Update, Baking Triathlete and 910XT Sale on Clever Training

Hey readers... for those that are still reading.

Lots going on, which means very little time to blog.  I have posted a few products reviews of the 100 products I have to look at.  Wish I had more time to devote, but family, work and training have taken all my time.  Priorities people!

But, I wanted to share my latest endeavors with baking on my eating cheat days.  Some bakes are "healthy"ish and some are downright evil.  Take a look at the recipe and what turned out... not bad if I say so myself!

Baked Apple Peanut Butter oatmeal

Recipe from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

The results, with less artistic fanfair...

And it tasted pretty darn good!

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies + Peanut Butter Chips

Results...

They don't look as pretty, but I had no problem downing them all day!
Just add master chef to my many titles!

Also, Clever Training is running a super sale on the Garmin 910XT.

Garmin FR910XT now $249 (was $399 down to $299, then $50 rebate) - Visit CLEVER TRAINING

Garmin FR910XT HR bundle $287 (was $449, down to $336, then $50 rebate) : Visit CLEVER TRAINING

Anything bought using the links returns a 10% commission to help offset the costs of running the bare bones blog.  Since I'm focused on the day job, I have scaled back quite a bit.  :(  I'd love to devote more time to the blog and reviews, but that's where I need your help to make it self supporting.  No pressure.  Thanks for those that do support the site by using the affiliate links!

Review of @ClifBar Builder's Protein Bars

If you pay attention to your Facebook or Twitter feed, you undoubtedly see all kinds of add and posts about the need for high levels of protein in your diet. Whether you’re a weekend 5ker, Ironman, cross fitter or obstacle course racer, every fitness related food maker and their dog are racing to get their latest and greatest protein products in your hands. If you’re at all interested in eating better to go along with all those hours you swim, bike and run, then you have probably realized the importance of eating the right combination of fats, carbs and protein. It’s not just about the protein. It’s a delicate dance of factors from desired weight to expected race performance. If you’re not fueling the engine right with more than just protein, it doesn’t matter how many hours you train to reach your goals.

No doubt you also like to enjoy your snacks rather than just get the essential nutrition out of them, unless you’ve really bought into paleo and want to eat like a caveman. What can make the task of proper fueling even more difficult is the specter of the average triathlete being on the go with work, family and friends. Not everyone has easy access to a kitchen with whole food ingredients at their fingertips for every meal. Most need a convenient meal on the go that won’t make a mess that they can jam in their face between meetings in the morning or afternoon.

CLIF bar was gracious enough to send a sample of Builder’s Protein Bars for a review as an alternative for easy access to good fuel with a handsome dose of protein.

Read on for our take on the 8 flavors minus the new chocolate hazelnut of Builder’s Bars that CLIF sent us.

 

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

When you hear the name, “Builder’s Bar”, we immediately think of that body builder dude pumping iron at the gym, screaming at the top of his lungs for that last set of 300 pound bench presses. So yes, the bar might be geared for muscle heads looking for protein substitute instead of raw meat, but for triathletes spending some hard time working out at high intensity levels, they need that protein as well to repair and feed muscles. When you see the bars, they are packaged in a powerful wrapper that’s bold and attention grabbing, like the name. Who doesn’t like something shiny to unwrap? It’s also convenient to throw in a gym bag or the glove box (careful as they will melt on hot days) and not lose track of. The package won’t tear or snag as it’s sturdy construction.

 

Form / Construction

When you open the Builder’s Bar, the majority are chocolate flavors, so they appear similar to your standard candy bar with a chocolate coating and a crunchy bottom layer. For those that like the crunchy candy bars, it won’t be far off. They are not the other protein bars that are solid and chewy that sometimes can get gritty as you break them down to be able to swallow.

The Builder’s Bars weigh in at 270 calories or so per bar. Of that, 9 grams is fat, 29 grams is carbs and 20 grams is protein if you are keeping count at home. So, don’t just add the Builder’s Bar into your daily diet without planning. It’s almost half a decent sized meal to begin with. It has a good protein to carb ratio, but it will steal some calories from your daily meal planning. That may almost be more than most candy bars calorie wise, but you will get around 40 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein from a candy bar which is hardly the proper nutrition for an athlete or fitness minded person.

An important item of note is that the bars have zero grams trans fat and does not contain partially-hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup. In today’s ever over engineered food work where taste and profit are king, some are still finding ways to deliver good food without all the crap.

Fit / Function

Yes, they have a good chunk of protein, but do they deliver on taste and fill you up / fuel you up / help you recover like you would anticipate?

With protein bars, taste and texture are the big hangups. Everyone wants the benefits of the protein, but not everyone appreciates the method of delivery. While Builder’s Bars aren’t going to be as tasty as a Snickers bar, they are much better than some chewy protein bars on the market that get all grainy after chewing on each bite for 5 minutes to break it down enough to swallow. They taste like the flavor printed on the package and have a nice crisp texture that doesn’t require jaws of steel. The real issue is limiting yourself to one bar and not using them as a go-to snack substitute or dessert item.

They do fill you up for the short term, which makes them a great snack item between meals. Used before a cardio workout or after a strength workout, they can be key meals to keep your body fueled and reduce injuries from undernourished muscles. We would not recommend the Builder’s Bars as a meal substitute unless you are in a bind. They just won’t fill you up for hours on end.

They have 9 flavors currently to choose from, so if chocolate isn’t your thing, you have options. They are great for throwing in your gym bag for a pre or post workout snack and they even stay in one piece in bags being thrown into your car or jammed in a gym locker. They only drawback will be on hot days, they will melt and make a mess. Best is to not leave them sitting in your car during the summer.

 

Cost

You could spend $1 for a snickers, or $1.50 (online) for a Builder’s Bar. At the convenience store, you might pay a little more if you’re in a pinch, but plan ahead and you should be ok. That’s one catch with Builder’s Bars, they aren’t cheap, but they can be less expensive than other protein bar alternatives. Some can go from $2 to $2.50 a bar online, and even more in the brick and mortar stores.

You do get what you pay for. You may end up spending more for a Builder’s Bar than a candy bar, but you’ll get higher quality nutrition and not a crap sugar load.

Final thoughts

You know you have a winner when you review a product and you end up buying it outside of the review with your own money. We have since stocked up on Builder’s Bars to be proactive and get them at a reasonable price instead of convenience store prices. One a day will do it, as they do consume a large chunk of calories, but when you need 170 grams of protein a day, and you don’t want to get it all through egg whites and tuna fish, the Builder’s Bar is a good alternative. You just need to be careful about trading it out for other foods in your meal planning and not adding it on and expecting to lose weight.

Disclaimer

* Writer's note - CLIF Bars sent us the Builder’s Bars for this review and in no way influenced the review.

