When you’re crushing Camp workouts and chasing progress, you need nutrition that works as hard as you do. Here are some of your questions, with answers from the Burn experts you trust. 

Q: Does it matter if I take creatine in the morning or at night? 

A: Nope! Morning, night, during nap time, whenever it works best for you. The key is just taking it daily. Consistency beats time of day, hands down.  

Q: Can I mix creatine and collagen into my coffee? Or is that not recommended? 

A: Collagen? Absolutely, stir it in and sip away. Creatine? Not the best match. High heat might affect its absorption, but if adding it to your coffee helps you remember to take it, consistency wins again. Showing up daily is way more effective than chasing perfection. 

Q: Of course, it is important to check with your doctor, but which nutrition products are usually pregnancy safe? 

A: Your doctor always gets the final say, but protein powders, especially whey, are usually okay and are a great way to boost intake. Just watch the caffeine dose in your Ignite pre-workout (the general guideline is under 200mg/day). As for creatine, there’s not enough research on its use during pregnancy, so definitely pause and consult before continuing. 

Q: Why would I want to drink Replenish over water? 

A: While water is essential for hydration, it doesn’t replace the electrolytes and micronutrients your body loses through intense training, like fitness classes, or sweat. Replenish provides a targeted blend of electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals designed to support optimal hydration, muscle function, and recovery. It tastes delicious, which helps you stay hydrated and train harder, recover faster, and perform at your best. 

Q: What are the benefits to taking Collagen? 

A: Collagen peptide supplementation helps maintain your skin’s elasticity and firmness, supports joint flexibility, promotes muscle growth, and enhances post-workout recovery. We recommend taking 10 grams of Collagen per day, which is our serving size, to see these benefits. 

1. You don’t need to wait to become the perfect version of yourself to be happy.

Oftentimes, we prioritize reaching a goal so much so that we forget about our happiness in the whole equation. The focus centers on the weight we still have to lose or the definition we want to see, and we aren’t happy with ourselves until it happens. We close ourselves off to experiencing life and relationships around us so that we can finally get from point A to B—essentially, we equate our happiness with a goal. We spend so much time measuring ourselves up, punishing ourselves and feeling guilty for not being “perfect” when, in reality, you don’t have to wait to become this “perfect” version of yourself before you start loving yourself and truly enjoying your life. You’re allowed to be happy while you continue to evolve and improve. You don’t need a number on a scale, a number of reps, a number of miles or an amount of weight you can lift to feel validated.

Personally, I believe I’ll be the “perfect” version of myself when I am able to just enjoy exactly who I am in the present moment. This is the version of myself I am striving to become. Continue working toward your goal, but in the meantime, embrace, own, accept, love and just enjoy being who you are right now. There is only one of you and we have one life to live, so allow yourself to be happy!

2. No matter how far you still have to go, you’re allowed to celebrate how far you have come.

You’ve heard it before: “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” When we focus too much on how far we have to go, we forget to realize how far we have come. We could be leaps and bounds further along in our journey than we were just a few months ago but not take the time to stop and celebrate all that we have achieved in the process.

We get this picture in our heads of exactly who we want to be, how we want to look and where we want to go. We work hard and we persevere every single day to get closer to becoming that picture in our head, but it’s not always about the end goal. There is so much to be proud of yourself for while you are on the way to where you are going. Take a moment right now. Look at yourself; look how far you have come. Remember that person who chose to start? You are that person. Be proud of that person. Celebrate that person.

Next time you get stuck thinking about how far you still have to go, challenge your perspective. Regardless of how far you are from the person you want to be and the place you want to go, you have come so far and that deserves recognition!

Don’t let the person you want to be stand in the way of celebrating the person you are now. Even though you may have more to go, your hard work is worth it, your hard work shows and your hard work has paid off!

3. You are your own kind of beautiful.

Stop comparing yourself to others. We are all guilty of this—I’ll be the first to admit that I do it too! Truth is, we were all born with different hair textures, eye colors, metabolisms and body frames, and every one of these things makes us beautifully unique. We are our own person. No one is just like you—how cool is that? You are you, and no one else can be you no matter how hard they try. We have to remember this when we find ourselves wishing we had what someone has or could do what someone else does. When we strive to be like someone else, it is a million more times difficult to be happy with who we were uniquely made to be.

If you take away anything from this blog post, I want you to know that who you are, every single part, is unbelievably beautiful. You are too pretty and too smart to act like you are not. You may look at yourself in the mirror and not think twice about the reflection you see, but what you aren’t seeing is the beauty others see in you. It’s time for you to look at yourself in a new way—we see it, now it’s your turn. Go ahead and tell yourself how beautiful you are! Do it today, and every day after that.

4. Who you are as a person is way more important than the way you look.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that no one is going to love you more for losing 20 pounds or having a six-pack. Those things are great goals, but the things that have a lasting impression are your character, values, actions, positivity, happiness, love and everything that’s inside you.

