“Diet” Foods VS “Junk” Food. The disregarded truth.

So it’s Saturday morning and your cabinets and fridge are looking emptier than the calories in a can of Coca-Cola. It’s time to restock those drawers with your fairest needs and get on that weekly grocery shop. You’re wheeling along, grabbing your essentials and stables, when you come across the snack aisle featuring the granola bars and such. Presented with a wide selection of the lunch box disciples, were contemplating which box of teasing delights will be recruited to the weekly stock. With the conscious of a healthy lifestyle being highly advertised now and days, we may feel more persisted to base our decision on more nutritionally acceptable terms; twisting and turning each box to find the nutritional label to help settle the predicament. Now it’s safe to assume that a fair share of the population isn’t fully knowledgeable when it comes to nutrition. Okay yes, we know the basics like avoiding high fats, high saturated fats, and products high in sugar. Aim for ones with fiber! And products higher in protein! It’s become marketed so well that we become more insightful towards our nutrition and educate ourselves on how to make more informed choices. Not to mention, product advertisement has even made our choices easier by displaying nutritional info right on the front of the package. Big, colourful words! Only 100 Calories per serving!? How could I go wrong? It’s the perfect weight management assistant! It’s persuasive enough to dismiss a second thought, and just like that you’ve bought into the fallacy. Notice how a lot of products are advertised as 100 calories per serving now and days. The health craze has picked up momentum, and everyone is trying to get a piece of it.
It’s easy for these calorically kerbed products to be highly favoured to people with “healthy” means. There is obviously no miraculous properties contained within the product that will stimulate weight-loss, they simply can just be more strikingly appealing to an audience with those intentions. Through devoted marketing and plastering an illusion, that the product is correlated to a healthy lifestyle, when in reality these low calorie snacks and bars are not superior to products that are portrayed as noncompliant to being healthy. Allow me to provide an example, let’s compare two common products almost any grocery store would retail. Special k has worked up a huge image that they convey healthy cereals and bars that can contribute to successful weight management, not to mention they actually refer to themselves as a dietary program, I.e. the Special K Diet. Special K is perfect to participate as our “Healthy” candidate, and to me more particular we’ll use their Fruit Crisps bars; you know the ones that kind of resemble Pop-tarts. Hey Pop-tarts! Those can very easily be perceived as a dietary grenade. We’ll use Pop-tarts as our “unhealthy” opponent for this nutritional comparison. We’ll compare the two items in their Blueberry flavour, not only for equitable reasons but because were also trying to be healthy too.  Now let’s view each of their Nutrition facts.

Special K Fruit Crisps; per 2 Crisps (25g) there is 100 calories, 2g fat, 20g carbohydrates (0g fiber, 7g sugar), and 1g protein.

Pop-tarts (Blueberry); per pastry (50g) there is 200 calories, 5g fat, 36 carbohydrates (1g fiber, 18g sugar), and 2g protein.

If you compare the two products based on their serving sizes, they are almost identical. With a couple minor differences, none of which are really significant. This is typical to find with many other products distributed to the public that bore a “Healthy” imagery. Rather than spending more money on an item that seems like a more suitable choice, you could have similar nutritional acquirements from eating half of the pop-tart. Whether you’re on board with the swindle I’m bringing you all to terms with, I think we can all agree that it seems absurd to eat only half a pop-tart. I’d give credit to anyone with that kind of will-power, and that’s where the products differ. The Special K Crisps do provide fulfillment and pleasure to our sinister that doesn’t leave us tempted with unfinished morsels that will spoil our nutritional terms. I just want to shed a light on the matter that we can be so quick to assume that one product is “Healthier” than another. The bottom line is that anything is manageable into a person’s diet whatever their goals may be; and this supports my cerebral conditions of how Flexible Dieting is successful, and reduces that mindset that foods are either labelled “bad” or “good”. 

Protein. How much? Too Much?

