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Tag Archives: collagen

Top Benefits of Collagen

August 10, 2018 By in vital proteins Tags: , , , 27 Comments
Top Benefits of Collagen
As most people know by now, I’m a Vital Proteins Ambassador.  In exchange for a couple of posts per month, Vital Proteins sends me new products to try.  Since I’ve been purchasing Vital Proteins far before I was an ambassador, it’s a great partnership.  I’m not paid to promote Vital Proteins, but I have genuinely found over the last year it has made a big difference.

If you are new, I try and post twice per month.  Once being a few benefits I’ve seen and another being a recipe of some sort.  This summer I’ve been all about smoothies after runs because it’s been so hot.

vital proteins ambassador

Many People on Instagram Have Asked Some of the Health Benefits of Collagen in General so I thought I Would Share:

Collagen is One of the Building Blocks of the Body:

I always tell people to think of collagen as the glue that holds the body together.  Collagen is a fibrous protein found in the body including bones, teeth, muscles, skin, hair, nails, tendons, joints, and even your digestive system.

Many factors impact your body’s collagen stores including genetics, smoking, and nutritional deficiencies.

Supports Bone Growth and Repair:

As runners, bones are something we must be mindful of.  Due to form, I am injury prone with bones and am very cautious to do as much as possible to keep them healthy.  What I didn’t know was that bones are over a third collagen.  Bones are always growing and repairing themselves and making themselves stronger.  Adding and supplementing collagen has shown to help prevent or even reverse osteoporosis.

Gut Health:

I’ve been lucky that for the most part, gut health has not been something I’ve had to worry about.  However, collagen is known to help and promote good gut health.  Did you know about 75% of your immune system is housed in your gut?

Your Intestinal wall is made up of tiny folds which are actually made from collagen.  These folds have one purpose, and that is to seal any leaks that might be happening in your digestive tract.

Improves Liver Function:

One of the many functions of the liver is to detox the body.  The daily toxins we are exposed too, are processed by the liver.  One of the amino acids, . Glycine helps detoxify in your liver.

Anti-Inflammatory:

Collagen is like the glue of your body.  It allows your joints, tendons, and ligaments to move smoothly. One of the key components of Collagen is amino acids. The most important for detoxification is glycine. Glycine specifically helps an essential part of the detoxification which is known to “take out the trash.”

Collagen Strengthens Nail, Hair, and Skin :

I’ve posted about this before, but I’ve had so much success with Vital Proteins for my hair, skin, and nails alone.

Collagen protein is essential for healthy hair, skin, and nails.  The older you get, the less collagen you produce. You can supplement with either food or a collagen supplement.  I’ve personally seen the success in my hair growing much faster as well as my skin is much smoother.

As well as minimizing collagen production, the older you get, the less elastic your skin is. Collagen can help improve the elasticity as well as smooth skin.  I’ve received so many compliments on my skin alone.  It’s smoother than ever.

underarmour copper mountain

My hair has definitely gotten long

As you can see there are a lot of benefits to taking Collagen and most of these, I have personally seen.

Here are more Vital Protein Collagen posts:
Skin Benefits from Collagen
Recovering with Collagen Protein
Hair and Nail Benefits of Collagen

Thank you Vital Proteins for your support. 

Questions for you:

Do you have any questions about Collagen?

Do you take Collagen?  I want to know about your experience. 

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Vital Proteins Berry Blast Recovery Smoothie

July 26, 2018 By in vital proteins Tags: , , , , , , 33 Comments
Vital Proteins Berry Blast Recovery Smoothie

I have been trying to post a couple of posts including Vital Proteins each month. As an ambassador, I get to try products and authentically post about them.  I’m not being paid, but if Vital Proteins and Collagen has helped me, it will more than likely help someone else too.  So each month I try and post a recipe I’ve been personally using.  Some I hesitate to call “recipes” because they are: add these things and put into a blender.

With the heat, I’ve been enjoying smoothies lately.  I’m not a smoothie person in the winter, but hot weather is another story.  This month I’ve been enjoying the Vital Proteins Strawberry Lemon.

