Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Optimum Nutrition Platinum Hydrobuilder protein powder

This week, I’ve been tasting testing some yummy new protein powder from Optimum Nutrition (ON), and it’s high time I told you about it. So, here’s my latest “fitness kit I’ve tested this week” post.

Optimum Nutrition Platinum Hydrobuilder (post-training protein powder)

The folk at ON sent me a very generous sample tub of their new Platinum Hydrobuilder protein powder and invited me to trial it. This protein powder is a complex formula, with the protein coming from several sources (fast and slow release) and with extra goodies like creatine and EAAs – everything you need for your post-workout shake. Here’s the blurb:

Platinum Hydrobuilder is an all in one muscle constructor containing 34.5g of protein from multiple protein sources including Hydrolysed Whey Protein, Micellar Casein and Hydrolysed Egg Albumen. It’s enhanced with CreaPep nutrient delivery peptides and 5g of micronised creatine monohydrate. There’s over 13.5 grams of Essential Amino Acids, but only 180 calories per serving. Ideal as a complete post-exercise shake which will help to improve recovery and construct lean muscle.

I have to say, it is truly delicious (I tried the “vanilla bean” flavour, which tastes like custard and smells good enough to elicit a curious remark from The Husband). It also comes in a chocolate flavour. I can’t honestly say whether it’s helped my recovery or muscle-building efforts in just one week but the theory is sound, and it’s certainly good to have a PWO shake with fast and slow release protein, creatine mono and EAAs. This product makes it very quick, easy and convenient to get everything you need into your system as soon as you’ve finished training.

It’s not cheap, but it’s a quality product and does contain added value in the shape of those EAAs and the creatine. And, at the moment, you get free Amino Energy (which I reviewed here) when you order via the ON site.

Oh and I also tried it made into a sort of pudding, just by mixing it with a little hot water and letting it thicken. One word. MORE-ISH!

The ON people also sent me a frankly enormous Platinum Hydrobuilder t-shirt (XXL) – tee hee – along with a very sweet note apologising for the shirt’s voluminous proportions. You know what, it’s actually come in very handy. The Husband is still in a (massive) sling after his shoulder surgery, and has an ongoing need for over-sized t-shirts which can stretch over him, his sling and his bent arm. The Platinum Hydrobuilder tee is being put to great use, so – thank you!

Thanks for the sample, Optimum Nutrition people! You rock.

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Optimum Nutrition Platinum Hydrobuilder protein powder is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Sistema food storage products, CherryActive concentrate and capsules

More “fitness kit I’ve tested this week” for you today. First, up two products from CherryActive: CherryActive concentrate and CherryActive capsules.

As I’ve said a few times on this blog, I don’t sleep well. There appears to be no rhyme or reason for it, although it’s markedly worse when dieting for a comp (cortisol? nerves? lack of carbs? Who knows!)

So, when CherryActive offered to send me some of their concentrate and capsules to try, I leapt at the chance. The Montmorency cherries used in the products are said to be great for encouraging better sleep, y’see. They’re also a fantastic antioxidant and great for sports recovery. Sounds like my kind of thing. Oh, plus, I really love the taste of tart cherries. So, how did I get on?

CherryActive concentrate
First up, the concentrate (which I tried in the new “shot packet” size). You add this to water, smoothies, yoghurt – whatever you like really. I had it in water mostly, but did add it to a chocolate protein shake/smoothie once which was really nice. Although there’s no added sugar or sweeteners (or preservatives, flavourings or colourings – so the antioxidant qualities aren’t affected), I did find the concentrate pretty strong and sweet. So I simply watered it down more than the recommended dosage, still having the whole serving but with a lot more water. I can’t see that it matters (CherryActive people, tell me if I’m wrong?) and it had the added bonus of making me drink more water.

The taste is great and it was a nice extra for me as I don’t drink squash or “fizzy pop” and we don’t have fruit juice in the house. If you were to buy the big bottle of concentrate, it lasts up to 12 months in the fridge. The product won “Best Supplement Award” at the Natural Lifestyle Awards in 2009. You can buy online, or from Holland and Barrett stores, and the 30ml shot pack like I tried is £1.89.

