Clif Builder Bars

[Janna414]

I've been purchasing the Clif Builder Bars instead of the P90x Bars. From what I can tell, when comparing the labels, the bars are nearly identical in nutritional information (270 cal, 8 g fat, 30 g carb, 20 g protein, 20 g sugar)....and bonus, can be bought cheaper.

Does anyone else use these bars instead? Is there any reason why I couldn't swap these out?

[Dave]

I've used Clif Builder Bars and the P90X bars. You are correct that the macronutrient contents are about the same. I think you'll find that the P90X bars have a little less processed stuff in them, but I honestly don't recommend either of them. These foods are heavily processed. Sometimes, you just don't have time to get in real food, but when you can you should really try. Nuts and trail mix make a great snack. Also, check out Larabars. They are full of whole food ingredients and don't have any processed (fake) foods in them. I'd love to sell you some P90X bars, but until they make something that is 100% good for you (20g of sugar is not on my list), I have to keep sending people to nuts, trail mix, and Larabars for their snack.

Dave

[Janna414]

Thanks Dave - I have noticed the lengthy list of ingredients....and wondered how good that really was for me. I think I'll try to switch to something else, and keep these onhand for when I'm in a pinch.

[Dave]

That's always my concern. Anything ending in "ose" or including the words "partially hydrogenated" is something I try to avoid.

[ipryor]

I have used the Clif Bars throughout my entire last year of P90X and other routines. I've loved having them as amy 10am snack everyday! However I do see the ingredients on there and i'd like to switch to something else that is natural with 20G of protein. Any good DIY substitutes? Granola woith protein powder?

[dhoyt86]

Natural Beef Jerkey would probably be a good substitute. Not from convenient store though... I would stick to what you can find in healthfood stores. I have seen a bunch that are 22g protein per serving.

I use Trader Joe's Raw Trek Mix for my 10am snack, but that's because I work out in the morning and I like getting the extra carbs around my workouts.

[Joe4560]

I've used Clif Builder Bars and the P90X bars. You are correct that the macronutrient contents are about the same. I think you'll find that the P90X bars have a little less processed stuff in them, but I honestly don't recommend either of them. These foods are heavily processed. Sometimes, you just don't have time to get in real food, but when you can you should really try. Nuts and trail mix make a great snack. Also, check out Larabars. They are full of whole food ingredients and don't have any processed (fake) foods in them. I'd love to sell you some P90X bars, but until they make something that is 100% good for you (20g of sugar is not on my list), I have to keep sending people to nuts, trail mix, and Larabars for their snack.

Dave

Hi Dave/Everyone,
i just signed up (through www.arizonafitclub.com and registered here as a member) and am really excited. I was also looking for some protein bars i could pick up locally in a store. i saw your comment about the Larabars, and Vitamin Shoppe has them but i noticed that these bars only have 5Gm of Protein and about 18Gm of Sugars. is this still recommended? i also saw you mentioned that Clif bars are not the greatest.

[JimNAZ]

Hi Dave/Everyone,
i just signed up (through www.arizonafitclub.com and registered here as a member) and am really excited. I was also looking for some protein bars i could pick up locally in a store. i saw your comment about the Larabars, and Vitamin Shoppe has them but i noticed that these bars only have 5Gm of Protein and about 18Gm of Sugars. is this still recommended? i also saw you mentioned that Clif bars are not the greatest.

Hi Joe,

Welcome to our family!

You are correct that Lararbars might not be the best source for a (high gram) protein bar. At the same time they are very good for a snack or something to grab when you can't eat what you normally do. As you will learn (very fast) on this forum, it is all about ingredients. You can't go wrong with a Lararbar when all that is in it is dates & nuts. (Of course they have a variety of flavors with some of them having a couple more ingredients, but all whole foods.) At first I was also concerned about the high carb count in these bars. But as Dave pointed out, it is from fruit, which is better than processed sugar and burns off more slowly.

I used to live off of Cliff Bars when I was going to school. Now I shy away from all those bars due to the large list of ingredients. If you haven't already, think about nuts as an alternative. They can pack away conveniently and a great source of protein and (good) fats.

Jim

[Joe4560]

thanks Jim. i went to Wal-mart (picked up yoga mat, gold's gym pull-up bar (couldnt do 1 pull-up) gold's gym bands (not sure they are the correct ones)) and then Vitamin Shoppe this past weekend and i was way overwhelmed. In VS i just picked up a Multi-Vitamin (not sure if thats ok) and saw all sorts of WHEY. im most concerned with a Recovery drink and Protein shake (not sure if needed though). i saw all sorts of WHEY. the VS rep was telling about a Recovery drink he uses (he makes it) which is a mix of VS brand WHEY with Glutamine mixed in with some Peanut Butter and cinamon.
does that sound right?
i also saw a bunch load of creatine, is that needed?

sorry for all the question, i'll start a new thread if this is not the right place. thank you.

