Working out may be one of the most challenging things to do, especially for women. It requires so much courage, motivation and discipline to start. Most women’s minds believe that working out is about hopping into the trend of gaining abs or that hourglass body in two weeks, but working out is a lifetime journey. It is something that is incorporated into a woman’s lifestyle consistently. And when a person exercises, it is important to keep track of their diet. Healthy meals are essential not just for a healthier body but also to gain results faster and more effectively. It is also important to add nutrients and supplements to their diet like protein powder and BCAA for women.
What is BCAA?
BCAA or branched-chain amino acid is an important supplement that greatly helps in performing workouts and gaining results. It is mostly needed when the workout is intense, like HIIT or high-intensity interval training. The body needs BCAAs; however, the body cannot produce BCAA naturally. People get these BCAAs in their diets. The human body relies on three types of BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine, for fuel when the glycogen runs low.
Benefits of taking BCAAs
- Weight Loss
BCAAs can promote weight loss. Losing weight can be extremely tough because it’s very difficult to burn fats. When the goal is to lose weight, it is important to note that women should lose excess body fat and not muscle mass. Some women don’t want to build muscles because they are afraid of looking “masculine” and “bulky”. However, there’s a huge difference between bulking the muscles and toning them. It is important to build enough muscle mass to ensure that the body is stronger and has greater stability. Increasing fat oxidation is an important process wherein the body burns fat to meet its energy needs, and this is often caused by BCAA for women.
- Improved Metabolism
BCAAs also help in boosting metabolism, especially when it is combined with strength and resistance training. Low metabolism means it is much harder to lose weight, burn fat, and gain muscle mass. Having lean muscle mass and the metabolism rate is directly proportional to each other, which means that the more muscle mass and less fat a woman has, the higher her metabolism will be. Higher muscle mass also requires more calories without gaining weight, so women don’t have to worry about eating much anymore when they are lean, but only if their diet is often healthy and clean. As mentioned earlier, BCAAs help in building muscle mass. Thus, they also help in boosting the metabolism, and therefore, losing weight and getting lean.
- Suppress Appetite
One type of BCAA, leucine, is very helpful in suppressing food cravings. Averting from food cravings can be very difficult to do. But with the help of leucine, women can manage their diet and appetite more efficiently. Leucine activates the mTOR enzyme, and high levels of this enzyme send signals to the brain that the body’s nutritional needs have already been achieved, making women think that they don’t need to eat something again.
Conclusion
Working out alone without supplementing it with the correct diet and nutrients can be more challenging than not working out. It is necessary to keep a healthy diet and ensure that women meet their daily needs of essential nutrients like BCAAs. These branched-chain amino acids help in weight loss, building muscle mass, boosting metabolism, and suppressing food cravings.