Did it help me sleep, or recover from training? I honestly can’t say. I started drinking it after my comp, when I also upped my calories and carbohydrates significantly. But I did suddenly start sleeping a lot better (and more deeply). Whether from the CherryActive, from something else, or from a combination – I couldn’t tell you. Sorry – not a very scientific answer! Would I buy it and use it? Yes, and I intend on getting a big bottle from the local health shop in town next time I’m in there.

CherryActive capsules
I also tried – indeed am still trying – the capsules. You take one or two a day. Like the concentrate, they’re made from 100% Montmorency cherries but are simply a more portable, more convenient and flavourless way of taking it. The cherries are fine-milled and then freeze-dried and the caps don’t taste of anything. My veggie friends will be glad to know the caps are completely vegetarian with no fillers.

The verdict? Again, I can’t say for sure whether or not the CherryActive capsules have contributed to my improved sleep since I’ve finished contest prep, but I have been sleeping better. Typically at this time of year I feel groggy when I wake up, no matter how long I’ve slept for. I feel better this year. Maybe the way to find out will be to see what happens when I run out of the capsules? You can buy online, or from Holland and Barrett stores, and 30 capsules (the size I had) is £12.95. The CherryActive website has some discounts at the moment.

Sistema food storage products
Remember when I had my BioSignature assessments done? One of the recommendations Ben gave me was to stop drinking out of horrid plastic bottles and to stop microwaving my food in tupperwares. BPA free is the way to go, he said. So when Sistema sent me a couple of bits of food storage kit I was pleased, because these are BPA and safe for carrying your food around in. And we all know that bodybuilders are renowned for carrying food with us. After all you never know when the apocalypse may come and global stocks of chicken and broccoli may plummet!

Sistema sent me the two bits of kit you see above, albeit in different colours. I got a groovy little round tub in green, which has a larger main compartment, and smaller bit which clips on top and an in-built spoon. The lid is very secure, you could use it for something liquidy without fear for all the assorted bits of paper in the bottom of your handbag (don’t give me that – your handbag is full of receipts and post-it notes, too, I know it). The little spoon is very handy and the dual compartment thing means you could have, say, yoghurt and seeds, or porridge and protein powder, or any other combination of things which you wanted to mix together just before eating. The capacity of this tub is 530ml.

The “twist n sip” bottle flummoxed me for a while. It’s very small, you see: just 460ml (although you can get different sizes: 330ml, 460ml and 700ml). I thought it was too small for sports drink or water in the gym (unless you want extra cardio walking back and forth to the water fountain) and too small for filling with water to take out and about with you (unless you don’t ever get very thirsty). However, inspiration struck me yesterday as I was heading out to a client meeting. I am trying hard to steer clear of dairy at the moment, and I knew the coffee place in which we were meeting wouldn’t have non-dairy milk. So I filled my Sistema bottle with my milk alternative and took it with me. Yes, I have no shame. No, the coffee place people didn’t mind me pouring my own milk into my americano. No, my client didn’t mind either (or if she did, she didn’t say so!)

I guess you could also use the bottle for its intended purpose which is a light and comfy bottle to hold whilst out running

The bottle has a squirty lid which twists down securely. I can report it is indeed very secure because I took a roundabout a bit too enthusiastically on my way to the meeting and my bag fell upside down in the car. Not a single receipt was dampened!

All Sistema products are made from lead-free virgin materials, are BPA free and dishwasher safe and are secure and lightweight. There’s a range of sizes, shapes and colours including pink, aqua, lime green and black.

You can get Sistema plastics products online or at Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Wilkinsons, Amazon, John Lewis and many more places. Highly recommended as a healthier, more secure and hygienic alternative to all those reused takeaway and elderly sports bottles you got free at an event circa 2004… !

