Q: Can you recommend some good protein bars? I’m constantly on the go, and I’m getting a little bored of the Zone bar. What do you suggest? Thanks!

– Sarah C.
(These are not Sarah’s exact words, btw. I [Haley] deleted her question by accident and this is what I remember, but anyway. THANKS SARAH!)

A: There are a lot of bars on the market and choosing one can be daunting and confusing. Although I think that protein bars serve a purpose, I wouldn’t suggest choosing a bar over good quality food. Here are some points you want to look for when choosing a protein bar.

Sugar Content:

Protein bars taste good because they usually contain a lot of refined sugars. Be sure to read the ingredient list in addition to checking the nutrient profiles to determine which sugars are naturally occurring and which ones are refined. FDA labeling laws require that all ingredients be listed in order of quantity used. If a refined sugar is within the first three ingredients it is not a good choice. Refined sugars: sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, chocolate, brown rice syrup and corn syrup. Bars with these ingredients are chocolate bars with protein powder added into them.

Saturated Fat:

Most protein bars contain a moderate amount of fat, usually anywhere from 2.5 – 10 grams of fat. This is not a bad thing unless the majority of fat is saturated. You can tell how many grams of fat are saturated by reading the food label. The saturated fats are coming from hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats as well as palm oil, palm kernel oil and other tropical oils which are oils you would want to stay away from. You want to check the ingredient list for these types of ingredients, too.

Calorie Breakdown:

The calorie breakdown will determine if the bar is either an a) protein bar; b) energy bar; c) meal replacement bar. A protein bar has approximately 25-30grams of protein usually coming from whey protein. An energy bar is mostly carbohydrates and is good for endurance athletes. A meal replacement bar usually has about 300-400 calories and has more carbs (25-40grams) than protein (10-15 grams).

Best “Clean” Bars Around:

There are a bunch of “clean” bars that are now on the market. The ingredients vary from dates, raisins, oats, flax, unrefined cane sugar, maple syrup, almonds and protein from soy or whey isolate. These bars are considerably more healthy for you and can be eaten more frequently than the usual protein bar.

Examples of “clean” bars: Elevate Me, Vega Energy Bars, Greens+ Express Bar and Daryl’s Hi-N-R-G Bar.

Enjoy! Lori

CHECK OUT LORI’S BIO HERE!

Got a nutrition question of your own, Gorgeouses? Ask LORI (click here to ask your question). LOVE!

So, I’ve been on this new diet lifestyle for 2 days now. It’s definitely agreeing with me and, after only two days, I can see the errors of my eating ways, and how gravely they were affecting me on so many levels — physical, emotional, energetic….

The only change Nutritionist, Lori, wants me to make this first week is breakfast. I’m supposed to eat one of the balanced breakfasts among her long list. So, two days in a row, I’ve had an egg, a piece of Ezekiel bread, an oz of cheese and an apple. Starting off with this balanced meal sets me up for the day. And, it’s quicker and easier to make than I thought it would be!

My friends don’t seem to understand just WHY I need to quit my Starbucks-chai-tea-latte breakfast — because, really, it’s not THAT BAD calorie-wise, and I DO take it with nonfat milk (or soy milk). But, the problem is, that evil drink SPIKES my blood sugar, throwing me out of balance. It’s a drug, A CRUTCH, for me — hence I chug it, am absolutely incapable of calmly sipping it. I IDENTIFY with this silly drink. It’s my ESCAPE. My cup of ADULT in this toddler/baby world I’m ensconced in.

Now that I realize all this, I have to change it. I canNOT depend on a drink to do all that for me. And, besides, BALANCE, I’m learning, and not ESCAPE is the way to go. When I have that chai, I crave sugar for the rest of the day — “pant pant pant sugar sugar gimme sugar where’s my sugar another chai need another chai more MORE MOOOOORE!” I CRAVE that HIGH ALL DAY. With a balanced breakfast, I crave balance all day, and the satisfied feeling that balanced breakfast gives me. Also, the balanced breakfast makes me more apt to recognize when I’m off balance — like right now, as a matter of fact, because I’m so tired from WAY overextending myself lately! MUST GET MORE SLEEP!

So, balance. Yoga off the mat. Don’t get me wrong, Gorgeouses, renouncing The Chai is NOT EASY, no matter how easy I make it sound! Today, Gorgeouses, I had to work HARD to resist her. I was a like a toddler whose favourite toy has been taken away. I WAAAAAAN IT, and I want it BAD. But, I persevered and managed to get through the day chai…FREE.

I always thought that “dieting” meant denying myself the things I love. But, the things I love are CRUTCHES, ADDICTIONS. And, I need to liberate myself from these addictions. Freedom is in the healthy foods, and not the stuff that WEIGHS US DOWN — the donuts, the cookies, the CHAAAAIIIIIs we WISH we could have copious amounts of!

I’m a yoga teacher. Time to get back on track as an example for my students. The goal is liberation. Freedom from the material. Renouncing that chai is an act of freedom. Goodbye CHAI. You suck arse.

So, HUGE NEWS, Kitchen Gorgeouses! Nutritionist LORI is going to motivate us with monthly contributions, to start. When she has more time, i.e., AFTER SHE HAS HER BABY, she’ll do more — perhaps WEEKLY!

Just so you know, Lori is AWESOME. So many of my friends are on her diet, and they SWEAR BY IT. She’s a “holistic nutritionist” — which means she has an eye on OVERALL health and not just on weight loss. You’ll love her.

More on Lori AND the diet later. For now, a recipe for a BALANCED breakfast that will make you feel as good as I do now. As Lori says, the first thing to do when you’re changing your lifestyle is to change your breakfast. Eat a balanced breakfast within one hour of waking up. Check it!

LORI’S SHAKE TO GO

Ingredients:

1/2 c rice milk (substitute 1% Regular Milk or Soy Milk)
1/4 c water
1 scoop protein powder (I use Hemp Protein powder because I’m a nutball….)
1/2 c blueberries
1 c strawberries
2 tsp flaxseed oil

Blend until smooth! Et VOILA! Enjoy.

I haven’t tried this recipe yet. But, I bought all the ingredients, see?!

Healthy healthy! And, low maintenance — I’m not, like, juicing or growing my own vegetables and sprouts. Will try it tomorrow.

NOTE: Not every diet suits everyone. What you’re reading here, of course, are my reflections. Talk to your doctor, of course, and don’t take these words as Truth. There is no truth. THERE IS NO SPOOOON!