess body fat to shed or if your fitness goals are to gain lean muscle mass or you are training for a 5k, 10k, half or full marathon…BCAAs will also come into play when it comes to maximizing your training potential.

What are BCAAs?

Simply put, BCAA stands for branched chain amino acid and is made up of three aminos: leucine, isoleucine and valine. BCAAs are essential amino acids, meaning our body can’t make them so we have to ingest them via food or supplementation.

The main proteins that you can find BCAAs in are chicken, beef, salmon, eggs, and whey protein. Sometimes it’s hard to consume sufficient amounts of these proteins, so that is where supplementation comes in handy. The BCAAs I take (from Bulk Supplements) dissolve in an 6-8 ounce glass of water and are flavorless. Very simple to quickly get my dose in before and after my workouts!

What Can BCAAS Do For Me?

I’m sure you can find something that applies to you in this list below!

Benefits of BCAAs (taken from this article):

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    BCAA metabolites were found to be a significant indicator of lean mass in a population of young and middle-aged adults.

  • People who consume a threshold dose of essential amino acids that contain BCAAs with every meal have less visceral belly fat and more muscle mass.

  • BCAAs trigger protein synthesis and inhibit the breakdown of muscle cells.

  • In healthy people, BCAAs improve glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity. In diabetics, BCAA dietary intake with other therapeutic interventions may improve metabolic markers.

  • BCAAs play an important role in muscle and energy production during exercise, which is the reason that they are often used during workouts.

  • BCAAs convey many health benefits and a higher dietary intake has been identified as a predictor of longevity.

  • They have been found to reduce muscle soreness from intense muscle-damaging exercise.

  • They improve training motivation, especially when fatigued.

More Fat Burned for Energy Production VS. Using Muscle Mass for Energy

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Effectively & Efficiently Shedding Excess Body Fat!

To sum it up:

  1. The consumption of BCAAs is linked to less belly fat/more muscle mass.
  2. BCAAs help build lean muscle, can improve metabolism, & reduce muscle soreness.
  3. Consuming BCAAs helps to ensure enough protein will be present in your body during your workouts so that it’s more likely that your body’s fat stores are used for energy production instead of your hard-earned muscle mass!

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What Kind, When, & How Much?

I preach organic, wholefoods clean eating so therefore, I demand the cleanest supplements with little-to-no fillers or additives! There are many BCAA supplements on the market to choose from, which can be a bit daunting, so I want to share with you which brand of BCAA I take! I take “Bulk Supplements” BCAAs, I buy the 500g bag which lasts me 2-3 months. I take one serving before and after my workouts for best possible results. There are no other ingredients in it, it’s just straight up BCAAs and you dissolve it in a 6-8 ounce glass of water and chug it. There is no taste, it’s as simple as that!

If you want more information regarding the benefits of and scientific explanation behind BCAAs, you can check out this article “Ten Benefits of BCAAs”