If I tell you that you need to time protein for optimal muscle & recovery, there begs your understanding of: Why protein timing is important for you now more than ever? How much protein are we talking about? What kind of protein counts and what doesn’t? Before We Start – Be Forewarned So that’s the topic of this post. However, I want to speak to the elephant in the room right up front. This for some ears may feel like an infomercial. I get it. That’s reasonable. I sell protein. I am sharing a link in this podcast to something I’ve used and tested and if you use it, I will make a small commission from it. I too was so very skeptical of people who promoted supplements for decades. For 30 years I swore up and down I would never, ever, ever sell supplements. Until I realized there is so much junk out there – that even I’d fallen for it in my early 30s before I knew what I know now – that the hidden sugars, the “extra fortification even,” and ingredients like soy, and chemicals can actually sabotage you in the exact opposite way you’re trying to get results. Simply said, the very ingredients in many shake mixes can make you store fat instead of fueling muscle so you can burn fat. That’s when I began to produce my own Flipping 50 protein. Because it’s clear that muscle is the organ of longevity (shout to my friend Dr Gabrielle Lyons) AND you can’t have the back-of-the-closet clothes OR the independence you want in 3 decades without the combination of strength training and muscle. So Here It Is, Protein for Optimal Muscle and Recovery – in Menopause+ I’ve been asked over and over by our community about specific brands of Essential Amino Acids I recommend. I’ve been asked who may want to consider them. I’ve been asked how I use them. I’ve been using them myself and testing different brands since 2017. I’m ready to spill the beans. Based on that, you may or may not want to continue. And I respect that. I’ve been super conscious of getting adequate protein, especially post-workouts since I started training for my first marathon, 27 years ago. It was first after long runs that I began it and then realized the need for post strength training was even greater. That’s when I started supplementing three meals a day high in protein with post workout smoothies in addition to that. As I trained for Iron distance triathlons I was ultra-conscious of heavy weight training (even though most endurance athletes shy away from it) and protein consumption to maintain both muscle and bone density. (With so much time on a bike and in a pool bone density ironically can take a hit during endurance training like that, and muscle wasting is very common because cortisol and under-eating is common in female athletes). It wasn’t until I was 54 though, that I started to supplement with Amino acids to boost recovery from workouts and prevent muscle loss. But the types I tried, I hated. It was a plug-your-nose kind of powdered drink mix. And I couldn’t really stomach it. What I’ve found currently isn’t going to appeal to anyone listening. At all. Because taking tablet form supplements is not on our bucket list. And if you’re like me, with a list of omegas, magnesium, Vitamin D, B, and a multi to mention a few, more supplements is not on my wish list. But for me? It beats the alternative of a foul-tasting amino acid supplement. They don’t taste good so a flavored drink mix attempts to mask it. Literally, during one Ironman race, I was taking gel with amino acids on the bike and had to stop, lose my cookies, and continue. Honestly, I felt better! And stopped doing that for the rest of the race.  The Protein – Muscle Connection Whenever we’re talking about strength training, the topic of protein can’t be far behind. And we’re always talking about strength training here, whether one of my 12-week STRONGER programs is open or the Café membership providing access to 7 unique programs is open or you’re just seeking a digital download to do at home. Protein provides the