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Sistema food storage products, CherryActive concentrate and capsules is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Optimum Nutrition Whey Crisp and Wholly Oats! bars

Hello! What better on a dark November night than a few sport supplement reviews? Well, you’re in luck, cos here is my latest “fitness kit I’ve tested this week” post.

Today we have a few bars which were sent to me by the kind folk at Optimum Nutrition (ON). They sent me their Whey Crisp bar in Marshmallow Treat (anyone would think they know my tastes…) and in Double Rich Chocolate. They also sent through some Wholly Oats! bars in Strawberries and Cream flavour and Chocolate Peanut Butter flavour. Marshmallow. Peanut butter. Optimum Nutrition, are you stalking me?

I have to own up to not testing the Wholly Oats! bars myself, at least not fully. Even in an off-season non-diet, they’re just not my thing. Too….wholly oaty, I guess. However I am married to an endurance athlete for whom oats (wholly or otherwise) are a good thing. I did “sample” a bit (I’m such a nice wife, I prepare my husband’s packed lunch every morning and have taken to chopping the Wholly Oats! bars into bits to add into homemade trail mix) and this is what I have to say:

- Chocolate Peanut Butter – not as peanut buttery as I’d hoped, but this is actually a good thing otherwise my husband’s packed lunch would have been lighter that day. It was a nice flavour but not outstanding. Mainly chocolatey. My husband said they were very good. “Chocolatey and peanutty, but not very peanut buttery,” were his exact words.

- Strawberries and Cream - as the name would suggest, this is very sweet. The top layer represents the cream and is a bit like white chocolate. Right up my husband’s street (although he did report a taste of “marzipan”?!), but not mine. Horses for courses – you may love this bar and I’d certainly say give it a go. It’s nice, just not very me. The ON website says these bars represent a replacement/alternative to a bowl of porridge (translation for my US readers: “oatmeal” ) and a protein shake, and certainly that’s a typical breakfast for many a bodybuilder, so don’t think they’re only for endurance athletes.

The Wholly Oats! bars stats are: 21g protein (from casein, whey and egg), 42g carbs and 5g fat per bar

The Whey Crisp bars were mine and mine alone to sample! Husband didn’t get a look in, in fact I suspect he doesn’t even know I ever had them to review. Here’s what I thought:

- Marshmallow Treat. A treat indeed! Marshmallowy in taste but not texture, this was crispy (like a rice crispy cereal bar thing) and a bit sticky but not as sticky as an actual marshmallow. I… erm… may have dipped it in a cup of tea, and it held up admirably to that rigorous stage in the review process. I thought I might find this too sickly but I didn’t. I am proud of myself.

- Double Rich Chocolate – again, I thought this might be too sweet for me but it wasn’t (just). The bars aren’t huge, but I think this would have been too sweet if they’d been any larger. The tea-dunking test worked well for this bar, too.

The Whey Crisp bar stats are 16g protein (from whey). 25g carbs, less than 1g sugar and less than 2g fat. So, hardly a low-carb bar but then again I’d suggest that if you were in a low-carb stage of dieting you wouldn’t be using bars anyway. A tasty treat which was a welcome tea-dunking experiment in this more relaxed stage of bodybuilding eating!

Like most commercial energy/recovery/meal replacement (etc) bars, these aren’t the ideal solution when you need a snack, but they’re better than a lot of choices (chocolate bars, crisps, biscuits) and help you meet your protein requirements.

The flavours and sweetness are very much a personal thing. But here you have two different types of bars from a well-respected sports nutrition brand, worth trying if you like bars and certainly worth keeping in your bag in case you’re caught short without food. Thanks for the samples, Optimum Nutrition people!

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Optimum Nutrition Whey Crisp and Wholly Oats! bars is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Made2Fit workout clothing, Optimum Nutrition essential amino energy

Hi all, welcome to the latest in my “fitness kit I’ve tested this week” series. Just the two this week: ON Essential Amino Energy and Made2Fit gym wear.

