Monday, December 9, 2019

EAAs vs BCAAs

Introducing our newest line- EAAs (Essential Amino Acids)

These will be replacing our BCAAs in order to bring you, our amazing customers, better and better products (please click the link to review what BCAAs are)

I have been getting a ton of questions on EAAs, what they are, the difference between the 2 products, who needs them, when to take them, etc

The difference

EAA- essential amino acids
BCAA- branched chain amino acids

What are amino acids?
As I am sure you all have read somewhere before- aminos are the building blocks of protein. Most only tie aminos to muscle gains and protein synthesis. But wait there's more- they are required to function as a human being- including but not limited to: physiological functions, metabolism, cognitive ability, etc

Of the 20 aminos- 9 are essential. Lucky for you- the new Bowmar ESSENTIALS has all 9 of the essential aminos and is a full spectrum product:

1- Leucine- critical for growth hormone production and protein synthesis
2- Threonine- supports immune system and fat metabolism
3- Lysine supports muscle repair and recovery by playing a role in growth hormone secretion
4- Isoleucine- helps prevent muscle breakdown during lifting and cardio
5- Valine- heavily involved in energy production
6- Phenylalanine- helps promote a healthy nervous system
7-Methionine- aids in the body's ability to process and eliminate fat
8- Tryptophan- not just in turkey! It's a precursor for serotonin which regulates mood, appetite, and sleep
9- Histidine- aids in fighting off cell-damaging free radicals

EAAs can be take any time during the day



Why EAAs over BCAAs?
Many, many clients of ours have seen amazing results with supplementing with BCAAs- the EAAs are just a way to better enhance the product and ultimately- give you better results!

BCAAs are essential for human health and serve as a great source of fuel for workouts and recovery. You need adequate amounts of EAAs to optimize your overall heal and complete protein synthesis

Some people don't need to supplement with either! That's the beauty of supplements- you may be getting enough already through your diet. Foods high in EAAs:

  • Lysine is in meat, eggs, black beans, seeds
  • Histidine can be found in meat, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds
  • Threonine is found in cottage cheese and wheat germ
  • Eggs, grains, nuts, and seeds contain methionine
  • Valine is in cheese, soy, peanuts, vegetables, whole grains
  • Isoleucine is found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, lentils
  • Dairy, beans, legumes are great sources of leucine
  • Dairy, meat, poultry, soy, fish, beans, and nuts contain phenylalanine
  • Tryptophan is in high protein foods such as wheat germ, cottage cheese, turkey, and chicken

As you can see- you CAN get all ESSENTIALS through diet alone but if you find yourself not recovering quickly or simply want to see if supplementing with this new product will help you- it's a great way to ensure you are getting in all of your EAAs throughout the day



Saturday, December 7, 2019

NYC- Take A Bite of the Big Apple

NYC is known for a lot of things, for us, it's about food and sight seeing. There are so many pieces of history in New York City and it's definitely a city I think everyone should travel to at least once in their life
We have been to NYC 3 times and we stay in Times Square at the Marriott Marquis- it's in the middle between central park and SOHO which makes it a prime location to get everything done you want!
We Uber from the airport to the hotel but everything after that is all walking- by the time you wait for your car and sit in traffic, it evens out to about the same time. Plus- all the walking will help burn off the calories from all the amazing food. Be prepared to walk about 8-10 miles a day




Below are all the tours and shows we have seen plus all the restaurants that we have approved and eaten at- there are some that didn't make the cut. Enjoy NYC and please let me know if you utilize this list and what you see / what you eat

Things to Do:

Empire State Building
911 Memorial
State of Liberty
Ellis Island
Carriage ride through central park
Underground donut tour
Pizza tour
Blue man group
Derren Brown magician
Museum of National History


Places to Eat (linked with Instagram):

Las Vegas- What to Do, Where to Stay, What to Eat

We got engaged in Vegas and we have been out there almost a dozen times since we have been together.  Given our love for the outdoors, its quite strange that we love Vegas so much but it truly is one of our most favorite cities. We rarely gamble and we hardly drink - we mainly go to shop, eat, and see shows. I've been compiling a list of all the things we have done since we started going to Las Vegas and below, you will find my list! I will also like to note that 1/2 our Vegas trips are for conventions and the other 1/2 are for fun- our ideal Vegas trip is landing at 10am, staying 2 nights, and flying out around noon on the third day. It's long enough but you won't get burned out

All  of the following recommendations are places we have personally stayed at, places we have eaten (and approve- there are some that haven't made the list), and shows to see


Where to Stay:

Venetian
Bellagio
New York New York
Aria
MGM
Caesar’s
Marriot grand chateau
Paris
Wynn
COSMO

Shows to See (not including special engagement comedians):
O
Ka
Mystere
ONE
Love
Zumanity
David Copperfield
Criss Angel
Mat Franco
Blue Man Group
Penn and Teller 
Pif the Magic Dragon 
Absinthe
Run!

