There’s a new bar in town… well not so new. They’ve been around since 2011, but they are new to me; in fact, I stumbled upon them at only one grocery store chain here in Austin (Sprouts).  Maybe they’re at other stores, but I have yet to find them.

With dozens of different protein bar brands to choose from, deciding on which one is the best can be difficult.  But I’ll help you out and share with you THE number one Best Protein Bar around!  I’m raising the bar!  I have found no other protein bar that tops the RISE BAR.

What Makes the RISE Bar the best Protein Bar?

• 3-5 ingredients per bar
• Non- GMO ingredients
• USDA certified organic when possible
• Gluten-Free
• Balance of Proteins/carbs/sugars *(too often I find other protein bars with way too much sugar and all sorts of unnecessary ingredients).
• Does not contribute to bellyache like so many protein bars can
• Rise Breakfast and Fruit Bars do contain more ingredients than the protein bars*

SIMPLE INGREDIENTS

• Whey Protein Isolate
• Honey
• Almonds

There are a variety of flavors, and each protein bar contains 3-5 ingredients.  The Honey Almond Rise Bar is my personal favorite with just the three ingredients from above.

If you haven’t already tried the Rise Bar, here’s my advice:

• Raise the Bar…
• Rise the Bar…
• Rise above…
• Be wise – Rise…
• Ahh… JUST EAT IT 🙂

Check out their blog and order your Rise Bar via their site.  Click here.

*I have no affiliation with Rise Bar. I simply am a fan and a Protein Bar Snob… my belly is picky.

The post RISE Bar | Protein Bar Review | The Best Protein Bar Around! appeared first on Gear Mashers.

A while back I received an email about some nutritional bars called Naked Bar. The name obviously provoked a bit of a reaction and so I was intrigued as to what these Naked Bars were all about.

As it turns out, the Naked Bar is actually one of several Naked products produced by a company called Naked Nutrition. The company’s goal is to provide the purest natural supplements possible without additional manmade additives or junk.

Naked Bar

The Naked Bars pack a whopping 15g of protein in every bar and contain only 5 or 7 ingredients depending on flavor. For those who have an intolerance to Gluten or Soy, rejoice because the bars are both Gluten and Soy free. The bars also don’t contain sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners, so you know you’re only getting the best ingredients.

Warning: For those who have peanut reactions, I would advise staying away from the bars because the factory that produces them also processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, and soy.

Currently the bars come in 2 flavors, Chocolate Almond and Peanut Butter.

Naked Bar Chocolate Almond Flavor

Naked Bar Peanut Butter Flavor

Ryan over at Naked Nutrition sent over a box of both Chocolate Almond and Peanut Butter for me to test out.

Usage

After several weeks of eating them after workouts, at lunch and a few other occasions, I think the bars did a great job of providing a good nutritional snack, which settled any food craving I had. I never experienced any stomach discomfort or issues.

I wouldn’t recommend the bars for cyclists who want something to eat while riding because of the texture and chewiness, but I do recommend them post ride as a good recovery bar.

I also wouldn’t recommend them for runners during runs, but certainly afterward.

Packaging

One of my pet peeves pertains to packaging and the ability to open it. For Naked, this clearly isn’t an issue, as it was easy to open the bar’s packaging each time I tried. Simply tear the top portion of the package and you could easily access the bars.

Flavors

The bars don’t come off particularly sweet given their ingredients but are certainly acceptable. I did find that it was helpful having some liquid to wash them down with as they were a bit chewy.

As far as flavors go, I think I preferred the Peanut Butter over the Chocolate Almond, but that really boils down to personal preference. I am a peanut butter kind of guy.

The Chocolate Amond flavor kind of reminds me of a chocolate bar that has more chocolate and less sugar. Somewhere along the lines of a 70 to 80% Dark Chocolate bar. It comes off a bit bitter, but not overly so.

I think it would be cool to have a mixture of peanut butter with chocolate for a bar flavor choice. Maybe it could be created with 4 stripes, 2 chocolate and 2 peanut butter.

