Category Fit Attitudes

The Protein Bar Battle

drstaceynaito 1 Comment

I am VERY picky about the protein bars I eat or recommend to others, so when I say that I dig Quest Bars AND B-Up Bars, that is saying a lot. Both brands are gluten free, soy free, very low in carbs, high in fiber, and offer 20 grams of protein per bar. I still remember when Quest had just started out, and had two flavors: Vanilla Almond Crunch and Peanut Butter Supreme, or as I had remembered them, the blue wrapper and the green wrapper. I loved the enthusiasm which Shannon Yorton Penna had in creating the bars and had a hunch the company would grow fast. Quest now has 16 flavors and has expanded to pasta, chips and clothing. Way to go Quest!

It was inevitable that a company would eventually throw down the gauntlet with a distinctive bar of their own. B-Up Bar is a new company with three awesome flavors and is taking off like a rocket, not only because they have great products, but also because the people in the company are friendly, professional and driven just like Shannon and the incredible team at Quest. I truly love both companies and eat both brands of bars, so I thought it would be interesting to look at the features of each brand of bar and also offer my feedback on them.

With Quest, there are TONS of flavors now (16) to satisfy all kinds of palates. They are free of sugar, gluten, and soy, and offer 20 grams of prebiotic fiber, so net carbs are very low. Quest Bars have 20 grams of protein and are sweetened either with sucralose OR stevia and erythritol. Here is the current list of flavors which are available:
Quest Bars flavors
Vanilla Almond Crunch
Peanut Butter Supreme
Chocolate Peanut Butter
Apple Pie
Cinnamon Roll
Chocolate Brownie
Strawberry Cheesecake
Mixed Berry
Coconut Cashew
Lemon Cream Pie
Peanut Butter & Jelly
Banana Nut Muffin
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Double Chocolate Chunk
White Chocolate Raspberry
Cookies & Cream

Me with BUp Bars
Like Quest, B-Up Bars are free of sugar, gluten, and soy, and offer 20 grams of prebiotic fiber, so net carbs are very low. B-Up Bars also offer 20 grams of protein, but they are sweetened with stevia, xylitol and monk fruit extract, all of which are natural sweeteners. B-Up Bars currently come in three flavors, but there will be more delicious flavors added to the group very soon. Here are the flavors:

Chocolate Mint
Sugar Cookie
Cinnamon Roll

I absolutely love the flavor of the majority of Quest Bars (the only one I am not crazy about is the Mixed Berry), and I definitely have my favorites (Peanut Butter & Jelly, Banana Nut Muffin, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough). My favorite flavors remind me so much of the food items they are named for that I am always tricked into believing that I am indulging in the actual food item. One thing I have noticed, though, is that over the span of a couple of months, these bars tend to harden up a lot, to the point where you can’t even bite into them without risk of chipping a tooth. This can be remedied by zapping the bar (WITHOUT the foil wrapper) in the microwave for a few seconds.

In contrast to the Quest Bars, B-Up Bars are chewier. I love the texture of the Sugar Cookie flavor because it seems softer and fluffier than the other two flavors. My favorite B-Up Bar flavor is Chocolate Mint because the mint flavor is pleasant but not overpowering, and the chocolate chunks break up the soft texture of the bar nicely. It seems that I digest B-Up Bars slightly better than the Quest Bars, but this isn’t enough for me to stop eating Quest Bars!

I noticed one other odd thing after spending a few weeks eating mostly B-Up Bars. When I went back to the sucralose-sweetened Quest Bars, I detected an aftertaste which I didn’t really like, so I guess my palate had adjusted to the natural sweeteners found in B-Up Bars. To be honest, I prefer the sweeteners found in B-Up Bars slightly more because they are more palatable. When I tried a stevia and erythritol sweetened Quest Bar after this discovery, I didn’t pick up any aftertaste.

In conclusion, I love both brands of bars and would recommend them both to friends, family, fans, clients and patients.

http://www.questnutrition.com/protein-bars/

http://www.bupbar.com/

Lululemon Love

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I think that if there was a sudden requirement for me to wear fitness apparel all the time that I would be the happiest woman in the world, because I automatically gravitate towards fitness apparel on a daily basis. I am not a business casual person, nor am I into wearing jeans and a t-shirt look when I need to run to the grocery store for something, I have a tendency to throw on capris or booty shorts (if I am not already wearing them) and a sporty tank. Of course I live in Los Angeles which is blessed with glorious weather the majority of the time, plus I tend to run hot.IMAG1292<a
Over the years I have remained loyal to certain brands which seem to fit my body well. In sports bras, I prefer Champion and Under Armour, I love the fit and wear of Nike, Under Armour, Champion and Dcore capris, my favorite booty shorts are made by New Balance, and I love Dcore tank tops. When I began working in the fitness industry back in 2009, I was surprised to hear fitness folks sing the praises of Lululemon apparel like it was the best stuff ever. After I heard how expensive their items were, I shied away from them.

