Fitness Fun Fridays #15

Let me just start out by saying that the gym etiquette comments were probably the most fun comments that the universe has ever seen. Everyone had an individual story, and you guys covered alot of things that I missed... like water fountain loogie-ers and people that wear cologne and makeup to work out. Great stuff... like Mastercard priceless even :)

Well if you're reading this, then Blogger helped a brother out on my first MIA posting. As we speak (or read), I'm away on a short vacation in Buffalo, NY, visiting friends and relaxing until a semi-hectic week begins. I'm not sure if I said this before, but my school has two clinics, the one on Long Island near NYC (where I am), and this other one in Buffalo. So, my plan is to do what normal college kids do, which is go out and be awesome, all while maybe part taking in some Buffalo wings. What do they say? When in Rome...

So today is going to be a pretty short and sweet post, because you need to enjoy your Friday, and I need to go buy some Franks Red Hot... which is the hot sauce of choice in NY :)

Today is going to cover Protein/Meal Replacement Bars. Now, before I start... let me tell you I am not a big protein bar fan. Sure they are convenient, they are awesome for the car and traveling, they CAN be good for dieters (remember to watch calories)... but I just like whole food so much better. I'm a big eater, and these bars are about the size of a cell phone from early 2000. I'm hungry afterwards... like 5 minutes after. And there's no broccoli flavor, either.

I was just kidding about that. Veggie flavored bars would be pretty strange if you ask me.

However, when I'm on the go, or super busy... I do partake in protein bar consumption. And if you like them, that's cool too. My dad loves them, and thinks they are great for work, but he's always confused about the label. Ya know, that nutrition fact stuff. So let's sort this craziness out :)

We're going to tackle this in 3 steps. The first step is the easiest, then it gets a little more difficult as we go along... kinda like the levels in Tetris.

First, find a flavor you like. Choco-banana-mint-cheesecake-smore whatever. Whew, that was easy. Now get past the shiny wrapper and flip the bar over.

We are once again going to look at calories, fat, carbs, and protein. First make sure the bar has calories that fit in your 'diet budget', and then take a look at the individual numbers. You might be surprised to see how high some of these numbers are. Here is an example of a Clif Bar nutrition that I randomly pulled. 6 grams of fat isn't bad... that's fine for a meal, and the protein is good at 11 grams, but the problem here is the sugar content. 20 grams! Whoa, how did the the elves fit 20 grams in this thing? Do you know what other bars have about 20 grams of sugar? You may have heard of them...

Anybody care for a regular Hershey's or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups?

So, the moral of this story is to watch your sugar in these bars :) Sugar as you may have read in a prior FFF post, spikes your insulin, and can lead to fat gain. Look for bars that are low in sugar, and higher in fiber, which will make you feel more full, and slow down digestion. I'd say 5 grams of fiber or more is a good number to shoot for. Brands that I like that do this include Lara Bars, and some of the Luna and South Beach Bars. While some of their fat content is high, they are from natural sources (think like nuts or natural oils) and the carbs are equaled out with the fiber. Ingredients are important, which we'll tackle next.

Without going too crazy in depth, if you can't say the words, they are probably not good for you. Remember those commercials with the kids reading the ice cream ingredients? It's like that :) If you see partial hydrogenated anything, put it on the shelf. This is trans-fat, and is unhealthy no matter how you look at it. Your body can't break it down. It's like digesting a tin can, and you're not a goat :) Unfortunately, many of the bars have these kinds of oils, because they prolong shelf life, which can last up to years. It's a preservative. Just something to think about.

So are all protein bars bad? No of course not. Just like any other food, they can be part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle, especially when you're in a rush. Just make sure to read the labels, watch the sugar and funny words, and make sure the ingredients are as natural as possible. I know for a fact that VeggieGirl loves Lara Bars, and they are both organic and vegan. Dawn actually put up a review about some bars before, (see... men can remember things) and I would trust her with my health and tastebuds. Heck, her and I are taste-buds... get it haha :)

Sorry for the semi-rushed post, but that's all I have this week. A special thanks to everyone who has been supportive to me reaching 50 posts... I feel like everyone is really routing for me, like Rudy. If I'm not around to comment on your blogs, it's because I don't have a computer this weekend. The rest of my week is hectic as I travel to North Carolina, and then packing up my life and moving back to mom and dad in Albany. Just bear with me, and I'll be back to visiting and leaving funny comments as best I can :) Enjoy your weekend guys!