Where to Eat (linked to Instagram or website):

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Bowmar Nutrition Colon Cleanse

Some supplements are great for weight lifters. And then they are some supplements that are great for literally every human being on the planet- this being one of them. Over the last few weeks, I have received a ton of questions regarding this product, usage, etc and since there are so many "detox" teas and crap products on the market- I knew I needed to write a blog on this product. Roughly 70% of your health comes from your gut- the healthier your gut- the healthier you are. If you find yourself bloated, sick, tried, or all of the above- you should look to healing your gut. We know this product can help with that. 

This product is a great addition to our fiber and probiotics that we offer! This does not replace either of these products, it is a wonderful addition to your daily supplement regiment. If you would like a further explanation on either fiber or probiotics, I highly recommend clicking on the respective link for further readings

Think of your gut / intestinal track like a water slide (bear with me). If you do not weigh enough, you will not make it down the water slide or it will take FOREVER. If you're not catching drift- you are your poop in this analogy. Adding fiber will weigh you down and get you down the water slide without backing everyone else up. That being said- TOO much fiber can make you too heavy and cause even worse constipation. The general rule of thumb for fiber is 14g for every 1000 calories you are eating. Probiotics will make the people on the raft on the water slide different (aka better) and get you down the slide fastest with the healthiest route possible. The new colon cleanse product will push more water down the slide and will also help heal patches that are leaking water on the slide. 

Is this an every day product?
Yes- it is an every day product. Every person is different and will need different durations based on their gut and it's health. I recommend 2 pills in the morning and 2 in the evening for at least 2 weeks. Assess your bathroom visits, bloat, etc. If you feel that you become consistent with bathroom visits, you can reduce to 2 pills a day. I do recommend this product as daily use if you do not plan to change diet habits (as those are what caused the unhealthy gut in the first place). There is also no harm in taking 4 pills every single day of this as these are not laxatives and you will not become dependent on them. I do recommend, as always, to drink at least a gallon of water a day with them. 

I also want to mention that laxatives are not the sustainable answer if you are bloated or constipated. Long term laxative use can program your colon's peristaltic mechanism (contractions of the intestinal wall) to turn off- this can also damage bowel nerves and your bowel tissues. It is best to figure out the cause of your constipation and fix/heal it the right way. Some common causes of constipation are medications, dehydration, poor diet, stress, trauma, mineral and nutrient deficiency, imbalance in gut flora, etc

Now that we have the high level stuff out of the way, I want to dive more in to some of the nitty gritty details if you are interested. If I have answered all of your questions, you can order here

This is not just a poop pill. We have ingredients in the colon cleanse product that will help repair your colon / intestines as well. For example, magnesium hydroxide (also known as milk of magnesia) is considered to be the more gentle colon cleanser (and it's cramp free).  Milk thistle removes precursors of free radicals through 3 antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase) in addition to metal- binding proteins such as myogoblin, ferritin, etc. 

This product is also extremely different than the "detox" teas (aka the poop teas IG models promote). Our bodies have built in processes to detoxify naturally, six of them to be exact! 

Our liver is the workhouse of the detox process and is tasked with breaking down toxins (from inside and outside our bodies) and help them to safely exit the body. Your kidneys help flush water soluble waste out via urine and your colon escorts toxins and waster matter out via feces. Even your sweat can help release toxins stored in body fat. The problem is that we are all exposed to more toxins than our detox systems can handle and we take in toxins faster than we are able to get rid of them. In short, our buckets are overflowing and the result is chronic health issues. 

Our colon cleanse product is a great way to support your body's natural cleansing and detoxifying processes. It also will not cause dependency if you choose to stop taking them. We truly believe in this product and our reviews can speak for themselves! 

Friday, May 24, 2019

What is Creatine?

We recently just launched Creatine13 and a lot of people have been asking what it is!



Creatine is a naturally occurring chemical in every human being. It is stored in muscle cells and a small amount is stored in your brain and kidneys. Creatine is one of the most studied and tested supplements in the world. It's role is to help produce ATP in the muscle cells- ATP is energy used by the muscle. By taking creatine13, you can increase your body's ATP production. A higher ATP production in your muscle cells, fibers, and muscle bellies- you will increase your muscle strength, muscle endurance, etc. More strength = larger muscle cells = more gains. 