That five pounds you gained or lost weighs a lot less than the smile on your face and the passion in your heart. People around you don’t care about the number on your scale and probably don’t even think about it. So, stop torturing yourself and letting the way you look dictate your attitude. It’s more important to live a life that keeps you smiling and keeps others smiling than a life that keeps you obsessing over your weight. Remember what really matters.

5. You are strong, capable, beautiful, significant and more than enough.

You are! Stop telling yourself otherwise. Even when it feels like you aren’t, I hope there is at least a small part of you that believes you are. You may not be able to see it today, but others see it every day. Others see every ounce of greatness within you—more greatness than you will ever know. Never forget that.

If you know someone who needs to hear one of these reminders, share this post with them. If you’re more of a podcast person, you can download the podcast episode that goes along with this post and listen to it on those days when you need a pick-me-up.

Also, if you didn’t know, I have a cooking show called Morgan Makes It where I show you how cooking and eating healthy can be simple, quick and still so delicious. I release a new recipe every single Monday, which can be found on Burn Boot Camp’s YouTube channel. Go check it out if you are ready to start eating healthy and don’t know where to begin or if your diet is feeling stale and you are looking for new, fun and healthy ways to change it up!

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A high SPF and a moderate price tag—that’s how Americans typically choose a sunscreen. We see 50+ on a label and trust it to be effective in protecting our skin. Here’s a surprise: Consumer Reports, the Food and Drug Administration and many other credible resources have found that our beliefs about SPF, and sun protection in general, aren’t the most reliable measure of how much protection we are actually getting. In fact, we are putting our faith in products that may be doing more harm than good.

Many people wouldn’t think twice about not protecting their skin, especially in spring and summer months. There is a wide variety of products and options for anyone in the market for sun protection; however, we hardly question what’s behind the label. Ever see SPF on a label and just think, “Yeah, I know I need to be using that”? What about, “Okay, so what is actually in this?” or “What the heck am I putting on my skin?” Maybe some of us don’t even know what “SPF” stands for or how it works. Let’s take a look.

What Does “SPF” Mean?

“SPF” stands for sun protection factor. This is the familiar number we see on things like sunscreen, makeup and lotion. The number is a rating used to measure the amount of time it takes for exposed skin to burn. SPF ratings are given to products as a measure of how well a sun protection product guards against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, the main cause of sunburn and a contributor to skin cancer. All sunscreens are tested and then labeled with the appropriate SPF value. Higher SPF values are supposed to provide greater sunburn protection. It is important to note here that SPF is only relating to the effectiveness of a product to protect against UVB rays. UVA rays pierce the skin more deeply than UVB—we will touch more on this later.

Higher SPF Numbers Don’t Mean “Safer”

A popular misconception is that the higher the SPF, the more effective it is at protecting your skin from sun damage. However, because of the variety in types of products as well as intensity of sun, there is a natural variance in levels of protection. Ultra-high SPF claims are frequently used on packaging, but the U.S. FDA hasn’t approved modern sunscreen ingredients that would do a better job of broad-spectrum protection. A lot of us would be surprised to find out that in other developed countries, SPF is usually capped at 50.

As far as labeling, we tend to skim over the term “broad spectrum.” It is intentionally included for a very important reason that we should not overlook. Remember the distinction between SPF ratings and UVB rays? Well, products that pass the broad-spectrum test can demonstrate that they also provide UVA protection. Therefore, under the label requirements, sunscreens labeled “Broad Spectrum SPF [value]” indicate protection from both UVA and UVB radiation. Not all sunscreens are broad spectrum, so it is important to look for it on the label. Broad spectrum provides protection with a chemical barrier that absorbs or reflects UV radiation before it can damage the skin (again, we will get to those chemicals in a moment).

The FDA recommends using broad-spectrum sunscreens with SPF values of 15 or higher regularly and as directed. In the same vein, as of July 2019, Consumer Reports—which has tested a multitude of sun protection products—has its SPF recommendation at SPF 40. Again, recommendations vary between sources; this is to show that “more” doesn’t always mean “better” when it comes to SPF.

How Sunscreen Works

We know that there are two forms of sunrays: UVA and UVB. UVA rays are present throughout the daylight hours, even on cloudy days, while UVB rays are strongest from 10AM to 4PM. So how do we protect our skin against radiation? You guessed it—sunscreen!

Sunscreen helps to filter out UV radiation using a combination of two main types of active ingredients: inorganic particles (which form a physical barrier, reflecting or scattering UV waves) and organic components (which are responsible for the absorption of UV rays, releasing their energy as heat).

Ingredients

The basic ingredients in sunscreens are often similar. Just like any drug, there are active ingredients and inactive ingredients in sunscreen. Typically, active ingredients are the ones protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, while inactive ingredients are all the other ingredients that may be used in formulating sunscreens.

