There are a lot of ways that you can properly recover after a good workout, and the top one that we always talk about is putting back the nutrients that our body recovers to heal our muscles. That means for muscle recovery you need some solid, healthy proteins, good solid fats. We often get sucked into this entire sugar-feeding frenzy to help your  and fast acting carbs. But your body "BURNs" more quality calories all day, and what you may not realize is that there is a lot more that goes into muscle recovery than just simple carbohydrates. In fact you could be too focused on the carbohydrates and that could be causing you to hold on to too much fat stores.

First off your body doesn't have to feed off of sugar, and in the best case it should be feeding off of fat. You are always going to burning calories 24 hours a day. Even when you aren't exercising your body is burning calories. I hear stories all of the time about clients that have issues with their 'low blood sugar' that is what we've programmed our bodies to crave. But you have to remember that some of the calories you are burning during your workout are from fat, some from carbs and a few from protein.But, you do not need to eat sugars to burn sugars. Many of you know that sprinting helps burn off glycating blood sugar and will then encourage your body to store glycogen in the muscles. The not only encourages muscle grown but your muscles are where your body is burning fat, even when you aren't exercising. If you body has these stores it realizes it can let go of fat stores since the demand isn't there. Carbohydrate loading will result in an increase of glycogen stored in your muscles and liver.

Do you want that? 


So what do I use. Well post workout muscle recovery depends on the type of workout. First off if I did cardio (which is usually some sort of tabata or interval workout) then I will go right for my shake mixed with coconut water and some Himalayan salt. If I've done a good solid Beast style strength training workout then I will add  in about a 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries to the mix if I really feel I need it... but you really don't need that, what you need to regulate your system is some relaxation, which is what makes stretching after a workout so important and almost even more important that nutrition.

Emotional Healing with Muscle Movement 

Muscle recovery isn't just about what you are eating, it's about fully being aware of the release of emotion you get from the workout to begin with.

There is a muscle + emotion relationship in your body that makes it so important that you physically move!

One of my amazing coaches has this 'ah-ha' moment today and shared:

"I am starting to think that pent up emotions are stored in our muscles. Every time I hit that spot in the workout where I am really working it and sticking it out through the really hard part, I can feel the emotional release. Weird. I guess that is why they say exercise is a good stress reliever."

That's right!

Often times our emotions are not being expressed or released and they will migrate in our bodies. This blocked emotional energy will manifest itself in your physical body. Your organs have receptors in them just like your brain does. Emotions affect organs and organs are related to muscles. I listened to this amazing TED talk about how we truly have two brains, our digestive brain, and our thinking brain but they both work in very similar manners. If one organ is not balanced then the related muscles will show the signs of this.

So when you think you have gotten beyond an emotion, your mind may move on, but your muscles do not. They still need to work through it. This "emotional armoring,”  was first brought to light by the psychotherapist William Reich. If you do not want to continue to carry around that emotional baggage then you need to find a way to move, and that can be any movement that suits you. the rest will come.

Stretching after your workout does more than just lean out the muscles And when you are doing these long stretches with deep breathing to relax your muscle tissues and liver become depleted of glycogen. Now your muscles need fuel to keep operating and your pancreas will begin to secrete some glucose which will signal your fat cells to let go of excess fat so your body can use it for fuel, and relaxation will let your body release the emotions that it finally worked out in your workout to begin with. When you stretch it's like this welcome sense of opening up your space. It's like you have cleared out a cluttered room and opened the blinds to let the sunlight stream in. So all of this needs to be a part of your recovery because it all works together.

Let's look at what's in the Isagenix Athlete's Pak and the Jeunesse Global Zen Bodi Challenge Pack

If you are like me, your fitness is very important to who you are, and is a big part of your lifestyle. Supplementation as well as whole foods are also a big part of my lifestyle and I have to be sure any supplementation is going to naturally support my body in a healthy manner with as many real whole food sources as possible. So, I wanted to check out the difference between two of the leading companies packages for athletes because fitness is a large part of my business. So I looked into one company that a lot of people have talked about, Isagenix, to compare with Jeunesse Global. 

The components of the Athlete's Pak is

• 2 canisters of IsaLean® Shake
  1 Ionix® Supreme (liquid or powder)
  1 IsaPro®
  1 Want More Energy® canister (45-servings) or 2 boxes of 24-count sticks
  1 box IsaLean® Bars
  
  ZEN BODI Challenge Pack is
• (1) Zen Pro Vanilla Bliss
  (1) Zen Pro Chocolate Dream
  (1) Zen Fit Fruit Punch
  (1) Zen Fit Watermelon
  (1) Zen Shape capsules

The IsaPro seem to be just whey product, with stevia and more "natural flavors" and ionic alfalfa (some sort of aloe vera apparently). I could see using just plain protein before your workout if you were bulking, but for myself I think that aminos are more inportant as so many of us can't even process our proteins correctly to get those aminos, and if needed micronized creatine. If you really wanted a plain undenatured protein then my big recommendation is the Action Whey.

The IsaLean Shake, which is also using an undenatured whey and flaxseed, has a LOT of added vitamins in the mix. I don't get that unless they were trying to be the cheaper Shakeology. The IsaLean is sweetened with yucca root, honey, vanilla bean and about 14 grams of sugar.  Wow... they come from the sugar post workout group.  There is no added sugar in the Zen Pro shake as it's sweetened with stevia leaf extract and lo han guo extract. the vitamins are not methylated, and you know I'm big on that for those of you with MTHFR or other methylation issues. 