Price Point

Naked Nutrition’s price point for bars seems pretty reasonable for what you’re getting. At roughly $2.50 a bar (If you buy a 12 bar box), it’s not a bad investment for your bodies nutritional needs.

Cost Breakdown

Naked Nutrition sells the bars in either a sample pack of 2 for $5.99 or a 12 bar box for $29.99. For those who are looking to save a little money, the company also has a subscription plan that can save 5% off of retail.

You can also save on shipping costs if you purchase more than $49.00 worth of Nutritional products (Standard Mail: Free Shipping On All Order Over $49.)

Naked Nutrition Protein Powders

For those that have other nutritional needs, Naked Nutrition also sells a large selection of pure protein powders including  Grass-Fed Whey Protein, Pea Protein Powder, and Organic Brown Rice Protein Powder.

If you are looking for a company that has some pretty legit nutritional powders and bars, you should definitely visit Naked Nutrition.

The post Naked Nutrition In A Bar appeared first on Gear Mashers.

So you want some nutrition for your workouts and you aren’t exactly sure what to get, then Skratch Labs might be your answer.  Allen Lim, the founder of Skratch Labs, literally started from scratch when he founded the Boulder, Colorado company.

Allen started making his own training food and sports drinks from scratch for the cyclists he worked with because too many of the pre-packaged sports bars and drinks that were marketed by other companies or given to them were laden with artificial ingredients and literally making them sick to their stomach.

Skratch Labs Reading Zone

Beyond Skratch’s sports nutrition, Allen teamed up with Chef Biju Thomas and wrote a cookbook called “The Feed Zone” to teach people how to cook fresh simple meals for themselves using real wholesome ingredients.

After the success of the Feed Zone, Allen teamed up with Chef Biju Thomas again to write Feed Zone Portables.  Another fantastic book written for those who wish to create quick portable meals.

Kathleen and I met the Skratch Labs team at the running event (TRE) a few years back and have used their products ever since.  It’s sort of become a tradition to not only visit the Skratch Labs booth at various events, but to really go out of our way to eat and drink everything they have to offer.  We are talking to the point of becoming that character in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life “A thin mint” scene or is it the “Bring Me A Bucket” scene.  OK maybe not to the point of throwing up, but we sure were full.

One of our all time favorite things to do at the TRE expo is locate the Skratch Lab booth and track down the delicious Skratch cookies they were serving.   Every time they created a new batch, they would blow a horn announcing their arrival.  Swarms of people would come from all over the convention center and descend on Skratch lab booth.

Beyond the cookies we also consumed a large quantity of Fruit Drops and the Hydration Mix.

Check out Skratch Labs Website and their entire lineup of nutrition.

The post Skratch Labs Reading Zone appeared first on Gear Mashers.

Recently we reviewed an Endurance powered mix from a company called Tailwind Nutrition.  Well they have just launched a 2nd product in their nutritional line called Rebuild Recovery.

Tailwind Nutrition Background

To recap and give you a little background on the company.  The founder, Jeff Vierling, was looking for a product that he could use in endurance evens like the Leadville 100 that didn’t cause an upset stomach.  After several attempts he and his wife eventually came up with a formula that worked and formed a company called Tailwind Nutrition.  The company is currently based in Durango, Colorado, a much less expensive location than Boulder.

Tailwind Nutrition Rebuild Recovery Mix

What makes the Rebuild Recovery mix a bit unique is it’s patent-pending perfectly complete protein formulation.   It’s a combination of an organic rice and coconut milk-based vegan formula that is specially designed to restore your energy and recover muscles after exercise.

The Rebuild Recovery formula is based on essential building blocks your body needs after a workout including carbohydrates, amino acids, electrolytes, and protein.  These help to replace depleted glycogen stores, balance your
metabolism, and rebuild broken down muscle fibers

You might be saying to yourself

“Well other recovery drinks do that too, so what makes Tailwind’s Rebuild, so unique”

From my experience any drink mix post workout that contains both protein and carbohydrates will help you recover faster than drinking water or not eating right after a workout.  What I like about the Rebuild formula is it is super easy to mix and tastes surprisingly good.