Some commonly found ingredients are:

• Aminobenzoic acid
• Avobenzone
• Cinoxate
• Dioxybenzone
• Homosalate
• Meradimate
• Octocrylene
• Octinoxate
• Octisalate
• Oxybenzone
• Padimate O
• Ensulizole
• Sulisobenzone
• Titanium dioxide
• Trolamine salicylate
• Zinc oxide

Price has almost nothing to do with the effectiveness of the product you choose when it comes to sunscreen. High price tags are normally associated with the cosmetic nature of a product, or how it feels on your skin. Although most of these ingredients sit on the surface of the skin, reflecting harsh UV rays, there is evidence that at least some active ingredients may be absorbed through the skin and enter the body.

Chemical Concerns

On the topic of ingredients, a few commonly used chemicals have brought up questionable reviews. As of 2019, the FDA has called for more research on the safety and effectiveness of 12 common chemical sunscreen ingredients, including oxybenzone, avobenzone, homosalate, octinoxate, octisalate and octocrylene. Of these 12, the one most often flagged as potentially worrisome is oxybenzone.

Oxybenzone has been widely used in sunscreens because of its effectiveness in protecting against both UVA and UVB rays. There are concerns about it because of its absorption rate into the bloodstream. When absorbed, it acts like estrogen in the body and in studies has been linked to abnormal sperm function in men and endometriosis in women. Oxybenzone also acts as a skin allergen in a significant number of people.

Other concerning chemicals include titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which are used in mineral or “natural” sunscreen products. These don’t warrant the same health concerns as chemical sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone because they sit on the surface of the skin and aren’t absorbed. However, Consumer Reports and the FDA both note that they don’t necessarily protect the skin as well as sunscreens with chemical ingredients. Most concerns with these have to do with the safety of inhaling particles, but researchers say the benefits of sunscreens “outweigh potential risks from their ingredients.”

Application

A surefire way to get the most out of any sunscreen you choose is to use it correctly. Regardless of the SPF, it is recommended by the FDA and the Skin Cancer Foundation to follow these guidelines when applying sunscreen:

• Apply the sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside.
• Use 2 or 3 tablespoons to cover your body.
• Make sure you reapply every 2 hours (and more often if you’re sweating or jumping in and out of the water).
• If you use a sunscreen spray, spray yourself twice to get the spots you missed.
• Avoid storing sunscreen in a hot car, as it may become less effective more quickly.
• Everyone, including babies six months and older and people of any skin tone, needs to use sunscreen.

Types

There are many different forms of sun protection on the market, including lotions, creams, sticks, gels, oils, butters, pastes and sprays. It is important to note that nonprescription sunscreen products in the form of wipes, towelettes, powders, body washes and shampoos have not been authorized by the FDA. It is also important to note that there is no such thing as “waterproof” sunscreen. All sunscreens eventually wash off. Per the FDA, “Sunscreens labeled ‘water resistant’ are required to be tested according to the required SPF test procedure. The labels are required to state whether the sunscreen remains effective for 40 minutes or 80 minutes when swimming or sweating, and all sunscreens must provide directions on when to reapply.”

A great way to find out if you are using a good sunscreen or if you are in the market for a new product is to check for the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation. The seal is widely accepted as a symbol of safe and effective sun protection that is recognized by consumers worldwide. If you can’t find one of these products, Consumer Reports has done extensive testing to put together a buying guide for consumers to use for free.

There are so many different products out there, which is why it is so important to do your research before putting something in or on your body. This post is just one more step in the right direction toward your healthiest and happiest skin! We hope you found it useful.

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We are constantly surrounded by social media, TV, magazines, friends, family, actors, influencers—you name it—telling us the next best thing we should be hopping on the bandwagon for, promising results. But which trending diets, foods and supplements are the real deal?

Well, the truth is, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Luckily, we know a few people who can help us get to the bottom of this. Our trainers are experts in their field—each one is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, after all. Needless to say, they have been around the block a few times and have tried a lot of these fitness trends themselves. So, who better to ask about which trends are worth the hype and which ones you should steer clear of? We asked our trainers what they think, here’s the inside scoop!

Let’s start with the diets that are better left on the trending page. Most of the nearly 600 trainers we asked agree that these top health trends are not worth the hype.

1. FAD DIETS

Keto, paleo, low-carb, Mediterranean, juice cleanses—they all have one thing in common: They are fad diets. Trainer Megan Vinyard of Burn Boot Camp Kennesaw, Georgia puts it best: “Burn focuses on long-term results. I always say that your relationship with food should be a long-term relationship as well. Keto and other fad diets, most of the time, will show results—but never long term. I always ask, ‘So you are never going to have pizza again?’ or ‘What do you do for Thanksgiving?’ or ‘Why deprive yourself when you can learn balance?’ And usually they end up losing all their progress when they come off these fads and go straight back to bad habits. Learning healthy habits and [having a] healthy relationship with food is so important. You should never single out carbs, fats or proteins but instead have a balance of all. Food is energy—especially carbs—so learning those healthy relationships is key. We focus on a 80/20 lifestyle and it works! You can be human and realistic without hurting your progress toward your goals.” 

