In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m compiling a list of all of the products that have stolen my heart. Between protein powders, bars, electrolytes, and gels, there seem to be a million and one options for everything. How do you know what tastes good AND has good ingredients? To save you from standing in the grocery store aisle reading every label, here are my favorites from each category.
Bars
GoMacro
A great option for those who are plant-based, these bars also nail it on the Macro distribution. Now, you know I’m not usually one to harp on macros, but like, these are just really great. I love the ratio of carbs to protein for recovery, so this is something great to take on the go with you after a workout!
RXbar
Similar to GoMacro, ingredients you can pronounce AND a great carb to protein ratio. I honestly shove these in my ski bag or in the door of my car a lot just to make sure I have something on hand that won’t melt or go bad.
KIND bar
A classic, am I right? I find these to be super satiating, AND they’re packed with all the good things that nuts provide - omega-3’s, magnesium, zinc, copper, and b-vitamins. Hint: a lot of these vitamins and minerals are key for injury recovery!
Bobo Bars
Okay, they’ve somehow managed to pack a whopping 60g of carbs into these bad boys, which is AMAZING for athletes. If you’re carb loading for a race, going for a long ride, or recovering from a long run workout, Bobo Bars are a secret weapon. I truly recommend them ALL the time.
Recovery protein powders
Hint: With recovery powders, we’re looking for something that has a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein - not JUST protein.
CLIF Shot Recovery
With a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein, this one is chef’s kiss for recovery. Plus, it has 250mg of sodium to help out with repleting those sodium losses!
Flow Recovery Drink Mix
An awesome vegan option with a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein. The cool thing about this mix is that it also contains tart cherry juice to help with inflammation after a tough workout.
Skratch Recovery Sport Drink Mix
This option is a bit higher in carbs and a little lower in protein, though it’s smooth and delicious and comes in a plant-based option as well. If you’re using this, I would recommend supplementing a bit with whey or pea protein to bump it up to 20-30g.
Protein powders
Klean Athlete
Tastes good. Has electrolytes. No notes.
Ascent
You guys, I exclusively used Ascent in my crossfit era because it tasted like the thickest, most delicious chocolate milk ever. The protein content sits right at that 25g sweet spot, too - hitting the middle of the range of that 20-30g post-workout recommendation.
Electrolytes
Liquid IV
Liquid IV has been the golden child of electrolytes over the past few years, but honestly there’s a good reason why - it’s sweet. It’s packed with 510mg of sodium. And before anyone says anything about the sugar content - YOU NEED IT if you’re an athlete!
LMNT
With a whopping 1000mg of sodium, this stuff is incredible for all my fellow heavy sweaters out there. OR if it’s just a really hot, really long day out there. It does taste a little salty, but somehow still delicious?
Precision Drink Mix
Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Precision Fuel’s Drink Mix has 60g of carbs AND 1000mg of sodium, making it great to use during exercise, or great for the day before a race!
Gels
Neversecond
What I love about Neversecond is that they have created a system of products that come in 30g increments of carbohydrates. This makes it an absolute no-brainer to get 30, 60, or 90g of carbs in (these are the recommendations for various lengths of exercise). Plus, they have 5 flavors to help prevent flavor fatigue.
Precision Fuel
Again, created in 30g increments, these gels make fueling super easy. They also have a really mild flavor to them if you prefer something that isn’t overly sweet.
Maurten 160
I know that the consistency of Maurten gels is polarizing, I KNOW. But I love it because I can swallow the gel in pieces, rather than having an ooey gooey mess get stuck in my throat. And now I love them even more because they have created a gel that has 40g of carbs in them!
Now, these are just a few of the things that I recommend the most! Of course, there are products that I recommend for athletes with special diets or considerations, but all in all, these are the ones that are usually at the top of my list for my clients. If there are any products that you think I need to know about, let me know!