For those who are Gluten intolerant, are Vegans, can’t consume Soy or Dairy, Rebuild has been specifically designed for your needs, which can’t be said for many recovery drinks.

Rebuild Recovery was formulated to be consumed in the first 30 minutes after exercise, the so-called “golden hour”, enhancing your bodies need for glycogen replenishment and/or energy restoration.

Currently the Rebuild Recovery mix is available in individual serving sized packages in both Chocolate and Vanilla flavors.  I haven’t seen any larger bags with multiple servings, but I assume Tailwind will also make those.

The individual Rebuild stickpacks will retail for $3 and the Rebuild Recovery mix will be available on the Tailwind Nutrition website next week.

Bottom Line – Tailwind Nutrition Rebuild Recovery Mix

Tailwind killed it with their Rebuild Recovery powder.  To say it taste good doesn’t do it justice.  You really have to experience it for yourself.

I was really surprised how well it mixed with water and how good the taste was.  I didn’t find any weird after taste or chalky feeling.  After drinking it, cleanup was a snap without any sticky residue.

I have to say the Rebuild mix is now my favorite post recovery drink mix.

You can pickup the Tailwind Endurance Fuel on Amazon and the Rebuild Recovery will most likely be available as well.

Check out Tailwind Nutrition’s website for more information.

Tailwind Nutrition Review (2018)

Endurance Tap and Untapped Maple Syrup Energy Review

The post Tailwind Nutrition Rebuild Recovery Mix Review (2018) appeared first on Gear Mashers.

Ever since I can remember peanut butter has been in my life.  Peanut butter crackers, peanut butter and apples, peanut butter and banana and my favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or PBJs.   Yet in all those years the main ingredient was just the simple peanut.

The NuttZo Package Arrives

A few months back my wife and I were at a wedding and we got to talking to a friend of ours who happens to be NuttZo or rather a distributor for NuttZo.  Anyway the product sounded really interesting and soon after talking and a few weeks a package arrived in the mail full of Nuttzo goodness.

Funny story.  I went into the kitchen to grab one of the NuttZo Bold Bitez bars (They are NEW by the way) to try out and my wife looks at me and says you are going to be Boated to Bits.  Apparently she thought I already had one and that somehow they would make me Bloated, which I never get.  Ok maybe it isn’t that funny.  I guess you had to be there.  Still the look on her face and the way she said it made me laugh and want to write it down.

What’s The Deal With NuttZo?

My mother used to say everything in moderation including moderation or at least that is how I remember it.  She also would remind me that I should eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.  Well at NuttZo they apply that same logic to peanut butter or in their case, NuttZo spread.

NuttZo uses a combination of up to 10 different organic ingredients in their nut butter recipe. Each ingredient carries a nutritional profile that, when combined together, creates an awfully delicious and nutritious snack.  SERIOUSLY!

Why Are They So NuttZo?

The makers of NuttZo wanted to spice things up a bit by blending various nuts and seeds into a yummy mix that can easily substitute for the old standard peanut.  The ingredients they chose all have beneficial properties including

• Almonds – Organic Almonds contain protein and Vitamin E! Almonds are one of nature’s most perfect foods, offering magnesium as well as potassium, calcium, and fiber.
• Brazil Nuts – Organic Brazil Nuts are best known for being the number one plant source of the mineral selenium and sulfur-bearing amino acids.
• Cashews – Organic Cashews contain magnesium, manganese, selenium and zinc.
• Celtic Sea Salt – Rich in trace minerals.
• Chia Seeds – Organic Chia Seeds are an Aztec Superfood and are the best-known source of plant-based Omega 3s ALA. 60% of a Chia seed is composed of essential fatty acids and are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
• Dark Chocolate – Organic 70% Dark Chocolate from PERU. NuttZo’s dark chocolate is full of flavonoids, which are compounds that act as antioxidants and protect cells from harmful free radicals.
• Flax Seed – Organic Flaxseed have the richest source of lignans, 100 times more than the next best source, wheat bran.
• Hazelnuts – Organic Hazelnuts exhibit the highest folate (Vitamin B9) content of any tree nut.
• Pumpkin Seeds – Organic Pumpkin Seeds are a nutritional power pack that contain healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fiber, plus important nutrients.
• Peanut – Organic Peanuts provide over 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients and are a natural source of niacin, folate, fiber, magnesium, vitamin E, manganese and phosphorus. They also are naturally free of trans-fats and sodium, and contain about 25% protein.
• Sunflower Seeds – Organic Sunflower Seeds are little bursts of power.  In addition to linoleic acid, sunflower seeds are also an excellent source of dietary fiber and amino acids.