2. FAT BURNERS

A product is claiming to be a “magic pill” that will do all the work for you without you lifting a finger—really? Yeah, we laughed too! Trainer of the Year Cody Burns of Burn Boot Camp Verona, Wisconsin has seen people looking for a “quick fix” time and time again. He says, “Most believe that if they take this magic pill or drink, they will instantly shed the unwanted fat off their body. That’s not exactly how your body works. The best way to lose body fat and gain lean muscle is by eating clean and training. A better approach is to save your money and invest in healthy whole foods and a clean pre-workout, like Ignite, to get you energized for your next workout.” 

3. SWEAT GELS

Don’t sweat it! This fitness trend goes right along with the quick-fix schemes that just don’t add up. Burn Boot Camp HQ Training Manager Jamal Gibson compares using a topical sweat gel to buying a car and car insurance—and then expecting the same car to go faster because you have insurance. The truth is, sweat gels don’t burn calories like you may think. Jamal explains the science behind the myth like this: “Sweating burns calories but doesn’t require rebuilding and repair, which continues to utilize energy for days after the incident for a workout. It feels great to sweat, but sweating is an accessory result of working out. There are many people who sweat in atypical patterns naturally. My wife doesn’t sweat nearly as much as I do when we work out together. The reason I burn more calories is because she weighs 100 pounds less than me. Stick to what you know to be true: Consistency is only beneficial with intensity. Work hard enough to get the results you desire and avoid the gimmicks.” 

4. WAIST TRAINERS

Another glamorized trend in the fitness world is waist trainers. We’ve seen the Kardashians promoting them on social media, swearing by their results. Red flags start popping up for us with the guarantee of a smaller waist just from wrapping a band around your abdomen, and our trainers are on the same page. Although waist trainers can help with posture and may make you eat less frequently due to the compression of your organs, many fitness trainers believe you’re better off keeping those bands and belts off your waists. There haven’t been enough studies about waist trainers to conclude any long-term results. What does deliver long-term results: consistently eating right, getting rest, staying hydrated and exercising.

Got all that? Great! Know that you know which fitness trends aren’t worth your time or money, here are four that you should consider.

1. SUPPLEMENTS

A whole foods approach is a great place to start to make sure you are getting all the essential vitamins and minerals from natural sources. But you may need to supplement your diet to keep your body functioning in top condition, especially with an active lifestyle. Here are two our trainers love to include in their own diets and encourage clients to try for themselves: 

COLLAGEN POWDER— Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. Think of it as one of the major building blocks of bones, skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments. We know that what we put in our bodies has external effects, so adding collagen is a great start to glowing from the inside out. Trainer Jessi Drayer of Burn Boot Camp Bethel Park, Pennsylvania says, “Ever since I started taking a quality collagen protein on a regular basis, I have noticed that my complexion is much clearer, and my skin feels like it glows! On top of that, my hair, skin and nails are much healthier, and my joint pain is gone! It’s such an easy way to take care of your skin when you have limited time for skincare products.”

PROTEIN POWDER— Adequate protein consumption is truly a key to building and sustaining muscle mass. Don’t think of this as being “bulky.” Maintaining muscle takes work and is beneficial to any fitness journey. Lean muscle mass allows you to burn more calories at rest, so hitting your protein goal daily is incredibly important. Having a quality protein powder at hand allows you to ensure you hit that daily. This will also help with muscle soreness and a faster recovery time.

2. VITAMINS

Like Trainer Danielle Miller of Burn Boot Camp Gilbert, Arizona says, “Even if you eat balanced, it’s so difficult to get all of the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) your body needs. We often stick to the same fruits and veggies we enjoy, which can allow for a gap in important vitamins.” Before we dive into some different supplements, it is important to remember that quality is key here, so be sure to check your supplements for high-quality, clean ingredients before buying! 

MULTIVITAMIN— Taking a daily multivitamin along with eating a variety of fruits and veggies will set you up for success to give your body everything it needs!

VITAMIN D— We get it—you are stuck at a desk, have errands to run and can’t just sit outside and soak up the sun. Neither can we! The truth is, we don’t get enough sun in our modern-day lifestyle. So, it only makes sense that we are missing out on some good old-fashioned vitamin D. But that doesn’t mean we should forget about it! We need it to absorb calcium and promote bone growth. Too little vitamin D can result fragile, misshapen bones in adults and other health problems like breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, depression and weight gain. Trainer David Rhodus of Burn Boot Camp Evanston, Illinois adds, “There have been multiple meta-analyses that have concluded supplementing with vitamin D can reduce the chances of catching the flu, improve bone health (and reduce the incidence of fractures) and decrease overall mortality rate in adults.”