It’s typical for the average person to be faulted by the idea that bodybuilders are eating gargantuan amounts of chicken, turkey, and beef; and washing it all down with a proportionally watered down protein shake. It’s how you get build muscle and get big right? Eating copious amounts of protein to the point where it seems to out weight the quantity of all other food sources. Man… I always start these things off so dramatic. I suppose it’s just my style, and if you haven’t cued into my sarcastic madness  yet well then you probably need to read more of my blog =). Now it’s no question that Protein is a huge part in the maintenance of basic human function and growth and is an essential pillar in the physical process of body growth. Certainly, all macronutrients are essential for humans; geared toward delivering us optimal functionality and accustomed towards our regards to “Health”. Regardless, Protein I can say confidently is the most crucial strand woven into the quilt of health. Where Carbohydrates and Fats are both capable of being synthesized by the body without being derived from food, Proteins can’t be created from other macronutrients. It is important that enough protein is being obtained by athletes and trainee’s so that they can rebuild strained structures and support protein synthesis. But how much Protein should we get? The RDA recommends 10-35% of ones total caloric intake to come from Protein, but that’s a general guideline for the average individual. Appropriately, anyone training or undergoing high volumes of physical stress should get at least 0.8–1.0g of protein per pound of body weight. Which does not represent to the obscene amounts of protein, we may sometimes imagine bodybuilders eat…  I certainly don’t find myself eating 4 chicken breasts as my dinner, or eating a 2 carton of egg whites for breakfast, it’s quite simply to obtain the appropriate ratio of protein with simple modifications to ones diet.
But what happens if we eat too much protein? Now it’s time to put those stereotypes forward, and imagine those gross amounts of protein being consumed by those muscular meat heads. Hey, those people exist, and it’s actually more concerning than a mockery. If one is consuming very large amounts of protein than most likely they are compromising their intake of other nutrients like fat or carbs. Whether its intentional or not, a person doing so can not only inflict temporary harm to their health but also cause permanent damage if the activism is performed long enough. This can be relevant in individuals taken part in Low Carb Diets, or people with Eating Disorders affiliating Carbs as the culprits to weight gain. You can initiate Ketoacidosis with not supplying your body with enough easily accessible energy sources (I.E Carbohydrates), causing your body to undergo extreme Fat metabolism for energy. A by-product of excessive Ketone bodies results from the processes, lowering the pH of the blood and causing a number of symptoms (Even Death in extreme cases). Excessive amounts of protein and trifling levels of Carbohydrates also leads the body to having to use amino acids for energy. The very supply that’s supposed to be structuring our bodies is being redirected from performing its primary role. As we break down Proteins we extract Ammonia/Nitrogen, which is a toxic substance to our bodies. The Liver and Kidneys act on receiving the Ammonia/Nitrogen to convert it to Urea (A more stable solution). Imagine that your Liver and Kidneys constantly undergoing this cycle, causing strain and damage to the organs. Additionally the Urea Cycle requires the use of ATP (Energy) to convert the Nitrogen to Urea, and thus can be linked to states of fatigue in individuals. Protein also contains high levels of Sulfur, which in excess can cause the blood to become more Acidic also. Higher acidity can deteriorate bone structure and is inhibit proper cellular reactions and function in the body.
There is plenty of other things I can augment on this topic, but I’ll save the rest for additional posts in the future. Hope this Subject was informative or simply intriguing enough to keep you to the end. As always thanks for reading. 

MTS Nutrition Whey Review

This is my first time trying MTS Nutrition’s brand of whey, let alone a new brand of whey for that matter. I normally stick with Optimum Nutrition as their reliable with taste and quality, and when I can, I treat myself with a tub of Cellucor Whey or Protizyme (Which is my favourite brand). I’m always looking for great tasting proteins for the purposes of how I like utilising them; like adding them to my cereal, or Greek yogurt, and my protein pancakes. That’s why MTS whey had my attention for quite some time, because I’ve heard such uproar about its great taste.