Quest Protein Chip by @QuestNutrition Review

If you’re at all interested in eating better to go along with all those hours you swim, bike and run, then you have probably realized the importance of eating the right combination of fats, carbs and protein. It’s a delicate dance of factors from desired weight to expected race performance. If you’re not fueling the engine right, it doesn’t matter how many hours you train to overcome that.

But, how do you make sure you are getting what you need from your healthy snacks without sacrificing taste and appeal? Not everyone can kick back a can of tuna and a cup of cottage cheese and “enjoy” it. We’re all human. We like to enjoy taste and texture of what we eat.

There are all kinds of approaches from paleo to all natural grass fed no antibiotic hand combed cows and chickens, but lets get real. This day and age, if you want unaltered ingredients or something “simple”, you’re looking at higher prices and something that virtually financially unsustainable for a family. If it’s not mass produced and chalked full of preservatives for shelf life, it’s going to cost more.

In the never ending quest to find healthy snack alternatives, we found Quest Protein Chips. It’s kind of an oxymoron when you first come upon them. We found them at our gym and decided to buy a couple and give them a spin. We’ve heard of the bars they produce, and my wife loves them, but we were skeptical that a chip could be advertised as healthy.

Read on for our take on the Sour Cream and Cheddar and BBQ flavors.

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

The packaging and images actually make you want to eat what’s inside. Not all health foods or those that pretend have the right marketing scheme. Some throw pictures of mascots and other junk not even related to the food inside that distract you from the real mission, finding quality food.

The picture on the package is pretty true to what the ships look like, unless your 4 year old sat on the bag in the car or punched it out of your hands when they were impatiently waiting to leave the gym waiting on you to pay for the chips. It happens. They still eat the same as whole chips or crushed pieces.

Form / Construction

Where the rubber meets the road. Are they full of crap? Do they have the advertised 21 grams of protein per serving and double the carbs? What are you getting for your $2.99 at the gym counter?

INGREDIENTS: Protein Blend (Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate), Dried Potatoes, Corn Starch, High Oleic Sunflower Oil. Contains less than 2% of the following: Tomato Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Spices, Salt, Paprika Extract (Color), Yeast Extract, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Flavors. CONTAINS: Milk Derived Ingredients

The bags say right on the front : NO SOY, GLUTEN FREE, 5G CARBS, 21G PROTEIN, BAKED NEVER FRIED

Pretty much all you need to know is on the front of the bag, but for you macronutrient counters, they have in 32 grams per serving (1 bag), 120 calories, 2g of fat, 5g of carbs and 21g of protein. For a quick snack on the go for the fitness types, that’s a quality 120 calories. I know I’m always looking for meals and snacks that won’t blow the calorie budget that give me my best protein ratio. Compare that with a not-to-be-named baked BBQ chip, 28g serving, 120 calories, 3g of fat, 22g of carbs and 2g of protein. The fat looks good, but you’ve just broke the bank for carbs without much protein benefit. Get ready to skimp on dinner to save your day nutrition wise. Hello tuna on a plate...

 

Fit / Function

Do Quest Chips go down easy, or do you have to choke them down like so many chalky protein powders and drinks that are out there?

I’m here to tell you they taste as good as any chip out there. They have that baked / popped chip look and light density when you bite into one. They crunch and that sweet nectar of cheddar or BBQ that you crave will be there for the taking. Consider your craving for crap satisfied, but you didn’t have to sacrifice your soul for the nutritional deficit that comes with most chips.

Cost

Where’s the catch you ask? We get taste and nutrition!? Well, it’s not free. We paid for these out of pocket, no freebie reviews, and at $2.99 a bag at the gym, it can get pricey. Your generic chips can go around $4 for 6 to 7 servings. Quest chips are $3 for 1 serving. Eat wisely, my friend. You get what you pay for.

 

Final thoughts

We will continue to buy Quest Chips. Santa may even drop a few in our stockings. If anyone could benefit from a healthier chip, it would be the big man from the north.

The taste and texture is spot on, the shelf appeal is there. It’s got all of the right ingredients, but you will pay a premium for 21 grams of protein, only 5 grams of carbs in 120 calories. You have to decide that if your chip craving can be satisfied for $3 a pop. Used wisely, this is a great alternative for a midday snack, or a companion to your meal. It holds you over for a tough workout without being too full, and serves well as a post-workout meal to replenish protein to rebuild muscle. That’s a big benefit in the winter months as most multi-sport athletes head to the gym for strength and conditioning.

Grab a bag and try for yourself, just don’t sit on them.

 

Disclaimer

* Writer's note - We purchased the chips for this review and Quest in no way influenced this review.

www.Tri4aHandUp.com #GIVEAWAY No. 2 for 2014 Results #Triathlon #charity #PowerCrunch

The second week giveaway results for Power Crunch energy bars.

After tracking the donations, there were 4 entries from 2 people for the drawing for week 2.  Congrats to David D!  We numbered entries per person and drew from Random.org until someone hit 3 times.  Thank you all that entered!

I have your address and will send it out shortly!

Hopefully next week's raffle draws a even more interest.  ;)

 

Power Crunch energy bar review and Raffle! #Triathlon #charity #CHDawareness

All triathletes have been put on the spot before or after a workout looking for the right fuel or recovery snack. We might even be pressed to find something in a pinch to gobble down for in-workout fueling for long days. We don’t always have the luxury of being at home to raid the pantry or time to cook something up for a proper workout snack, be it before, during or after the workout. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be a workout day and you might find yourself with an angry gut wanting sustenance but you don’t want to raid the candy machine for crap food.

What’s a health conscious endurance athlete to do for those healthy on the go snacks? There’s a LOT of choices out there. ClIF bars, Kind bars, Picky bars and so many others you can’t count them on all of your fingers and toes. Beware that while some bars contain natural and healthy ingredients, moderation is key. If you’re snack bar is 700 calories and you’re wanting to maintain “race weight”, it may not be the best option for your 10am snack, or you will have to raid calories in other meals to balance your daily intake.

And what about protein? Exactly, what about it? Paleo, South Beach, Shakeology and so many other plans out there thrown into the faces of health minded triathletes. What you will find with most bars labeled protein is a high carb count to go with that. You have to be very careful of what you’re eating as there are very few products that come with high protein and few carbs.

In our eternal quest for the perfect protein bar we found Power Crunch. Well, rather they found us and offered an assortment of Power Crunch energy bars to try out for a review. After eating our fair share (all of them they sent us), we have a few thoughts we’d like to share.


Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

Power Crunch has come out in a big way. They are pretty much a staple at any gym snack bar and can be found in most food chain stores. Health stores, gas stations and more all carry Power Crunch.

