Nutrition Tip #5: Supplements: BCAAs, Greens Powder, Protein Powder

Check out my favorite supplements to use along with (as opposed to instead of) a healthy nutrition program:

• PROTEIN POWDER: 1-2 scoops (25-50g) per meal/smoothie. Some delicious brands to try include Isopure Zero Carb, Jay Robb’s Whey (or Egg White), and Tera’s Whey. Vega and Vega Sport are good vegan options.
• BCAAs — MRM Reload, Watermelon: BCAAs are used traditionally by meatheads everywhere as a muscle building and muscle recovery aid. But wait…they also help with fat loss! BCAAs signal the molecules mTOR and AMPK to regulate hunger in the brain and they also impact these molecules in muscle for maintenance and growth. BCAAs lower cortisol and stimulate GLP which can reduce stress cravings and blunt hunger. The BCAA glutamine is needed to stimulate the brain chemical glutamate and the number one chill-out chemical, GABA. Chilling-out helps temper cravings. Consume 1-3 scoops (5-15g per day) BCAAs at any of these times: Post-workout, Pre-workout, Times of cravings like before or after dinner, First thing in the morning.
• GREENS POWDER — 1 scoop per day, Barlean’s Greens Chocolate Silk: Greens Powder has tons of fiber and vitamins and my favorite kind has cocoa to stimulate neurotransmitters and quell cravings
• COCOA — 3-5 Tbsp per day, unsweetened and not duch-processed: Brands to try include Hershey’s Natural Unsweetened, Hershey’s Special Dark, and Navitas Naturals. Cocoa powder talks to your brain’s neurotransmitters and increases feelings of satisfaction and relaxation. It also acts with the cannabinoid system similar to the way marijuana relaxes the body. On its own, cocoa is a great fat loss tool. Chocolate, on the other hand, is not. So watch out! By adding cocoa butter (fat), sugar and milk and chocolate has entered fat gain territory.