 As simple as I am, I like to get exotic when it comes to proteins flavours. I’m the guy who’s looking for that Cookie n Cream, Peanut Butter Cookie or Cinnamon Swirl flavour; I’m normally not too interested in plain old Vanilla or Chocolate. That however, is all that MTS whey offers, but I finally decided to give it a try. If anything I would have gone for the Chocolate version, but Vanilla was all that was available… no matter! I was determined to experience the grand taste that MTS whey speculates. When I got my tub I decided I’d analyse it solely on its own; a shaker cup with 6oz of water and 1 scoop of whey. Without a doubt it has to be the best tasting Vanilla based Whey I’ve ever had. I normally don’t like drinking a raw protein shake, but I have no issue drinking this whey with my morning meal or a mid day protein source. I think Marc Lobliner undersells the product by simply labelling it as just “Vanilla”. I’d call it “Vanilla Soft Serve”, because that’s what it tastes more like to me. Its super rich in vanilla flavour and have a thicker consistency than most other proteins. It mixes easily and delivers a very smooth texture too. The product is definitely worth every penny, and I can’t wait to try the chocolate flavour next time I have the chance. If I had to give this Protein a rating I’d give it an 8.5/10, not only for its taste but also because the company that manufactures this protein is cares a lot about their customers, and doesn’t distribute bullshit.

Quest “White Chocolate Raspberry” Review

Quest has been my go to protein bar for a while now. It delivers that sweet fix whenever I want to pleasure my sweet tooth in a more nutritious way, in the case that I feel I’ve had enough Ice cream and Pop-tarts for the day. There new flavour; “White Chocolate Raspberry” was a little hard to get a hold of considering its not retailed to Canada yet as far as I’m concerned. I had to get it shipped from the states from BodyBuilding.com, but conveniently enough I was in need of restocking my arsenal at the time, and was planning on grabbing a couple other products from the site as well. Let’s get right into it; the White Chocolate Raspberry flavour is amazing. It delivers on all levels of what you’d want from the bar and more. The bar contains little gems of tart raspberries and even decadent morsels of white chocolate chunks, which I was not expecting. It has a consistency to that of the Apple Pie, and strawberry shortcake flavour which is probably my only issue with it. Like all quest bars, its macro’s are unbeatable and they taste even better. This bar in particular surpasses a wide majority of their bar lineup, coming in at number 2 on my top 3 list; just before Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and necking past Cinnamon Roll.

Meal Frequency and Capacity

The optimization of our health in this era has surpassed the general guidelines for us to not only be aware of what we’re eating, but also when we’re eating it too. Recently, we’ve now been delivered justification that our health can also be influenced by when to eat. Well gee-whiz, thanks health Nazi’s, not only am I eating the foods proclaiming to make me feel like a golden star, when in reality I feel like a soulless black hole; but now I have to set my watch to a feeding time too? It can sound pretty imposing, for such the simple action of bringing food to one’s word hole, but its rationale does sounds pretty legit. It’s alleged that the process of eating smaller portions throughout the day is an assistive metabolic igniter, capable of allowing us to feel more satiated throughout the day but also to keep our metabolisms revving. This proposed affiliation with our meal frequency and our metabolism is sourced to TEF (Thermic effect of Food). After we consume a meal, our body must adjust its metabolic vitality to account for the metabolism of the food; our body must work harder and therefore expend more energy. It was a concept I found most intriguing and was a principle I lived off in my deeper phase of ED. I was fixated on eating every 3 hours, no more and absolutely no less. It was comforting to assure myself that I was doing things right when my periods of eating were cyclically met. Even though while on this regime, I found myself very unhappy, being hungry shortly after I ate, and always counting the minutes till I was “allowed” to eat again. I didn’t inherit any of the benefits of this method due to my defective mindset keeping me underfed in general, even though I was supposedly eating the “right” way. You know, oats and eggs for breakfast, Salad with Chicken breast for lunch, Almonds and fruit for snacks, salmon and yams for dinner, Greek yogurt before bed… all proportion 3 hours apart, systematically in check every day. This made me feel like shit! As much as I wanted to change this life influencing structure, it was very hard to break mindset with ED reinforcing my judgments. It was very hard living out a life and adjusting your plans around food and missing out on events because I was afraid of not getting my nutrition in on time…
Now its present day and I’ve become much more mentally well, and this is where my opinion stands with meal frequency today… I still prefer to eat every 3 hours or so, however it’s now more so a choice rather than an obligation. I lived so religiously on delivering my body with nutrition every 3 hours to a point where its naturally become accustomed to the process, but instead of eating like the metabolic capacity of a 12 year old girl, I make sure my meals are calorically representative to what I require. I’m no longer so concerned if I get a meal in every 3 hours, and the more I broke that cycle, the more mentally relaxed I felt when I crossed that 4 hour or 5 hour mark. It’s all been a learning experience; I use to think that if I ate a big meal before bed, or had carbs after 8 that I was in deep trouble. Now there have been days where I’ve gone about eating 50-60% of my macros at 11 o clock at night, full of carbs (fast & slow digestive), and woken up the next morning showing numbers on the scale representing weight-loss. I realise now that weight management is reprehensive on a long term period, an overall maintenance of caloric input vs. output and won’t be dramatically influenced based on one huge meal, or 6 smaller meals throughout the day for that matter… I’ve adjust my meal frequency and capacity on a daily, managing it on how I feel and how my day is scheduled. I no longer panic if I don’t eat for a long period or if I eat shortly after a previous sitting, I’m comfortable getting in my macronutrients any time of the day at any point. I would advise others to do the same, and customize what works for you. If you prefer eating smaller meals throughout the day so that you aren’t burden with the feeling of hunger than by all means.  Other people prefer the routine of intermediate fasting, where they undergo long periods of malnutrition and then consume 2 or 3 large meals because that’s what they prefer. Just because you’re doing things one way, and others are doing things another, does not mean that your way is wrong. You are not a sheep and don’t need to follow a herd, nor should you jump off a cliff if everyone else is.  