The wrappers are clean and appealing. They catch your eye, but aren’t obnoxious. One wish list would be something more eco-friendly than the standard foil wrappers, but that’s splitting hairs. The other catch is you may not find the flavor you are looking for as shelf space might be limited.

Form / Construction

When you open your Power Crunch, it’s a wafer based bar. It was actually refreshing to find a self proclaimed energy bar that wasn’t the consistency of a fudge bar. So many energy bars are dense and gritty and Power Crunch is not. It’s reminiscent of the vanilla wafer days as a kid, but a little healthier.

Sorry those that are lactose intolerant or allergic to peanuts. Most bars have both of those ingredients but some are gluten free, if you’re looking for that. If you’re into the science, you can read up on the ingredients of each bar to find one that’s right for you and read up on Power Crunch’s unique form of protein called “hydrolyzed whey protein.” We won’t dive into that here, but what we will draw attention to is the ratio of protein to carbs per bar and what the calorie content is.

We are always looking for low calories, high protein options for our endurance lifestyle and were very excited to see that Power Crunch in general carries 14/8 protein to carb ratio around 200 calories. Competitors can get to 22/30 ratio with 270 calories with 80 calories from fat. Do notice though that around 115 calories are from fat for Power Crunch depending on the type of bar. They are using stevia leaf extract for sweetening, but still carry a decent amount of fat content which could be a good fuel source to train your body to work from on long distance training. It all depend on your take of training and fueling methodologies.

Fashion / Appearance

Power Crunch bars are appealing. You open up the wrapper and find a delicious looking wafer bar either with either a small coating or completely covered bar of “glaze”. They look like they were made by someone who knows what they are doing and not someone in a garage with a chemistry set. When you open one up, you actually want to eat it.

Fit / Function

So how does it do as a daily snack or workout fuel source? We tried it all. It was a daily snack in the morning or afternoons. It was a pre-workout snack. It was a during-workout fuel source. It was a post-workout on the go snack. Power Crunch bars were super handy when you have a busy day of the “day job”, kids, family and trying to jam in training somewhere.

It was extremely filling, but if you’re on the go working out, you may not want that. It was light, but provided enough to satisfy the snack cravings during the day (we subscribe to 3 meals and 2 snacks per day).

All of the flavors were pretty good. The best were Cookies and Cream and Peanut Butter crunch. We weren't huge fans of the mint chocolate, but someone out there may dig it. There’s something for everyone with 13 energy bar options.

The biggest highlight was eating an energy bar and not having the fudgy texture without the fudge taste. Some competitor bars are akin to eating cardboard with grit. Have you ever eaten an energy bar that seemed like someone took some sand and added dough to it? Not Power Crunch. That wafer snack you loved as a kid is back, and it’s healthy! Our kids even loved them (but keep your hands off daddy’s workout snacks!). Overall we found Power Crunch to be satisfying as far as taste, texture, filling and supplying functional energy.

Cost

For a box of 12 bars, you will pay $24.99 from Power Crunch directly, plus shipping. Now, you didn’t read this here, but savvy internet shoppers can find it perhaps $10 less on other locations. You can also find them in local stores and forgo shipping as well.

Using the savvy internet shopping route, energy bars in the relative same market space go about equal for a count of 12 such as Power Crunch. So, really you won’t pay any extra for Power crunch over the competitors. What you pay for is an alternative to the dense energy bars with high protein to carb ratios.

Final thoughts

Flat out we loved Power Crunch. Maybe not all flavors, but we found a good 10 flavors that we could stock our pantry with and enjoy for years on end. They offer a wide variety and the wafer model is so much more appealing than the fudge density bars that are out there. Cost wise you really are not paying a premium to use Power Crunch over competitors, so it really only comes down to how you want your energy delivered.

Disclaimer

Writer’s Note – Power Crunch sent us samples for this review and in no way influenced the review.


AND NOW FOR THE RAFFLE!

It's time... time to give some stuff away!

So those that have followed this blog, you have noticed I do a fair share of product reviews.  Some are great, some are good, some are so-so and some don't happen since the product didn't work out for one reason or another.

Well, those people that have sent me the products are on board with helping me reach my fundraising goals for Ironman Texas ($1500 goal), Ironman 70.3 ($600 goal) Kansas and Ironman Chattanooga ($5000 goal).   It's coming along, but we need more!  This is all a part of my master www.Tri4aHandUp.com fundraising scheme for 2014.

I have a shelf in the basement full of stuff to give away to my readers, followers, fans and supporters.  I'm taking a huge leap of faith setting up online raffles will result in contributions and not be a bust for the great people that sent me products.

How do you get in?

Each giveaway entry is counted by a contribution to one of the fundraising pages.  Each giveaway will have a unique amount to donate so I can keep track of what's an entry and what's a regular donation.  I get emails from each page when someone contributes, so they all get counted.  You can enter as many times as you want.

You can contribute to either page:
http://www.active.com/donate/kickstartyourheart/T4AHUIMTX
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7/ab/61quY2

How do you win?

I will number each entry and hit random.org to randomly generate a winner. I will keep generating numbers until someone gets 3 hits and then they win!

How do you get your prize?

Pay attention to this blog and the Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Tri4aHandUp.  Winners will be announced and I will have you email me your address for shipping.

Who is eligible?

Anyone in North America.  No overseas shipping UNLESS you are in the armed services and you have a North American shipping address that ships items to you.

What's up for grabs this week?

Power Crunch Peanut Butter Fudge Box of 12 bars.

Check out my reviews:
EverymanTri.com
I Tri Because I Can
Examiner.com

In recognition of Ironman Texas being my second full Ironman triathlon, entry will be $2.00 at either site.  Enter as many times as you want!  Entry closes 11:59pm central time on Saturday, May 3.

You can contribute to either page:
http://www.active.com/donate/kickstartyourheart/T4AHUIMTX
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7/ab/61quY2

 

 

X2PERFORMANCE sports nutrition supplement review #teamX2 #spon

How’s a triathlete to know what’s crap and what’s reputable when taking in nutrition or supplements? Many athletes are hypersensitive to what they put in their bodies to supply it with the energy it needs for 15 hours or more of training a week. There’s a tricky balance of taking in the right amount of calories for health and recovery without being excessive to pack on extra pounds. Lets be honest, some don’t pay attention and have no problem eating whatever they want, be we’re not going there today. Don’t eat that, take that supplement, don’t take that supplement. The latest major study even states that multivitamins do nothing to improve health. What’s a triathlete to do?

Red Bull before a race? Seen it. Gulping GU shots every 30 minutes? Standard for some. Sometimes less is more. That’s why we are taking a look at X²PERFORMANCE in this review. It’s a simple solution to an age old triathlete problem. The right stuff at the right time with the right ingredients.