MAGNESIUM — Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body. You’d be shocked to know that it is involved with over 600 cellular reactions, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels and blood pressure, strengthening bones and creating protein and DNA. Yet up to 68% of American adults don’t meet the recommended daily intake! Low levels of magnesium have been linked to many negative health outcomes, including overall weakness, depression, high blood pressure and heart disease. Trainer Yonit Arthur of Burn Boot Camp Apopka, Florida  adds, “It’s incredible for helping people who have sleep issues and for people who are prone to constipation.”

3. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

This is the product of adding yeast to apple juice, which turns the fruit sugars into alcohol—otherwise known as fermentation. Although highly acidic in this state, vinegar has chemicals known as polyphenols, which are antioxidants that can curb cell damage that can lead to other diseases. More studies are needed to determine its effectiveness, but Trainer Christen Jackson of Burn Boot Camp Mt. Juliet, Tennessee says that taking a tablespoon of ACV every morning “helps aid in digestion and promotes a healthy complexion, amongst other health benefits.” This definitely isn’t something you want to drink copious amounts of. In fact, drinking more than a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar can damage your teeth, hurt your throat and upset your stomach. Our trainers like to cut the acidity by taking it with a bit of honey and a dash of lemon juice right out of a shot glass, or adding it to a tall glass of ice water and using a straw so the acidity doesn’t harm your teeth. Trainer Jordan Riding of Burn Boot Camp Exton, Pennsylvania says, “I make mine as a tea with warm water, blue agave and apple cider vinegar. I also add some cayenne pepper to help with dehydration and throat sorene­­ss.” As with anything you are putting into your body, it is important to consult your doctor to make sure adding ACV to your diet is right for you, as it could interact with certain medications or medical issues.

4. SLEEP

You can eat clean, train hard and supplement your diet with the nutrients your body needs, but without sleep you are basically a walking (healthy) zombie. But really—our trainers agree that you aren’t doing all that hard work justice without giving your body the rest it needs to recover. Sleep is the prime time for the body to get its hormones back to a healthy level. Need proof?

Sore muscles? Sleep! Your brain releases the hormones that encourage tissue growth to repair blood vessels, which restores sore or damaged muscles.

Feeling under the weather? Sleep! Your immune system relies on sleep to produce more white blood cells that can attack viruses and bacteria that protect the body from infection.

Inflammation? Sleep! Your heart rate naturally slows when you are asleep, letting it take a well-deserved break so that hormones can be used to relax other muscles in the body, which leads to reduced inflammation.

Cravings? Sleep! Poor sleep patterns can impact the level of the hormones that make you feel hungry or full. If you don’t get enough sleep, your “hunger hormone” (ghrelin) levels go up and your “full hormone” (leptin) levels go down. So you may experience cravings for sugar or salt instead of the nutrients your body needs. 

Feeling down? Sleep! After a good night of sleep, hormone, energy and stress levels are all back on track. Your body has the amazing capability to adjust and restore all of these while you’re in dreamland so that you can start your day on the right foot! A healthy amount of sleep (the National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours a night for adults) helps your body feel refreshed and more prepared to face the challenges of a new day instead of feeling defeated and stressed. (Warning: A positive mood has been associated with boosted recovery outcomes and better overall well-being!)

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What Are Amino Acids?

Let’s start by discussing what amino acids actually are, because to be completely honest with you, as much as I had talked about them, I didn’t exactly understand what they were. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.

Your body breaks protein down into amino acids and then uses them for different processes and functions. There are 20 different amino acids, and they are divided into two main types: essential and non-essential. Nine of the 20 are classified as essential, as your body cannot produce them on its own, making it “essential” for you to consume them through your diet. The remaining 11 are non-essential, as your body is able to produce these amino acids on its own.

There is one more type of classification of amino acids, called conditionally essential amino acids. These amino acids are essential under certain conditions and in times when you’re unable to produce as many as your body requires.

Foods that contain all nine essential amino acids are considered complete proteins and are best for building muscle and seeing results from your workouts. Foods like meat, eggs and dairy products are all complete proteins. While plant-based foods contain amino acids, only a handful are considered to be complete proteins. You can check out this post for a few of my favorite plant-based foods that are complete proteins.

Nuts, seeds, beans and grains are considered incomplete proteins, but when you include a wide variety into your diet, they will combine together to form complementary proteins, which provide the same benefits of complete proteins. These incomplete proteins do not need to be eaten together at the same meal to form a complete protein.

What About Branch Chain Amino Acids?

The avid amino acid drinkers at the gym are not just supplementing with amino acids, but branch chain amino acids specifically, most commonly known as BCAAs. Out of the nine essential amino acids, three are classified as BCAAs: valine, leucine and isoleucine. They are called branch chain amino acids due to their structure, but what makes them so special is that they get broken down differently than the other amino acids. BCAAs go directly to your muscles to be broken down, rather than first being sent to your liver and then to your muscles. When being broken down directly in your muscles, BCAAs hold many amazing benefits!