Vital Proteins Berry Blast Recovery Smoothie

I have had a serving after each run or workout to recover faster and honestly, I have been!  After my 25k this smoothie was the first thing I’ve had.  I also have found including collagen into my routine has made my hair grow faster.

A Few Benefits of the Beauty Collagen are:

  • Help Improve Hair and Nails: Collagen helps hair and nails grow faster and stronger (I have seen this first hand with my own hair).
  • Skin Health: Helps to improve the moisture and glow into your skin.  This has also helped me personally, and my skin is the best it’s been in months.
  • Post Workout Energy: If I don’t eat after a run, I find myself sluggish, so this provides energy that I need. With Vital Proteins, there are no added sugar or preservatives.

Last month I posted about using the Vital Proteins Strawberry Lemon for a recovery smoothie, and I’ve made some minor tweaks to include more carbohydrates and calories. I’ve found the extra calories help me recover faster.  As I posted on Instagram yesterday, one of my primary goals is to stay healthy.

  • 1 Chopped frozen banana
  • 1 cup frozen berries (I use either strawberries or raspberries)
  • 1 cup oatmeal (to add carbohydrates)
  • 1 cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1 Scoop Beauty Collagen

Mix and Go.  

I’ve found the consistency to be much thicker and I’m able to recover faster.  I have a smoothie after each run or workout (whether it’s 3 miles or 15).  Plus it’s refreshing in the humidity.

Here are more Vital Protein Collagen posts:
Skin Benefits from Collagen
Recovering with Collagen Protein
Hair and Nail Benefits of Collagen

Thank you to Vital Proteins for your support! 

Questions for you:
Do you eat after a workout or run?
Are there any recipes or things you would like to see about Vital Proteins or Collagen?

 

Recovering from Workouts

July 6, 2018 By in vital proteins Tags: , , , , , 31 Comments
Recovering from Workouts

A few weeks ago, a reader asked me to elaborate more on how Vital Proteins were helping to recover from workouts.  For the last 6 months,  even before I was an ambassador, I have taken Vital Proteins directly after every run.

I’ve gotten even more efficient at it during the summer too!  Now that it’s hot, my smoothie “recipe” is the first thing I want to cool me down.

Do I Personally Find Collagen to be Effective?

I wouldn’t post if I didn’t, but I genuinely do recover faster from workouts.  While I’m not doing many hard runs right now, I am running and still want to recover.

Why?

In general, protein helps muscles repair.  It doesn’t matter whether you use protein powder, supplements, collagen, or even have a slice of steak. There are dozens of scientific articles for having some sort of protein after each runs.

I mentioned a while back, I used to not have any protein because honestly, I was either forgetful or running late.  Since incorporating Vital Protein Collagen, I’ve added an extra 12-18 grams of protein depending on which product I use.

You could use other sources of protein, but collagen is fast, efficient and has other health benefits including healthy skin, nails, and hair. 

Here are a couple other benefits:

  • Helps decrease joint pain
  • Bone Health

Joint Pain:

I’m lucky that I don’t have a lot of joint pain.  I typically run in a well-cushioned shoe, but my form is more likely to give me a stress fracture versus joint issues (right now).

Speaking of Bone Health:

My form in running causes me to be very injury prone.  I’ve attempted to change it, but I walk and run on my toes. I always have and probably always will.  (Many nicknames include: twinkle toes, human ostrich, and ballerina runner) While it makes me a lot less susceptible to muscle injuries, it makes me a lot more vulnerable to bone injuries. Bone health is a huge importance of all runners, especially females.

Many scientific studies have shown that you can prevent osteoporosis by supplementing with collagen.  Collagen is able to stimulate the bone creating cell: osteoblast. This helps to make bones stronger and also healthier.

So those are just a few reasons that I’ve found taking Vital Proteins to directly help with running.  I’ve never used another collagen brand, but I’ve never had an issue with Vital Proteins and have liked every product I’ve tried (which is most).