The best diet for Optimal Health.

It’s gutsy for me to step up to the plate and imply that an order of superlative living exists in this world. How could someone distinguish one pabulum lifestyle as a dominant instrument to deliver optimal health? It’s a nail bitter when you really come to think about it, for it seems that with each generation a new diet is revealed that’ll supposedly embark a person into a better state of health. These diets are always belabouring the term “Health”. Low fat and low carb diets have intrigued pursuers of the heavier structure by delivering a promise of a “Healthier” life as they endure weight-loss. Other diets convey healthy living being achieved by the consumption of wholesome, contemporary foods that have not been fiddled with processing or manufacturing. We also have Vegans/vegetarians preaching their directory as the path that’ll provide superb biological health benefits. It’s interesting to observe many designed diets deliver their own promises of health through variant and unique principles; the use of super foods, whole foods, no foods, natural foods, subsidiary sources, etc… but what do we consider “Health” to be? What does healthy imply? Is it distinguished by how we physically look, or the functionality of our physiological nature? Considering that the formula for weight-loss can simply be boiled down to as a calorie-in vs. calories-out concept, could an obese individual be healthy by achieving an appropriate BMI index through a reduced calorie diet consisting of McDonalds and Ice-cream?  Perhaps if we were to identify their weight-loss as the “Healthy” exploit; but there’s more to it than just physical structure isn’t there? Our sources of derivable output are important too. The Paleo Diet has shown positive recordings for enthusiasts of its protocol, improving their Blood Pressure, Lipid profile (TG, HDL, and LDL), Insulin sensitivity, etc… but potentially, a person possessing those stats could still be overweight. Dr. Haub was the scientist who experimented with the Twinkie diet, only eating packaged based snacks you’d find at any given corner store, while still eating in a calorie deficit. He lost 27 lbs and improved his lipid levels simultaneously by the end of the experiment. “When you lose weight, regardless of how you’re doing it — even if it’s with packaged foods, generally you will see these markers improve when weight loss has improved”, a quote from a member of the American Dietetic Association.
Contradictions in regards to health are exposed daily to; a great example is the utilization of artificial sweeteners. While they’re assistance with weight loss can be a component of advancing ones health, other health rulings will discourage the use of these product to portray their philosophy of achieving a better health status. Many of us will have our own beliefs of what it means to be healthy, perhaps because the guidelines to health should be formulated and regimented based on the individual working around their discrepancies. This refers me back to IIFYM or Flexible dieting, as it provides leniency and leash to those who follow its guidelines. However it’s still considered a “diet”, and one thing all diets share is that they are diets. They require individuals to stay strict to their guidelines to embrace their benefits.  It only gets to a point where the diligence and commitment gets to be exhausting mentally, and even though one might be physically healthy it’s important to consider their mental health too. Depression and anxiety are capable of physically damaging the body as well, and are capable of being relevant to those who take weight-loss/maintenance very serious. So what’s the best diet I could recommend for optimal health? Well, I was delivered the answer not by an expert of nutrition, but an expert of living, my father. It didn’t take a professional to tell me that life is full of values, and that health should you should, but don’t let it prevent you from living the life you could.” It’s been brought to my awareness that health is determined by an overall measure, and it’s  be an advancement of one’s life … not a burden. My dad believes in moderation, and he’s proven himself to be a wise young man. “Value your health and embrace it as important not to restrict or restrain oneself to a point where your health rules your life rather than enhance it. If you eat so clean or restricting for so long, you’re bound to feel like crap, and if you eat crap all the time you’re going to feel like crap too. Ensure that you incorporate whole grains, lean meats, fruits and vegetables…but don’t forget about sweets, dessert…treats and delights. Advance on moments and experiences that deliver connection and laughter. Moderation is the key to life, and life should involve moderation. 