Why I Supplement with Amino Acids

After much research, I came to the conclusion that I could really benefit from supplementing with BCAAs. Check out my top three reasons why I now always supplement with BCAAs:

1. BCAAs Boost Muscle Repair and Growth

The number one reason why I decided to start supplementing with BCAAs was because of the amazing effect they have on boosting muscle repair and growth. So you’re actually not building muscle during your workout. Believe it or not, you are doing the exact opposite.

When you work out, you are tearing your muscle fibers, literally breaking them down. Your muscles grow after your workouts and your body uses BCAAs in order to do so. One study showed that people who drank BCAAs after resistance training experienced a 22% greater increase in muscle protein synthesis, your body’s process of creating protein to repair your broken-down muscle fibers from your workout, over those who drank the placebo drink.

Basically, the better your body is at repairing your muscles, the better able you will be to grow your muscle and the more lean muscle mass you will have. And you know what more muscle mass means? Less body fat. Yes, please!

2. BCAAs Reduce Your Muscle Soreness and Recovery Time

Another amazing benefit of BCAAs is that they’ve been shown to help reduce muscle soreness, which helps reduce your recovery time between workouts. For me, there is no worse feeling than wanting to completely crush my workout but being too sore from the day before to give it everything I have. This is due to DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness, which normally kicks in about 12 to 24 hours after an intense workout, but the feeling can last up to three days! (I know you know what I am talking about and experience it regularly, but you probably didn’t know the scientific term for it.)

I’ll be honest: Since supplementing with BCAAs regularly, I have noticed a huge difference in my recovery time between workouts! Why? Because BCAAs help decrease the amount of protein that gets broken down during your workout, which causes less muscle damage, which means it takes less time to rebuild. You’ll want to supplement with your BCAAs pre-workout to really help speed up your recovery process.

3. BCAAs Increase the Intensity of Your Workouts

There is limited storage space in the muscles for glucose, which is usable energy from carbohydrates and also your main source of energy during exercise, especially during high-intensity workouts. BCAAs can be converted into glucose, so when your glucose storage runs out during an intense workout, if your muscles have available BCAAs, your body can use them for more energy to push harder and longer. For me, I regularly experience the “I just hit a wall” effect in the middle of my workout, and once I started supplementing with BCAAs pre-workout, I noticed this effect not only disappeared, but I was able to crush my workout even harder!

How I Supplement with BCAAs

Some people supplement with BCAAs pre-workout, while others supplement during their workout or post-workout. There are many articles out there arguing which is best. My philosophy is that people love to overcomplicate health and fitness, when it really doesn’t need to be that complicated! People get so hung up on the timing of when to eat, what to eat and what to supplement with, but in actuality, they’re getting hung up on doing things so perfectly that it slows them down or completely discourages them.

If you want to reap the benefits of BCAAs, just supplement with BCAAs; don’t overcomplicate it. I personally prefer to supplement with mine right before my workout using this pre-workout supplement packed with BCAAs. When I supplement with it right before I hit my workout, I feel it kick in right when I need that extra burst of energy to finish strong. I prefer mixing one scoop with eight to 12 ounces of water, which also helps keep me hydrated for my workout—another key player in muscle growth and recovery.

With all of this being said, BCAAs only work if you work! They’re a great supplement that supplements hard work. You won’t experience the perks of BCAAs without putting in the work behind it. Go ignite your workouts with BCAAs, crush it harder than you ever have before and see the best results you’ve seen yet!

Think Smart

The holiday season is full of parties and delicious foods. It can be hard to dial in on your willpower when you’re constantly surrounded by temptations.

Shaun Nibert, the Head Trainer at Burn Boot Camp Greenville, is giving us his top tips on how to take on the holiday party. By learning how to navigate your holiday party the right way, you’ll have fun and stay on track.

What Not to Eat

Before you head to the dessert platter or the bar, make sure you know what to avoid. The first item on our list to avoid is eggnog. Eggnog is full of sugars and heavy cream that will ruin progress fast.

Casseroles are known for being full of artificial ingredients, like cream and sugar. Try to avoid these to the best of your ability. Even if they do have vegetables in the name like “broccoli casserole” – steer clear.

Additionally, turkey skin is another slow killer. Turkey skin contains high amounts of sodium and unnecessary seasonings that will cause bloating and dehydration.

Finally, avoid all breads and simple carbs. This means no stuffing, no cakes and no cookies.

What to Eat

If you’re actually hungry, you’ll want to treat these foods as fuel. Flocking to the vegetable and fruit trays will fill you with fiber and keep you full longer.

Try to find lean meats for your protein source. Chicken breasts, skinless turkey and certain hams can be a great way to fill up without going overboard.