We tried out a 4-pack of X²PERFORMANCE on some long runs leading up the LA Marathon and used it on race day. Check out our thoughts below on X²PERFORMANCE.

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

X2 packaging is professional, glossy and appealing. It’s obviously not produced and packaged in someone’s garage and shipped using Fred’s delivery service.

Now, you won’t find X2 on the shelves of your tri shop or local GNC. You have to buy it exclusively through their website. That direct sales model cuts out the middle man and allows lower prices to cover less overheads.

With each order you get a few inserts about the products, company and recommended directions. Pretty standard there.

Form / Construction

You know what we like? We like bottles that are sealed with plastic and have a secured lid under the cap. Nothing’s more scary than looking at supplements that looked like someone tampered with them and threw them in a box.

The red bottles are interesting. DID YOU ORDER THE CODE RED!? YOU’RE DARN RIGHT I DID! It screams at you. You can’t ignore it, but they will go through TSA at the airport with no issues. Almost a little more subtleness would suit them for athletes that travel the airlines. But, you feel like you’re drinking something that’s for a double spy when you kick back the X2 red bottle. I got a few looks. Yes, I’m drinking rocket fuel, what’s it to you?

Fashion / Appearance

In line with the marketing and bottle appearance, the X2 makes a statement. We’re here and we’re going to kick butt. The lettering is stylish, the boxes are made to fit exactly the amount of bottles per order and they just appear to have it together. Nothing’s worse than getting a bag of chips with your sandwich only to open them up and find 4 chips and the rest was air. No waste here.

Fit / Function

So all the fluff about appeal and marketing is great, but what does it really do for you?

First of all, the taste is very unique. It can be bitter if not refrigerated, but tolerable if you have a sports drink handy to wash down the aftertaste. All of our testing was performed without refrigeration.

The fluid is somewhat milky in appearance, but is as fluid as water and goes down without an issue. This is in stark contrast to sports gels that ooze down your throat and sit in your gut waiting for digestion.

It wasn’t an instantaneous magical potion that instantly transformed the drinker into an invincible athlete. Honestly, it was like, “that’s it”? But, you do need to follow the directions and take 30 to 45 minutes before workouts. It’s a subtle feeling more akin to creatine. It may not make you feel superhuman, but it will allow you to do your workout with more intensity for longer periods of time. Maybe more akin to Viagra… working harder longer? Maybe not. At any rate, we half expected a rush type feeling that accompanies Red Bull or 5 Hour Energy. X2 was nothing like those sugar or B12 rush drinks. There were no jitters or increased heart rates to go along with the drink at any time. It was a steady energy output that we couldn’t really tell a start and end to. It came, it went, and we completed our workouts with vim and vigor.

We used it during marathon training and for the marathon. For the first 1:15 of the marathon, we had energy to spare and unfortunately did not plan ahead and only had one bottle left for race morning. Honestly, we could tell a difference around mile 12. Just a drain in energy. Before that we attacked the hills and kept pace with the goal pace group. Honestly we wish we had more. Might have to break down and buy some instead of using up the review supply!

Cost

Brace yourself, here’s where we talk about the mean green. Now, considering the competition such as GU, PowerBar, Gatorade the proliferation of hundreds of smaller supplement companies that litter the endurance world, X2 can pack a punch to the wallet. But, this is a complete system in one drink. There’s no prime, during workout, recovery or systems of multiple products to use here. You buy one product, and you use it once a day for recovery days or short workout days and possibly multiple times in longer training sessions.

X2 ranges from $3.99 to $4.99 depending on if you buy in bulk or not. Obviously they want you to buy more at a time and it’s less costly to produce and ship in bulk.

Your average GU shot or CLIF shot may run you $1.50 or maybe $2 at the most. And, some can use purely the sports gel for a race, but you need another product for recovery. With X2, it’s all there.

Final thoughts

We found the angle of X2 unique. They go after the generation and regeneration of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and increase that instead of using stimulants like caffeine to get your heart rate up and leaving you vulnerable to the crash afterwards.

The initial taste might require some getting used to or at least having a sports drink chaser on hand. It’s a great alternative to the sports gels providing an increase in stamina to work at the same rate for extended periods of time. Do keep in mind that you need more than one serving of you are going long.

The price might be prohibitive, but people drink $5 macchiatos from Starbucks on a daily basis, so it’s a good substitute to a bad vice for endurance athletes. If you are in the market for something to keep you going without the stomach bomb, check out X²PERFORMANCE.

Disclaimer

Writer’s Note – Ryan is participating in a sponsored campaign for X²PERFORMANCE. He received compensation for this post, but the opinions are his. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

Mixing the LA Marathon with X2PERFORMANCE and getting over the illness hump #triathlon #recovery #teamX2 #spon #BetterYourBest

Feeling better and getting on the treadmill bandwagon...

FINALLY getting over the hump.  I took my own advice and refocused on refueling after workouts and getting the right amount of sleep.  You can't come back during cold and flu season if your immune system is already compromised.

I even ventured out for a few cold weather runs in 3 to 4 layers before Old Man Winter hit Kansas City again with freezing drizzle, snow and then 12 more inches of snow.  There will be no safe outdoor running for a few days now.  Especially when it's going to be -14 air temp tomorrow morning.  Nope.  The treadmill it is, and 21 miles on a treadmill is not exactly fun, but it got done.  I'm focused on the LA Marathon and the BQ prize!

Cold weather runner or Ninja, you be the judge.

Don't forget, I will be reviewing X²PERFORMANCE soon and writing up a few posts about them.  They are a mainstay in the Ironman Triathlon world and have worked with several other online triathletes in the past.  And, get this, they invited ME to join in on their blogger campaign and help spread their message (ya, I get paid for this!).

X²PERFORMANCE appears to be a healthy, natural performance enhancer as listed on their site.

"The generation and regeneration of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the key to maximizing performance during any vigorous activity. ATP is the essential unit of energy created by your body’s natural biochemical processes, and when depleted, you may feel physically and or mentally fatigued and unable to increase your training intensity. X²PERFORMANCE is the first supplement containing the patent-pending BIOIDS advanced cellular compound, a proprietary combination which has been found effective to increase energy, enhance endurance and improve recovery. ATP is also essential for amino acid activation during protein synthesis, which means X²PERFORMANCE can also help your muscles recover faster and more effectively."

I'm itching to get my sample to try it out!  And, while I'm testing out my batch, you can take advantage of this limited time offer and receive a free trial of X²PERFORMANCE and try it with me! You will need to select a subscription plan and pay $5.95 shipping charge, but you can cancel the subscription (even before your first shipment) at any time and still receive your free trial.