The NuttZo Taste Test

Well for those who love the nuttier side of life, you will certainly enjoy NuttZo’s lineup.  It tastes really good and adds a little bit of spice to the plain peanut butter day in day out routine.

The NuttZo concoction spreads evenly and doesn’t seem to clump up after being refrigerated like some peanut butters do.  So I give it a full thumbs up.  The only downside and yes there is a downside is the price over normal peanut butter.  Look to pay about double the price over your average brand.  I did notice I used less spread partly because of the price and partly because I wanted the jar to last longer.  In the end the combination of different nuts and using less spread is probably better for me anyway.

Bold Bits Be NuttZo

The Bold Bits are a rather strange creature.  They need to be refrigerated, which kind of limits their use to your home or in a cooler.

I totally dig their taste, but the texture can be problematic because they tend to fall apart.  It sort of reminds me of eating a butter finger without all the sugar.  The bars can flake in bits leaving crumbles as you eat.  Since there are ingredients such as flaxseeds in them, you will also have to watch out for some of the small seeds lodging between your teeth.

Probably not the best thing to eat before a first date or a job interview.  Of course if you are married, you can go for it with style and just see how long it takes for your significant other to start laughing and pointing at your teeth or rather what is logged between them.  Yes I did experience that exact situation.  Of course I just laughed it off and proceeded to make fun of her toes.

Bloat Section

So do Nuttzo’s make bloat, not according to my Nuttzo wife who tends to bloat after eating peanut butter and looks a little bit like Violet from the Willie Wankas Chocolate factory who eats the gum and blows up like a big BLOATED blueberry.  My wife had no bloat and gives Nuttzo 2 thumbs up!

Bottom Line – Nuttzo For Nuttzo

Check out Nuttzo (https://www.nuttzo.com/), so you can get a little Nuttzo yourself.

The post Going Nutso For NuttZo Review (2018) appeared first on Gear Mashers.

A few months ago I received a package from Tailwind Nutrition in the form of their Endurance Fuel (Berry).   With all the companies that produce nutritional aids for athletes there are lots of choices and it can certainly get a bit confusing, so the bag sat on my shelf for a while.

Over the last 2 weeks I have been using Tailwind’s powder for my indoor trainer rides and I have to say I am impressed.  The taste (Berry) is great and at least for me, zero stomach issues.  The powder mixes easily with water and leaves little residue once mixed.

Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel

As one who has participated in various Ironmans and even the Leadville (100 miles of running), nutrition is super important to excel at peak performance.

When I raced Leadville in 2009, I went with 16 other people and only 1/2 of our group finished.  Of the 8 DNFs in our group, nutrition played a major role in not finishing.  Of the ones that did finish, all but top racer still had nutritional issues during the race.

Personally I slug along for the last 50 miles feeling like I was going to lose my cookies.  Just thinking about it still makes me feel a bit queasy.  Obviously my nutrition plan didn’t work as I had wanted it to, so I am always on the lookout for nutritional aids.

Tailwind Nutrition

Tailwind Nutrition hails from Durango, Colorado and the founder, Jeff Vierling, was looking for a way to fuel up during endurance events that wouldn’t result in an upset stomach and as a result cause a DNF somewhere on the course.

Tailwind makes a powder mix specifically designed for endurance events and it comes in a self serve 200 calorie stick pack and a 30 serving bag.