With Zen Pro, you get not only amazing bioactive whey, but you get the high ORAC {antioxidant} value without the extra vitamin fillers. ZEN Pro contains a premium protein blend of whey, rice, pea, and chia seed powder that keeps you feeling fuller longer. The ZEN Pro formula also incorporates a probiotic blend of healthy bacteria to optimize digestion and help you stay lean. So if you use the Zen Fit you get the sugar before, and with Zen Pro no sugar after. Important from the standing of lean muscle creation. If you are doing a short workout, like I recommend, then you get enough sugar to feed your glycogen stores with the ZenFit. If you do not listen to me I would recommend something clean like Raw Boost for your natural sugar feed post lift. 

Insulin Resistance and PreDiabesity

Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, prediabesity and the obesity epidemic is hitting our nation hard. It isn't just office workers, or folks that could care less about themselves. It's effecting moms, grandmas, teachers, and even our children. Beyond what this blood sugar rush is doing to all of us, it's slowly killing all of us.

That's where some of my favorite supplement ingredients come into play. Think WellTrim IG, Inositol, Green Tea Leaf Extract and Chromium to name a few.

Think about leptin, that master hormone that is secreted by fat cells to signal the brain about levels of fat in the body. Ideally this hormone balances out your blood sugar, but also it keeps you satiated, controls your appetite and starts that good thermogenesis going. Welltrim IG

In randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials Welltrim IG led to significant reductions in weight, body fat, and waist size and improved cardiovascular health, blood sugar balance, and overall metabolic wellness. Using WellTrim also increased levels of adiponectin, driving thermogenesis even more, and helps inhibit glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, an enzyme that converts blood sugar into fat. How awesome is that?

Inositol is a fundamental part of every cell in yuor body. Inositol can aid in reducing blood levels of cholesterol, reverse nerve damage from diabetes, help breakdown and redistribute body fat, maintain proper levels of the brain’s neurotransmitters, relieve depression, reduce obsessive/compulsive disorder (OCD), lower blood pressure and even help prevent hair loss. How can one nutrient do so much? Because it’s an essential part of how cells communicate with one another.

Like the ever so popular green coffee beans your green tea has thermogenic effects as well. The difference is that they trace back to different compounds. These green tea leaf compounds, called catechins, are most frequently hailed for their antioxidant effects, but research indicates that the chief catechin in green tea—epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG—also enhances metabolism, increases fat oxidation, and assists weight management. A study showed that obese mice that were fed a weight-gaining diet put on significantly less weight when they were supplementing with green tea extract.

that's the big reason why the combination of ingredients in the Zen Shape I think is important for anyone with any prediabetes or prediabetic issues to start with. So that is my first supplement recommendation (Zen Shape preferably with Zen Pro) for anyone that is prediabetic. While Zen Shape helps regular blood sugar levels, it's also combating stress levels that are related to appetite and improving your serotonin levels for enhanced mood. This really is the perfect support to help anyone that is struggling with insulin resistance and prediabesity (as Dr. Mark Hyman has categorized this issue) to lose weight and feel better about their daily life because it:

• Promotes Metabolic Wellness
• Promotes Fat Loss
• Combats Stress-Induced Fat Gain
• Helps Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
• Support Healthy Thermogenic Fat Burning
• Helps Decrease Carbohydrate and Sugar Cravings
• Supports HealthY Cholesterol Levels

The unique soluble fiber component in Zen Pro comes from real food, helping support appetite and blood sugar controls while offering a high payload of soluble fiber for prebiotic and immune system support. And I'm not talking about fiber from corn leftovers like a lot of these companies are pushing (think Fibersol for one). The product will support reliable carbohydrate availability for powerful brain function and physical performance. Have you ever had that insulin diabesity brain fog? It is very much related to this inability of our body to use it's hormones properly and process the carbohydrates in the way that is should (like I've talked about on this blog before). Zen Pro also supplies healthy omegas and probiotics to promote healthy intestinal functions.

Chromium is an often overlooked supplement because people don't often see a lot of changes from it in terms of weight loss, so they give it up. But chromium is huge when it comes to sugar cravings. Chromium has been proven to improve insulin function & reduces binge eating. Chromium is a key mineral that assists insulin to transport blood sugar into your cells. It is commonly lacking in individuals with type 2 diabetes. A study of overweight women found that chromium reduced food intake, hunger levels, and fat cravings – while tending to help decrease body weight. This study shows that chromium is a very good tool to help you eat less food when you are trying to stay on a good eating program.

Zen Pro and Zen Shape combine to create a powerful weight management system for anyone going through the symptoms of prediabesity. Dr. Hyman says this new term includes the full spectrum of metabolic dysfunction that begins with elevated blood sugar and mild insulin resistance. 


But I also would recommend you add one more optional supplement to your regime, and that is Zen Fit. Amino acids along with the Inositol help lessen cravings for sugar. This is something that those with insulin sensitivity or resistance struggle with every day.

My recommendation, of course and I'm not a doctor so run all of this past your doctor before moving forward with a change in diet. I personally have a Zen Fit package in the morning and one in the early afternoon, like around 1pm, Amino Acid supplements are delivered immediately to the bloodstream upon ingestion, so they come with no additional "energy cost". As a result, they can be particularly useful for people with energy defects.