I’m in a super positive and happy place right now. I’ve started 2017 just feeling good and ready to take on the year. I came into work on Tuesday feeling in a good mood, much to the delight of my colleagues 😉
Though I don’t tend to make big grand New Year’s resolutions (last year’s resolution was to be more punctual. That lasted a week) I have made a couple of notes to myself on things I’d like to improve on. One being more conscious of my spending – so only one takeaway a month rather than three or four… Another is being more confident and ready to take on new challenges at work.
I’ve recently bee promoted, to start the new role in March, and it gave me all the anxieties before Christmas wondering if I could actually do it, whether I’d fail, whether they’d demote me once they found out I couldn’t do it…But instead I’ve switched it round and thought, “OK let’s do this”. If people have confidence in me, then who am I to argue with that? I just need to stay focused, work hard and not be afraid to ask for help.
In terms of running and goals in the fitness area? I actually haven’t a clue. I’ve become a lot more relaxed about running in general and I no longer feel the desperate urgency to fulfil my Marathon Major goals as soon as possible. After Tokyo I want to reset and chill for a bit. Just run for fun. Enter races that make me happy and just pootle along. I’m enjoying the gym so I’ll carry on there, maybe look for some new challenges in that area. Basically I’m content and it feels like a weird place to be in, but also very nice. I think I’ve relaxed a bit more….weird.
Onto my review then!
MuscleFood Rampage™ Pre-Workout Formula
A few weeks ago MuscleFood sent me some pre-workout to try out.Pre-workout is actually something I’ve only just become familiar with. I drink BCCAs (branched-chain amino acida) during my workout which help maintain muscle mass when doing strength workouts, especially as I do my morning workouts fasted. My goals are not to lose fat and I don’t want to lose muscle either.
So what’s a pre-workout then? You basically drink it before you workout as the name suggests! It usually contains a stimulant like caffeine and some other supplements to help get the most out of your workout and reduce fatigue.MuscleFood kindly sent me two different flavours of the their pre-workout Rampage (what a name, eh): Lem & Pink Grapefruit and Orange & Pineapple. It contains BCAAs to reduce muscle breakdown and help with recovery, as I mentioned above, Arginine AKG which is another essential amino aciden which helps the body to create energy from protein, fats and carbs, Beta Alaine which helps with performance (though be warned, it does cause some rather odd tingling!), Taurine for muscle growth promotion and recovery, Citrulline Malate to help fatigue and manage lactic acid, Creatine Monohydrate which is a well documented and studies supplement to help with building muscle and Beet4Perf™ which is a natural beetroot ingredient to help boost performance as well (I love my beetroot supplements!). It also contains 200mg of caffeine (the equivalent two cups of instant coffee).To be honest, I was highly sceptical of pre-workouts in general when I first heard about them as it all sounds a bit weird. Stimulants for working out? Hmmm. But then caffeine has been proven to help push harder and I often use caffeinated gels during marathons and drink a coffee before a race – and in general most mornings. I obviously don’t want to become dependent on caffeine but getting up at 5am to start my workout at 5.30am is tough going and having caffeine just before really helps. I just make sure I don’t have any further caffeine later in the day.
Though to be honest I don’t find I need anymore, whereas if I don’t drink the pre-workout by 10am I definitely need my morning cup of coffee. Normally I’d have two cups of coffee a day so now I’ve switched to decaf on days I drink this. I’m not hugely sensitive to caffeine and don’t get any headaches of withdrawal symptoms if I don’t drink it for a few days so I think I’m OK.
So what did I think? Well, the taste isn’t amazing. It’s not disgusting or unpleasant, it’s just something to get used to. Both flavours are nice enough but some mornings it does take an effort to get it down. I make up one scoop with 200ml of water and that seems like the perfect amount. Any more water and the taste gets worse as it waters down. The grapefruit flavour is better than the pineapple in my opinion.
Taste aside, did it aid with my performance and recovery? It’s a tough one to know for certain, but I do believe it’s helped me. Within 15 minutes of drinking it I start to get the tingles (they’re no hugely unpleasant, just a weird itchy palms kind of feeling) and then I feel a lot more awake. It’s not made me feel invicible and nor can I suddenly deadlift 10kg more. However I felt more “get up and go” and more alert. Obviously the caffeine is a big factor here but the other bits and bobs could be contributing too. After particularly heavy squats, my legs weren’t quite as sore as they might be. But again this is all very cause-effect stipulation and subjectivity.
I do enjoy taking it though and am happy to keep it in my routine. I won’t take it before every gym visit, just when I think I need it. I’ll also have a week or so without it every now and again to help keep my caffeine tolerance at a nice level. I don’t want to become too dependent or used to it.
I don’t think it’s necessary for the gym or to make any significant gains. It’s more of a pick-me-up to help supplement you as and when you need it – if you need it at all! But I do recommend it if you fancy adding a little it of oomph to your workout occasionally. I’m tempted to try it before a race as well to see how that goes.
Have you ever tried using per-workout?
Do you use any supplements?
Have you made any big goals for this year?
**Full Disclaimer: I was sent the Rampage Pre-Workout from MuscleFood for free in return for a review. All opinions are my own honest ones.**
Congratulations on your promotion. I haven’t decided on my goals yet…. need to get a move on!!
Thank you 🙂
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Everything is good
Great news about your promotion- well done! I think the fake it til you make it way of thinking has a lot of truth to it- I think most people are in that sort of mind some of the time, so it’s a great aim to have more confidence in yourself and a positive attitude.
The names they choose for these products are strange aren’t they? I prefer to run before I have eaten anything, and I could not imagine running with something like that sloshing about, but I can see why it would be good for a gym workout.
Maria @ runningcupcake recently posted…Southampton parkrun- the final tourism of 2016
Yeah I agree. Though saying that I do always have ab lack coffee before a race – though it is a few hours beforehand. Never anything that close. It’s a good thing about the gym that I can literally drink or eat quite close up until I go as I’m not jumping or racing about the place to cause my tummy any issues.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Everything is good
Congratulations for promotion. Pleased you are going to Tokyo – go and soak up being with other marathon runners and enjoy it.
Thank you 🙂 xx
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Everything is good
Congratulations on being promoted at work! I am still working on my goals (and the blog post about them) as still getting back into the swing of things after Christmas.
LilyLipstick recently posted…Food: Food For Friends, Brighton
Thank you!
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Everything is good
Hurrah for promotion! Well done!
I decided to simply give into whatever generous impulse moves me in 2017.
Jane recently posted…Merry New Whatnot
Sounds like a great plan! 🙂
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Everything is good
Congrats on the promotion! Looks like 2017 is started off on the right foot for you 🙂
I don’t take pre-workout – only because it freaks me out! Everyone I know who takes it talks about the tingling, heart pounding, etc side effects and I am not about all that! I drink coffee in the morning and go to the gym like an hour later, so pre-workout wouldn’t really work for me anyway!
kat recently posted…My 2017 Fitness Goals
I don’t get heart poundings but I do get the tingling. It’s odd rather than unpleasant. I don’t think it’s for everyone though! I quite enjoy it.
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Everything is good
Well Done on your promotion! You’ll be ace!
Thank you 🙂
AnnaTheApple recently posted…Everything is good
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http://www.youtube.com recently posted…http://www.youtube.com
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