My two cents on CLA

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is subjected to many athletes and fitness dwellers to offer a direct approach to target ones body fat. The concept of CLA is that the Dienoic derivatives of Linoleic acid (Unsaturated hydrocarbons) have an influence on vetoing the action of storage in certain adipose tissue regions in the body. Additionally,that favourable storage property that fat cells normally poses in thought to be promoted in muscle cells with the use of CLA, thus promoting Lean Body Mass maintenance/accumulation. CLA can be a big head scratcher. It’s one of those products that has obtained righteous results in some studies, and disappointing results in others. Mainly, the thin line between the two adjectives rests upon the breed of consumer for this product.
One study utilised male mice as tested subjects to depict the acclaimed effects that CLA dosing receives. The conductors of the study examined the degree of weight loss in the mice, examining the storage zones for fat and the amount that was stored there. The study showed that there was a reduction for body weight in mice receiving CLA compared to mice not receiving CLA. All mice were consuming similar amounts of energy (kcal) through-out the 12 week study. Results also showed that mice receiving CLA not only reduced fat storage in adipose tissue sites, but also had increased levels of protein accumulation too. These findings propose that CLA will favour lean body development/maintenance while promoting fat loss. (http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/276/4/R1172.full)

CLA has upheld a reputation showing promising results in promoting weight loss, reduced Body Fat % and increase Lean Body Mass in many animal studies; such as that with pigs, mice, chicks, etc. It’s conceivable to accept that we’d only want to push the phenomenon further on CLA’s capabilities being transferable to that of human subjects. In 2000, a study design regarding this theory was performed using 52 overweight and obese subjects. Similar to animal studies, a range of CLA administration was used (0g, 1.7g, 3.4g, 5.1g, 6.8g ).The study was conducted for a total of 12 weeks, and by the end there were favourable results that reinforced CLA’s acclaimed mentions above. However the numbers are modest at best; no greater than 1.3 – 1.7kg of Body Fat Mass was lost from subjects taking 3.4g and 6.8g of CLA. As for Lean body Mass accumulation, only the 6.8g party showed mentionable results in this field, and a dosage that high wasn’t even capable of amounting to 1kg of Lean Body Mass. In regards to their attendance to training and its influence to the results; the group receiving the highest quantity of CLA (6.8g) did perform considerably more exercise than that of the lower dose groups, which could be a factor for the higher results observed. Even so, each group showed similar ratio’s despite the practice of exercise or not. This simply is to show that the administration of CLA was delivering results even without intensive exercise. (http://jn.nutrition.org/content/130/12/2943.full)
It’s interesting to note that while the outcome of this study favoured the effects of CLA, the results were not to the magnitude that was expected. Along with other studies involving human subjects showing a lack of evidence on the effect of CLA; it bares the question if this product is worth the while off despite consumers, depositing a hefty dependence on the product. It can be skeptical as to what side you wish to vouch for when it comes to utilising CLA, but allow me to foster an illustration of the products worth. The dosage that yielded the most commendable outcome was 6.8g of CLA a day in the course of 12 weeks. Retailing in your nearby supplement stores are CLA bottles containing 1g per capsule. So that’s almost 7 capsules a day taken continuously for 84 days. By the time you reach 12 weeks you would have consumed 588 CLA capsules…and seeing how this product can easily appeal to naive consumers, it isn’t found cheap. At a generous price, CLA can be sold at $30 for a bottle of 180. Computing some simple math here and were looking at, at the very least $100 as an end sum. Essentially you’re putting down $100 to rid yourself of not even 2kg of body fat. It’s an obscure compliance that swindles desperate clients.