PS. i got a Larabar from VS (only 1) Apple flavor, it was really good.

[JimNAZ]

thanks Jim. i went to Wal-mart (picked up yoga mat, gold's gym pull-up bar (couldnt do 1 pull-up) gold's gym bands (not sure they are the correct ones)) and then Vitamin Shoppe this past weekend and i was way overwhelmed. In VS i just picked up a Multi-Vitamin (not sure if thats ok) and saw all sorts of WHEY. im most concerned with a Recovery drink and Protein shake (not sure if needed though). i saw all sorts of WHEY. the VS rep was telling about a Recovery drink he uses (he makes it) which is a mix of VS brand WHEY with Glutamine mixed in with some Peanut Butter and cinamon.
does that sound right?
i also saw a bunch load of creatine, is that needed?

sorry for all the question, i'll start a new thread if this is not the right place. thank you.

PS. i got a Larabar from VS (only 1) Apple flavor, it was really good.

Be patient about the pull-ups. Work on correct form (using a chair/etc) and slowly build the muscles. It will come.
* Not sure what bands you are refering to ??
Yeah, shopping for a new healthy lifestyle can get overwhelming! :confused: Start out slow and learn what & why. (You asking questions is the best way to find out!) I was in your shoes not too long ago.

A recovery drink is used after you had an extreme workout where your muscles are exhausted. You have burned up your muscle glycogen levels and they need to be replenished. There is a window of time ( 30 mins - 1 hour) after working out to replenish these levels. Waiting any longer and the glycogen you are trying to replace (with carbs) will not be restored in the muscles and you risk it being stored as fat.
If you add some protein to these carbs it will be absorbed quicker and more efficiently, so you are giving your muscles a double puch of good stuff! There is a proper ratio of carbs to protein for this to work correctly, and that is 4/1 or even 5/1 carbs/protein.
*I do not think the mix that the sales person told you about is right
I use fruit juice and protein powder with the above ratio. They also say chocolate milk works great but I cannot drink milk :(
What is nice about P90X's recovery is that is also has vitamins and electrolytes.

The type of whey and how it is processed is very important. Also, many protein powders have too much sugar. Not sure what levels of carbs you are trying to be at but try to find one that has low or zero carbs. I use Isopure Zero Carb protein powder and it tastes great! (It was recommended to me by Sterling)

Hope some of this helped. . .

Jim

[scourtney7]

Jim - I love reading your posts!!! keep 'em coming friend!!! I wish you and Robin were coming to Summit.

[JimNAZ]

Jim - I love reading your posts!!! keep 'em coming friend!!! I wish you and Robin were coming to Summit.

SURPRISE! :D We are going . . .

Can't wait and looking forward to meeting some of the family!

[Joe4560]

thanks again Jim, that definitely helped. I really do appreciate all your feedback and helping me out. here are the bands i was talking about: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Gold-s-Gym-Long-Series-Resistance-Tube-Kit-with-DVD/12167849 . again, not sure if they are the right ones. the dumbbells seem to be very expensive.

as far as my carb intake, im not sure. although i was able to assess that i am a LEVEL II (with Dave's help, thanks again.) my main goal is get to about 185 with muscle (currently about 226 w/ fat). unfortunately im a short (about 5'7 and stocky type ; shop in the Short and Portly section of the suit store now :( ).

one thing i just read about Isopure Zero Carb is that it contains sucralose. Which i believe is an artificial sweetener. Is that good for you? http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=NP-1098

i read that there is a Natural version for Isopure (http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=NP-7132). does this one measure up as being a suitable protein source?

by the way, what type of fruit juice do you recommend for a recovery drink. is regular Gatorade (from grocery store) a suitable option (mix with the protein)?
Gatorade just came out with a recovery drink ( Gatorade Recover 03 ; http://www.gatorade.com/frequently_asked_questions/default.aspx ) would this be a better option?

do you recommend a straight protein shake ( i use to take nLarge (like 4 years when i tried to loose weight) ; http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2133808&CAWELAID=354486168) as a protein shake like for breakfast (mornings are hectic for me).

again, I'm really sorry for all the question. my definition of nutrition as of late has been asking the deli clerk for an extra piece of lettuce on a peperoni hero.

[JimNAZ]

Hey Joe you are doing fine! Just take every thing one day at a time and keep the questions coming. (BTW: I still ask a bunch too!!!)