The Products I’m Liking the Most This Month are:

vital proteins collagen peptides

Beauty Collegen in Strawberry Lemon

Banana Cinnamon Collagen Whey 

While I’m an ambassador for Vital Proteins, all thoughts and opinions are my own.  

Questions for you:

What are some ways you get protein after a workout?  

Runners: How do you keep your bones strong and healthy? 

Have any Collagen Questions?  Ask Away!

Vital Proteins Recovery Smoothie

June 22, 2018 By in vital proteins Tags: , , , , , , 22 Comments
Vital Proteins Recovery Smoothie

It’s probably hot where you are, but that is because it’s now summer.  I like the heat, but the days where I want hot chocolate after a run are gone.  Yes, I still do have hot coffee though.  Anyway, lately with the weather, I’ve found myself craving more smoothies.

vital proteins ambassador

This year, one commitment I made to myself was getting protein after each run.  I used to be terrible about eating right after a run.  It wasn’t because of lack of hunger, but because I was usually ten minutes late and floundering around trying to get somewhere on time.  Something I could have fixed many moons ago. This year I’ve been a lot better about getting protein and giving myself a little bit more time.

I wrote a post about having Vital Proteins after reach run.  Lately, I’ve enjoyed two scoops of the beauty collagen strawberry lemon. The Strawberry Lemon Beauty Collagen contains 12 grams of collagen peptides which help aid recovery.

I know it’s nothing new, and many runners have enjoyed post-run or workout smoothies, but it’s more new to me.

After running, your body needs a blend of both carbohydrates and protein.  Getting this within 30 minutes is something I’ve been working on all year, and I’m proud I’ve been much better about it.  I’m not a fancy chef, but this is the “recipe” I use.

Recovery Smoothie:

Ingredients:

1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup milk (I prefer almond milk)
1 cup Berries (Recently I’ve been in a blueberry or raspberry mood.  It just depends what is on sale)
2/3 cup ice
2/3 cup ice
2 scoops Vital Proteins Collagen (Lately I’ve used the beauty collagen, but I’ve used most of the flavors.  A runner-up second favorite is Whey)

Put in blender. Eat.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I do find that I recover faster when I make an effort to have protein after a run.  During the colder months, I preferred the bone broth or flavorless (that I would mix into hot cocoa).

I am a Vital Proteins Ambassador but all thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not being paid for this post.

Here are more Vital Protein Collagen posts:

Skin Benefits from Collagen

Recovering with Collagen Protein

Hair and Nail Benefits of Collagen

Questions for you:

Are you good about consuming calories after a run?

What is your smoothie recipe?

 

Hair and Nail Benefits of Collagen

June 7, 2018 By in vital proteins Tags: , , , , , , 21 Comments
Hair and Nail Benefits of Collagen

As I mentioned last month, recently I became a Vital Proteins Ambassador.  I enjoy sharing benefits of how it’s helped me personally.  Last month I shared about Recovering with Collagen Protein as well as Skin Benefits from Collagen.  This month I thought I would discuss the benefits of hair and nail I’ve personally had.

A few months ago, I got a nice manicure.  I’m not a stranger to manicures and like to get them for special occasions.  I always go with gel because working in retail, you use your hands and honestly anything else isn’t worth my while.  Why does it matter?  The place actually deeply hurt my nails.  When the gel manicure finally wore off over a month later, my nails were worse than they have ever been.  It looked like someone put them through the shredder.  I’ve several gel manicures but nothing that really ever did that.

I wanted to get another manicure in April, but my nails weren’t ready for it.

So How Does Collagen Help Your Nails?

A lack of collagen in your body can often time be blamed for peeling, dry, or splitting nails. Collagen proteins are the building block of your not only your nails but also your hair.

Since most people don’t go out of their way to eat animal bones to get more collagen, a supplement can be the next best thing. One of my personal favorite products from Vital Proteins is the Bone Broth.  I usually just heat up water and add a scoop or two.  I know a few people mentioned they cook with it too which sounds awesome!