Disclosure

I am participating in a sponsored campaign for X²PERFORMANCE. I received compensation for this post, but the opinions are my own.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

Zukay Live Foods Beet KVASS review

One of the big buzz words in nutrition today is antioxidants. You can’t bet your bottom dollar that any triathlete on Facebook, Twitter or the internet has seen at least one article about a study on which superfoods give you the best antioxidant bang for your buck. But, just because it may be deemed healthy by a scientist in California doesn’t mean it’s really meant to be consumed by the masses.

For several reasons, something that’s deemed edible and “nutritious” isn’t always meant to be eaten by sane people. First and foremost, if it’s not appealing, the mainstreamers are going to shy away from it. Who wants to ingest something that looks like it belongs in a pig trough? Secondly, if you pass the eye test, texture is an issue. If you’ve ever seen the amino acid paste that looks like snot or runny oatmeal, but promises to supply you with all the nutrients you need, who’s going to eat if if they don’t have to? Lastly, taste. If you can’t get it down and keep it down, chances are you won’t be coming back for seconds.

When Zukay approached us to try out their Beet and Beet Ginger Kvass drink, we were intrigued and apprehensive. We loved the antioxidant and natural probiotic aspect of the products, but beets are not what you would call tasty. Oh, they have taste, but not a taste that many appreciate. Beets by themselves are unassuming enough to try for a taste, but that’s about as far as you’ll go after trying to find something else to get the taste out of your mouth. In short, beets alone are gross. You may miss out on the superfood aspect, but you probably won’t complain.

We put Zukay to the test to see if we could get beet health benefits and be able to tolerate the product to keep it down. Check out our review below.

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

When you get your hands on some Zukay Beet Kvass, the glass bottles are very professionally produced with graphics and manufacturing. They rival any other juice product you would find at your local grocery store.

One issue you may have is finding Zukay locally. When you hit their location finder, you may have to go hundreds of miles to find a distributor to get it in person. Online availability is there, but limited and from our searches, it appeared you would be ordering in bulk. As far as marketing, Zukay has all of the standard tools in the marketing toolbox. Website, Facebook, Twitter and other online social media sites are standard these days and Zukay has them covered. If you hate it when a company has a stale web feed or let the social media go to crap, no fear with Zukay. They are keeping it fresh on the internet.

One item to note was the superb packing of the shipment. We’re not sure if all of the shipments are treated as well, but the samples arrived in bubble wrap in a cooler with cooler bags to keep is fresh until consumers have a chance to get it in the fridge.

Form / Construction

Zukay introduces their beet and beet ginger kvass as the original detox drink.

From their site, “beets are a superfood – and Beet Kvass has long been revered in Eastern Europe for its purported blood and liver-cleansing properties. There’s even a lot of research around the humble beet’s large nitrate content, which have been found to help your body utilize oxygen better (and therefore enable you to workout better).”

The ingredient list includes, water, organic beets, celtic sea salt, hand-batched live active culture, organic raw green stevia.

Looking for low carb or low calorie options? Zukay may be right for you. At 50 calories per serving, you won’t break your diet bank chugging one down. Also sporting 12 grams of carbs per serving, you can stay in your low carb zone, if that’s your game.

Fashion / Appearance

When you break open the beet kvass, upon initial inspection the juice is pretty standard as far as juices go. The color and texture is consistent throughout the drink with no pulp or bits of leftover beets floating around. It’s something we wouldn’t mind sipping on from a purely aesthetics point of view.

When you take a whiff of the bouquet, you realize that yes, this is beet juice. It’s not as pungent as what you would get from a can of beets, but beet juice and beet products have a distinct powerful smell. It snuggles right up to the line of overpowering, but backs off just enough not to have that knee-jerk reaction to push the bottle away from your face.

When you pour it out into your cup, there it is in all of its glory. Truth be told, it took a little bit of psyching up to knock a cup down of the beet kvass. It wasn’t from a lack of interest of visual or aroma appeal, but just bringing back memories of experimenting with beets on our own and failing.

Fit / Function

In full disclosure, we were not going to go run lab tests to establish a baseline, drink the Zukay and then retest to see if any levels changed. We’re not that technical and work on a limited time table.

What we did do was knock down a beet kvass after some tough runs and rides training for Lake Tahoe in the heat of the Kansas City summer. Recovery and hydration is key after 4 to 7 hours in the heat with heat index exceeding 100 degrees. You want the fluids in and the lactic acid and crap out.

Zukay wasn’t a magical elixir giving us new found energy and strength, but if you could feel the effectiveness of antioxidants, then it would be in the hours and days after extreme workouts. Triathletes want to be able to function since most of us have day jobs and families, and after a few days of 100 miles of cycling and 20 miles of running, we need anything we can get to keep upright and off the couch. Incapacitation is not an option.

While using Zukay Ginger Beet Kvass, we felt great the following days after long workouts or high intensity sessions. The legs weren’t heavy from excess lactic acid and we could actually get up off the floor or couch after long periods without having the “old man” aching and cracking syndrome. “Oh my aching back… Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up…”

We tried the beet kvass in several combinations. We tried it by itself, with other juices mixed in, with other fruit flavored recovery options and more. Heck, we even tried it mixed in a fruit smoothie!

Why did we try it combined with other items? Well, it is after all beet juice. It’s not as powerful as beets alone, but with the organic and healthy nature of Zukay, there’s not much added in the way of sugar to sweeten the load up. You’ll know it’s beet juice.

We tried several combos and found some successful options for those that might need some help getting past the initial taste. The beet kvass alone was more and more palatable after each tasting, however. Focusing in the benefits of the beet juice can help you take it in stride. It’s probably 20 times more favorable than drinking raw egg yolks or something like that.

But, after a long hot bike ride, Zukay Ginger Beet Kvass was not exactly something that popped into our minds as a thirst quencher after a few tastings. It took some getting used to, but the potential health upside of drinking beet kvass is well worth it.

Cost

Since Zukay isn’t readily available onlines, you will need to do some searching online and we found a 12 pack of 12 oz servings for $56.45 without shipping. At $4.70 per bottle before shipping and tax, that’s better than most protein shakes and other recovery / antioxidant drinks we found. That’s also better than most other single serving portions of beet juice.

Final thoughts

Zukay is an interesting animal. They are after healthy living and clean eating, but we found it hard to find their product to make it feasible to use. Beet juice is beet juice. If one is more palatable than the other, better check the label for sugar content, since that’s the only way you will be able to make it any sweeter. Zukay appears to have a great antioxidant drink that capitalizes on a superfood without over-processing it for consumption. It’s also friendly for those counting carbs and calories. If you can swing the taste of beet juice, and want the superfood characteristics, then Zukay is for you.

Disclaimer

* Writer's note - Zukay provided a sample of Beet and Beet Ginger Kvass for this review at no cost and did not influence this review.