Gotcha on the bands (duh). I guess it will depend on what you use them for. I asked once (here) about bands vs. weights and I do not think anyone really liked them. I have not used them. There will be a difference in using them vs. weights since you will have various levels of tension based on how far you are stretching them during the movement.
Weights will be expensive if bought new. Try searching craigslist or other ads. Unfortunately (or fortunately for us) they are always for sale fromm people giving up on their New Years resolutions.

If you have not already I suggest tracking your food intake with an online program. This will help you make sure you are hitting your ratios for protein/fat/carbs. The P90X nutrition book will tell you what those ratios are. I tweaked mine some and lowered my carb intake.
*Of course you would need to add the calories somewhere else
And do not forget not all carbs are created equal.

I cannot tell you that artificial sweetners are good for you. I choose my protein powder because I see it as a lesser of evils for with what I am trying to achieve. Others may have different views on this . . .

I have not checked gatorade in a while but it used to be full of processed sugar. At least with fruit juice the sugar is from the fruit. I use just plain juice that has around 35-40 grams of sugar. (The lite stuff will not give you the correct ratio without having to drink a gallon.) I stay away from citrus (too acidic for me) and usually get some sort of berry. Look at the ingredients to see whether 100% juice or not.

I have a protein shake at least once a day (mixed with almond milk and almond butter) but I need calories! If you need to do a shake as a meal replacement (no time to eat) then be careful what you put in it. Calories add up.
* You can't beat shakeology for everything it gives you . . .

Never be sorry for asking questions. Much better than not asking and messing things up! Plus, you will get your chance soon to help others out and make up for it. ;)

[Joe4560]

awesome, thank you very much.

[Joe4560]

Jim, i was looking up 100% fruit juices (welch's) and saw that they have a Mountain Berry flavor but it has like 40+ sugars. infact all there 100% fruit juices have like at least around 30+ sugars. i just wanted to check that i was on the right path in following your lead with the recovery drink.

oh, also i found a set of dumbbells at wal-mart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/CAP-Barbell-40lb-Dumbbell-Set-with-Carry-Case/11089974).

[JimNAZ]

Jim, i was looking up 100% fruit juices (welch's) and saw that they have a Mountain Berry flavor but it has like 40+ sugars. infact all there 100% fruit juices have like at least around 30+ sugars. i just wanted to check that i was on the right path in following your lead with the recovery drink.

oh, also i found a set of dumbbells at wal-mart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/CAP-Barbell-40lb-Dumbbell-Set-with-Carry-Case/11089974).

Hey Joe,

Just remember that this homemade drink is just to get your gycogen levels back up and give your muscles some protein. It does not add anything else like a regular recovery drink (like P90X).

Don't freak out too much about the high carbs. Remember you are trying to get a 4:1 or 5:1 of carbs/protein. 1 typical scoop of protein powder is around 20 grams. If you wanted to go that high with protein you would need at least 80 grams of carbs. For me that is way too many carbs so I only do about a half scoop of protein and and about 10oz of juice.

I also do not use a recovery drink every day so I am not too concerned about having to factor it in to my meal plan.

Make sense?

[Joe4560]

oh no so to add more confusion i guess the question is TO USE RECOVERY DRINK OR NOT TO USE. just kidding about the drama, but seriously when do use a recovery drink? just when you feel exhausted from the workout? is that a good measure?

so pretty much stop worrying about the fruit juice the , any 100% fruit juice will work (the Mountain Berry sounds awesome) with a scoop of protein.

also, would adding creatine and/or glutomine be beneficial for the recovery drink?

[scourtney7]

I'd go not only by how you feel during and after the workout but also how high your heart rate gets and what your average heart rate is during your workout. that is, i'd enter your personal info into a target heart rate calculator and see what it tells you to aim for. If you are in the zone (while wearing a hr monitor) for at least one half of the total time of your workout and you feel fatigued more so than usual afterwards, then drink the recovery drink. that is what I do most of the time. as a side note, i drank the recov drink religiously during my first round of p90x but not as often during the second round.


shannon

[JimNAZ]

oh no so to add more confusion i guess the question is TO USE RECOVERY DRINK OR NOT TO USE. just kidding about the drama, but seriously when do use a recovery drink? just when you feel exhausted from the workout? is that a good measure?

so pretty much stop worrying about the fruit juice the , any 100% fruit juice will work (the Mountain Berry sounds awesome) with a scoop of protein.

also, would adding creatine and/or glutomine be beneficial for the recovery drink?

When I started out I was not sure how/when to use it. I just listened to my body and if I was really whipped after a workout or if I felt really sore the rest of the day (I work out early am) then I would take after a workout. Personally I do not want to look at a recovery drink as a main piece of my diet. I am trying to stay low on carbs.