My favortie protein bars

I really hate that protein is spelled with ‘i’ after the ‘e’ — how come it doesn’t follow spelling rules???  Grr….  

As busy as we all surely are, we inevitably have to eat on the go, whether it’s a full meal or just a snack.  I know I also have loads of food to get me through times when lunch or dinner is not even a light at the end of the tunnel.  Usually I have a baggy of raw almonds, some granola bars, perhaps some TJs ginger cat cookies, craisins or raisins, etc.  For something more substantial, I opt for a protein bar. 

I’ve tested my fair share, starting with PowerBars, trying out Clif Bars, and dabbling with the heavy-duty weightlifter type protein bars.  I, for one, actually revel the gritty powdery taste of the hard little bars.  I didn’t at first, but all that extra chew takes me longer to eat it and also forces me to guzzle water like no one’s business! 

The top 3 bars I like to keep around my house are as follows: 

1.  Promax Nutty Bar: Tastes like a butterfinger, I swear!  It’s so amazingly good.  It really is a treat.  But it also packs a wallop of 20g protein and leaves me fairly full if I need to eat this along with an apple for lunch.  I usually purchase these at Trader Joes or Target for around $1.29 per bar. 

Promax Nutty Protein Bar

Nutrition Stats 

Promax Nutrition

 

2) Next up is the Cookie Dough Balance Bar.  The flavor is slightly more subdued, but most definitely matches the raw cookie dough flavor.  It’s also a bit grittier and SMALLER than the Promax.  While I do really like this one, it doesn’t last quite as long.  My guess is because it’s only 2/3 the calories of the Promax.  Again, I buy these for about $1 at TJs or Target. 

Balance Cookie Dough Bar

Nutrition Stats 

Balance Nutrition

 

3) Last but not least, the Nugo Dark.  Duh.Duh.Duhhhhhh….  My bestie introduced me to this Vegan protein bar about 6 months ago citing that it tasted so freakin’ delicious and that I must try them.  Well, alrighty then.  And so I did. I was sold immediately.  This bar definitely leans more towards a granola bar and less towards a protein bar, but still has the chewy, more solid structure of a protein bar.  And it’s got some crunch!  Worst thing about this lil’ guy is I haven’t been able to find them in stores, forcing an online purchase and they are pricey…about $2 per bar (and then you have to factor in shipping, etc).  If you buy in bulk, that could help.  Oh and I do believe that Costco may have carried them once up a time and maybe they will again  

Nugo Dark

Nutrition Facts 

Nugo Dark Nutrition

 

I know Larabars are big in the blog world, but I haven’t tried them and quite honestly, based on the mixed reviews, I’m not sure I should???  What are your thoughts on that? 

Happy Friday blog world!  I hope you do something fabulous  

What’s your recommended or go-to protein bar?

A Blizzard in California?

More importantly Blizzard Butter in California… in July!  It surely must be Christmas!  After reading Courtney’s blog and her relentless taunting  (haha) of her coveted Saratoga PB Company Blizzard Butter, I demanded suggested we do a PB exchange!  I had recently bought 4 PB2′s from Netrition (minimum order) and had a few to spare  

After some very serious email exchanges on the merits of each flavor of peanut butter, we each settled on a trade that surely would make both our taste buds smile…err yeah For Courtney, the original PB2 and for me, Blizzard Butter which is white chocolate peanut butter that she buys from her local Farmer’s Market in Saratoga, NY (long plane ride for me from Cali to NY ) 

The precious (recycled, ahem, Courtney ) box arrived while I was in Denver.  It was prominently displayed when I arrived home Tuesday night and I tore it open with knife in hand.  Now as much as I wanted to dig right in, I couldn’t since my tummy was still doing kickboxing from the previous days food poisoning.  

However, the next morning, stomach pains in all, I was determined to taste the peanuty buttery goodness before leaving for work (..and I never eat before going to work). 

How you doin'? (Said in voice of Joey from Friends)

 

The container feels good…will it taste good? 

Yep, I better taste you to make sure you survived your journey

 

I’m going in au natural — gimme a spoon and let me taste it.  No other foods to taint the flava! 

Verdict? WIN!

 

Wooohooo!  Loves it!  I thought it would be super sweet, but it was actually a nice mild flavor with hints of chocolate and a really great slightly crunchy peanut butter taste.  Now I’d like to try every flavor!    Just so I can be fair, you know…  Oh and the other thing I found interesting was that in 2 tbsps, there are 199 calories.  I found this amusing..not 198, not 200, but 199.  Cute  

If you see that I move to Saratoga, don’t be surprised! 

Do you have a local nut butter you want to share with me???  Have you tried Blizzard Butter?

It’s a weighty matter

Do you want to really delve into a sensitive topic?  Let’s talk about your weight, shall we?  How much do you weigh?  [Insert cricket noises, here]  Yep, that’s what I thought

Beware of rambling, no-direction blog post ahead:

In a good handful of food blogs out there, lovely women have owned their weight as a number, but not let it define who they are.  Many of you have had struggles with EDs and are willing to share your journey with the blog community.  Some may be trying to lose weight for their Big Day or are trying to bulk up a thinner frame.  Whatever the situation, I appreciate the honesty of what people are willing to write for the world to see.  Let’s face it, we are putting ourselves out there by writing public blogs.  We are subject to criticism and praise alike.  And sometimes we may just get an observation from a commenter that makes us go, “hmmm.”

