I continued onward with my February "Mile for a Like" Challenge today (did y'all really need to like my post 212 times?!). I started my day off strong with an 18 mile run this morning. Even though I was freezing my tuckus off, I focused on speed intervals during my run this morning. By the end of it, I felt like I'd really pushed myself--- and I felt great about it! I'm down to 106 miles to go now, which is EXACTLY half of the 212 miles I'll be running this month. So I'm making, no pun intended, good pace on my challenge!
I also lifted weights--- chest and triceps today. Then I managed to get in an impromptu workout! How did I do that, you ask? Well, I had plans to attend a vegan brunch this morning, hosted by the fabulous chef Mya Zeronis (seriously--- when even my carnivore husband texts me asking about the "yum yum brunch," you know it's good eats!). Unfortunately, Pittsburgh's beloved weatherman Joe DeNardo LIED when he predicted "1-2 inches of snow" this weekend. The heavens opened up and dumped truckloads of snow on us this morning; we passed four car accidents on the way home, and we didn't manage to get our car up the hill we live on.
So, after 18 miles of running, an hour of lifting weights--- I walked up this huge ass hill to get home! Oh, Pittsburgh weather, how I love thee! :)
Day 9: 124-18=106!
As you may or may not know, I am a huge fan of Quest bars, as they're one of the cleanest protein bars on the market. Their all natural line is the cleanest of options, while their non-natural line contains sucralose (Stevia). I'm not a fan of sucralose in general (see my Food for Thought on artificial sweeteners), but, in comparison to the other protein bars on the market (which, really, are just glorified candy bars), even the non-natural line of Quest bars are a relatively clean option (I'd consider them 99% clean!).
Quest has recently launched some scrumptiously flavored protein bars, including Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and White Chocolate Raspberry, but the newest addition to their protein bar lineup is the Cookies & Cream bar. I eagerly picked up my pre-ordered box of bars yesterday, and I've been anxious to give them a whirl, so that I could review this new Quest bar for all of you out there--- since it might be a while until you see it on the shelves! All of my local GNC's stock of bars went towards pre-orders, and there were ZERO left to put on the shelves!
So how did this Quest bar fare? Well, in short, it's amazeballs. The bar is chock full of cookie pieces, reminiscent of Oreo bits, as well as riddled with ooey-gooey creamy pieces, literally oozing out as I ate it with a spoon. I always pop my Quest bars in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften and warm them up, and microwaving this one certainly enhances the experience! The creamy pieces melt when microwaved, making for a melty, creamy, delicious Quest bar! It's not obnoxiously sweet, but it will most assuredly satisfy any sweet tooth craving out there!
Nutritionally, this bar is a mere 180 calories, with a whopping 21 grams of protein and 22 grams of carbohydrates--- 17 grams of which come from fiber! The ingredients list, except for my personal qualm with sucralose, is superb--- and, even then, each bar contains less than 2% sucralose. So, again, a fantastic nutritional and ingredient lineup!
If you're looking for a clean protein bar, then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend these to anyone. I personally reserve my Quest bars for my on-the-go mornings when I just don't feel like cooking up a clean eat breaky (I know, I know... believe it or not, it DOES happen!). I have a ritual of popping mine into the microwave on a plate for 15-20 seconds, and sipping on a steaming hot mug of stevia-sweetened coffee while I enjoy my bar. And I've even been known to dip my Quest bar in my morning coffee for some added yumminess!
Try this one out guys! I'd give it an A+, but since it contains sucralose, I just can't--- but an A quality protein bar nonetheless!