@EnduroPacks Endurance sports nutrition supplement pack review

Triathlon nutrition is a tricky wicket. Too much and you’re gaining weight, too little and you could hurt yourself, eat this, don’t eat that, take that supplement, don’t take that supplement. The latest major study even states that multivitamins do nothing to improve health. What’s a triathlete to do?

There’s so many factors that go into deciding what’s right for you. Are you wanting to lose weight? Are you wanting to add muscle to your frame? Are you racing sprint triathlons? Are you out training and exercising for 20 hours a week for fun? Are you trying to win your age group at the 70.3 distance?

Triathletes are a little different than your average person on the street, in many ways. But, for this review, more specifically the diet requirements are very particular. Some use triathlon as a ticket to eat whatever they want. Some use triathlon as a lifestyle to usher in health and a permanent way of a life. Hopefully your spouse and family is on board with that, but back to the review.

You may not necessarily be looking for added nutrition to support training and racing, but you will at least need more fluids and electrolytes at minimum to replace what you sweat out during your workouts. Putting recovery and eating aside, the body needs essential fluids and minerals to function and those get depleted faster in those training at higher volumes.

That’s why when EnduroPacks approached us for a review of their nutrition system, we immediately took them up on it. Their nutrition supplements contain no powders or actual food items, just some concentrated vitamins, patches and some pills. No real addition of calories, but the focus on hydration, electrolytes and minerals with an eye on pre-workout, during workout and post-workout.

Read on for our take on their unique system.

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

You will not find EnduroPacks (EP for short) in your local supplement store. They are online only right now and that’s where you will need to check them out. No fancy store packaging or displays.

When you do get your EP, it comes in a simple box and may even leave you thinking, “is that it?” It’s unassuming and refreshing to see products that are minimalist, organized and sufficient without coming across cheap. Their graphics are of good quality and uniform from one bottle or container to another. There’s no cheapness in the packaging and instruction postcard. If you want to get in touch with EP, you can find them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and a couple of other social media sites. They are responsive and eagerly looking to grab up a following for their products.

Form / Construction

From a packaging standpoint, the containers and packaging for shipping is superior. The multivitamin bottle is a sturdy glass bottle and the spray bottle for the concentrated electrolyte spray is durable enough to toss in a duffle bag and not worry about smashing it.

From the standpoint of the chemical makeup of the products, EP claims;

“We’ve done the research. We’ve cracked the essential product mix. And we’re bringing you everything you need for your endurance training in the most effective, convenient formats.

Each pack includes a 30-day supply of liquid multivitamin, glutamine tablets, amino acid patches, and concentrated electrolyte spray. All of our products are GLUTEN-FREE, U.S.-MADE, contain NO GMO, only use ORGANIC ingredients, and are 100% vegetarian.”

What hardened triathlete isn’t looking for natural and non-GMO products? Consider your bases covered with EP.

EP also holds the "GMP" designation on their product labels. GMP (Good Manufacturing Procedure) is a designation recognized by the Natural Products Association (an independent regulator) that assures the consumer that industry accepted Quality Assurance and Quality Control standards have been met. The NPA inspects their manufacturers' facilities, documents and procedures, and determines that they are up to the best quality standards in the industry. Check out EP’s site more more information on their quality standards.

But, do remember that generally, manufacturers do not need to register their products with FDA or get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements. Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading, if FDA approval is important to you.

Fashion / Appearance

As mentioned before, EP products are uniform in packing and appearance, so there’s no confusing that you have the right products to maximize their system. Nothing’s worse than realizing the brand you are using has 30 different products and because they have different graphics that don’t match, you didn’t realize you should have been drinking X with Y to get the best results.

Now, when you break into the products to use, you have 4 items. Multivitamin solution, spray, patches and pills. The pills are pretty standard looking. The patches, if you haven’t had experience with them, are semi-flesh toned for most caucasian types and around one inch by one inch. If, like us, you are not used to patches, this will be a little new. Where it gets interesting is the spray and multivitamin. The spray is whitest and when added to a sports drink, it turns the drink a little cloudy, but nothing more. The multivitamin is reminiscent of old-school cod liver oil in appearance. It just conjures up old school images of parents making their kids suck down the oil to stay healthy and strong. Luckily with EP you add the multivitamin do your morning drink and don’t need to just drink it by itself.

EP is a little off the beaten path than the normal supplements. With sprays, suspension liquids and patches, they offer a unique nutrition and supplement alternative.

Fit / Function

Once you start, you can’t stop. It’s a daily routine system regardless if you are working out that day or not, and regardless of intensity or volume. The only difference will be the amount of electrolyte spray you use depending on how much hydration you take in while working out.

In all honesty, we misinterpreted the instructions and though the multivitamin was only an hour or so before workouts, where it’s meant to be taken every day. That and the recovery complex pills you can just stash in your kitchen and incorporate with your daily routine.

The spray and patches need to go with your for workouts. You need to remember to break out the spray and spirits it in your drink and then remember to slap a patch on after a workout after you clean up.

The spray bottle is small and portable, and the taste effect was actually favorable. It enhanced most flavors of sports drinks and wasn’t bitter or gross tasting. Bonus.

The patches come on a sheet and you just peel one off and stick it on your back, stomach or forearm and forget about it. That’s great except when you go to bed and your spouse might make fun of you for being on the patch when getting changed for bed. But, for someone grabbing a lunch workout, it’s great to slap on under your polo and go back to the office, recovering without having to worry about mixing a powder, choking it down and having to clean the bottle later. Just go back to work and hydrate.

The multivitamin does change the flavor of your drink a little, but it really wasn’t anything to make you turn away from your drink. It clumped a little, but after a few sips, you’re chugging your drink like you would any other morning since we know all of you throw down the proper amount of water per day anyway, right?

EP was very functional as far as applying the usage. After getting in the groove for our month supply, it was like second nature.

As far as the performance side, it’s more about personal perception than cold hard facts. We used the EP system for around a month. Our competitive events were done for the year, but we were still in maintenance mode with some decent volume and intensity. Lets just say we weren’t just sitting on the couch eating turkey and Christmas cookies.

We felt good before, during and after workouts. The only real addition besides EP for workouts and recovery was protein powder in our morning oatmeal and G2 sports drink. Our workouts were completed at desired intensity and duration without issues using EP. We wouldn’t necessarily say we felt any super-energy effects, but we had ample energy and strength during workouts and felt the burn during and after.

There were no lingering aches or pains from one workout to another and it was business as usual going from AM workout, get kids and self ready for the day, work, maybe a lunch workout, get the kids, dinner, family time and maybe a late night workout. The routine was in full effect without skipping a beat from our usual nutritional supplement setup.