Bulking Update. (June 2nd)

I still feel that I am taking this bulk on too slow. Sure, I wish to optimise both my muscle mass and strength all while minimising fat accumulation, but my weight for the last month has either been maintaining or dropping . Clearly I need to adjust my bulking approach; I currently am consuming 3000 kcal and  working out 5x week, with a light cardio + ab duo too (So 6). I find myself dropping weight, but my performance in the gym has never been better. I am lifting heavier with each and every exercise and it’s a huge motivator, however I am looking to put on more size too and if 3000 kcal just isn’t getting me there. My plan is to increase my caloric consumption by 300 kcal (3300 kcal) and see how that goes for a week or 2, if that still isn’t giving me the results i’m looking for i will increase it by 500 kcal. I think that by doing this I will really influence my progress, and increase my weight at an appropriate rate. As my weight increases I’m confident i’ll be gratifying my body with more so lean gains; considering I am working out 6 days a week I don’t feel that fat accumulation on me should be a concern. 

Currently 160lb’s. 6 Feet. 12.7% BF. 20 Years Old. 
I see the most physical development occurring in my back, and a minimal amount right now in my arms and delts. My motive for now is to increase my biceps and triceps and also work on my chest development too more, especially the upper chest region. 

Swole Bowl #2

The “Swole Bowl” in its name remains a concept and continues to show its versatility as such. In it’s glory the dish delivers great taste, and nutrition, and in the case of requiring to eat a lot of food in one sitting…manageability. The motive is to make a healthy and delicious protein packed meal based on what you have on hand. Now for the reveal! 

Salsa Mixed Tuna (Mix 1 can of tuna with Salsa and Hot Sauce)
1/3 C Black Beans
1 Large Sweet Potato (Baked)
Green Beans (Steamed)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Raw Garlic and Chopped onions
CILANTRO! 

Its very much an idea of combining straightforward food sources; like your vegetable, your fats(EVOO), your carbs (SP), and your protein (T), and mashing them all together so you get one solid, delicious bite with everything. The key is to flavour the bowl however you like, but for me personally…Salsa, Hot Sauce, Cilantro, Salt + Pepper… never fails!

Supplement Reviews: Oh Yeah Victory Bar & Craze

Two new additions have introduced themselves into my exclusive cabinet of essentials that contribute to my execution in and out of the gym. Having encountered many raves and boosts about both of these products I couldn’t wait to give them a try. 