The Other “Beauty” Component I’ve Seen a Lot of Success with is Hair!

First, I’m not suffering from hair loss, but I have been trying to grow my hair longer.  Why I decided that was a good idea during this summer is beyond me.  I didn’t start taking Collagen solely for hair, but along with nails, it’s been a nice bonus.

You can see how long my hair is getting

Did you know that Collagen is the building block of the hair?  Each strand of hair is surrounded by collagen. I had no idea collagen is a key to hair quality!

Thinking out loud, I honestly didn’t know a heck of a lot about hair until I started doing some research about growing mine out. Even when my hair was subject to 2 hours of chlorine a day, I’ve always been lucky to have thick hair (and not even green).

This has definitely helped me and my hair has gotten longer than it’s been in a very long time.  Even my eyebrows grow quickly, and my waxer has wondered if I live there.

While neither hair or nails were my primary reason for taking collagen, I’ve seen benefits in taking them.  Currently, my personal favorite products are Beauty Collagen, Vital proteins Whey Protein, and Bone Broth.

vital proteins collagen beauty water

I’ll have a recipe for you about using the Vital Protein Whey Protein soon.

Here are more Vital Protein posts:

Skin Benefits from Collagen

Recovering with Collagen Protein

Questions for you:

What do you do to help your hair and nails?

Do you use Collagen? Have you seen benefits?

 

Skin Benefits from Collagen

May 18, 2018 By in vital proteins Tags: , , , , , , 19 Comments
Skin Benefits from Collagen

Last week, I talked about how Vital Proteins has helped with my personal recovery and running.  This week I thought I would talk about other benefits such as skin!

me vital proteins

I’ve mentioned in many random posts, but my skin has never been flawless.  I wasn’t blessed with those genes.  I see a dermatologist frequently.  Through high school and college, my skin went through cycles of being worse than a preteen going through puberty.

After using Vital Proteins for nearly 6 months, I’ve found it to help with my skin, hair, and nails.

Keep in mind I’m not a doctor, and this is my personalized experience.  This isn’t something to help solve skin issues, but hopefully, you’ll notice benefits for your skin as well.

How do Vital Proteins Help Skin?

Vital Proteins are a beauty-specific product to support the skin’s moisture, improve elasticity, tone, and vibrancy.

What Even makes Skin Healthy?

Not breaking out?

Skin is a lot harder to describe as “healthy.”  There isn’t a magic food that makes skin healthier.  You can’t just eat more, and you have healthy skin. There isn’t a magical pill or potion.  Plus everyone has different skin.  There are also plenty of uncontrollable factors such as genetics and age.

As I mentioned last week, collagen is a protein in the body’s connective tissues.  As we age, our natural collagen production decrease.  This is how wrinkles appear, among many fine lines.

What are some Key Vitamins for Healthier Skin?

Collagen: Since this post is primarily about collagen, we should start there right?  Collagen is one of the most significant factors in keeping your skin healthy.  Before taking collagen, I had no idea how important and beneficial it was.

Your body naturally produces collagen but Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides are a healthy natural source of collagen.

Antioxidants: Antioxidants seems like a “power” nutrition word. Merely saying antioxidant makes you sound healthier but what is it? An antioxidant means it can bind to electrons and neutralize free radicals in the body.

Antioxidants are found in many foods but most commonly in both fruits and vegetables.  A few sources of antioxidants include berries, grapes, dark chocolate, and mushrooms.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C supports the production of collagen.  You can find Vitamin C in most citrus fruits like oranges, pineapple, and my favorite: mango.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E has an antioxidant effect too. A few foods high in Vitamin E are avocado, spinach, and seeds such as sunflowers seeds or almonds.

Right now, the Vital Proteins product I like the most for my skin, hair, and nails is the Beauty Greens.

Personally, I like the “greenness” of the drink itself.  I like to add 2 scoops into a glass of milk with ice.  Boring but it tastes good to me.  It’s hard to make a green smoothie look good but I can assure you it is.