Optimum Nutrition Essential Amino Energy

ON’s essential amino energy is their powdered BCAA (amino acid). I’d formerly been a big fan of a very well-known BCAA powdered drink (I’m sure you know which one I mean) but it’s expensive, addictive (not literally…well I dunno it does have Sucralose in it!) and I think it bloats me a bit. So I was more than happy to try ON’s BCAA powder instead.

I was sent a few sachets of the fruit fusion flavour (it also comes in orange and grape) and think it tastes a bit watermelon-y. It’s a nice taste, anyway, not too strong or sweet but enough of a taste to encourage you to drink up.

What about the benefits? Well, the whole point of supplementing with BCAAs (branched chain amino acids) is to help you recover – and stop breakdown of muscle tissue – during periods of intense training. They also help the release of human growth hormone which is obviously a good thing when you’re weight training. Some of the amino acids are considered ‘essential’ (you need to get them from diet or supplementation) and others are ‘non-essential’ – your body can produce them itself. The two types make up about 1/3 of muscle protein. BCAAs and creatine are considered the two supplements you should probably be taking if you’re doing heavy weight training.

Here’s ON’s blurb:

Everybody wants a lean muscular physique. Like anything worth having, wanting it isn’t enough. You have to commit to a rigorous diet and training program that will tax your strength mentally as well as physically. To help satisfy these demands, ON’s Essential Amino Energy combines an optimal ratio of rapidly absorbed free form amino acids- including muscle building BCAAs and arginine for more intense vascular pump – with natural energizers, beta Alanine, and N.O. boosting ingredients to help you reach your next level. And at just 10 calories per serving it makes a big impression without denting your diet. Mix up Essential Amino Energy by itself – or stack it with your favorite powdered supplements – anytime you want to dial up mental focus, physical energy, N.O. production and recovery support.

Per serving of ON’s essential amino energy, you get 5g of micronized free-form amino acids, beta-alanine and 100 mg of caffeine (from green tea) – just enough to give you a little kick, I’d say. I definitely felt gentle boost to get to the gym when I started sipping on this. No fat, no sugar (although it does have sucralose – bah!) and 10 calories per serving.

In summary I think I’d buy this again, although I am trying to wean myself off any supplement with artificial sweeteners, so I wish it didn’t contain sucralose. I did like this product though and felt it gave me a little boost before the gym and – like any BCAAs – helps me recover between training sessions.

Made2Fit sportswear

I was contacted by Made2Fit, a company who produce custom-made sport and gym wear. They kindly offered to send me a bespoke outfit – how exciting! I never care what I look like in the gym and now was the time to start. Goodness knows I spend enough time there.

The idea behind Made2Fit‘s kit is that you can choose between various cuts, lengths, neck styles, waistband styles and of course colours to select your own custom-made kit. There’s a massive choice.

I spent a good while on the website excitedly mocking up various colours and styles before settling on a racer back top with inbuilt bra support and the ‘sports’ shorts (style pictured above).

I love the kit! It’s a great fit, true to size, flattering and very comfortable. I’m definitely going to be putting a legit order in, and that’s saying something – usually I pick up whatever’s on offer or just wear the same gym kit for years (decades?) I can’t wait to put together my next outfit and choose the styles and colours!

Here are some pics of me in the kit so you can see it on a real person.

What you can’t see is just how comfortable and well-fitting the kit is. I can highly recommend it. It’s reasonably priced, too, for proper gym kit and technical fabric: £30 for the top (with inbuilt support) and £26 for the shorts. I’m particularly taken by the shorts and think they could easily be worn as non-gym shorts on sunny days (I’m laughing as I type that… it’s August and my gym is currently closed due to flooding…) The inbuilt support of the top is OK, not enough support for running or plyometrics but absolutely fine for low-impact cardio or yoga etc.

Visit the website and have a click around – design your own gym kit!

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: Made2Fit workout clothing, Optimum Nutrition essential amino energy is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: myprotein Zest whey isolate, Optimum Nutrition gold standard casein and gold standard whey

I’m on a roll with my product reviews this week! It won’t be too long before I cut protein powders out of my diet as we get closer to the BNBF Finals, so I’m making my way through my stash of samples to bring you the latest in my “fitness kit I’ve tested this week” posts. This one’s for those of you who use protein powders (whey and casein).