Some common FAQs of creatine:

When should I take it? 
There is no "best" time, you just need to take it consistently 

Does this replace PRE?
This not a pre workout but it can be combined with PRE

Will yours dissolve?
Yes it dissolves in water or added PRE

Will it aid in weight loss?
More muscle mass = more calories burned = weight loss. It will not create a calorie deficit in your body but if you are in a calorie deficit, adding creatine13 will not cause weight gain

Will it cause me to hold water?
Creatine13 helps pull water into your muscle which can give a puffy appearance. It is highly recommended to drink a gallon of water a day, especially when using creatine. If your body becomes dehydrated- one of the first lines of defense is to store excess water in your face- giving you a puffy look and feel. Again, this is easily avoided by drinking enough water throughout the day 

Can women take this product?
Men and women will both see amazing results from supplementing with creatine13 if you are weight training 

Monday, May 13, 2019

Traveling With Supplements- My Tips!

We travel- A LOT. In fact, I am writing this in 12D on my O’hare flight. I am on roughly 50-70 planes a year, 1-2 cruises, 5 months of roadtrips, and extended stays in foreign countries. As we all know- food varies- especially on international travel. It can also be difficult to keep up on your training. But you literally have no excuse to not remain diligent on your supplement regiment. 

If you are new to my blog, welcome. I have another blog post titled “supplement checklist” and it detailed when I take my supplements as well as a link to each product that further explains in detail what each one does as well as a link to order. 

Now that the formalities are out of the way- let’s get to the good stuff







As I stated- I am on almost 75 planes a year. Many of those trips I do not bring a checked bag so I am limited on space in my carry on. My clothes usually make up 1/2 my bag, shoes 1/4 and supplements the remaining 1/4. 

On Domestic flights- there are NO limits on powders. Literally none. You could bring 45lbs of powder through TSA if you were so inclined. I have NEVER had a powder taken from me from my carry on on either a domestic or international fight. There are very rare cases that a tub of product will trigger an alarm in which TSA will swab in and return it to you. This happens to me maybe 5% of the time I fly. There are very, very few instances in which they will take a product from you and that only is when the swab detects something on the outside of the tub (it could be a multitude of things ranging from soap, perfume, gun powder, etc). If you are worried about TSA, simply check your bag and put your supplements in there. For international fights- it is recommended you contact the airline directly to discuss powder restrictions for your specific itinerary. 

So, how do I pack my supplements? It depends on how long I am going to be traveling for. Our shaker cups come with containers that can fit 10 scoops of PRE in them. If I will be traveling for longer than 10 days, I will simply pack the entire container of PRE instead of packing multiple tiny containers. To save room on the way back, I will only pack the exact number of scoops I need if I am packing the entire container so I can recycle it when I am done with it instead of lugging it all the way back home. The same goes for all powders. Our pills (probiotics, fish oil, and Joint 16) can all fit in the pill container portion of our shaker cup containers). Some people also use plastic baggies but we are very committed to limiting our waste contribution so the reusable containers can really come in handy instead of using a ton of plastic baggies that will just be thrown away. 

For short trips, I will pick 1 flavor of protein and pack the 1lb tub and use only that flavor for the time I am traveling. For a trip that warrants a checked bag, i will either pick a 5lb tub or multiple 1lb tubs of different flavors. I also bring 1 bar per day that I will be gone- including travel. 

Now, let’s talk water. I highly recommend bringing an empty gallon through TSA or an empty shaker cup and filling it up by your gate. Flying can be extremely hard on your body and I recommend 10oz of water for every 1 hour you are in the air (as a general rule of thumb)

The same rules also apply for cruises- we pack all our supplements for the exact number of days we will be on our trip + travel! It is always recommended to contact the specific cruise line but I have been on just shy of ten cruises and have never had an issue- just might take an extra hour or two to get your bags!


I truly hope these tips helped with traveling with supplements! 

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

PRE Workout

This blog is a few weeks overdue but we launched Bowmar Nutrition PRE during the week of the Arnold and then 10 days later took our top performing BN athletes of 2018 on a cruise!

It's safe to say we have tried several dozen different pre workouts on the market- both stimulant based and non stimulant based

We have been using pre workout for almost a decade and started taking notes of what we liked and what we would improve on

In 2019, we formulated the best stimulant based PRE the world has ever seen. On top of it's amazing benefits of a pump pre, it is stimulant based which can help with energy and focus and overall mood. There are also 17 of the most powerful, clinically dosed, ingredients that are proven to improve your workout and recovery. You can order here: https://bowmarnutrition.com/products/pre-workout

In later 2019, we released our line of non-stimulant PRE (removed the caffeine) for those who lift late night or those who have negative side effects of caffeine. That line can be found here: https://bowmarnutrition.com/products/pre-workout-stimulant-freehttps://bowmarnutrition.com/products/pre-workout-stimulant-free

The new question- who needs PRE? No one NEEDS any supplement but our products can help take your workout from a 7 to a 10 which will obviously increase your overall results

When? PRE is best 15-30 minute before your lifting workout. As it is a stimulant based product, taking it directly before cardio only is not recommended. However, taking PRE, lifting, and then doing cardio should be fine

As with every stimulant based product, it is recommend to start slow and work your way up based on your tolerance. And NEVER take more than recommended