I received the following comment yesterday and I was pleased that she felt comfortable and forthcoming writing to me:

I just read your post on Tina’s blog- 115 pounds at 5’4″??? You are a VERY pretty young woman but you look like a skeleton. I’m 5’4″ also but am 130- you could stand to gain a number of pounds. (Oh and I’m very trim now- the last time I tried to be less than 120 I had an ED).

She is referring to this post: http://carrotsncake.com/2010/07/my-weight-loss-journey-2.html  I sincerely  hope she doesn’t think I’m calling her out by reposting this, but it is also on my ‘About Me’ page, regardless.

I had to stop and think about this though.  Yesterday I was feeling particularly ‘pudgy’ mostly because I had food poisoning the night before and my belly was distended like a 7mo old pregnant woman.  FYI, I’m not preggers.  My weight yesterday was right at 115lbs.  The fact that I am broadcasting this is NOT the norm for me.  I’m guarded about my weight because I feel there are so many thinner people out there who are more fit and remain healthy but are able to stay a  lower weight.  But while I was feeling ‘pudgy’ here I received a comment that perhaps my weight was too low.  Is my body image that skewed?  The answer is, quite possibly yes.  I don’t doubt that I am plagued with more than a wee bit of Body Dysmorphic Disorder and this comment is prodding some soul-searching.

This past Christmastime I weighed 109lbs.  I felt good about my body and was happy with its shape and tone.  My lowest weight at this height was 103 lbs when I was around 23 yrs old and that was not a pretty sight   I looked rather gaunt and wasn’t working out so I just looked bony and breakable.  Okay, here is where truth comes to bear.  My heaviest weight at this height came after my Freshman year in college (or was it my Sophomore year?) when I weighed in at 144 lbs.  EEEK!  I say eek because all through high school I maintained a  weight under 120lbs so that was a huge jump.  It came from going off the meal plan, eating nothing but carbs, no exercise, stress, and a medication that was proven to stilt your metabolism.  Oye.  Not good. 

It took going off the medicine and incorporating regular exercise and more balanced eating to lose about 15 of those pounds.  By 22 yrs old, I was closer to 121lbs I believe.  (Yes, note by 23, I had dropped nearly 20 lbs to that unhealthy 103)

Several years ago, I read in a nutrition magazine that a good barometer for height and weight for women is at 5 ft tall, you should be 100lbs.  For every inch taller, add 5 lbs.  If that were to hold true, my ideal weight is 122.5lbs.  This is just a guideline.  Surely you want to have a healthy BMI, good blood pressure, low cholesterol, etc.  Nevertheless this little ‘rule’ has stuck with me and I feel like I enter the snake-pit if I reach 123 lbs or more. 

My weight fluctuates tremendously even day-to-day.  I’m talking 2-4 lbs each day.  Crazy I know.  Maybe it’s water weight.  Maybe it’s my food baby.  Maybe it’s last night’s burrito.  Maybe, maybe, maybe… Despite the source it drives me bonkers.  So you’d think I wouldn’t get on the scale every day, but I do.  I like to be in control and check in with my progress.  The scale does not define me, but it sure does impact my mood.  If I’m up a pound, I’ll be slightly cranky all day.  If I’m down a few pounds, I jump around like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh.  I know I’m not alone here.  That being said, I don’t condone or encourage anyone to be a slave to the scale.  It is just something I do that I am slowly working on relaxing.

Back to my weight though.  I’m somewhat small-boned and apparently rather petite, which means more pounds are immediately noticeable on me.  I also have a hard time building muscle (perhaps due to years of inadequate amounts of protein), which frustrates me because then I don’t feel fit or feel like I look slim.  When I’m over 110lbs, I’ve never considered myself too thin.  In part because I have several friends who are my same height and weigh less than me and are 100% healthy, active, lovely women.  Is it a Californian thing?  Is it a woman thing?  I’m not sure.  It is a me-thing. 

I try to lead my life in a healthy manner.  I try to keep smart eating and indulging in a yin and yang.  I work out regularly, but not excessively (4x’s per week).  I have days where all I see are my large thighs.  I have days that I’m satisfied with my flat stomach.  I’m not a number on my bathroom scale, but I will continue to consult it.  And I know that higher self-confidence is the ticket for looking my best (…you see I know this, but can’t fully embrace it…). 

So I’m not really sure what is meant by this post, but I felt compelled to offer up a longer explanation to the comment I received above.  I’m appreciative of reality checks such as these.  Sometimes a little perspective can prompt big changes and one change I’d like to make is to not be so dependent on that red digital readout coming from my scale.

Are you a slave to the scale?  Are you a blogger that has posted her height / weight? (Fyi, I’m 5ft 4.5in)