Fatty 1 – Dieting is hard.

Dieting is hard. Just thought I’d say that, in case you didn’t realize it. Really? What’s hard about it you say? Well, let’s see…umm…everything.

First, there is the fact that you can do all the “right” things and not lose weight. Then of course there is actually figuring out what the “right” things are, since no one can agree, and everyone’s body responds differently depending on their genetic and mental makeup anyway.

But really, that is just the first level. The really hard thing is that you have to eat stuff you don’t like. Like vegetables for instance, or strangely neon amino-acid drinks that you have purchased in the hopes it will do like the label says, and help you preserve your muscle mass while you lose weight, and speed up the fat burning process.

After opening the container of BCAA Boost from True Protein, I was confronted with and innocuous white powder, which sort of surprised me because it was Limeade flavor and I thought it might be green.

I need not have worried. Once the two scoops were mixed with water, it turned the obligatory neon green, not unlike a case of glowsticks broken open and bled for their glowing nectar.

It actually wouldn’t surprise me if that was one of the ingredients. That and can of leftover paint, a bottle or two of expired vitamins, and a packet of lime Kool-Aid (no sugar added). At least that’s what it tasted like.

I had to choke to get it down as I drove to my weightlifting class. Directions: consume 2 scoops in 20 – 36 ounces of water, 30-45 minutes before workouts preferably on an empty stomach. I understand the desire for an empty stomach, it is so you don’t hurl up the contents of said stomach in the process of trying to get this stuff down.

I did manage it. Sip by sip as I waited at traffic lights, talking to myself, telling myself not to be such a wimp, until I had half on my bottle down. This was an experiment after all, I don’t have to do it forever. Butch up, girlie. What do I want more, fat or flavor?

I did my workout, and I have to say I did have more energy, which undoubtedly was coming from the caffeine in the product. I drank the other half on the way home, as part of the recovery protocol.

The BCAA’s (Branch Chain Amino Acids) were recommended in the plan I am on for helping people who are on calorie restricted diets, and for those who are doing intense exercise (i.e. interval training and weight lifting), to help maintain muscle mass, in the attempt to minimize the metabolic slow down that often comes from dieting.

As you lose weight, you lose muscle mass, which reduces the amount of calories you burn and slows down your metabolism. This is often why people plateau after short period of time when they are dieting. Your body, thinking you are facing famine, slows everything down to try and keep you alive.

For some reason your body doesn’t seem to get when you explain to it, that no really, I’m not starving, there is plenty of food right over there on the corner at that McDonald’s. I could eat any time I want, really body, I’m just trying to get into this pair of skinny jeans that i haven’t worn since high school, you understand, right?

It doesn’t get it.

So, since I seemed to have hit a plateau, I thought, it doesn’t hurt to try it. So I’m going to give it two weeks and see if I see any results.

UPDATE: I have found that if you mix it with more water it is actually a lot more palatable. My first time I put two scoops in a 32 ounce bottle, which is all I had at the time.  This time I mixed one scoop in 20 ounces of water.

I had one 20 ounce bottle before working out this morning, and I do say I had more energy than Inormally do. Then I had my second bottle(scoop) afterwards. It still isn’t the tastiest thing, but at least I can get it down. I will let you know results in two weeks.