Prepare For The Holidays

Don’t just dive mindlessly into the holiday party scene, prepare before you go. To prevent cravings and the urge to eat everything in sight, eat a meal of whole foods.

If you aren’t super hungry, eat an apple as a snack. The apple will help curb your appetite by absorbing natural, complex carbs.

Another rule to adhere to is the three-bite rule. If you’re eyeing something, take three-bites and move on. This will help you get your fix in without overindulging.

What about alcohol? It’s best to avoid alcohol, but if you’re going to have a drink or two, drink clear drinks. Vodka and soda is a great, low calorie option, along with some wine and spritzer.

Make sure that whatever you end up eating, you make it to camp the next day. Shaun recommends going the extra limit by getting there early to warm up to hold yourself accountable.

At Burn Boot Camp there is no day one. Don’t make excuses for yourself during the holiday. Maintain your lifestyle all year-long with this guide on how to eat smart at your holiday party!

Tune into Burn TV LIVE every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 pm.

Train Your Brain

Life is full of highs and lows. Falling victim to your problems can be easy, but our problems teach us to persevere and get stronger.

Tre Lahman, Head Trainer at Burn Boot Camp Winston-Salem, is hoping to inspire women by sharing her story. Postpartum depression and anxiety are real issues, and often times, it’s all about changing your mindset.

Become Stronger

Tre has been a personal trainer for several years now. She’s spent much of her time training group fitness classes before joining the Burn Boot Camp community.

Tre was at the peak of her career when she became pregnant unexpectedly. Additionally, she dealt with constant sickness and pain that worsened throughout her pregnancy.

Finally, after experiencing a rough delivery, she gave birth to a happy, healthy baby. Unfortunately, 7-weeks after giving birth, she was hit with postpartum depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Her Support System

Tre says her family, friends and church helped her overcome her mental blocks. During her journey back to mental health, she began reading blogs about Burn Boot Camp.

In March, she tried Burn Boot Camp out with several of her friends. She immediately felt freed of her depression and anxiety.

Tre recalls that building relationships prompted her to focus less on herself and more on others. Burn offered her a community to be apart of.

After several months of being a member, she became the head trainer. She went from feeling unable to lead herself to leading hundreds of women.

The Take-Away

Exercise has proven to help lessen the affects of anxiety. By moving more, you’ll be less likely to suffer from symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Not only that but Burn Boot Camp has been designed to create a community of women who uplift each other. We high-five and encourage each other because we’re determined to become stronger.

Tune into Burn TV LIVE every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 pm.

Stay Focused

We’re wrapping up Nutrition November and heading full force into the holiday season. It’s important that you remember all of the lessons taught throughout the month so you can continue to improve every day.

Ryne Robinson, Head Trainer and Transformation Expert at Burn Boot Camp Fort Mill, gives us his top tips for keeping our nutrition on track. Grab a pen and a sheet of paper, and let’s get started!

Top Tips For Success

Goal Setting

First, you want to set goals. Turn your focus away from losing 75 lb. as soon as possible, and instead, focus on making it to the gym and improving your nutrition.

Dial in on your nutrition when you create your goals. Reaching your protein goal for 5 days straight or drinking a gallon of water a day are equally as important to lose weight.

Calorie Counting

Food is fuel, which means your nutrition and diet are key to weight loss. Make sure you log your foods to hold yourself accountable.

Additionally, meal prepping 5-6 meals a day to eat every three hours will help you manage your appetite. By eating so often, you’ll be less likely to binge on junk foods later.

Eating your meals as scheduled will help you control your appetite and cravings. Ryne’s favorite rule is “everything in moderation.” This goes back to setting realistic goals!

Make A Calendar

Write down your tasks that you can do every day or every week. Scheduling your daily camp and making it every time will help you feel productive and hold yourself accountable.

It only takes 21 days to build a habit. By completing your task list every day and every week, you’re building healthy habits and replacing bad habits.

Mindset Is Everything

All month long we’ve been giving you tips on how you can be a healthier version of yourself. From meal prepping to recipes, we have you covered.

Now, you have to do your part! Hold yourself accountable by keeping a positive mindset. Fitness isn’t a destination, it’s a journey – more importantly, it’s your journey.

If you need some assistance in staying focused, schedule a focus meeting! Your trainer wants to guide you throughout your fitness journey, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.

We know the holidays can be hectic, but that’s no excuse to let your hard work go to waste. Start improving now!

Your Trainer Is Human

No goal is unreachable, especially with help. While living like your trainer can seem tough, they’re just as human as you.

Your Burn Boot Camp trainers are your Transformation Experts. They want to see you succeed and dominate your goals inside and outside of camp. We get better every day together.

Tune into Burn TV LIVE every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 pm EST.

Find Your Balance

Balance is a necessary characteristic for all aspects of our lives, but especially in our bodies. To be an athlete, you need both strength and balance.