Cost

It’s tough to compare EP to any other system on the market. It’s really a different animal all on its own with the unique multivitamin suspension, electrolyte spray and amino acid patch. You could probably find each individual item somewhere, but you will probably pay more buying it piecemeal than as a system.

EP sells their system in monthly increments and the longer term you sign up for, the less costly the system is. Ranging from 1 month at $75 with free shipping to $59 a month for 12 months with free shipping, it can easily be cheaper than buying mixes for pre-workout, during workout and post-workout products, hydration, supplements and powders. It just all depends on what you want from your supplements and if you’re willing to go with a more minimalist system like EP or you feel the need for the other tried and true products you have used in the past.

In general, EP approaches the ballpark with other products in the cost category. There’s a lot of factors that could affect how EP prices compared to what a triathlete is accustomed to paying.

Final thoughts

EnduroPacks offers a unique solution to triathletes for supplementation and hydration. Their monthly system is based on 4 products, 2 of which are taken on a daily routine basis and 2 that are workout specific. You simply add their concentrated solution to your current beverage of choice and go about your business. There’s no mixing, no cleaning and a lot less hassle than your traditional powders, drinks and workout specific meals. From what we can surmise, there’s no real drop-off in performance from using the EP system, but we couldn’t definitively say we experienced a significant improvement with the products. There were advantages for convenience of use and transport that may be an advantage over more traditional products offering the same benefits. Cost also may be a factor depending on the intricacies of your honed dietary and supplement regimen developed over years of training and racing. If you can cut back from 6 or 7 products to EP’s 4 staples and have the same results, you might just save a pretty penny over a year.

EP even offers a 30 day risk-free guarantee. Try it for a month and if you’re not feeling it, cancel and return the leftover and they will refund your order. There’s not much to lose in checking them out.

Disclaimer

Writer’s Note - EnduroPacks sent us a month supply for this review for no charge and in no way influenced this review.

Nuttzo natural nut butter review

Mass production of processed food is in full swing in this day and age of the “your way, right away” mentality of instant society. In this fast paced world we live in, everyone is looking to squeeze the most out of every hour of every day and no one is particularly fond of spending inordinate amounts of time preparing nutritional and natural meals.

The stats have to top 95% of all people that have at least partaken in a fast food run to save time for a meal. McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King, Subway and the list goes on of all the available places to get a quick bite and get on with your daily routine. There’s no judgement here. We’ve all done it. Some indulge more than others, but it’s almost unavoidable to utilize fast food for a busy day.

What can we do? We can control what we have at home for quick easy meal prep. Not all meals have to a fine-china hours on end type of affair to prepare. There are several natural and more healthy items out there to choose from to stock your cabinets with. The key is to be prepared and that’s why we’re here with this review.

Nuttzo nut butter (https://gonuttzo.com/) sports a natural alternative to overly-processed peanut butter that adorns so many of our shelves. Peanut butter in moderation is a great alternative for a quick meal or snack. And then there’s the people that are addicted to peanut butter and could have it every meal. Yes, please. But, what’s going to happen when you turn to the less natural, more processed alternatives of peanut butter on a regular basis? Well, when you throw in sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils and soybean and rapeseed to prevent separation, you get ingredients that are not benefiting your body much at all. You want to capture the positive aspects of peanut butter and that’s what Nuttzo wants to do.

Read on below for our review of Nuttzo to find out if you can have your natural nut butter and like it, too.

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

Aw man, they printed the label up-side-down. Yes, they did, but on purpose. It catches your attention right off the bat and we thought we had received a bunk printing job, but that’s one of their “gotchas” to get your attention.

The graphics and printing of Nuttzo appeals to the child in all of us crusty adults that sometimes take life too seriously. They promote fun, color and energy with their packaging.

They are active on Facebook and Twitter, a must for any brand looking for traction in this digital day and age. They reply to comments and interact with their consumer base instead of housing a robotic existence in social media.

Form / Construction

There’s something to be said in the details. In addition to touting a natural nut butter, Nuttzo brags that their “Jars are PET BPA-free plastic. Lighter and stronger. So you save on shipping, and we reduce breakage. 100% Recyclable.” Putting their money where their mouths are, Nuttzo is covering all of the tree-hugging bases, if you are monitoring that type of thing.

When you break down the nut butter and bolts of their product, they list 100% Organic Ingredients of peanuts, cashews, almonds, brazilian nuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, hazelnuts, and sea salt. No vegetable oils or additives to keep the butter from separating. Yes, you may see the oils separate from the butter when you get your Nuttzo home, but simply stir it together and no problem. What you spend in 2 minutes stirring could save you 2 hours in aerobic exercise to burn off additives.

The product from jar, label and to the nut butter is professional in appearance and could match any manufacturer in quality and stature. Placed on a shelf next to the big boys of peanut butter, Nuttzo could stand toe to toe, but up-side-down.

They also have choices. You can get original nut butter, peanut free (contains other types of nuts) or chocolate in creamy or crunchy. Pick what tickles your fancy.

Fashion / Appearance

When you break into your Nuttzo jar, you may or may not have to stir the oil and butter together, but that’s about as much work as you need to do. The rest of your effort consists of grabbing a spoonful or knife full of nut butter and spreading it on your confection of choice.

Bread, bagels, rice cakes or tortilla shell will take your Nuttzo butter with ease. Depending on smooth or chunky style, Nuttzo spreads uniformly or stays on your utensil long enough to lick it off. It looks appealing, although different than the typical regular peanut butter products. You will see the specks of different colors that look like spice flakes mixed in the butter, but are from all seven of the different nuts mixed in.

Fit / Function

So, it may seem more healthy and works like regular peanut butter, but how does it taste?

Yes, natural nut butter is a different taste than your usual processed peanut butters. It takes a little getting used to going from sugars and vegetable oils to nuts only with sea salt. It won’t be as sweet and you may actually need a few meals to get used to it, but have faith that your taste buds will come around and you won’t remember what you are missing from the sugar loaded regulars.

We tried it in oatmeal, protein shakes, PB&J sandwiches, on bagels, bread, tortilla shells, with and without jelly and pretty much any way you can eat nut butter. It was filling and served the same nutritional requirements that we demanded from our processed peanut butters, but without some of the crud.

It’s amusing when you stop to think that the healthy items we eat may actually not be as exciting taste wise, but the reason is the natural existence of products are not jammed with sugar to make you crave it. There’s a reason why lab rats are more addicted to oreo cookies than crack cocaine.

Cost

Depending on your style, you could get Nuttzo direct from their site from $12.99 to $19.99 for a 16 ounce jar. You can also buy in stores locally or get a deal ordering in bulk from their site. You can get the regular peanut butter from $4 and up, but you get what you pay for. You are getting a discount for the mass production of a food product with additives to make it last longer on the shelves and be more visually appealing, not necessarily to make it more healthy.