First off let’s jump to probably the more interesting of the two, Craze. I’ve been engrossed with this pre-workout supplement for sometime now. Many people I know who train use it, and I have read many reviews on the product. From what I interpreted from all the hype, was that this product was some kind of super supplement. That it surpassed many other brands and blends, and that nothing else like it was available on the market. For the last year i’ve intended to get my hands on the product; even if I could just bum a scoop from someone so that I could finally put an end to the fantasy and understand what all the uproar was about, I was captivated by it’s claims. Though each time I needed a new pre-workout in my inventory, I somehow remained craze free by being struck by the ingredients, allegations, or the price of other products. Finally I said enough was enough and got on the Craze train; and even though there are a million reviews online on this product already, I figured a million and one wouldn’t hurt. So lets break this down; Ingredients, Efficiency, and Taste.
The Ingredient list contains a lot of uncommon names that are not present on other pre-workout labels. It contains Trimethylglycine, which is utilized as a hydrogen buffer much like Beta Alanine and also strengthens one’s immune system, both contributing to a person’s long-term and short-term training extent. It contains L-Citrulline also, which is good to see as that stimulates blood vessel dilation,increasing blood flow to ones muscles. However the effectiveness of L-Citrulline has been more prominent when manufactured as Citrulline Malate, which is a shame not to see it in Craze’s blend. It also contains Dendrobium Extract, which is a new stimulant to corral in with my pre-workout symmetry. This delivers that enhanced mental focus Craze is so famous for. It activates Epinephrine and Norepinephrine which intensify one’s mental and physical cognitivity. Additionally it activates Fatty Acid Oxidation to acquire energy, and prevent oxidation of cells from free-radicals. It also contains Caffeine, and Creatine, which aren’t necessary to any blend… but denotes convenience. 
When it comes to its effectiveness, I have had black and whites experiences with the product. The first time I took it I had an interesting workout…my performance was above expected from what I anticipated. Shortly after taking it I felt my heart take the biggest hit, ramping it’s rate considerably, and leaving me gasping for breathes. I figured it would mess with my focus, consecutively inhibiting my strength. But I was surprised to see myself perform surprisingly well, and I even exceeded the weight on all my lifts. After its peculiar first impression, I was curious to how I would react to it next time. Same dose, and identical scenarios, I had a more positive reaction to my following uptakes. I can fortify it’s effectiveness as a performance enhancer without a doubt. I feel more capable at hitting more reps or lifting heavier weights with it, and I can say I acquire a good amount of focus during my session. It is a pre-workout that I would dignify to stand out among others. However, does it deserve all the praise and glory it receives? Well, I wouldn’t preach in that choir. It’s a good pre-workout for sure, but going as far to claim it as amazing may take some more experimenting with finding my suitable dosage. For all I know, that insane deliverance of energy is at the bottom of two scoops and not one.
Now for the taste test. And, “OMG WTF! Why? Like…jesus lord almighty! WHAT AM I DRINKING!? The after sweat of a donkey orgy?…” To deliver a more suitable opinion on the taste, I would emphasize that you mix it with something more potable to help accommodate it’s unbearable gusto. I’ve had the lack of pleasure to consume the Grape variety of the product, and if the rest of it’s arsenal of flavours compare to this disappointment, than it’s probably the one critic I can deliver on it. It’s a fowl price that does pay off. Overall Evaluation; I give Craze a solid 8/10. 

My second review is regarding a new Protein Bar to hit the shelves, OhYeah’s Victory Bar. In my opinion, the spawn of this bodybuilding, figure friendly protein bar is to deliver to the enthused crowd that “Quest Nutrition” has developed. An era has begun where people are looking for bars that are more natural, fibrous, and still high in protein. OhYeah has quickly engaged themselves into that rooster with their new Victory Bars, with each bar delivering around 200cal, 20g Protein, 6g fat, 28g carbs (Of which 20g is fiber and 8g from sugar). From a macro analysis of the bar, its a very solid breakdown and anybody cautious or vigilant in their nutrition would praise what this bar offers. The bar themselves come in a four enticing flavours that appeal to individuals looking for a decadent fix. (Vanilla Almond, Peanut Butter Chip, Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough) At the time i’ve only had the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough flavour. I’ll deliver my score on the product right now and that’s a 6.5/10, let me explain why. The macro’s on the bar are by far the best thing it has to offer but when it comes to taste however I have definitely had better. It’s not a terrible bar, let alone a bad one…its just not the greatest. The CCCD flavour particularly has a burnt caramel flavour to it and although you will come across some real chocolate chips as you chow down, they can’t prevail this bar for taste. It’s still sweet but does NOT taste like cookie dough at all, which is disappointing. It’s a very bendable bar when handling it and chewy too (Much like a nougat texture). I don’t suppose there’s much to expect from a bar with such a great nutritional highlight…I mean as the saying goes “If It’s too good to be true…”Although you can’t respond with much remorse to the Victory Bar considering such a level has been set by Quest Nutrition Bars. If Quest wasn’t on the market, than I would probably rate the Victory Bar better, but Quest has shown the world that if theres a will, theres a way. As far as i’m concerned, OhYeah Victory Bars have no excuse to that regard and better step up their game.