I finally went to a Lululemon store last week for the very first time, and now can honestly say I understand what the hype is all about. The quality of Lululemon garments is exceptional, from the fabric to the stitching, fit, and little details which set them apart from other fitness clothing companies. I am not a fan of the sport bras and find that I am between sizes in this brand, a fact which I find quite odd. Everything else fits like a dream though! As a result of my shopping trip, I am now addicted to Lululemon and have been living in Lululemon garments for the past week.

I honestly love Lululemon!

http://shop.lululemon.com

Packing Fit Foods For Travel

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It can be extremely challenging to maintain healthy eating habits while traveling abroad, especially in countries which have not embraced the concept of clean eating. An additional challenge which I encounter when I travel abroad is that it can be extremely difficult to consume the quantity of protein which I am accustomed to on a daily basis (150 to 200 grams per day). If I didn’t have access to wonderful products like P28 Bread, B-Up Bars, Quest Bars, Training Table Sports Meals and Kris Gethin’s Nutrition By Design Meal Cups to pack, I wouldn’t meet my macronutrient needs solely by eating at restaurants. I will continue to pack these convenient meal options when I go to Germany and England next year.

Both the Training Table Sports Meals and the Kris Gethin Meal Cups are whole food sources and pack a ton of protein (27 to 34 grams). The only drawback is that Training Table meals should be heated up in a microwave, and the Gethin meals require boiling hot water to rehydrate the ingredients. For this reason, I always make sure to pack P28 Bread and bars, since they don’t require any preparation. I can easily pack a box or two of bars (and yes, I ONLY eat B-Up and Quest) in my checked bag and also add a bag of P28 Flatbread. I pack the Gethin meals inside a rigid box so that the containers don’t get crushed, but everything else travels well without additional padding.

The only issue I ever run into is when I return to the States and have to go through customs. If I have any food left, the customs officials treat me like I am a drug lord or criminal! The food items which raised the most suspicious eye were the Gethin meals, which surprised me since they are dry. However, I will not allow the U.S. Customs officials to rain on my parade. I will continue to pack Gethin meals because they are so convenient and lightweight. Another great thing about Gethin meals, Training Table and B-Up Bars is that they won’t spoil during my travels.

Here are images of the products I have mentioned here. The only company I have not worked with is Kris Gethin Nutrition By Design, but my opinions of these products are completely honest and unbiased. All of these products are fantastic!

flatbreadbanner_copy

B UP bar collage

Quest Bars

Training Table

Kris Gethin meal

Eggs Are Superfoods

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eggs
If you haven’t already incorporated eggs into your regular meal plan, you should. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, and also provide all eight essential amino acids which are necessary for optimal muscle gains. Eggs are also packed with the following nutrients:

· Vitamin A
· Vitamin E
· Vitamin K
· Vitamin B12
· Riboflavin
· Folic acid
· Iron
· Zinc
· Calcium
· Selenium
· Choline

You may have been duped into believing that eggs should not be eaten due to the fat content in the yolks. However, there are only 2 grams of saturated fat and a total of 5 grams of fat in an average egg. The body actually requires a certain amount of saturated fat for proper function, which translates to about 20 grams of saturated fat on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. If you add only four whole large eggs to your daily diet, you will get 20 grams of quality protein with only 8 grams of saturated fat. As for the cholesterol content in egg yolks, it has been determined that dietary cholesterol does not raise blood cholesterol levels. In fact, consumption of eggs can improve blood lipid panels.

Here is a macronutrient breakdown of one large egg:

· 71 calories
· 6 grams protein
· 5 grams fat
· Zero carbohydrates
· 211 milligrams cholesterol
· 70 milligrams sodium
· 37 milligrams Omega 3 fatty acids
· 574 milligrams Omega 6 fatty acids

As a general rule, I purchase large or extra-large eggs for our household so that I can get the most protein possible. The larger eggs cost only a bit more than small or medium eggs and are a very cheap and high quality protein source which can be consumed during contest prep.

Individuals who want to gain muscle, especially during a bulking phase, should incorporate egg yolks in order to meet the high energy requirements that such a phase demands. Eggs are very easily digested and absorbed and can help to ensure a balanced diet. They are also quite versatile and can be eaten with other foods in omelets and high protein pancakes. If you want a quick snack which provides a good amount of protein, you can hard-boil eggs, making them a portable food source which can easily be packed in a food cooler for the day.

One of the best ways to ensure proper nutrition on a daily basis is to take a multivitamin. Though many multivitamins are dosed as one pill daily, the body cannot utilize all the nutrients in one large dose, so it is more beneficial to the body to take a multivitamin several times a day to optimize absorption. What I love about SWAT Fuel’s .40 Caliber Multivitamin is that it has high bioavailability of nutrients along with a three time per day dosing recommendation. This is my personal choice of multivitamin, and yes, I do take it three times daily. This formulation is very clean and doesn’t cause the intestinal upset that some multivitamins can cause.

You can order .40 Caliber directly from the website: http://swatfuel.com/products.aspx