You can buy Tailwind in a stick pack bundle ($17.50), Individual bags ($35.99) and multi-pack bags for ($130.00).  Tailwind also makes a caffeinated mix for ($38.99).

To use the powder, simply mix it with water.  Each scoop contains 100 calories and for a 24 ounce bottle you should add 2-3 scoops for best results.  For events that last an hour or more it is recommended to use roughly 2 scoops per hour.

• Convenient and Easy To Use.
• Lightweight: Lightweight, portable stick packs- Just add the powder to water and go.
• All Natural Ingredients – Non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free! Easy to Digest.
• No Gut Bombs: No gut bombs, cramping, bloating or upset stomach.
• Tasty All Day: Light refreshing flavor that develops the longer you go! Delicious- cold or HOT! Dissolves completely. Rinses cleanly out of bottles and hydration packs, with no artificial colors.
• Simple and Complete: Your sole fuel source- no need to supplement with gels, electrolyte chews, or pills.
• Made in the USA: Owned, operated, formulated and hand-prepared in Durango, Colorado

Natural Ingredients And Organic Flavors

Non-GMO Dextrose (Glucose), Non-GMO Sucrose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sea Salt, Organic Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate, Organic Caffeine (Caffeinated flavors only).  Gluten free/vegan/no soy/no dairy

Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel Bottom Line

Tailwind Nutrition seems to have done their homework and the fuel seems to work as designed.  I did find it a bit more sticky than some other powders I have used, especially if you have multiple scoops in your bottle.

The powder mixes really well with water and is easy to clean when done.

You can pickup Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel on Amazon.

Check Out Tailwind Nutrition’s Website (https://www.tailwindnutrition.com) for more information.

Tailwind Nutrition Rebuild Recovery Mix Review (2018)

Endurance Tap and Untapped Maple Syrup Energy Review

The post Tailwind Nutrition Review (2018) appeared first on Gear Mashers.

At the end of November we attended an expo as media called The Running Event or TRE for short.  There we met two rather unique companies called Endurance Tap (https://endurancetap.com/) and Untapped (https://untapped.cc), who produce maple syrup energy products for athletes.

Now I bet you were thinking “maple syrup? Isn’t that for pancakes and waffles?”  Well as it turns out maple syrup is an excellent all natural sugar source that is an alternative to the many non natural / artificial sugar substitutes and certainly better for you.  There has been countless articles and studies on the effects of artificial sugar substitutes and how they are bad for you.

Endurance Tap Review

In early 2014 Canadians Matt and Pat of Endurance Tap set out on a mission to make an all natural simple digestible food source for endurance athletes.  After testing and several attempts they settled in on just 3 ingredients including proprietary ginger, Canadian maple syrup and sea salt.

As an endurance athlete I can tell you that race day nutrition plays a vital role in overall performance.  Do it right and the glory is yours, do it wrong and a good day can quickly turn sour on you and your stomach.

To help combat race day nutritional issues ginger and sea salt were added to the maple syrup mix.  Ginger aids in settling stomach issues and the sea salt helps replenish lost salts due to sweating.  I have experienced both in an Ironman event and it’s never fun if you’re not able to cope with your nutritional needs and your stomach is going haywire.  Just a little bit of salt can do wonders for your performance after sweating out a lot.

Why Use Ginger?

The word ginger comes from the ancient Sanskrit singabera, meaning ‘shaped like a horn’.  It was first mentioned around the 5th century BC when Confucius wrote about it.   Medicinally it has been used in the West for at least 2000 years and in that time it has shown the capacity to help with various ailments due to it’s anti-inflammatory properties.

Why Add Salt?

During an endurance event, unless you’re walking, you are going to sweat and depending on how fast and far you go, that can be quite a lot.  Performance tends to decline over time with the loss of calories and electrolytes.  The combination of salt and maple syrup helps replenish these losses, allowing you to perform longer and stay stronger.