Christen Jackson, Head Trainer at Burn Boot Camp Mount Juliet and Burn Athlete, is sharing her favorite ways to stay strong. We train like athletes here at Burn Boot Camp, and we encourage you to join us.

Why It Matters

As we age, our bones become dense and our bodies can become weaker. By practicing moves that build strength and balance daily, you’ll prevent aches and pains in the future.

Balance in particular helps you perform all exercises, especially at Burn Boot Camp. Good balance promotes a full range of motion and mobility. Pair balance with strength and you’ve made a match!

For those who have been injured, you’re not doomed to a life of imbalance. Burn Boot Camp knows exactly how to work with injuries to develop the same strengths as everyone else.

Balance Exercises

Single Leg Balance – This involves standing on one foot while lifting the opposite foot off of the ground. Put your arms straight overhead to engage all of your core and one leg. Move your arms up and down slowly.

To modify up, add a weight or a medicine ball. By lifting a weight overhead up and down, you’ll improve your balance greatly. To go even further, stand on a Bosu ball and continue the movement.

Hint: Perform a few extra reps on your weaker side to increase strength to be fully balanced. 

Single Leg Deadlift – Put one foot behind you and have a slight bend in your knees. Holding a kettle bell, go down into a deadlift. As you become stronger, work your way up to having the back leg off of the ground.

Hint: Engage your core with all of these exercises for improved balance. 

Bulgarian Split Squat – You’ll need a plyometric box and your body. Stand in front of the box and put your back foot on the top. It will look like an elevated lunge!

Push through the heel on the ground to engage your legs. Don’t forget to tighten your core to stay engaged and balanced!

Bird Dogs – Get into a high plank on the ground. Lift your opposite arm and opposite leg slowly to focus on balance. Holding this position will help you work your way up to switching frequently.

Side Plank – Get into a high plank position and pivot your body to the right. Keep your arm up for extra balance or both feet beside each other.

Switch back and forth from left to right. Keep your belly button tucked in and make sure you’re squeezing your abdominal muscles.

Strength Exercises

Compound movements are the key to developing strength because it engages several muscle groups. Use 15 lbs. or more to increase your strength effectively.

Hint: If you can lift heavier than the 15 lb. dumbbells, lift heavier. If you can rep 12-15 easily, increase your weight. 

Bicep Curl Press – Begin in a bicep-curl position, curl up and push up into a shoulder press. This engages all the muscles in your arm to build that strength

Squat Press – Go into your squat with the weights by your side. Once you’re in a squat position, press up into a shoulder press. The movement should be one fluid movement!

Renegade Rows – Get into a high plank position with your hands on your weights. Lift one weight with your elbow tucked in your side, and then lift the other. Go into a push-up, and do it again!

Hint: Stay within the 12-15 rep range to increase strength. 

Super Strength

To incorporate balance and strength, practicing handstands can help greatly. Christen makes her ladies do single-arm handstands!

If you’re starting out, make sure you walk up the wall forward. This means your face should be towards the wall!

For a more advanced move, kick up with your back against the wall. Try to get the balance on one side and lift one arm up and down.

To prevent injury, push through your hands and fingers. By pushing only through your wrists, you can increase your chances of wrist issues in the future!

Check out Christen killing her single-arm handstand at the end of the video. Talk about motivation!

Tune into Burn TV LIVE every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 pm EST.

If ANYONE knows how difficult it is to constantly eat a clean diet, it is me! As you may know, I have the pleasure of instructing the most motivated people in the world and sometimes my nutritional motivation suffers. So, I am going to let you in on a little secret. I have the sweetest sweet tooth you could possibly imagine. Every time I see a chocolate chip cookie my will power kicks in to over drive!

I tell you that to tell you this, you are not alone. Ultimately, Everyone has urges and everyone gives into those urges. Overall, it is the kind of habits you practice 98% of the time that truly matter. So here is a list of 5 nutritional rules to live by that will help you practice healthy habits the critical 98% of the time.

1. The Half Plate Rule – 1/2 your plate consists of veggies and fruits and the other half is split between 1/4 healthy carbs and 1/4 lean protein.

2. 5 ingredients or less – Check your nutrition labels for ingredients. If your food has 5 ingredients or less you are definitely good to go!

3. Calories to Fat Calories Deficit – Look at not only the calories but more importantly calories from fat on the nutritional information label. If you can consistently eat foods that have a difference of 100 between the two numbers those food choices are very healthy.

4. 6 inch plates – Most of us were brought up to clean our plate. If you have a giant 10″ plate you are more likely to demolish every bit of food on it. But if you clean a 6″ inch plate you are still satisfying that habit while taking in half of the amount of calories.

5. Forks down rule – Put your fork down between every bite, chew the food completely, swallow, and then take another bite. Eating slower will allow your nervous system to tell your brain when truly have had enough to eat. If you eat too fast your nervous system lags behind!

I’m always on Facebook, doing cool stuff and posting tricks and tips like these! So follow along!