Some of the benefits I’ve noticed with my skin are:

  • Promoting collagen formation, affecting hair, skin, and nails
  • Supporting a healthy glow
  • Enhancing skin clarity and smoothness
  • Increasing the body’s natural moisture level, improving hair, skin, and nails
  • Helping to maintain firm skin

Since beginning to take Vital Proteins about 6 months ago, I’ve seen small changes in my skin.  My skin is a lot smoother.  It does not take the place of going to the dermatologist every few months, but I have had success with it.  While I am an ambassador, I have noticed an improvement beforehand.  My skin is the most randient it’s been since high school!

Windy day down the shore.

A post shared by Hollie (@fueledbylolz) on

 

Other Vital Protein and Collagen Posts:

Recovering with Vital Proteins and Collagen

Questions for you:

How do you take care of your skin?

Do you take Collagen or Vital Proteins?  Have you noticed a difference?

Recovering with Collagen Protein

May 8, 2018 By in vital proteins Tags: , , , , 29 Comments
Recovering with Collagen Protein

In February, I wrote a post about Vital Proteins and my experience with them.  At the time, I was not an ambassador.  Vital Proteins sent me samples to try, and I liked them so much I continued to buy them.

As I mentioned on Instagram on Friday, I was invited to become a Vital Proteins Ambassador.  I’ve already been using Vital Proteins for months now, and I find I genuinely recover faster and feel better than if I don’t.  Usually, I have one serving twice a day.  Before becoming an ambassador, I purchased the dark chocolate and blackberry peptides which is my current favorite!

As part of my partnership with Vital Proteins, I’ll write a couple of posts per month about different benefits or recipes I’m using. I’m not being paid to do so, but I do receive products.  Thinking out loud, since I use the products already, it’s a good fit for me.

So What is Collagen? 

Collagen is a protein found in the connective tissue in the body. Since it’s a structure protein, it’s an essential component of muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments.  It was best explained to me as the glue that holds everything together.  Our bodies already produce collagen from amino acids, but it is beneficial to supplement.

What Makes Collagen Peptides Different?

Vital Protein Collagen Peptides have the added benefit of providing 18 g of collagen protein.  I’ve personally found my body recovers much better when I have protein after a run or workout.

How Can Collagen Help Running Performance? 

Since this is a “running focused” blog, the first post will focus on running and working out. New research shows collagen can help decrease joint pain that is often associated with high impact exercise.

Long-term strenuous exercise like running leads to collagen degradation in the body. We naturally lose collagen as we age but running and other high impact sports can quicken this.  It’s not an overnight occurrence and the degradation of collagen is a slow process.  It usually takes years.  Like a stress fracture, it takes time and isn’t an issue that just ‘pops up”.  That is why anyone running for years may have the same collagen issues.

Collagens Promotes a Healthy Response to Natural Inflammation:

Running stresses your body, which causes inflammation. Taking Collagen or any protein directly after a workout helps to promote inflammation and speed up the repair of connective tissues that are damaged.  I personally do feel and recover better on days I do have collagen within 30 minutes of working out.

Promoting Joint Health:

In the running world, it’s not uncommon to hear runners and athletes talk about “bone on bone.”  This means they’ve lost the cartilage in their knees.  Losing all of the cartilage in your knees is from years of wear and tear on your body and joints.

How does Collagen Help Joints?
  • Increases lubrication around joints to make more mobile
  • Helps to increase bone density (A BIG ONE FOR RUNNERS!)
  • Reduces inflammation around joints and improves healing of connective tissues

Throughout the upcoming months, I’ll be sharing more about my experience with collagen I’ve personally had including benefits in my skin, nails, and hair.  I’ll also share recipes I have been using and my favorite products.  If you have questions feel free to ask!  I am so excited to be an ambassador for Vital Proteins because I stand behind each of their products and company. 

Questions for you:

Do you take any supplements?

Have you ever tried a collagen supplement?

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