Endurance Tap Products

Currently Endurance Tap has a single nutritional product that they call the Salted Maple Energy Gel.  In reality it’s syrup rather than a gel, but for marketing purposes it makes sense to call it a gel.  Each gel or syrup pack contains 100 calories, which is roughly the typical amount for an energy gel pack.

Endurance Tap sells the Gels in orders of 6, 12 and 24 at a starting price of $17.35 plus shipping.

Untapped Review

Untapped hails from Richmond Vermont and got it’s start in late 2013 when founders, professional cyclist Ted King and the Cochran family of professional alpine skiers, naturally gravitated to the organic simplicity of maple syrup.

Why Maple Syrup?

• Maple syrup is low glycemic. Containing all natural sugars, maple syrup provides prolonged, sustained energy rather than offering a quick burst and subsequent crash like many adulterated sports sweeteners.
• Maple syrup contains Calcium, Riboflavin, Manganese, Zinc, and Potassium. These inherent components of maple syrup promote energy production, muscle recovery, and help prevent cramping.
• Maple syrup features more than fifty antioxidants. This cocktail of polyphenols have powerful free radical fighting properties. Foods with similar qualities include berries, green tea, red wine, and flaxseeds.
• Maple syrup contains amino acids, which help prevent muscle deterioration.
• Maple syrup is water soluble making it easy to digest, quick to absorb, and no more gut-rot from downing chemical-laden energy gels! Plus it’s a cinch to clean up; just rinse with water. Alternative sports gels are like tar to clean up.

Untapped sells both Gel packages and Waffle maple syrup products and have additional flavors including coffee and raspberry.  While the Gel packs contain pure maple syrup, the maple waffles do have other ingredients and oils.

Endurance Tap and Untapped Maple Syrup Energy | Bottom Line

It’s exciting to know there are two companies out there producing great all natural alternatives to energy gels.  For those looking to boost their performance and have had issues with other gel products, these may be your next secret weapon.

As someone who is a big fan of pancakes and waffles and loves maple syrup, I have to say these will probably be my go to products for endurance events.  I love the absolute simplicity of the product and that it is derived naturally from maple trees.  It’s pretty much a win/win.

As far as packaging goes, in a marathon I would probably opt for untapped’s typical gel packaging, but for cycling and ultras, the Endurance Tap resealable caps are really appealing.

Check out both Endurance Tap (https://endurancetap.com/) and Untapped (https://untapped.cc) to gear up for your next big adventure.

The post Endurance Tap and Untapped Maple Syrup Energy Review appeared first on Gear Mashers.

Today we are talking yummy Baked Chicken Parmesan including of course Chicken, Cheese, Breadcrumbs, Butter and Marina Sauce.  Another great dish after a long day of cycling.

CHICKEN PESTO BAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• Breadcrumbs (1 cup)
• Grated Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup)
• Butter (1/2 stick)
• 1 Jar of Marinara Sauce
• 2 Boneless Chicken Breasts (Roughly 16 oz)

TOOLS

• Oven
• Bake Pan
• Small cooking pot
• Large Bowl
• Tin Foil
• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board

BREADCRUMB RECIPE

DIRECTIONS:

COOKED CHICKEN RECIPE

DIRECTIONS:

The post Baked Chicken Parmesan appeared first on Gear Mashers.

I love food, I am not a foodie per say, but some food dishes are just plain AWESOME.  Today we are talking Chicken, Pesto, Cheese and Tomatoes.  A great dish after a long day of cycling.

CHICKEN PESTO BAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• Basil
• Garlic (1 clove garlic)
• Grated Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup)
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (6 tbsp (1.5 oz))
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• Olive Oil (2 1/2 tbsp)
• 1  Tomatoes (Thinly Sliced)
• 2 Boneless Chicken Breasts (Roughly 16 oz)

TOOLS

• Oven
• Bake Pan
• Tin Foil
• Sharp Knife
• Food Processor like a Kitchen Aid
• Cutting Board

BASIL PESTO SAUCE RECIPE

DIRECTIONS:

COOKED CHICKEN RECIPE

DIRECTIONS:

The post Chicken Pesto Bake Recipe appeared first on Gear Mashers.