We’re not judging. If you like your skippy or jiff, and they have “natural” versions, by all means go for it. Just check the labels. True natural nut butter will only contain nuts and salt, that’s it. Anything else is not for the benefit of your health.

Final thoughts

Nuttzo is a great option for those of us triathletes addicted to peanut butter as it’s a very quick and accessible source of appetite quenching and training nutrition. Too much processed peanut butter can contribute to an unhealthy serving of sugar and hydrogenated vegetable oil. Nuttzo is peanuts and sea salt, period. Simple and effective. You can’t pig out on it, but after you get accustomed to the taste of natural nut butter, you will never look back and can rest easy that you are satisfying those ridiculous requirements of your training diet at the peak of your ironman training. Quick, nutritious and a great energy source.

Disclaimer

* Writer's note - Nuttzo provided a sample of nut butter for this review at no cost and did not influence this review.

Product Review : FlapJacked Protein Pancake Mix

If you’re at all interested in eating better (http://www.examiner.com/article/avoid-processed-foods-for-proper-triathlon-and-endurance-sports-training) to go along with all those hours you swim, bike and run, then you have probably realized the importance of breakfast. Don’t think that just heading out the door on instant oatmeal or a slice of toast with jelly is going to get you through an hour of swimming AND get you to lunch without a serious wall at some point.

But, how do you make sure you are getting what you need from your breakfast without the empty calories that the great tasting, yet nutritional lacking donuts, processed pancake mix or some syrup slathered french toast might offer?

You could go basic with old fashioned oats and adding in supplements like flax seed and protein powder to make sure you are getting enough fuel to get you to the next meal without a severe crash and burn. Or, you could find products already geared towards the health conscious in mind. That’s how we found FlapJacked.

Forget about trying to figure out all of the ingredients you need and where to find the most natural components for a sustainable breakfast, and then mixing is all together. Just grab a bag of FlapJacked and start cooking. That’s what we did with a sample box of their 3 main flavors. Read on to find out what we thought about FlapJacked from an Ironman athlete perspective and a family with small children perspective.

Packaging / Shelf Appeal / Marketing

When you look at their website, Facebook and other social marketing outlets, they are uniform, clean and crisp and appealing. Their logo ties into their family values and all of their graphics are very high quality. It’s not a cracker box website.

One issue is finding the products in person. Unless you live in Colorado, you will be buying online. That’s not a bad thing, but you won’t be able to handle, sniff and grope their packages in person until the postman delivers.

Once you get the pouch in your hands, you will get a glossy plastic pouch that is re-sealable and very visually appealing. It’s also convenient to carry around, travel with and store.

The actual powder is very similar to your run-of-the-mill pancake mix. The various flavors do have their own tinges of color depending on the spices or ingredients mixed in, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary. It’s also not a one size fits all operation at FlapJacked. They offer mix portions in a 4 oz, 12 oz and 24 oz size pouches to accommodate families or groups of any size. Want more than just the standard buttermilk pancake mix? Well, FlapJacked has buttermilk, banana hazelnut and cinnamon apple. They also have mix tips to add your own flavors to their mixes to make even more flavors at home.

Want more than just pancakes? FlapJacked web site contains numerous recipes using their mixes that achieve the same nutritional goals and you don’t need much more past their protein pancake mix. One stop shop and it’s not pancakes every morning. They hook you in and won’t let you go.

Form / Construction

FlapJacked created their protein pancake recipe with the following standards in mind:
NO GMO ingredients
NO Preservatives
NO Artificial color
NO Artificial flavoring
NO Artificial ANYTHING

They smartly use coconut flour, whole oats and whey isolate protein powder. It’s subtle, but using more “natural” ingredients such as these instead of the large corporate manufacturing components often littering pancake mixes will result in better sustained energy, feeling fuller longer and putting more good than bad down your gullet.

From a mixture perspective, FlapJacked contained everything our family looks for in a healthy breakfast. We avoided pancakes in the past due to the processed mixes do not have the ingredients we wanted and the time and cost it took to make a mix from scratch to get what we wanted in our pancakes and to get them to taste right.

Fashion / Appearance

When you mix them up, cook them and serve them, they look as appealing as any pancake commercial out there.

Just as with any pancake mix, you can add and subtract water to make the pancakes more or less moist, crumbly or whatever you need to get the food in your mouth.

There’s really nothing different than other pancake mixes after you cook them up. It’s all up tp the cook to not burn them or cook them just right. Obviously if you are cooking up the cinnamon apple mix or another recipe, the color will vary depending on what’s mixed in.

Fit / Function

When it’s all said and done, if the food isn’t good, what’s the point in eating it? Sure, you might want to think of eating as “eating to live” and not “living to eat”, but surely most of us want to enjoy what we throw down our throats.

Well, FlapJacked fits the bill. We tried all three flavors they had to offer and we ranked them in order of our taste:
1. Cinnamon Apple
2. Buttermilk
3. Banana Hazelnut - we did add chocolate chips to this one

They served us well to keep our family of four on the run for a Saturday and a Sunday until lunch. We ate, we cleaned, we ran errands, we played outside, we worked out and we had no hunger issues getting from breakfast to snack and lunch.

We fed two adults, 1 kindergartner and 1 toddler with three-12oz packs amply for two mornings. It was almost a free-for-all getting enough pancakes of our favorite flavors. Luckily no one lost a finger or hand in the testing of these pancake mixes.

As mentioned, FlapJacked pancake mixes contain ingredients we look for when making our breakfast choices. Instead of creating a mix from scratch and finding all of the ingredients to make our pancakes, we just had to open the pouch, add water and cook.

Cost

If you can buy in person, the prices range from $3.99 to $19.99 before tax. If you have to order online, you will need to account for shipping unless you order $24.99 or more of products.

If you check out prices of mixes online, you can get around 28 oz for around $15. But, remember that’s not including the ingredients you might want with health in mind and limited protein content.

We found that pretty comparable to buying separate ingredients to make the mix healthy ourselves. It’s not all that absurd in price from what you could get from the store that’s not as healthy.

Final thoughts

We loved FlapJacked at our house. It serves the many roles that we require at our house. It serves as a simple breakfast, easily made, healthy ingredients, more protein than standard pancake mixes, sustainable energy for a triathlete training for an Ironman and fulfilling enough to get kids and adults to the next meal without hunger pains. It also appeals to adults and kids alike and magically the kids are eating something they think is a treat all the while the adults know it’s healthy and nutritious.

With 3 flavors and many recipes to choose from, consumers won’t get bored with the same ole FlapJacked every day and can find their favorites that keep them eating healthy.

Disclaimer

* Writer's note - FlapJacked provided the products for this review at no cost and did not influence this review.