Myprotein.com Whey Isolate “Zest”

myprotein.com have recently launched a new whey isolate in fruity flavours (they’ve also launched some absolutely amazing coffee-inspired whey proteins, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about today). What’s different about their Whey Isolate Zest? It contains 100% whey protein isolate and over 85% protein content. The stats are pretty impressive – for each 25g serving, you’re getting 21.4g protein, 0.2g fat and just 0.1g carbs (and 85.6 kcals). To me, that means you can just have a bigger serving

So, it’s a good choice for anyone watching carbs or cutting for a show/shoot. Good stuff. But really it’s the flavours which make this new product something to blog home about. Almost every other whey protein out there is some kind of chocolate, vanilla, banana, blah blah flavour. That’s all well and good but it does get a bit boring after a while. If, like me, you like to experiment with protein powders, using them for “icecream” and in baking, new flavours such as these are exciting!

Whey Isolate Zest is available in blackcurrant, apple & raspberry and orange & passionfruit. And they’re all really, really good. Mixed with water (or non-dairy milk) as I tried, they make a much fresher-tasting shake than the more traditional milky-flavours on the market. They’re very refreshing. I imagine they’d be great mixed in with yoghurt – frozen yoghurt maybe? The flavours all seem very authentic – I had orange & passionfruit this morning and it was a very thirst-quenching, refreshing start to the day.

Highly recommended if you’re tired of the same old whey protein flavours and fancy something fruity and different! Thanks for the samples, myprotein.com. By the way, if you do order from myprotein.com, pop the code MP113064 in at the checkout for a discount.

(I did consider doing something more exciting than straight-up shakes when I tested this product, but thought this would be the best way. However, head on over to my homegirl Anna’s blog if you want some crazy ideas for using this – and other – protein powders). She’s on Facebook, too.

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey

Optimum Nutrition (ON) are a highly-thought of brand so I was pleased to be sent samples of their popular whey and casein products. I tested the gold standard whey in French vanilla (presumably different to English?) although it’s available in 12 flavours (rocky road, anyone?)

The stats are good: per 29.4g serving (I don’t make the serving sizes up!), you’re getting 24g protein, 1g fat and 1.6g carbs (120 kcals). I wasn’t overwhelmed by the vanilla flavour but vanilla is vanilla really. It was nice, not too strong and not too sweet which is often the case with vanilla wheys.

ON’s gold standard whey contains more than 5g of BCAAs and 4g glutamine per serving, nice extras which will help you recover from hard training and be less sore during your workouts. It’s discounted on the ON site at the moment, making this a great time to snap up what is generally considered to be a quality product, respected by many top athletes.

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Casein

I was also sent a sample of ON’s gold standard casein product, which I’d been wanting to try for ages after hearing all sorts of people sing its praises. Casein is a slow-release protein source, ideal to take before bed (and I usually do). It digests at a rate of around 1/7 that of whey, so can supply you with amino acids during long periods without food.

I loved this product. It was delicious, and I’d definitely buy it again. I can see why I’ve heard so many good things about it. The flavour I tested was chocolate, but it’s also available in vanilla or banana. It was really smooth and creamy and tasted like a lovely treat last thing at night.

Per 32g serving, you get 24.4g protein, 0.5g fat and 3g carbs, along with 114 kcals and 10g of BCAAs, glutamine, and glutamine precursors, making this a quality product to take before going to sleep. I just wish they’d sent me more!

As with the whey, the casein is discounted on ON’s site at the moment. I might be heading over there to place an order myself! Thanks for the samples, Optimum Nutrition people!

Fitness kit I’ve tested this week: myprotein Zest whey isolate, Optimum Nutrition gold standard casein and gold standard whey is a post from The Fit Writer blog.

Nicola Joyce – the Fit Writer – is a freelance copywriter and journalist who writes for the sport and fitness industry. Her main website is here.